San Francisco — There are days in soccer when everything clicks… and then there are days when you run into El Farolito.

Real San Jose made the trip north to face the reigning National Amateur Club of the Year and, for one long evening in Boxer Stadium, found themselves on the wrong end of a 12–0 scoreline. Yes, twelve. As in, by the time you finish reading this sentence, they might have scored again.

But here’s the thing — this wasn’t a team that packed it in.

From the opening whistle, RSJ showed up ready to fight. For stretches, they battled, defended, and tried to impose themselves against a side that has made a habit of turning good teams into cautionary tales. And while the scoreboard kept ticking in a direction nobody in red, white, and black wanted to see, the effort never dipped.

No heads dropped. No walking. No “let’s just get out of here.” Just a group that kept lining up, taking the next kickoff, and going again.

Because that’s the part you don’t always see in a scoreline like this.

You see “12–0” and think collapse. But inside it, there’s something else — guys who kept running, kept competing, and kept showing up for each other even when the result was long gone.

Against a powerhouse like El Farolito, that matters.

Real San Jose will take the lesson, take the hit, and keep moving. That’s how this club has lasted 20 seasons. Not by avoiding results like this — but by surviving them.

And if you’ve been around RSJ long enough, you already know how this story goes next.

They’ll be back. Starting this friday when the Oakland Stompers come to PAL Stadium for a 7:45PM kickoff.

(June 13, 2021)Real San Jose came away with a hard-earned 1-0 victory over San Leandro United on a warm Sunday afternoon at PAL Stadium on June 13.

While the game's big strike, a break-away goal by Cedric Fossito following a chip over the SLU defenders from Jacob Muniz in the 56th minute, was the only goal, it was the defense that keyed the victory. This game marked only the second time all season RSJ had a healthy crew of defensive starters available, and the other was also a 1-0 home victory.

Returning from injury were Andrew Canepa, Rodrigo Cardoza, and Zack Epp all returned from injury. In addition, Nick Vargas, a long-time RSJ defensive star, made his 2021 debut at defensive mid. Goalkeeper Homero Arano completed the defensive overhaul. Together along with Ulrich Dingue and Luis Avalos, the defensive successfully soaked up the SLU pressure to secure a much-needed win that keeps RSJ in playoff position with three NSL regular-season games to go.

"It was great to have our defense healthy again and not have midfield players out of position," said RSJ coach Dave Gold. "Being healthy was key to the win a strong starting 11 and a great bench to call on at important times during the second half critical to getting a hard-fought win."

RSJ travels to Stockton and American Canyon before returning on July 4 to host Norcal Rush at PAL Stadium.

(May 16, 2021)Hoang Pham scored in the 44th minute, and defenders Rodrigo Cardoza and Jorge Herrera were rock solid in front of goalkeeper Jeremy Zielinski as Real San Jose defeated Salinas Soccer Academy 1-0 at PAL Stadium in San Jose.

"Complete team performance. It was a tough game in which we showed a lot of character in grinding out a win against a very physically stubborn team," said RSJ Coach Dave Gold.

Zielinski set the tone for the RSJ defense as he made a big save in the 3rd minute when he came out to block a shot after a free-kick dropped behind the RSJ defense and fell to an open Salinas player. RSJ responded with a when Noe Zamarripa and Sergio Cermeno combined with a nice passing combination that ended with Cermeno narrowingly missing a 25-yard blast.

The teams shared control and creating half chances until RSJ took the lead just before halftime.

The play started in midfield when Pham rolled the ball to a tightly marked Travis Teixeira at the top of the left side of the Salinas penalty area. Teixeira got the ball across to Vladimir Ayala, who was alone on the right side. Ayala fired a shot that the diving Salinas keeper blocked; however, the ball bounced back to Ayala, who shot toward the empty net. Pham, who continued with the play he started, sprinted in to smash the ball into the net.

The second half saw Salinas push forward and RSJ counter in response missing multiple opportunities to put the game away. Defensively the organized RSJ defense kept the clean sheet.

Next Saturday, RSJ travels to Richmond to face the first place Sol at MLK park. Kickoff is set for 4:00 PM.

Real San Jose fell to the Oakland Stompers by the score of 2 to 1 on May 2 at Pal Stadium in San Jose. Stompers forward James Huffer put RSJ in a hole in the 3rd minute.

Early in the second half, RSJ missed a golden opportunity to tie the match when Eudis Mendoza failed to convert a rolling cross Manual Meza just two yards from the goal.

Both sides had plenty of chances until the 63rd minute when Arnulfo Garcia rolling shot barely crossed the goal line before being kicked away.

RSJ scored in the game's last touch as Memo Plancarte's shot bounded off Stopmers defenders and went it.

RSJ travels to Vallejo for a 7 pm kickoff on Sunday night.