# South Texas Derby

The South Texas Derby was a regular season series between American soccer clubs Rio Grande Valley FC Toros of Edinburg, Texas and San Antonio FC of San Antonio, Texas. Both teams competed in the Western Conference of the USL Championship, the second tier of soccer in the United States. The teams were located in cities situated in South Texas and were separated by roughly 237 miles (381 km). The series ended when RGV FC ceased all soccer and business operations of December 18, 2023.

## Rivalry

The first match in the series was on May 7, 2016, at Toyota Field in San Antonio. RGV's Rob Lovejoy scored the first goal in the rivalry in the 69th minute. San Antonio came back from being down 0–2 but eventually lost to RGV as Lovejoy secured the win with a stoppage-time goal. Needing a win in their final regular-season match to secure a place in the 2016 USL Playoffs, San Antonio FC lost to RGV 0–3 in Edinburg. The loss kept San Antonio out of the playoffs in their inaugural season, while RGV went on to the playoffs, losing in the First Round. RGV FC took the 2016 season series with three wins, one draw, and no losses.
The 2017 USL season saw San Antonio FC earning its first win of the season, and in the Derby, against RGV on March 26, 2017. San Antonio would go on to win two out of the three meetings in the series. In a reversal from their inaugural seasons, San Antonio FC finished in second place in the Western Conference standings; making their first playoff appearance, while Rio Grande Valley FC finished in 11th place, failing to make the playoffs for the first time in their history.
The 2018 USL season was the first time that both teams failed to qualify for the playoffs. San Antonio missed out by just three points and one place in the standings, while RGV ended up in 13th place. In the Derby, 2018 was the first season that RGV failed to win a single match against San Antonio. From the last match in the 2017 season, SAFC went on a four match unbeaten streak against RGV, the team's longest in the rivalry. Beginning with the 2019 season, the rivalry began being scheduled as an equal home-away format. Since the 2019 season, both RGV and San Antonio's derby matches have also been counted in the Copa Tejas competition that pits the four USL Championship clubs from Texas to determine the best in the state.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic and the announcement of the updated competition format for the remainder of the 2020 USL Championship season, the South Texas Derby competition did not play-out as originally scheduled. Both teams were placed in Group D. The revised 2020 schedule was released on July 2 with four scheduled South Texas Derby matches in an equal home-away format.
Both clubs moved to the Mountain Division of the USL Western Conference for the 2021 USL Championship season where RGV opened the series with a 1–0 win that pulled the club even on wins with its rival at 6 apiece. After a pair of 1-1 draws, San Antonio would end the season series with a 2-1 road victory over RGV giving the Alamo City club the lead in wins over their south Texas rival. The South Texas Derby would be played once again in 2021, this time as part of the 2021 USL Championship Playoffs in the Conference Semi-final round held in San Antonio. This was the first post-season Derby between the two sides. San Antonio went on to win 3-1 over RGV which advanced them to the Conference Finals for the first time in club history.
RGV ceased operations on December 18, 2023 effectively ending the derby after 8 seasons.

