Since the admins haven't yet given the Loyal their own sub forum, felt it was high past time we had a place to unify discussion for the Loyal. This thread is it for now. However if you want to help request the Loyal get their own subforum, please feel free here: https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/san-diego-loyal-sc-board-in-usl-subsection.2108951/ Admins please sticky this if possible. Let the SD Loyal discussion begin!
Good day to start this thread as it's GAME DAY (June 29)! SD Loyal host the somewhat homeless (for now) Oakland Roots at Torero Stadium for our first mid-week home game of the season. Game time is 7:30pm local time. For those unable to attend the game will be broadcast locally on Fox 5 in English. It will also be broadcast on Azteca America in Spanish and streamed nationally on EPSN+ Radio is available on SiriusXMFC Also a reminder that the stadium is back to full capacity so get on out there if you can and bring a friend! The boys have looked much better of late and need to defend their unbeaten streak and home winning streak which are at 6 and 3 games respectively going into tonight's matchup.
Also thought I'd throw this out there since it's likely Loyal related. Crews are humming right along building the 35,000 seat Aztec Stadium which is very likely future home of the Loyal once completed (and may factor into if the team makes a push to MLS depending on how the Loyal/Aztec relationship goes). As you can see the basic structure of the west side upper deck has been added already and the lower bowl is largely finished already. Several of the light standards have also already gone up. You can watch the construction live here about halfway down the page: https://aztecstadium.com/
That's what I said It's been a stunning turn around after that dreary April and early May. 4 road games to open the season was a killer. Hopefully with COVID in retreat that's the last time we do that, ever.
I mean we're playing so well that MLS teams are taking their guys back and they're scoring goals in their first MLS games so... Honestly as a Quakes fan too, I wish Loyal were playing an exhibition against them right now. I think the Loyal would kick the Quakes ass in their current forms.
I remember Josh Yaro from Philly Union. Didn’t know he was on the squad. Miguel Ibarra, Ben Spencer. I’m familiar with some of these dudes. Uncle Sal Zizzo of course.
Another day, another home game, another great result. Clean sheet 1-0 win over the Roots to extend the unbeaten streak to 7 and the home win streak to 4!
The Loyal got a little press coverage last night. Fox 5 in particular has really leaned in to the coverage of the Loyal as is befitting a partner. Some post game news links from the win over the Roots. https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/watch-live-san-diego-loyal-vs-oakland-roots-sc/ https://timesofsandiego.com/sports/...oal-of-season-helping-team-rise-to-2nd-place/ Nothing in the primary local paper though. The UT has all its eyes on Petco Park presently.
Next up for the Loyal, they host the Sacramento Republic at 4pm on Saturday July 3rd. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN2 and streaming on the ESPN app for those remote or unable to make it out. Speaking of which, ESPN put out a pretty cool hype video for the game on Twitter. Fourth of July weekend. 🎇ESPN2 National TV spotlight. 📺Our rivalry renews with Sacramento. 🗓 Saturday, July 3rd🆚 @SacRepublicFC📍 Torero Stadium🕓 4pm PT#USLonESPNTickets are on sale now!🎟 https://t.co/3yecnSjdFr pic.twitter.com/yW1QEq6HLj— San Diego Loyal (@SanDiegoLoyal) June 30, 2021 Republic come into the game on a 3 game losing streak with a 2-1-5 record for 7 points and 6th place in the Western Conference Pacific. The Loyal are coming in on a 7 game unbeaten streak and 4 game home winning streak having risen up to 2nd in the Western Conference Pacific. Hopefully the guys can keep the fortress mentality at Torero going.
Not sure whats up with Zeigler but he is a ghost right now. Hes the one that usually covers soccer but he rarely does any Loyal articles.
The entire UT has become a ghost town, particularly the sports section. I figured this would happen once the Times took over and the Chargers left town. Eventually the "UT" will be nothing but a reskinned LA Times with a slightly modified local and sports section. Hell that's kind of what it is already. I mean I think this was the last article the UT had on the Loyal by Krasovic. SD Loyal's Alejandro Guido, now healthy, is making MLS-level plays - The San Diego Union-Tribune (sandiegouniontribune.com) Which is a fine article, but then they don't cover the actual games? And their website seems to lack any reference to the team at all. I'm honestly surprised they have a section for the Gulls. Not that there's much of anything in it.
