FC Tucson’s Luca Mastrantonio likes to win. But he’s a defender — and so, naturally, he likes shutouts even better.
With last week’s 1-0 win over the Richmond Kickers, FC Tucson advanced to Saturday’s USL League One semifinals. Mastrantonio and the rest of the FC Tucson defense shut down Emiliano Terzaghi, the USL Legue One’s Golden Boot winner and scoring record-holder.
“We got a clean sheet in the last game and for me those are the most important things, besides winning or scoring a goal, getting a clean sheet for me is the No. 1 thing,” said Mastrantonio, a native of Rome. “Especially coming from Italy, where it’s just like a nation known for good defending and bringing up good defenders.
“So, yeah, (I’m) proud of that.”
Goals will be at a premium when the fourth-seeded Men in Black face top-seeded Union Omaha on Saturday afternoon with a spot in the finals at stake. All four of FC Tucson’s regular-season matches with the Owls were decided by a single goal.
FC Tucson coach Jon Pearlman said the back four was tremendous last week. It was the Men in Black’s fifth clean sheet of the year.
Cocah Jon Pearlman leads an FC Tucson club that advanced to the USL League One semifinals last season.
“Luca’s been great,” Pearlman said. “We have three great center backs in Dak (Barnathan), (Kaelon) Fox and Luca, but he’s really played well in the rotation, he’s earned his marks to start at center back and I’m really pleased with him.
“He trains the right way. He’s so competitive, He’s so intense.”
The 25-year-old Mastrantonio didn’t play a lot early on after signing with the club in March following one season at UC Irvine. He’s a fixture in FC Tucson’s lineup now, having played in 17 matches and starting 13.
Mastrantonio said it was a “great satisfaction” to hold Terzaghi and the Kickers scoreless.
“(Italy is) such a defensive culture, I always loved playing defense and I take pride in defending,” Mastrantonio said. “Just making sure that my teammates also take pride in that, making sure that I bring that energy so it becomes contagious and everybody wants to play defense.”
Corner kicks
Pearlman is finalist for USL League One Coach of the Year award, alongside Union Omaha’s Jay Mims and John Harkes of Greenville Triumph SC. After taking over as interim coach this summer, Pearlman led the Men in Black from 11th place to fourth. The Men in Black tied for the most goals with 44 in the regular season. The award is selected by teams’ technical staffs and executives. A winner will be announced next week.
Fans can stream Saturday’s match on ESPN+ or attend a watch party held at American Eat Co., 1439 S. Fourth Ave.
