San Antonio FC Embraces The Challenge As Playoffs Begin

SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio FC has taken its share of hits this season. Injuries, dips in form, tough stretches — the kind of adversity that can overwhelm teams with low confidence. But as the playoffs arrive, SAFC believes those battles have built a group ready for the moment.

Defender and team captain Mitch Taintor said the adversity throughout the year is exactly why the club heads into the postseason with confidence.

“We faced a lot of adversity this year, but that’s what makes a really good team, a strong team,” Taintor said. “We knew we were going to hit adversity at some point. We hit it quite a bit, but we kept going. We kept full belief in ourselves, and tonight was the product of that, so congratulations to everyone. We deserve that.”

The reward for that persistence? A first-round playoff showdown with a familiar foe: New Mexico United.

It’s a matchup the players anticipated months ago — and one they’ve been waiting for.

“After we lost to them the first time in New Mexico, we said, ‘That’s the team we’re gonna face come playoffs,’ and low and behold, that’s how it works,” Taintor continued. “They’re a good team. They’ve had our number this year, but it’s really difficult to beat someone four times, so we’re gonna go for it.”

New Mexico has won each meeting this season, setting the stage for a high-stakes match with the season on the line. But San Antonio isn’t dwelling on the past. The playoffs are a reset — for everyone.

Defender Nelson Flores Blanco said form, standings, and records take a back seat to execution in knockout soccer.

“When playoffs start, it doesn’t matter if you’re first or eighth,” Flores Blanco said. “It’s one game, face-to-face, and you've got to take it.”

SAFC believes its depth, experience, and recent momentum following their 5-2 over El Paso are all trending in the right direction at the perfect time.

“This was a playoff atmosphere here, so it was a good prep going into playoffs,” Flores Blanco continued. “This was a huge match for us, and I think we made a good statement. We have a talented locker room. It doesn’t matter who’s on the field… the boys have a lot of experience going into playoffs. You have players that have played all over and yeah, we’re excited to go into playoffs. It doesn’t matter who we face, we’re talented.”

For San Antonio FC, adversity has been part of the story — but not the defining chapter. With a tough opponent ahead and a clean slate in front of them, the postseason offers the chance to flip the script.

Now it’s about proving they’re built for this moment.