SAN ANTONIO (Interstat) — San Antonio scored once in each half and held off a late push from Orange County SC for a 2-1 victory in a global football match at Toyota Field on Saturday. Emil Cuello opened the scoring in the 15th minute, Cristian Parano added a second in the 58th and Christopher Hegardt pulled one back for Orange County SC in the 86th. The home side protected its lead through the closing minutes to remain unbeaten in the competition and handed the visitors their third loss.

San Antonio took the lead when Cuello finished after a move that gave the home side an early advantage. Cuello played 90 minutes and finished with one goal. Nelson Flores was credited with an assist on the play and also played 90 minutes. San Antonio’s early goal changed the tempo, forcing Orange County SC to chase the match from the 15th minute onward. Orange County SC looked for a response, but its first-half chances did not produce an equalizer. Kelly S. was shown a yellow card in the 20th minute, adding to Orange County SC’s first-half difficulties. San Antonio went into the break with a one-goal lead.

Orange County SC made a substitution at halftime, bringing on Wathuta S., and later changed personnel again in the 65th and 74th minutes. Kelly S. came off in the 65th and Partida K. entered in the 74th. The visitors’ changes added fresh legs, but San Antonio’s back line dealt with the pressure. San Antonio struck again in the 58th minute when Parano scored. Parano played 83 minutes and finished with one goal before being substituted. Tiago was booked for San Antonio in the 63rd minute. Orange County SC’s Benalcazar N. was booked in the 69th minute.

San Antonio made a double change in the 76th minute, with Tiago and Patino S. entering the match, and another double change in the 83rd minute when Parano and Calov C. came off. Orange County SC continued to push and made further substitutions in the 84th and 85th minutes. Benalcazar N. came off in the 84th and Doghman R. entered in the 85th. San Antonio’s final substitutions helped it protect the lead before Hegardt’s goal. The visitors finally broke through in the 86th minute when Hegardt scored. Hegardt played 90 minutes and gave Orange County SC a late lifeline. Yaniv Bazini provided the assist and also played 90 minutes.

Orange County SC pressed for a second goal in the final minutes, but San Antonio held firm. Brewitt T. was shown a yellow card for Orange County SC in the 90th minute. The result left San Antonio with two wins, no losses and one draw in this competition and across all competitions. Orange County SC fell to no wins and three losses in this competition and across all competitions.

San Antonio entered the match after a 1-0 win over New Mexico and a 0-0 draw at Oakland Roots. Orange County SC had lost 3-1 to Phoenix Rising and 2-1 at El Paso in its previous two matches. Cuello, Parano and Hegardt were the goalscorers, while Flores and Bazini recorded assists. San Antonio’s defense did enough after Hegardt’s goal to close out the win. The key stretch came when San Antonio scored in the 15th and 58th minutes, then withstood Orange County SC’s late pressure after the 86th-minute goal. Orange County SC remained without a win in the competition and in all competitions after the final whistle.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of San Antonio 1, Orange County SC 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected San Antonio with a 61.6 percent probability to win. San Antonio had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -0.5. The total score of 3 went under the over/under line of 2.5.