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DETROIT, Michigan – The Detroit City Football Club opens its 2022 campaign and debut season in the USL Championship with a road trip to San Antonio FC. Kickoff on Saturday, March 12, from Toyota Field is set for 7:30 pm CT / 8:30 pm ET on ESPN+.
A home broadcast featuring Neal Ruhl and Eric Dobrzanski will be on TV 20 Detroit and WSYM in Lansing.
Detroit City makes the jump to the USL Championship after claiming four league titles in the third division. Last year, Le Rouge posted a mark of 27-6-1, boasting a league-best +36 goal differential during regular-season play.
Though Saturday night marks the first-ever meeting between the two sides, Detroit City FC shares a few player connections with San Antonio FC. Midfielder Maxi Rodriguez – a native of San Antonio – signed with his hometown club following his collegiate career at Charlotte. Rodriguez played for SAFC for two seasons before moving onto the Richmond Kickers. Forward Billy Forbes played for the original San Antonio during its time as the San Antonio Scorpions – netting the Soccer Bowl winning-tally in 2014. Forbes had two additional stints in San Antonio in 2017 and 2019. Forward Pato Botello Faz returns to San Antonio after spending his collegiate career with St. Mary’s (Texas). Botello Faz scored 39 goals in 65 appearances for St. Mary’s.
Forward Connor Rutz, Le Rouge’s reigning Black Arrow Award recipient, led all scorers for Detroit City in 2021, scoring 10 goals. Rodriguez was the team’s top scorer during the fall campaign, finishing fourth in the Golden Boot race.
In total, seven different members of Detroit City’s roster returned from last year’s 2021 run having either won a yearly award or been named to the all-league team. Additionally, DCFC welcomed captains from two other NISA sides in midfielder Michael Bryant (formerly Cal United Strikers) and defender Devon Amoo-Mensah (formerly Michigan Stars).
Detroit City FC’s last road loss came on July 7, 2018, to Kalamazoo FC, 4-3, in NPSL play. City has never lost a road match under head coach Trevor James nor as a professional side.
San Antonio FC’s run to the Western Conference Final of the USL Championship Playoffs last season marked the best campaign in the club’s history before falling in a penalty shootout to eventual title winner Orange County SC. SAFC made a big addition after losing winger Jose Gallegos to Danish Superliga club SønderjyskE after he was nominated for the USL Championship’s Young Player of the Year award for a second consecutive season. To fill in the spot, San Antonio inked Kekuta Manneh from Major League Soccer’s Austin FC.
San Antonio FC’s 94 yellow cards during the 2021 regular season were the most in the league, and the second-most in a season in league history after the 99 cautions accumulated by Las Vegas Lights FC in 2018.
Follow @DetroitCityFCM on Twitter for in-match updates. For more information about Detroit City FC, visit detcityfc.com.com and follow @DetroitCityFC on Twitter and Facebook and @detroitcityfootballclub on Instagram.
