From USL League Two star to starter to super sub, FC Tucson forward Fernando Garcia has had a busy year.
Garcia scored in the 88th minute to give FC Tucson a 2-2 draw at Greenville Triumph SC on Saturday and thus stave off playoff elimination. FC Tucson (8-12-7) hosts Central Valley Fuego FC (9-12-7) on Wednesday night in a must-win match; the club must win its final three matches and get help from other teams to make the USL League One postseason.
Garcia said his equalizer late in Saturday’s match “felt good.”
“That’s the whole part of my job and a part of being on the team is being able to help the team in any way, shape or form and it feels good to come in and make a difference and help the team keep that playoff hope alive,” he said.
Garcia also scored the match-winner in FC Tucson’s 1-0 win over the Charlotte Independence on Sept. 3. The victory snapped Tucson’s 10-match home winless streak and started their current stretch of six matches without a loss.
“We really feel like when he comes on, he’s able to give us that goal — and he’s done it three times now,” said FC Tucson coach Jon Pearlman. “He gave us the big goal obviously against Charlotte, he gave us the big goal against Tormenta and then another big goal here in Greenville, so again Fernando’s done better each time.”
Garcia joined FC Tucson on June 21 from the Des Moines Menace of USL League Two. He scored in his debut, a 2-1 win over the Chattanooga Red Wolves.
“It’s tough bringing him off the bench, but we need to have those kind of weapons off the bench to change the game as well,” Pearlman said. “We’re in a six-game unbeaten run so we feel pretty confident in how we’re using players.”In May the Charlotte native also scored a goal for the Menace that earned him a spot on ESPN’s “SportsCenter.”
Garcia said the key to those late important goals is keeping calm.
“It’s tough, it’s hard because it’s not always easy and it’s not always a thing that can happen all the time, but it’s just keeping your cool and keeping calm, keeping a good mindset and controlling what you can,” he said.
Corner kicks
Wednesday is Southern Arizona Heritage Night at Kino North Stadium, featuring mariachi and folklórico.
FC Tucson will host a tailgate before the match at A&V Auto Repair & Towing, 3119 East 45th Street. The tailgate starts at 4 p.m., with a march to the stadium planned for 6:30 p.m.
FC Tucson led the league with four on the USL League One Team of the Week. Goalkeeper Carlos Merancio, defender Kaelon Fox, midfielder Daniel Bedoya and midfielder Louis Perez all made the squad.
