The Rio Grande Valley FC Toros capped a successful two-game road trip with a 2-2 draw at Seattle Sounders 2 Tuesday night at Starfire Stadium in Tukwila, Washington. George Malki and Emilio Garcia each scored their first goals of the season as RGV FC followed a 2-0 win at Portland on Friday with a road point four days later.
The two teams played in cold, rainy conditions and RGV FC head coach Wilmer Cabrera made just one change to his starting lineup after the club’s first-ever win at Portland as Mexican midfielder Emilio Garcia replaced Eric Bird.
Seattle opened the scoring in the 20th minute as Sounders Homegrown Player Victor Mansaray took a through ball from Zach Mathers and finished underneath RGV FC goalkeeper Devin Perales and inside the far post from 18 yards for S2’s first goal of the season.
RGV FC answered back five minutes after halftime. Jose Escalante charged through midfield and slid a through ball to Dzenan Catic, whose cross rolled into the path of Malki after the right back pushed into the attack. Malki used one touch from 16 yards for a low finish past Seattle goalkeeper Charlie Lyon for an equalizing goal.
The Toros took the lead three minutes later as Bradley Bourgeois delivered a cross from the left and Dynamo midfielder Collen Warner headed back across the box, and Garcia fought through Sounders 2 defender Tony Alfaro for a header and his first USL goal.
Sounders 2 leveled the match in the 84th minute from a free kick. Sounders defender Oniel Fischer curled a pinpoint cross from the right flank and Alfaro ran unmarked before heading past Perales from four yards for the tying goal.
Three Houston Dynamo players made their second straight start on loan with RGV FC. Bourgeois played 57 minutes while Houston defender Sebastien Ibeagha played 90 minutes for the second time in four days.
Warner wore the captain’s armband once again, assisted on Garcia’ goal, and played 69 minutes after playing the first half on Friday. The veteran midfielder is returning from a bi-lateral hamstring strain suffered in preseason with Toronto FC before his March 2 trade to the Dynamo.
The Toros return to South Texas to prepare for the fourth and final game of the season-opening road trip, a visit to the Real Monarchs (Real Salt Lake) on April 23 while construction continues on their new soccer-specific stadium. RGV FC will play their first home game April 30 against LA Galaxy II.
RGV FC is the hybrid affiliate of the Dynamo, who control all technical aspects of the soccer operation while the McAllen, Texas based Rio Grande Valley Vipers run the business operations, including the current construction of a 9,400 seat soccer stadium that will resemble Houston’s BBVA Compass Stadium.
Seattle Sounders 2 (0-3-1, 1 point) vs. Rio Grande Valley FC Toros (1-1-1, 4 points)
April 12, 2016 – Starfire Stadium – Tukwila, Washington
Goals by Half 1 2 F
Seattle Sounders 2 1 1 2
RGV FC Toros 1 1 2
Scoring Summary:
SEA: Victor Mansaray 1 (Zach Mathers 1) 20
RGV: George Malki 1 (unassisted) 50
RGV: Emilio Garcia 1 (unassisted) 53
SEA: Tony Alfaro 1 (Oniel Fisher 1) 84
RGV FC: Devin Perales; Bradley Bourgeois* (Kai Greene 57), Kevin Garcia, Sebastien Ibeagha, George Malki; Charlie Ward, Emilio Garcia (Charly Flores 82), Collen Warner © (Jorginho James 69); Memo Rodriguez (T.J. Casner 70), Dzenan Catic, Jose Escalante (Christian Lucatero 86)
*On loan from Houston Dynamo
Substitutes not used: Arturo Sanchez, Leo Ayala
TOTAL SHOTS: 12; SHOTS ON GOAL: 4; FOULS: 20 OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 5
Sounders FC 2: Charlie Lyon; Oniel Fisher, Tobi Jnohope, Tony Alfaro, Nouhou Tolo; Nathan Sturgis (Michael Farfan 62), Mark O'Ojong, Zach Mathers (Lorenzo Ramos 81), Andy Craven, Victor Mansaray (Emir Alihodzic 71), Handwalla Bwana (Oalex Anderson 62)
Substitutes not used: Matt Bersano, Michael Nelson, Nick Hinds
TOTAL SHOTS: 16; SHOTS ON GOAL: 7; FOULS: 16 OFFSIDES: 3; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 2
Misconduct Summary:
SEA - Mark O'Ojong (caution) 33'
SEA - Nathan Sturgis (caution) 45'
RGV FC - George Malki (caution) 60'
SEA - Michael Farfan (caution) 75'
Referee: Farhad Dadkho
Referee’s assistants: Kelsey Harms, Christian Clerc
Fourth official: Charles Spaniola
Weather: 47 degrees and rainy
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial.
