San Diego Loyal SC (6-3-2) began a three-match road trip with a dramatic 3-2 come-from-behind win against Miami FC (2-4-5) Saturday.
Evan Conway and Elliot Collier scored while each side gave up an own goal in the USL Championship match at Florida International University Football Stadium. The club earned three points in the Western Conference standings with the victory against the Eastern Conference club and remain in third place.
It was SD Loyal’s first trip to South Florida and first-ever meeting against Miami FC.
Miami found the net in the 16th minute after Grant Stoneman, trying to intercept a forward pass by Miami’s Michael Salazar, watched the ball came off the defender and float backwards over goalkeeper Koke Vegas and into the Loyal net.
Conway leveled the score at 1-1 when he tapped in a ball from inside the six-yard box in the 40th minute. For his fourth goal of the season, Conway charged on to the box to put back an Alejandro Guido shot blocked by Miami goalkeeper Jake McGuire.
Kyle Murphy gave Miami a 2-1 advantage 16 minutes into the second half on a breakaway. The scoring play began on the Miami side of the pitch when SD Loyal was pressuring with its own attack and paused after assuming Nick Moon was fouled just outside the penalty area. Instead, there was no whistle and Callum Chapman-Page quickly played the ball up to Murphy to start the counterattack.
SD Loyal tied the match 2-2 with an own goal by Miami team captain Craig Paco as Conway sent a pass across the penalty area. Paco attempted to intercept the pass, but sent the ball into his own net instead, tying the match in the 81st minute.
Four minutes later, Collier, a second-half sub, shot a left-footed blast to give the visitors their first lead. The forward fired a one-timer off a Blake Bodily botched shot that made its way across the area, sending the ball past McGuire for the game-winner.
SD Loyal next takes on Oakland Roots SC (4-4-2) on May 27.