San Diego Loyal SC played to a 0-0 draw against host El Paso Locomotive FC Wednesday at Southwest University Park.
The game, the third-to-last regular season match in club history, earned the Loyal (14-9L, 51 points) another point in the Western Conference standings.
The team, in fourth place, is vying to clinch a home playoff match for the second-consecutive season, and will have the support of its fans in the push – potentially for the last time – at 7 p.m. Saturday.
Limited tickets remain as SD Loyal welcomes Oakland Roots SC (11-12-9, 42 points) to Torero Stadium.
Against El Paso (12-12-8, 44 points), SD Loyal offered the toughest challenge in the second half, when they nearly got on the scoreboard several times.
Last week’s USL Championship Player of the Week Ronaldo Damus sent in a dangerous header that was saved by El Paso goalkeeper Benny Diaz in the 78th minute. Second-half substitute Adrien Perez chipped in the looping cross to Damus on the play.
Twelve minutes later, SD Loyal nearly found the game-winner in stoppage time when Xavi Gnaulati sent a shot from the left side of the penalty box, but Diaz was there to make another save.
“I think in the second half we did every thing possible to score, but we just didn’t get it over the line,” head coach Nate Miller said.
SD Loyal thought it had found the net in the first half when Damus, who scored a hat trick last week against Monterey Bay, sent a shot into the net. But the goal was disallowed as the speedy Haitian was whistled for offside on the play. Carlos Guzman had fed Damus on the play, in the 26th minute.
With a win against Oakland, SD Loyal can secure a home playoff match, “a three-seed ideally for our fans” Miller said.
The club came into its match against El Paso already having clinched a postseason berth, but will need three points against Oakland to ensure a top-four finish.
Meawhile, Nick Moon saw his first action since an injury earlier this season. The forward came on as a sub for Tumi Moshobane in the 78th minute. Moon last appeared during SD Loyal’s 2-2 draw at Indy Eleven on July 1.
