RGV FC Clinch Second Consecutive Playoff Berth
October 15, 2022 – United Soccer League Championship (USL) – Rio Grande Valley FC Toros News Release
EDINBURG, Texas – Rio Grande Valley FC (14-13-7, 49 pts) hosted Western conference side Monterey Bay Union FC (12-18-4, 40 pts) at H-E-B Park for the final match of the regular season schedule. The Toros clinched their second consecutive trip to the USL Championship Playoffs after winning 4-1, their largest win margin at home in the 2022 campaign; they enter as the current six seed pending results across the league.
Monterey Bay gave up a penalty 5 minutes into the match as Frank Lopez attacked the box, Hunter Gorskie was penalized with the foul and was issued a direct red card, leaving Monterey Bay Union FC with 10 men at just five minutes in the match.
Erik Pimentel took the penalty try but was denied by Carlos Herrera who guessed correctly; on the ensuing rebound Juan Pablo Torres found the loose ball and sent it rifling into the net to give RGV FC the 1-0 lead at the 6-minute mark. Torres has scored three goals this campaign.
Jonathan Ricketts serviced a low traveling ball into the 6-yard box and Frank Lopez tapped it in while sliding to stretch the Toros lead to 2-0 at the 33-minute frame. Ricketts earned his first assist of the year, Lopez picked up goal number six in the campaign.
An own goal was marked at the 60th minute as Ollie Wright sent a crossing shot dangerously close to the goal line from the left wing; Jiro Barriga-Toyama slid and deflected the shot into his own net, making it 3-0 in favor of the home team.
Akeem Ward bounced one off a closing defender to add another to the tally as the Toros went up 4-0 at H-E-B Park, placing an exclamation on their historic back-to-back playoff berth earned.
Jesse Maldonado stole one back at the 91st minute to make it 4-1 before the final whistle.
RGV FC await their playoff schedule pending league results. To see more matchday information, visit www.rgvfc.com.
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