Kings Stun Second-Place SCU Heat 4–3 on the Road, Keep Playoff Push Alive

Nov. 10, 2025 – Savannah, GA — Coastal Kings FC earned payback in dramatic fashion on Sunday, defeating second-place SCU Heat 4–3 away to snap the hosts’ home streak and keep the Kings’ postseason hopes very much alive. It’s notable company: this fall, only Soda City and the Kings have beaten the Heat—and no opponent has put four past SCU all season; the previous high conceded was two (Boiling Springs).

From the Coach: “Tonight was a good night for us. We came in knowing that, after some unlucky results, we’d likely need to win our last two to reach the playoffs. This is one piece of the equation; we still need three points next Saturday. The guys are getting better every day, and the chances that didn’t fall in recent matches hit the back of the net tonight. We’ve said all season that controlling games isn’t enough in this division. In the UPSL Atlantic, South or North, you have to be ruthless in front of goal. Tonight, we were the business, and it showed how dangerous we can be. Tomorrow we are back at it focusing on recovery and prep for Charleston.”

Coastal Kings came out brave and on the front foot. Ten minutes in, Wilmar Gonzalez Aguinaga opened the scoring with a cool finish to make it 1–0. The Heat answered ten minutes later on a lightning-quick counter to level at 1–1, but the Kings wrested momentum back before the break. Gabriel Rodriguez darted to the near post to restore the lead at 2–1, and Wilmar bagged his brace just before halftime—pouncing in a scramble inside the 18—to send the Kings into the interval 3–1 up.

The second half started with the killer blow. Off a ball from Zack Hargreaves, Rodriguez crashed through with a sliding finish to bury the Kings’ fourth. From there, SCU turned up the pressure, throwing numbers forward and nearly pulling off a late escape with two goals in the final eight minutes. The Kings bent but did not break, managing the final moments to secure three massive points.

With the win, Coastal Kings move back into 5th place on 13 points with a game in hand. Mint Hill FC sit 4th on 15 points and have completed their schedule—meaning a Kings victory next time out would clinch 4th place and a playoff berth. That opportunity comes at home under the lights against Charleston United, a chance to avenge a recent defeat and write a new chapter in this inaugural campaign’s late surge.