Deltas Prepare For First Road Test After Earning First Win
The San Francisco Deltas may be in their first season of play in the NASL, but the club will be a difficult matchup throughout the year, if early form is any indication. The club earned its first win, knocking off North Carolina FC, 3-1, at Kezar Stadium last Saturday.
“It’s just the beginning and hopefully there’s a lot more,” forward Tom Heinemann said. “Getting the first win is important from a confidence perspective. I’ve been in a situation where you don’t get the first win and more pressure starts to build on you.”
In front of their supporters, the Deltas claimed all three points in riveting fashion. Heinemann found the back of the net in either half with a Pablo Dyego strike sandwiched in between. San Francisco had gone down a goal in the 23rd minute when Tiyi Shipalane finished off a scramble in the box beforem mounting the comeback.
“Scoring is always going to bring confidence,” Heinemann said. “It was good to be back on the scoresheet and to get the win in that exciting way – to be able to put the third and exclamation point on the game – was fun.”
For his first goal, he connected with a Cristian Portilla cross to finish from close range and then closed out the match with a nutmeg and finish. It was the club’s second goal of the night, though, off the foot of Dyego, that left Heinemann the most excited.
“I think I was more excited for the second goal because it was the one we took the lead on,” he said. “Pablo is outstanding going forward, he’s very dangerous and he’s very fast. He has a very good strike from distance and hits the ball well. We know that and we know what he can do when he gets in those situations.”
To start the year, the Deltas have had success at home. The club is unbeaten to start the campaign after the 1-1 draw against Indy Eleven in the inaugural contest. Heinemann has certainly enjoyed playing at the historic Kezar Stadium.
“I think San Francisco is a very special city,” he said. “It’s very different than a lot of U.S. cities I’ve been in. Playing in Kezar Stadium you can feel that. The environment, the atmosphere, it has a rich history and tradition. It’s very exciting to be in that atmosphere and when the fog rolls in, it’s very intense and very nostalgic.”
Up next, though, San Francisco leaves the friendly confines of their home stadium and heads out on the first road trip of the year. The club will face off with first-place Jacksonville Armada FC on Saturday at Hodges Stadium.
“Jacksonville is organized, very confident right now, and they are going to be a tough game for us this weekend,” Heinemann said.
