Tucson native and MLS veteran Donny Toia races in to challenge a 50-50 ball in the Richmond Kickers' box during the second half of Wednesday's USL League One game at Kino North Stadium. Richmond won, 1-0.
Tucson soccer legend Donny Toia made his FC Tucson return on "520 Day" β Part II β but the Richmond Kickers spoiled the storybook debut.
The Kickers beat FC Tucson 1-0 on a night in which the former Tucson Soccer Academy, Canyon Del Oro High School and Pima College star entered as a sub in the 75th minute.
βIt was good. Obviously, it would be more exciting to come on when weβre winning, but still a good feeling to come back, be on the pitch and help out the team as much as possible,β said Toia, a former Major League Soccer standout.
Wednesday's match was originally scheduled for May 20 β 5/20 β but was rescheduled due to COVID-19 issues with the Kickers. The delay allowed Toia, signed earlier this month, to make his USL League One debut on what the club called β520 Day 2.β
βIβm really happy to see Donny back out there,β said FC Tucson coach Jon Pearlman. βI mean, obviously, heβs as disappointed as anybody (with the loss) β but, again, heβs going to mix it up with the best of them. Heβs gonna fight every minute, tooth and nail, for the badge and for the city.β
Kickers forward Jonathan Bolanos scored a 60th-minute goal against the run of play, serving as the night's only score. FC Tucson outshot Richmond 14-8 and had 57.4% of the possession, but couldn't break through. Richmond improved to 6-4-3, which Tucson fell to 3-7-2.
βItβs just so disappointing to have that kind of controlled effort against a top team, really absolutely dominate play, absolutely control every facet of the game,β Pearlman said. βBut again, itβs a game of the scoring, Iβm disappointed for the fans, Iβm disappointed not int he effort but just in the final execution, these final moments.β
FC Tucson has last five home matches in a row streak and now has a six-match winless stretch at Kino North Stadium. They are 0-4-1 at home in league play, with the fifth loss coming in Lamar Hunt U.S. Ope Cup play.
FC Tucson opened the season with a 4-0 loss at Richmond. It was the Kickersβ first action since the Men in Black topped them in back to back weeks in Tucson to close out the regular season and in the playoffs.
βI know I sound like a broken record, but, again, weβre a better team than we were,β Pearlman said. βIt was 4-0 when we were there, we controlled the game, they were all over the place trying anything they could do to get out of this place alive.β
Toia came on and played forward as FC Tucson were hoping to salvage a point. Pearlman said heβs on 20 minutes as he get back to full fitness.
Toia said in training heβs played offense and defense equally. He played forward in the USL and lower but in the MLS he was a defender.
βI wasnβt expecting to play the No. 9 right off the bat,β Toia said. βEvery time I step on the pitch, Iβm going to give everything Iβve got and so that felt good.β
FC Tucson returns to action on Sunday, when they host top of the table Greenville Triumph SC (7-4-2) for fireworks night.
Corner kicks
β’ FC Tucson midfielder Charlie Machell, who was slated to start, was a late scratch. He was replaced by Daniel Bedoya. Pearlman said Machell's allergies flared up.
β’ Richmond defender Dakota Barnathan and head coach Darren Sawatzky returned to Kino Stadium. Barnathan played for FC Tucson last season and Sawatzky coached the Men in Black in 2019.
Photos: FC Tucson falls at home to Richmond in Donny Toia's 2022 debut