Game Recap: Laredo Tops Lonestar SC to Remain Undefeated in Divisional Play

The Heat Had Their Best Offensive Outing Versus the Capital City Club

Thursday, June 19, 2025 (Laredo, TX): In a battle between the top two teams in the division and a rematch of the season’s most dramatic matchup, the Laredo Heat SC made a statement staying perfect with its most commanding victory beating Lonestar SC 7-0 Wednesday at PEG Energy Stadium.

Laredo is closing in on an opportunity to clinch the Lone Star Division title in its return to USL League 2. The Heat (8-0-0, 24 points) remain eight points ahead of the AHFC Royals (5-2-1, 16 points). The only other teams still technically in contention for the title are Lonestar (4-3-0, 12 points), the Twin City Toucans (3-2-1, 10 points), and Corpus Christi FC (3-3-1, 10 points).

Laredo could clinch the title as early as Sunday if it wins Saturday on the road against Corpus Christi. The Heat would become the champions if AHFC and Twin City both drop any points in their next matches. Twin City plays Thursday at Houston FC (2-3-2, 8 points), and AHFC hosts Lonestar on Sunday.

With matches looming against AHFC and Twin City, the Heat could draw those games and lose their other two matches and still secure the title. In that scenario, AHFC and Twin City would have to win out in their other matches to tie Laredo at 26 points, and the Heat would likely have the tiebreaker on goal differential.

After Wednesday’s dominant performance, Laredo is plus-22 this season with 27 goals scored and only five allowed. AHFC is second in the division at plus-9, and Twin City is third at plus-1.

The Heat are tied for fourth in the 143-team USL2. The Southwest Division’s FC Tucson leads the league at plus-42, a mark buoyed by 19-0 and 16-0 wins over Coachella SC, a winless squad with a league-worst minus-88 differential. The South Central Division’s Asheville City SC is second at plus-30, the Chesapeake Division’s Lionsbridge FC is third at plus-24, and the Nor Cal Division’s San Juan SC is tied with the Heat at plus-22.

At 6-0-0, Asheville City is the only other perfect team remaining in the entire USL2.

The Heat have exhibited dominant offense all season while scoring multiple goals in every match, but this was by far the most efficient outing. The previous high this season was four goals.

Sergio Meza had a dominant performance in Laredo’s two game homestand. Following a second-half brace in Saturday’s 3-1 win over Houston FC, he upped the ante with a hat trick Wednesday.

All three of Meza’s goals were tightly bunched together. His first goal in the 44th minute built a commanding 3-0 lead just before the break. He then put the game away with goals in the 51st and 55th minutes to build a 5-0 lead.

With his first goal coming in the 66th minute on Saturday, that means Meza racked up five goals in the span of less than one full match. That moves him into a tie for the team lead with Kai Louviere.

The Heat have 27 goals from 11 players led by Meza and Louviere at five each and Ismael Mane with four. Laredo also has three goals each from Elie Bokota and Volkan Celikkol, two from Adam Knutson and one each from Gael Gallegos, Vincent Montoya, Martin Piedeleu, Henox Roque and Todd Vromant.

Knutson gave Laredo early momentum with a goal in the 3rd minute. It remained a tight one-goal match until Bokota scored in the 37th minute. Celikkol and Vromant put the exclamation mark on the match scoring in the 85th and 90th minutes, respectively.

While the offensive surge stole the show, Wednesday also marked the first clean sheet of the season at PEG Energy Stadium, and it was the Heat’s third shutout in the past four matches. Marc Bonnaire returned to the net and recorded his second clean sheet of the season. The only goal allowed in the past four matches was on a penalty kick Saturday in added time.

The feat is all the more impressive considering the hot streak Lonestar was on entering the match. Lonestar had won four straight games while racking up 15 goals. That streak was sandwiched between two matches against the Heat without generating a goal, as Laredo won the first meeting 2-1 with the only score allowed coming off an own goal. That matchup was decided on the final play with Louviere putting the Heat ahead.

Laredo will look to keep its perfect season alive Saturday with a 7 p.m. game against Corpus Christi at Cabaniss Soccer Field. The Heat won 4-1 when they met at PEG Energy Stadium on May 31st.

Laredo returns home July 3 to host Twin City, and prior to that it hosts a friendly match against Cruz Azul’s U21 squad.

For tickets, visit laredoheatsc.thundertix.com/events, and for additional information, visit team.laredoheatsc.com. Tickets will also be on sale starting Monday for a June 28 friendly at PEG Energy Stadium against the U21 squad from Liga MX's Cruz Azul.

To stream matches for free this season using SportsEngine Play, visit sportsengineplay.com or download the app.