Real San Jose came away with a big 3-0 victory over the Oakland Stompers at Raimondi Park Park in Oakland last Saturday night. The win earned RSJ a spot in the UPSL playoffs which begin next weekend. RSJ entered the match out of playoff position but made up for a less than stellar regular-season by grabbing the eighth and final playoff spot. San Jose travels to Contra Costa County next weekend to play the Wild West division’s top seed. There

Albert Munante put RSJ in the lead in the 20th minute as he banged home a low cross from JC Bugarin. San Jose seemed destined to hold onto the one-goal lead going into halftime but then suddenly found themselves on the wrong end of a penalty call in extra time. Luckily, goalkeeper, Jonathan Arellano came up with a huge save at the first half’s final whistle.

That save not only prevented the loss of the lead but spurred the team to play perhaps their best half of the season. Albert scored a second goal, a thunderous blast from the left of goal about 18 yards out. Then it was Bugarin sealing the victory with a late goal as see slotted in a rebounded shot by Rafa Monza.

RSJ now prepares for a playoff run that will only take place on the road. San Jose knows the way forward will be tight but only needs to look back to past success as motivation. Three seasons ago RSJ reached the UPSL national semifinal by winning all their playoff games on the road.

Real San Jose came back to earn a 1-1 draw versus San Leandro to set up a massive road game next weekend at Oakland. If Real San Jose wins that game they will be the 8th seed in the UPSL Wild West Division. Last week RSJ defeated San Leandro in a regularly scheduled match and this week was a makeup game from week one which was a rain out.

RSJ saw the services of Benji Joya and Albert Munante, and that sparked an excellent performance that San Jose could easily have won. Joya was a constant threat, and Munante scored the goal. Unfortunately, star midfielder Borja Moya was not in the RSJ line up. Below is a story written by Chris Arellano explaining the plight of Moya, who was a mainstay for RSJ the last three years.

SAN JOSE – Sometimes fans see a soccer player score a goal or make a dramatic tackle and think they know the player.

But whatever emotion Real San Jose midfielder Borja Moya has shown on the field this season does not tell the dramatic off-the-field struggle he has waged to protect his career and life.

Moya probably has played his last game for RSJ as his visa is on the verge of expiring. Barring a dramatic last-minute job offer, one of the team’s mainstays will have to return to his native Spain by June 15.

It is a blow for the 31-year-old player who has worked as a marketing manager for a public relations and communication firm. He paid taxes, maintained a romantic relationship and been a community asset. He wants to stay and keep working for his firm and play for Real San Jose.

“You can imagine how the last month and a half has been for me,” Moya said, referring to the painful preparations he has had to make to brace himself for his departure.

Now, Maya who once played youth football against current La Liga stars such as Adrian Gonzalez, of Malaga, and “Coke” Andujar Moreno, of Levante, while growing up in Madrid, is braced for a return home.

It has been a race against the calendar ever since the government extended his trainee visa for six months in December.

Moya said the only way he can avoid leaving the country is if a different employer hires him.

“The important point is that my company, where I am working now, would like to hire me. But they can’t since the law says that the same host company which hosted a J1 trainee employee cannot apply for an H-1 (work visa) for that person after the end of the program,” Moya said.

The trainee visa program, which Mayo is currently part of, is designed for foreign professionals to come to the United States to sample American culture and learn how to acquire practical American experience in their chosen occupational field, according to the State Department’s Exchange Visitor Program’s web page.

If he leaves, it is possible Moya could return to work in the United States again. But he said he would have to wait two years before applying to do so.

In another era, things might not have gotten to this point.

Historically, people in Moya’s situation might have obtained a H-1 visa. But the Trump administration has tightened the requirements for people like him to receive a H-1 visa. The newer requirements, Moya said, favor tech workers.

Faced with leaving the country, Moya said the “most frustrating thing” has been to find how powerless he has been in the struggle to remain in California.

Moya does not hold himself out as a special target of political abuse, simply as a pawn in the larger changes that have affected the federal government’s visa policy in the post-September 11 era.

Moya said he has enjoyed playing for Real San Jose.

He said he was very impressed by the 3,000 fans who turned out for an away game in Arizona in his third game for the club. As impressive as that turnout was, Moya said that road trip underlined the difference in the Spanish and American soccer culture. He said it would not have been necessary to travel to play a game in Spain.

Now, he reluctantly faces another road trip back home.

(Photo) RSJ enjoys the victory and says good-bye to Borja Moya who is returning to Spain because his visa has expired.

A 44th-minute goal from Jonathan Navarro backed by the best defensive effort of the season allowed Real San Jose to stay in the playoff hunt with a 1-0 victory. The match played June 1 at Burrell Field in San Leandro was an intense affair as both teams challenged hard for every possession.

First half action saw plenty of attractive passing from both teams, but all that ended at the halftime whistle. San Leandro United pushed hard to get the equalizer as an uncharacteristically well-organized RSJ defense weathered the storm. The drama hit its peak in the final minutes when RSJ’s Borja Moya was pulled down in the SLU’s penalty area. Surely the resulting penalty, if converted, would have sealed the victory for RSJ. Unfortunately, the San Leandro goalkeeper made a nice save to keep his team in the match. In the end, it was the RSJ defense that held on for the shut out win.

RSJ is one of three teams battling for the final playoff spot in the UPSL Wild West division. Vacaville currently holds the final playoff spot; however, Oakland or San Jose can move in. San Jose and San Leandro will face off again this time at PAL Stadium on Saturday at 7:30 PM. If RSJ can avoid losing, it will set up a final regular-season match against Oakland to determine which team will claim the eighth and final playoff spot.