FC Tucson Battles With 10 Men, Suffers 4-Goal Defeat Against Phoenix’s SC Del Sol

FC Tucson’s women’s team faced a disappointing defeat against SC Del Sol on Friday night at Kino North Stadium. The Phoenix-based club struck early, leaving Tucson with limited options to respond effectively as the match progressed.

Wingback Morgan Bilczewski showcased the potential for a strong offense right from the start. Her initial shot ricocheted off the post, and just as she prepared for a follow-up, Tucson’s goalkeeper Grace Hughes managed to secure the ball.

However, it wasn’t long before Del Sol made their presence felt on the scoreboard. Valerie Llamas, a college player from Northern Arizona, skillfully maneuvered around an FC Tucson defender before slotting the ball past Hughes into the net, marking the first goal within five minutes.

Throughout the first half, FC Tucson struggled to maintain possession and rarely threatened Del Sol’s goalkeeper. It wasn’t until the 33rd minute that they managed their first shot on goal—a long-range effort from Zoey Gist—by which time they were already trailing by two goals.

As the second half began, Tucson made adjustments and managed to keep Del Sol from scoring for a significant portion of the half. Grace Hughes made several crucial saves, but Tucson’s offensive threats remained scarce.

Frustration mounted for FC Tucson as the half wore on. A contentious exchange between Shania Walters and Del Sol’s Carlie Diaz led to a second yellow card for Walters, complicating Tucson’s efforts even further.

Del Sol eventually found the net again, with Llamas securing her brace, highlighting Tucson’s struggle as they faced a heat-fueled evening of play.

This loss dropped FC Tucson to fourth place in the Desert Division standings. Their next challenge will take them to the West Valley to compete against PHX Heat.

One positive from the match was Shaylee Fuell, a player from the Vail area, who managed to make some impactful runs down the wing after tactical shifts allowed for more space in the second half. Fuell acknowledged that maintaining energy was a significant challenge for the team.

“Keeping energy going was one of the things we struggled with,” she mentioned, adding, “But we have a lot to build from.”

The scoreline and lack of potent possession contributed to diminishing morale as the match unfolded. Del Sol’s speed and compact midfield consistently challenged Tucson, necessitating tactical adjustments.

“We tried to change our formation to tactically be with them,” Fuell explained. “We dropped players back a little bit, keeping them more pinched in, so they couldn’t beat us on the line.”

This loss stings especially considering the longstanding rivalry with Del Sol, which dates back to FC Tucson’s inaugural season in 2013 when they were known as TSAFC.

“Playing against their youth teams, I knew this was going to be a battle,” Fuell said. “We’ve played them before, so I knew how it would be.”