FRESNO — “Success is not the absence of failure; it's the persistence through failure.” 

The words come from San Francisco-based comedian Aisha Tyler, and they couldn’t be truer for her hometown soccer team Thursday. 

Facing their third consecutive low-scoring draw on the road, the SF Glens’ offense finally woke up in the second half in a 3-1 victory over Fresno FC U23.

After Glens defender-turned-midfielder Sam Junqua opened the scoring (22’) thanks to some intricate passing in the box from Shinya Kadono, the hosts responded with a goal from Luis Hernández in the 26th minute.

While San Francisco’s two road games last weekend both concluded with 1-1 margins, Thursday hopefully served as a turning point for their fortunes—not only away from home, but for the season as a whole.

In the 52nd minute, Kadono—who earned Man of the Match presented by Marina McBrearty Acupuncture honors—took a corner kick from Andrew Paoli and found the back of the net to give the Glens a lead they would not relinquish. Spencer Held added an insurance goal five minutes later with a beautiful header off a pinpoint cross from C.J. Grey.

The host Zorritos could not muster enough scoring punch to answer the second time around, save for a Diego Casillas effort from long range in the 65th minute that was tipped over the bar by SF goalkeeper Kevin Peach.

All three goalscorers, Grey, and Peach came to the Glens from Cal—music to the ears of head coach Javier Ayala-Hil, himself a Golden Bear alumnus.

The win lifts the Glens out of the cellar and into sixth place—just six points out of playoff contention. The uphill battle is even less daunting for the City Bhoys when considering that four out of the five teams ahead of them in the table have played more games overall.

Next Home Game

The Glens return home Sunday to face LAFC affiliate Orange County SC U23. The match will take place at San Francisco’s Beach Chalet Soccer Fields (1400 John F. Kennedy Dr.) at 1 p.m. Both admission and parking are free. 

There will also be a pre-game party next door at Park Chalet Coastal Beer Garden starting at 11:30 a.m. Go to sfglens.com/matchday for more details or watch the promo video at the bottom of this page.

About the San Francisco Glens

Founded in 1961, the San Francisco Glens have been a mainstay of the San Francisco soccer landscape for decades, winning numerous titles in the historic San Francisco Soccer Football League and competing for national titles throughout the 70s, 80s, and 90s.

The addition of the San Francisco Glens’ PDL team is the latest evidence of the club’s growth. Along with the Glens’ youth club, SF Glens Evolution—a U.S. Soccer Development Academy member and official North American partner of Celtic FC’s Academy—the Glens are the largest soccer club in San Francisco, providing all levels of competition to nearly 1,300 youth and adult soccer players.

To learn more about the San Francisco Glens, visit SFGlens.com and follow the club on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat—all using the handle @SFGlensSC.

About the USL Premier Development League

A part of the United Soccer Leagues, which also operates the Division II USL, the newly-announced USL Division III, and Super Y League, the USL Premier Development League (PDL) has served as the proven stepping-stone for aspiring professionals.

Over 70 percent of all MLS SuperDraft selections since 2010 have PDL experience, including a total of 66 alums chosen in 2018. Among the many players to have played in the PDL before making their professional debuts include Newcastle United FC defender DeAndre Yedlin, 2017 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Tim Melia, 2017 MLS Defender of the Year Ike Opara, and U.S. Men’s National Team members such as Darlington Nagbe, Brad Guzan, Geoff Cameron, and the Bay Area’s own Nick Lima.