McKinney Chupacabras 2-1 Denton Diablos
McKinney Chupacabras 2-1 Denton Diablos
“Wins All Around”: McKinney Secures First Win Against Denton
McKinney Chupacabras held off Denton Diablos in the second half for a 2-1 victory in their 2026 season opener Saturday night, marking the club’s first-ever win over its rivals and first under Head Coach Frank Yallop.
After Denton midfielder Parker Bowman opened the scoring in the 20th minute for his second goal of the season, forward Tucker Eason equalized on his Chupacabras debut in the 33rd minute, firing into the bottom-left corner past the outstretched gloves of Diablos goalkeeper Noah Kasin. Midfielder Alejandro Urzua recorded the assist.
McKinney native Keane Cobuzio, 19, gave the Chupacabras the lead in the 45th minute with a poacher’s finish. Midfielder Zayan Ahmed, who later exited with an injury, forced a save from Kasin before the rebound fell to Cobuzio for a simple finish in his club debut.
The opening 45 minutes featured all three goals and several opportunities for both sides. Denton, coming off a 4-0 win over Fort Worth, nearly doubled its lead after a Ben Baldwin yellow card set up a free kick just outside the box. The effort sailed over the crossbar, while a later Diablos set-piece opportunity struck the woodwork.
After a quiet opening 10 minutes, Denton forward Kyle Macfarlane’s foul set up the first dangerous chance of the match for McKinney. From the ensuing set piece, the Chupacabras headed narrowly wide into the outside netting.
The team discussed before the match the importance of controlling the first 15 minutes.
“If we made it through that, we were gonna control the game,” right wing-back Ty Reynolds said. “As soon as the game calms down, it’s our game all day.”
Reynolds later earned Man of the Match honors after helping anchor McKinney’s defensive effort while consistently pressuring the Diablos attack and creating opportunities going forward.
“It’s an honor,” Reynolds said. “I didn’t get one last year. First game, just a way to set the standard in front of the fans. I’m super excited.”
In the second half, McKinney took a more defensive but still organized approach, while continuing to test the Diablos goalkeeper.
Sam Jones forced a routine save from Kasin in the 56th minute, before McKinney nearly added a third in the 83rd minute after generating three chances during a scramble from a set piece. Denton survived the pressure and kept the deficit at one.
Physicality defined much of the match, with the referee handing out five yellow cards between the two clubs. The hosts finished with four bookings, including Reynolds’ yellow card in the 86th minute.
Chupacabras goalkeeper Nathan Kinser was tested throughout the match, but most of Denton’s chances resulted in routine saves for the SMU product. Despite missing returning defender Jakob Fiol through a knee injury and last season’s leading point scorer Milton Lopez, through suspension, the McKinney back line consistently limited quality chances.
Yallop emphasized how crucial it was for his club to get off to a fast start in a short season. Reynolds echoed that message.
“Coming off of last year, it’s the perfect turnaround,” Reynolds said. “Frank coming in, setting the standard, it was a great win for the team, for the community, and for the organization.”
The Chupacabras will look to carry that momentum into their next game as they head north to face Texoma FC. Texoma opens its season on the road against Fort Worth Vaqueros on May 19. Texoma and McKinney are set to meet at 7 p.m. on May 26 at Munson Stadium in Denison.
Words by Grayson Pitts.
Edited by Elliott Stockdale.