## Results

Home team is listed on the left, away team is listed on the right. Home team's score is listed first.
RGV win
  San Antonio win
  Draw
2016 USL season
San Antonio FC v Rio Grande Valley FC Toros
May 7, 2016 USL San Antonio FC 2–3 Rio Grande Valley FC Toros San Antonio, Texas7:30 p.m. CDT
Sanchez 79'
Chin 84'
SAN Report RGV Report
Lovejoy 69'
Manotas 72'
Lovejoy 90+'
Stadium: Toyota Field Attendance: 5,885 Referee: Matthew Kreitzer
San Antonio FC v Rio Grande Valley FC Toros
May 25, 2016 USL San Antonio FC 0–0 Rio Grande Valley FC Toros San Antonio, Texas7:30 p.m. CDT
Salazar  34'
Cochrane  65'
Bradnock-Brennan  76'
SAN Report USL Report
Greene  56'
Ward  64'
Stadium: Toyota Field Attendance: 4,650 Referee: Brandon Artis
Rio Grande Valley FC Toros v San Antonio FC
June 4, 2016 USL Rio Grande Valley FC Toros 1–0 San Antonio FC Edinburg, Texas7:30 p.m. CDT
Garcia 41',  42'
Escalante  80'
SAN Report
McCarthy  41'
Castillo  44'
Palacios  78'
Araujo  83'
Stadium: UTRGV Soccer and Track Complex Attendance: 2,431 Referee: Chipalo Street
Rio Grande Valley FC Toros v San Antonio FC
September 24, 2016 USL Rio Grande Valley FC Toros 3–0 San Antonio FC Edinburg, Texas7:30 p.m. CDT
Murphy  45'
Bird 78'
Luna 83'
Arboleda 90'
RGV Report SAN Report
Alvarez  20'
Palacios  62'
Stadium: UTRGV Soccer and Track Complex Attendance: 2,646 Referee: Kyle Phillips
2017 USL season
Rio Grande Valley FC Toros v San Antonio FC
March 26, 2017 USL Rio Grande Valley FC Toros 0–1 San Antonio FC Edinburg, Texas6:00 p.m. CDT
Garcia  62'
RGV Report SAN Report USL Report
Forbes 15'
Rodriguez  90'
Stadium: H-E-B Park Attendance: 6,030 Referee: Luis Guardia
San Antonio FC v Rio Grande Valley FC Toros
September 23, 2017 USL San Antonio FC 0–1 Rio Grande Valley FC Toros San Antonio, Texas7:30 p.m. CDT
Newnam  20'
McCarthy  42'
Pecka  45+6'
SAN Report RGV Report USL Report
Escalante 17',  22'
Rodriguez  45+8'
Bird  84'
Holland  89'
Stadium: Toyota Field Attendance: 8,125 Referee: Michael Radchuck
San Antonio FC v Rio Grande Valley FC Toros
October 14, 2017 USL San Antonio FC 3–1 Rio Grande Valley FC Toros San Antonio, Texas7:30 p.m. CDT
Forbes 29'
Guzmán 34', 59'
SAN Report USL Report
Bird 47',  76'
Wharton  54'
Escalante  73'
Murphy  89'
Stadium: Toyota Field Attendance: 7,604 Referee: Elton Garcia
2018 USL season
Rio Grande Valley FC Toros v San Antonio FC
May 12, 2018 USL Rio Grande Valley FC Toros 0–0 San Antonio FC Edinburg, Texas7:30 p.m. CDT
Zaldívar  62'
Wharton  78'
RGV Report SAN Report USL Report
Felix  37'
Castillo  59'
Guadarrama  60'
Escalante  82'
King  89'
Stadium: H-E-B Park Attendance: 7,846 Referee: Farhad Dadkho
Rio Grande Valley FC Toros v San Antonio FC
August 29, 2018 USL Rio Grande Valley FC Toros 1–3 San Antonio FC Edinburg, Texas7:00 p.m. CDT
Enríquez 3'
RGV Report SAN Report USL Report
Presley 49'
Laing 62'
Guzmán 81'
Lopez  90'
Stadium: H-E-B Park Attendance: 3,958 Referee: Rubiel Vazquez
San Antonio FC v Rio Grande Valley FC Toros
October 13, 2018 USL San Antonio FC 1–1 Rio Grande Valley FC Toros San Antonio, Texas7:30 p.m. CDT
Guzmán 24',  90+4'
King  68'
SAN Report RGV Report
Sullivan  12'
Aguilar  20'
Enríquez  43'
Small 51',  58'
Wharton  90+4'
Stadium: Toyota Field Attendance: 7,018 Referee: Alejandro Mariscal
2019 USL Championship season
Rio Grande Valley FC Toros v San Antonio FC
May 25, 2019 USLC Rio Grande Valley FC Toros 3–1 San Antonio FC Edinburg, Texas7:30 p.m. CDT
Enríquez 30'
Salazar 36', 58'
Dunwell  74'
Lemoine  90+3'
RGV Report SAN Report
Guzmán 70'
Yaro  86'
Stadium: H-E-B Park Attendance: 4,377 Referee: Michael Radchuk
San Antonio FC v Rio Grande Valley FC Toros
August 17, 2019 USLC San Antonio FC 2–2 Rio Grande Valley FC Toros San Antonio, Texas7:30 p.m. CDT
Barmby 14'
Parano 44'
Greene  68'
López  88'
SAN Report
Fuenmayor  31'
Martinez  38'
Samuels  45+4'
Castellanos  51'
Small 75'
Ackon 80' (o.g.)
Rodriguez  87'
Jackson  90'
Stadium: Toyota Field Attendance: 7,533 Referee: Sergii Demianchuk
2020 USL Championship season
Rio Grande Valley FC Toros v San Antonio FC
July 19, 2020 USLC Rio Grande Valley FC Toros 1–1 San Antonio FC Edinburg, Texas8:00 p.m. CDT
Legault  60'
Beckford  78'
Taiberson 90+4'
RGV Report SAN Report USL Report
Parano 3'
PC  73'
Taintor  90'
Di Renzo  90+5'
Stadium: H-E-B Park Attendance: 0 Referee: Melvin Rivas
San Antonio FC v Rio Grande Valley FC Toros
