Many of FC Tucson’s players are from Tucson but the team’s group of Colombians, led by the streaking Elian Aguilar, have FCT set for Friday’s big match.
FC Tucson features three Colombian players in defender Duvan Canchila, Aldair Gomez and Aguilar; their head coach, Sebastian Pineda, is also Colombiano.
Aguilar said it’s a joy to be surrounded by compatriots, but added that it doesn’t matter if his teammates are from Colombia, Brazil or Japan; to Aguilar, FC Tucson is a good team and the players support each other.
FC Tucson (4-2-3) hosts first place Ventura County Fusion (7-0-2) Friday at 7 p.m. as the Men in Black look to secure a spot in the postseason.
Aguilar won man of the match after FCT’s 2-2 draw at Coachella FC on Tuesday. He’s scored in FC Tucson’s last five matches, with Gomez scoring the second goal at Coachella.
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FC Tucson forward Elian Aguilar (77) jumps in frustration after being called for a foul in winning the ball against Southern California in the first half of a USL 2 match on June 21 in Tucson.
On June 15, FC Tucson beat Redlands FC 5-1, setting the regular season club record for most individual goal scorers in a single game with five. It didn’t last long though, as last Friday they beat the Southern California Eagles 6-0, with six different goal scorers.
Southern California’s Adalid Oregon-Diaz (15), left, clashes with FC Tucson forward Aldair Gomez (23) on a corner kick in the second half of a USL 2 match on June 21 in Tucson.
“I think it comes down to their work — what we have as a team,” Pineda said. “You see so many different players scoring goals. It just shows the ability that we have a team. I think it’s the work — it’s the players.”
FC Tucson defender D’andre Pickett, who scored in the Redlands win, said the records have been great for the community, which he hopes shows up in big numbers against Ventura County.
“Hopefully that inspires more fans to come out and support us,” Pickett said. “We need all the fans we can get. (Ventura County is) the number one team and I think it’s gonna be a really good game.”
Gomez (from Palmira) and Aguilar (from Buenaventura) are also from the same region of Colombia, Valle del Cauca, which is in on the country’s West Coast. Canchila is from Bogota, the capital and Pineda is from San Andres Islas, which is close to Nicaragua.
Aguilar and Gomez also go to college together at Keiser University (Florida).
Pineda played at Graceland University (Iowa) and for FC Tucson in 2015 and 2017.
FC Tucson forward Aldair Gomez (23) hops over the late sliding tackle attempt by Southern California's Chase Buchert (19) along the touchline in a USL 2 match on June 21 in Tucson.
After that he coached at Duquesne University (Pennyslvania) and then returned to Tucson in 2022 to serve as head coach for the Men in Blacks academy side and as an assistant coach for the first team.
Since then he became head coach for the first team (while still coaching the academy) and serving as an assistant for the University of Arizona women’s team.
Pineda is from San Andres Islas, Colombia, and also got a master’s in sports management at the Johan Cruyff Institute/University of Barcelona in 2018 and, a National Diploma from the United Soccer Coaches and a Soccer Scouting and Analysis Certificate from MBP School of Coaches in Barcelona.
Meanwhile, Colombia’s national team sits atop its Copa America group with three points after one match. Copa America, the South American championship tournament, is being played outside the continent; Colombia faces Costa Rica at 3 p.m. Friday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale.
Colombia is hoping Los Cafeteros — that’s the national team’s nickname — can win its first Copa America since 2001 when it hosted.
FC Tucson defender Duvan Canchila (14) surges past Southern California’s Prince Chingancheke (16) to get the ball out of danger in the first half of a USL 2 match on June 21 in Tucson.
“The country’s excited,” Pineda said. “I think we haven’t had a team that we’re this excited about in a while
“Hopefully some nice things can happen there.”
Aguilar did know if Colombia was the favorite, but thinks the team can surprise people.
Pineda joked that he asked them to move Friday’s FC Tucson match so he could go to Colombia/Costa Rica.
“I would like to go to the game but it’s hard, we play Ventura that day so the concentration has to be here,” Pineda said.
Corner kicks
Ventura County sits atop the Southwest Division standings with 23 points, while FC Tucson is tied for third with 15 (though they have the best goal differential other than the Fusion, +11). The top two teams make the playoffs.
Last season the Fusion fielded an unfamiliar line up in the season finale and fell to Redlands 4-1, losing the Southwest Division regular season title but bumping out presumed playoff host FC Tucson. Despite winning their last five and going unbeaten in their last nine, FC Tucson missed the postseason.
FC Tucson defender Duvan Canchila (14) goes up against Southern California's Michael Blevins (23) for a header in the first half of a USL 2 match on June 21 in Tucson.
They tied 0-0 at Ventura County on May 24.
The FC Tucson Women (4-1-2) play at first place SC del Sol (7-0-1) on Friday night. In other del Sol news, they, including UA signee Jessica Bedolla, won the U19 Girls Academy championship on Monday, going undefeated. Bedolla scored both goals.
On Sunday FC Tucson will host a free clinic from 6 to 8 p.m. for ages nine to 14 at Kino North Stadium. There will be music and food trucks. Space for the clinic is limited to 100 participants. Sign up at fctucson.com.
RSL Southern Arizona (0-6) will host Arizona Arsenal (2-3-2) on Friday at 7 p.m. and del Sol on Saturday at 7 p.m., both at Tucson High.
FC Tucson center forward Elian Aguilar (77) has time and space to shoot, slotting home the game’s first goal during the first half against Southern California in a USL 2 match on June 21 in Tucson.
FC Tucson's Elian Aguilar scores a goal in the 11th minute of FCT Men's 5-1 win over the Redlands Football Club in a USL 2 matchup on June 15, 2024, at Kino North Stadium. (James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
FC Tucson's Aldair Gomez scores a goal in the 78th minute of FCT Men's 6-0 win over the Southern California Eagles in a USL 2 matchup on June 21, 2024, at Kino North Stadium. (James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
FC Tucson's Joao Neves scores a goal in the 69th minute of FCT Men's 5-1 win over the Redlands Football Club in a USL 2 matchup on June 15, 2024, at Kino North Stadium. (James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
FC Tucson's D'Andre Pickett scores a goal in the 50th minute of FCT Men's 5-1 win over the Redlands Football Club in a USL 2 matchup on June 15, 2024, at Kino North Stadium. (James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
FC Tucson's James Jennings scores a goal in the 2nd minute of FCT Men's 5-1 win over the Redlands Football Club in a USL 2 matchup on June 15, 2024, at Kino North Stadium. (James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
