The Sharks finish with four points in group play as Tomas Pondeca scores and James Parks records an assist in his professional debut
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (July 11, 2026) — Corpus Christi FC closed out its group slate in the 2026 Prinx Tires USL Cup with a 1-1 draw against One Knoxville SC on Saturday night before falling 4-2 in the post-regulation penalty shootout for the extra group-stage point.
With the Sharks already eliminated from knockout-stage contention, head coach Eamon Zayed rotated heavily throughout his lineup, giving valuable minutes to several reserve players while defender Jack Keaney wore the captain’s armband.
Despite the changes, Corpus Christi controlled much of the match from the opening whistle, outshooting one of the best away teams of League One in One Knox 16-7 and holding a 5-2 advantage in shots on target. The Sharks generated several dangerous opportunities in the first half, including efforts from Bubu Medina, Javier Mariona, and Tomas Pondeca, but would enter halftime in a 0-0 deadlock.
The opening goal would arrive in the 78th minute for the Sharks, just two minutes after 18-year-old defender James Parks made his professional debut. The substitute delivered a perfect cross from the left wing that found Pondeca, who headed home his second goal for Corpus Christi to give the Sharks an uplifting 1-0 lead.
One Knox, however, would find the equalizer deep into stoppage time as substitute Nicola Rosamilia finished a cross in the 94th minute to force a penalty shootout. Knoxville converted four attempts to claim the extra point, while the Sharks were denied twice from the spot.
“It was a great performance by the team,” said goal scorer Tomas Pondeca. “We came out and defended the house. We tied. It was an unlucky result in the penalties, but we’ll continue to move forward and continue to trust the process.”
Zayed praised the effort from his team, particularly the performances from players who had seen limited minutes throughout the season.
“I thought the overall performance deserved to win the game,” Zayed said. “We made a lot of changes tonight. A lot of guys came in that hadn’t played many minutes recently and I thought they did themselves a lot of justice. It gave me food for thought moving forward. A special mention to James Parks, who made his professional debut tonight and got the assist for the goal. Fantastic to see that.”
Corpus Christi now turns its full attention back to USL League One play, where the Sharks will look to build on their recent run of form in the second half of the regular season.
Coming Up:
Corpus Christi FC travels to Paterson, New Jersey on July 18th in a USL League One matchup with New York Cosmos.
The Sharks next home match will take place on July 25th at Cabaniss Athletic Complex, hosting the Greenville Triumph.
Notable:
- 18-year old James Parks made his professional debut with Corpus Christi FC, while also recording an assist just two minutes after subbing on for Tomas Pondeca’s opening goal
- Pondeca’s 78th minute goal was his second of the season for the Sharks
- Veteran defender Jack Keaney wore the captain’s armband for CCFC for the very first time
- Corpus Christi caps their first USL Cup appearance with four points through four group-stage matches
- The Sharks extend their unbeaten streak at home to seven matches across all competition
Goals: Pondeca (78’)
Yellow Cards: Pondeca (1)
| CORPUS CHRISTI FC | ONE KNOXVILLE SC | |
| 16 | SHOTS | 7 |
| 5 | SHOTS ON TARGET | 2 |
| 1 | SAVES | 4 |
| 14 | FOULS | 14 |
| 6 | CORNERS WON | 2 |
| 1 | YELLOW CARDS | 3 |
| 0 | RED CARDS | 0 |
Story written by Nate Martinez, Corpus Christi FC Communications Contributor
About Corpus Christi FC
CCFC was established in 2017 by Dr. Kingsley Okonkwo. The club previously played in USL League Two, the nation’s leading pre-professional league, and won their first Lone Star Division title in 2024. That same year, Corpus Christi was awarded a USL League One franchise and will kick off its first professional season in 2026. CCFC is building a new home at the Corpus Christi Multi-Sport Complex currently being constructed at 5102 Old Brownsville Road. Phase One of the $28.3 million complex was completed in summer 2025 and a 5,000-seat stadium, which will serve as home for all of the Sharks’ USL League One home games, is currently under construction.
Follow Corpus Christi FC on their social media channels on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), Tik Tok, LinkedIn and our website.
###