July 25, 2020 USLC San Antonio FC 1–0 Rio Grande Valley FC Toros San Antonio, Texas8:00 p.m. CDT
PC  36'
Di Renzo 60'
Report
Rocha  9'
Rodriguez  45+1'
Stadium: Toyota Field Attendance: 0 Referee: Elton Garcia
Rio Grande Valley FC Toros v San Antonio FC
August 29, 2020 USLC Rio Grande Valley FC Toros 1–3 San Antonio FC Edinburg, Texas8:00 p.m. CDT
Castellanos 35'
McLaughlin  45+6'
Martinez  65'
Hoffmann  80'
Coronado  90+5'
RGV Report SAN Report
Smith 3'
Solignac 20'
Taintor  30'
PC  41'
Herivaux  53'
Yaro  68'
Di Renzo 90+3'
Bailone 90+5'
Stadium: H-E-B Park Attendance: 0 Referee: Malik Badawi
San Antonio FC v Rio Grande Valley FC Toros
September 5, 2020 USLC San Antonio FC 3–2 Rio Grande Valley FC Toros San Antonio, Texas8:00 p.m. CDT
Solignac 1'
Gorskie 17'
Bailone 22'
Parano  81'
SAN Report RGV Report
Edwards 10'
Beckford 59'
Murphy  83'
Stadium: Toyota Field Attendance: 813 Referee: Héctor Hernández
2021 USL Championship season
Rio Grande Valley FC Toros v San Antonio FC
May 16, 2021 USLC Rio Grande Valley FC Toros 2–1 San Antonio FC Edinburg, Texas7:30 p.m. CDT
Kuzain 42'
Sorto 57'
Robinson  75'
López  90+6'
SAN Report USL Report
Patiño  31', 68'
Lema  45'
Cuello  45+3'
Khmiri  78'
Stadium: H-E-B Park Attendance: 2,610 Referee: Melvin Rivas
San Antonio FC v Rio Grande Valley FC Toros
May 29, 2021 USLC San Antonio FC 1–1 Rio Grande Valley FC Toros San Antonio, Texas7:30 p.m. CDT
Lema  34'
Epps 40'
Cuello  80'
SAN Report USL Report
Pimentel  42'
J. Sánchez  55'
Azócar 89'
V. Sánchez  90'
Stadium: Toyota Field Attendance: 3,852 Referee: Jon Freemon
San Antonio FC v Rio Grande Valley FC Toros
June 19, 2021 USLC San Antonio FC 1–1 Rio Grande Valley FC Toros San Antonio, Texas7:30 p.m. CDT
Dhillon 13',  17'
Lindley  15'
Valera  66'
Lema  90'
Doyle  90+5'
SAN Report USL Report
Sorto 23'
Sánchez  59'
Albuquerque  64'
Sánchez  90+1'
Ramsay  90+5'
Stadium: Toyota Field Attendance: 3,920 Referee: Elijio Arreguin
Rio Grande Valley FC Toros v San Antonio FC
August 8, 2021 USLC Rio Grande Valley FC Toros 1–2 San Antonio FC Edinburg, Texas7:30 p.m. CDT
Azócar 35'
Robinson  38'
Njie  77'
Pimentel  79'
SAN Report USL Report
Fogaça 18' (pen.), 58'
Khmiri  50'
Abu  50'
Cardone  78'
Stadium: H-E-B Park Attendance: 3,495 Referee: Elvis Osmanovic
San Antonio FC v Rio Grande Valley FC Toros
November 13, 2021 USLC Playoffs San Antonio FC 3–1 Rio Grande Valley FC Toros San Antonio, Texas8:00 p.m. CDT
Patiño 24', 55'
Nathan 61'
PC  73'
Farr  84'
USL Report
Cabezas  43'
Edwards  45+1'
Azócar  64'
Amoh 69' (pen.)
Stadium: Toyota Field Attendance: 7,966 Referee: Mark Allatin
2022 USL Championship season
Rio Grande Valley FC Toros v San Antonio FC
March 27, 2022 USLC Rio Grande Valley FC Toros 1–2 San Antonio FC Edinburg, Texas6:30 p.m. CDT
Ruiz  18'
Borczak 44'
López  49'
Vázquez  89'
USL Report SAN Report
Diouf  8'
Collier 34',  36'
Loera 45',  90'
Traore  53'
Ayimbila  78'
Garcia  86'
Stadium: H-E-B Park Attendance: 3,759 Referee: Jeremy Scheer
Rio Grande Valley FC Toros v San Antonio FC
May 28, 2022 USLC Rio Grande Valley FC Toros 2–3 San Antonio FC Edinburg, Texas7:30 p.m. CDT
Cabezas 41'
Ycaza  56'
López  71'
Hernández  76'
Pimentel  77'
Ackwei  79'
Malešević  80'
Herrera 90+2'
SAN Report USL Report
Dhillon 26',  31', 87'
Traore  31'
Garcia  43'
Khmiri  45+5'
Taintor 62',  79'
Delem  89'
Stadium: H-E-B Park Attendance: 3,053 Referee: Melvin Rivas
San Antonio FC v Rio Grande Valley FC Toros
August 20, 2022 USLC San Antonio FC 2–2 Rio Grande Valley FC Toros San Antonio, Texas8:00 p.m. CDT
Khmiri  17'
Abu  18'
Farr  43'
Adeniran  45'
Maloney  53'
Gomez 59'
Bailone  84'
Taintor  90', 90+6'
SAN Report RGV Report USL Report
Pinzon 34'
Ward 36',  90+5'
Ycaza  80'
Coronado  90+9'  90+10'
Stadium: Toyota Field Attendance: 6,511 Referee: Greg Dopka
2023 USL Championship season
San Antonio FC v Rio Grande Valley FC Toros
August 16, 2023 USLC San Antonio FC 2–1 Rio Grande Valley FC Toros San Antonio, Texas8:00 p.m. CDT
Patiño 13'
Zouhir 30'
Garcia  83'
Hayes  86'
USL Report
Cerro 11'
Stadium: Toyota Field Attendance: 6,034 Referee: Sergii Boiko
Rio Grande Valley FC Toros v San Antonio FC
August 30, 2023 USLC Rio Grande Valley FC Toros 0–0 San Antonio FC Edinburg, Texas7:00 p.m. CDT
Ruiz  45'
Ricketts  82'
Cabezas  90'
USL Report
Patiño  24'
Hayes  67'
Stadium: H-E-B Park Attendance: 2,731 Referee: Elvis Osmanovic :

