Throughout his tenure in the Alamo City, San Antonio FC coach Darren Powell has been one who lived in the moment. There wasn’t much time spent looking back or ahead.

The theory was tested Saturday. When a similar scenario played out again, Powell and his players turned their attention to the past. It proved beneficial.

Midfielder Cristian Parano scored two goals and assisted on two others as SAFC romped past New Mexico United 5-0 in a United Soccer League contest before 6,057 at Toyota Field.

The local squad moved into eighth place in the USL Western Conference, only two points out of fourth place. The top 10 teams in each conference advance to the playoffs.

“We had to learn our lessons from last week,” SAFC midfielder Walter Restrepo said. “The same situation played out (Saturday) and we talked about it, and we knew that we had to stay alert and hang on to the result.”

A week earlier, SAFC (9-9-7, 34 points) led in-state rival Rio Grande Valley FC 2-0 at halftime, had a man advantage after an opponent was sent off with a red card, but yielded two goals in the final 15 minutes and settled for a 2-2 tie.

The gloom and doom from a squandered opportunity seven days earlier gave way to laughter and high-fives that reverberated through a hallway in the bowels of Toyota Field.

SAFC scored three times in the second half goals en route to establishing a franchise record for goals in a match. The club also secured its 50th win in USL competition.

Parano scored and assisted goals during the final 45 minutes, while Frank Lopez and Restrepo each scored once. Jack Barmby and Michael Lahoud contributed assists.

“The players were very adamant at halftime that we wanted to make sure we didn’t let any standards drop, and we saw that and managed to go on and see the benefits of that,” Powell said. “Everybody came in with the mentality that we wanted to make sure we came out with three points tonight.”

The determination started in the first half when SAFC grabbed control over New Mexico United (8-7-10) with goals midway and late in the first half.

Forward Brian Gomez made it 2-0 in the 39th minute when he put a low shot inside the left post after running onto a back-heel pass from Parano. In the 28th minute, Parano netted the game-winner off a pass from Restrepo.

Parano’s goal came shortly after New Mexico United midfielder Saalih Muhammad was sent off with a red card in the 21st minute for foul and abusive language. It was the fourth time in the past five games that SAFC has played with a man advantage after an opponent was sent off with a red card. The local club is 3-0-1 in those contests.

“I think over time I’ve adjusted and adapted into this team, and I do feel like I’m fitting in a little more,” said Parano who has five goals and two assists in the past three games. “But I also think in the collective we’ve grown in the same way, and things are clicking a little better. We all have roles to fulfill and everybody’s working hard to do their job and get to the best place we can be.”

The offensive outburst was more than enough on a night in which SAFC dodged some early pressure and only one true scoring chance from New Mexico United, which goalkeeper Matthew Cardone saved.

tthomas@express-news.net

Twitter: @en_terrence