Found this randomly today so I thought I'd share. Again not Loyal related per se, yet. But someone put together a time lapse of Aztec Stadium's construction in June. It's going up really fast now.
I mean I get it, the Padres are the most interesting they've been since at least 1998. But at the same time it shows how much the paper has been gutted that they can't even send a single reporter over the one day a week the Loyal (or Gulls) play.
It goes back to Zeigler though...he is the soccer reporter but he isn't doing anything with the Loyal. Really weird to be honest.
Well maybe today is the day he appears. Soccer wise Sacramento is a pretty big story with the implosion of their MLS bid (and San Diego’s subsequent receipt of their NWSL team as well). Unless they fired him?
No his main beat is Aztec basketball so he is still there...I just would have thought he'd get more articles. Maybe they just don't want to pay him for more articles
Well this weekend’s game was good... until the last minute. They didn’t lose but man did that feel like a loss.
Looks like Austin Guerrero was named to the USL Team of the Week for his clean sheet against Oakland. What an honor for the San Diegan!@AustinGuerrero0 is named to the USL Championship Team of the Week for his shutout of Oakland Roots. 😎💪 pic.twitter.com/ft1GbB1LUW— San Diego Loyal (@SanDiegoLoyal) July 6, 2021 Definitely a well earned honor for giving the Loyal their first clean sheet of the year.
Reminder that the next game for the Loyal is this Saturday 7/10 at 5pm (so another non-standard start time). This time it's a friendly against the neighbors. Liga MX's Club Tijuana Xolos are coming up to Torero to play our guys in what amounts to a preseason tune up for the Xolos. No local or national TV coverage in the US, but the game looks to be on Canal 33 in TJ.
Well the result wasn't what everyone wanted, but it was only a 1-0 loss. And it was only a friendly against the Xolos. Missed it myself but the game was apparently a sold out good time so sorry I wasn't there. Next league match is this Wednesday evening at 7:30 pm. The Loyal take on our nearest neighbors to the north Orange County SC. OCSC sit just above the Loyal on the table in the Western Conference Pacific. A win could pull the Loyal even with them. Since the Loyal last faced them June 9th, the OCSC have won 4 and drawn twice. Most recently beating Sacramento on Saturday. The Loyal are coming into this match on their continuing 8 game unbeaten streak in league play and looking to extend it to 9. The game is going to be broadcast on Fox 5 and streaming on ESPN+ in English. It will also be on Canal 33 in Spanish.
What... a.... GAME! If you weren't there last night to see the Loyal's come from behind victory against second place OCSC, well you missed an amazing performance. The two teams were even through the first half, though IMO the Loyal looked to have more control of the field. Then 15 minutes into the second, the Loyal went down a man after Grant Stoneman picked up a second, IMO soft yellow card. Playing down they gave up a goal to OC 7 minutes later in the 67th and things looked like they were going to settle into the usual, team down a guy loses the game routine. But no, the Loyal came roaring back and scored 2 goals in quick succession in the 74th and 76th minutes. And they held on for the victory. It was really something to behold and is hard to convey on a message board just how great it was. I'll let Coach Donovan explain how it felt better... "𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀."The guys showed what they're made of tonight, and it's straight up trophy material! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/xRVd7CWR94— San Diego Loyal (@SanDiegoLoyal) July 15, 2021 Having pulled even with OCSC for second place, the Loyal's game is Saturday, July 24th against first place Phoenix who are only 2 points clear of the Loyal and OC presently.
Games have been fun and the quality continues to impress me as does the tactical sophistication. Been trying to work out the formation for a while but we seemed to have broadly settled into a 3 at the back with the ball and a four at the back without. Jack Metcalf is doing his best impression of fellow scouser Trent Alexander Arnold basically playing two positions. Been fascinating.