## Top goalscorers

    As of the latest matchup on August 16, 2023 Does not include own goals. List is sorted by last name when total goals are equal
| Position | Name | Team | Goals |
| 1 | Éver Guzmán | San Antonio FC | 5 |
| 2 | Santiago Patiño | San Antonio FC | 4 |
| 3 | Justin Dhillon | San Antonio FC | 3 |
| 3 | Nathan | San Antonio FC | 3 |
| 5 | Juan Carlos Azócar | Rio Grande Valley FC | 2 |
| 5 | Eric Bird | Rio Grande Valley FC | 2 |
| 5 | Gonzalo Di Renzo | San Antonio FC | 2 |
| 5 | Jesús Enríquez | Rio Grande Valley FC | 2 |
| 5 | Billy Forbes | San Antonio FC | 2 |
| 5 | Rob Lovejoy | Rio Grande Valley FC | 2 |
| 5 | Cristian Parano | San Antonio FC | 2 |
| 5 | Michael Salazar | Rio Grande Valley FC | 2 |
| 5 | Carlos Small | Rio Grande Valley FC | 2 |
| 5 | Luis Solignac | San Antonio FC | 2 |
| 5 | Christian Sorto | Rio Grande Valley FC | 2 |
| 5 | Mitchell Taintor | San Antonio FC | 2 |
| 17 | 25 players | 25 players | 1 |
Competitive matches only. Players in bold are still active players with the team.

## Players who played for both clubs

    As of August 30, 2023
| Player | Rio Grande Valley FC career | Rio Grande Valley FC career | Rio Grande Valley FC career | San Antonio FC career | San Antonio FC career | San Antonio FC career |
| Player | Span | Apps | Goals | Span | Apps | Goals |
| Juan Carlos Azócar | 2020–2021 | 27 | 7 | 2023- | 7 | 0 |
| Deshane Beckford | 2019–2020 | 22 | 3 | 2022 | 15 | 1 |
| Jesús Enríquez | 2018–2019 | 61 | 10 | 2020 | 3 | 0 |
| José Escalante | 2016–2017 | 37 | 7 | 2018 | 24 | 1 |
| Kai Greene | 2016–2018 | 68 | 1 | 2019–2020 | 44 | 0 |
| Frank López | 2021– | 55 | 10 | 2019 | 14 | 8 |
| Carter Manley | 2020–2021 | 46 | 2 | 2022– | 36 | 3 |
| Kyle Murphy | 2016–2017 | 56 | 10 | 2018 | 17 | 1 |
| Charlie Ward | 2016–2017 | 43 | 0 | 2018 | 12 | 1 |
Players in bold are still active players with the team.