The Tulsa Roughnecks FC traveled to California Wednesday evening for its first-ever meeting with Fresno F.C. and the two sides played to a 2-2 draw. The late night match featured two red cards and a dramatic game-tying goal for the Roughnecks from new Chicago Fire loanee Jon Bakero in stoppage time.
The late heroics from Bakero gave the Roughnecks a much-earned point, giving them two points on the season with a 0-3-2 record. Fresno is now 2-1-3 (9 points) on the year.
Bakero, whose father played for FC Barcelona, had made his professional debut on Saturday in the Fire’s 1-0 loss to the LA Galaxy. He entered Wednesday’s match after the halftime break with TRFC trailing 1-0, and it did not take him long to make an impact.
Ten minutes after the restart, Fernando Arce fed a ball down the left side to Bakero who spun and delivered a cross to the back post to a waiting Paris Gee. The TRFC midfielder headed the cross into the far corner of the net to level the score at 1-1.
The goal energized the Roughnecks who started to control more of the possession in search of a winner, but it would be the Foxes who would find the next goal.
With Tulsa pushing forward, Fresno found space down the left side on a counterattack in the 77th minute with the ball eventually finding former Colorado Springs midfielder Rony Argueta in front of goal. Argueta rolled a shot past TRFC goalkeeper Stefan Cleveland to put the Foxes back in front.
The match turned yet again in the 81st minute. TRFC midfielder Ivan Mirkovic was fouled in midfield on a two-footed challenge from Argueta. Immediately after the hard foul, both teams came together, pushing and shoving. When calmer heads prevailed, the referee handed out a yellow card to Argueta and reds cards to Tulsa’s Claudio Munoz and Fresno’s Ramon Del Campo.
The Tulsa Roughnecks FC traveled to California Wednesday evening for its first-ever meeting with Fresno F.C. and the two sides played to a 2-2 draw. The late night match featured two red cards and a dramatic game-tying goal for the Roughnecks from new Chicago Fire loanee Jon Bakero in stoppage time.
The late heroics from Bakero gave the Roughnecks a much-earned point, giving them two points on the season with a 0-3-2 record. Fresno is now 2-1-3 (9 points) on the year.
Bakero, whose father played for FC Barcelona, had made his professional debut on Saturday in the Fire’s 1-0 loss to the LA Galaxy. He entered Wednesday’s match after the halftime break with TRFC trailing 1-0, and it did not take him long to make an impact.
Ten minutes after the restart, Fernando Arce fed a ball down the left side to Bakero who spun and delivered a cross to the back post to a waiting Paris Gee. The TRFC midfielder headed the cross into the far corner of the net to level the score at 1-1.
The goal energized the Roughnecks who started to control more of the possession in search of a winner, but it would be the Foxes who would find the next goal.
With Tulsa pushing forward, Fresno found space down the left side on a counterattack in the 77th minute with the ball eventually finding former Colorado Springs midfielder Rony Argueta in front of goal. Argueta rolled a shot past TRFC goalkeeper Stefan Cleveland to put the Foxes back in front.
The match turned yet again in the 81st minute. TRFC midfielder Ivan Mirkovic was fouled in midfield on a two-footed challenge from Argueta. Immediately after the hard foul, both teams came together, pushing and shoving. When calmer heads prevailed, the referee handed out a yellow card to Argueta and reds cards to Tulsa’s Claudio Munoz and Fresno’s Ramon Del Campo.
With each side playing with ten men, the Roughnecks appeared headed to their fourth loss of the season, until Bakero struck four minutes into stoppage time. A flick pass from defender Adrian Jusino freed Bakero on the left wing. The former Wake Forest University star was in alone on goal and calmly slid his shot past the keeper to level the score at 2-2 and give the Roughnecks the valuable away point.
Fresno had taken the lead on a brilliant goal from Pedro Ribeiro in the 27th minute. The Brazilian fired a curving shot from 25 yards that found the far corner of the net, leaving Cleveland with no chance.
The Roughnecks opened the match with two new faces. Forward Femi Hollinger-Janzen, on loan from the New England Revolution, started up front, and Cleveland, who made two appearances for TRFC last season, started in goal.
Tulsa will be off this weekend before returning to action next Saturday, April 28 with another trip to the west coast to face the Sacramento Republic. Kickoff is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. CDT in Sacramento.
MATCH SUMMARY
Fresno FC 2 Tulsa Roughnecks FC 2
Wednesday, April 18, 2018
Chukchansi Park – Fresno, CA
Scoring Summary:
TUL – Bakero (Jusino) 90 +4’
FRS – Argueta 71’
TUL – Gee (Bakero) 55’
FRS – Ribeiro (Verhoeven) 19’
Misconduct Summary:
TUL – Munoz (Red Card) 81’
FRS – Del Campo (Red Card) 81’
FRS – Argueta (Caution) 81’
FRS – Rodolfo (Caution) 90 +4’
Fresno FC: Kyle Reynish, Alex Cooper, Alberto Navarro, Michael Daly, Ramon Del Campo, Noah Verhoeven (Rony Argueta 72’), Danny Barrera, Pedro Ribeiro, Agustin Cazarez (Rodolfo 71’), Juan Caffa, Renato Bustamante. (Christian Chaney 46’)
Shots: 15; Shots On-Goal: 6; Saves: 2; Fouls: 18; Corners: 5; Offsides: 1.
Tulsa Roughnecks FC: Stefan Cleveland, Franciso Ugarte, Claudio Munoz, Adrian Jusino, Enrique Montano (Michael Binns 83’), Ivan Mirkovic, Paris Gee, Femi Hollinger-Janzen, Joaquin Rivas, Santiago Maidana (Jon Bakero 46’), Fernando Arce (Jhon Pirez 86’).
Shots: 14; Shots On-Goal: 4; Saves: 4; Fouls: 13; Corners: 3; Offsides: 3.
With each side playing with ten men, the Roughnecks appeared headed to their fourth loss of the season, until Bakero struck four minutes into stoppage time. A flick pass from defender Adrian Jusino freed Bakero on the left wing. The former Wake Forest University star was in alone on goal and calmly slid his shot past the keeper to level the score at 2-2 and give the Roughnecks the valuable away point.
Fresno had taken the lead on a brilliant goal from Pedro Ribeiro in the 27th minute. The Brazilian fired a curving shot from 25 yards that found the far corner of the net, leaving Cleveland with no chance.
The Roughnecks opened the match with two new faces. Forward Femi Hollinger-Janzen, on loan from the New England Revolution, started up front, and Cleveland, who made two appearances for TRFC last season, started in goal.
Tulsa will be off this weekend before returning to action next Saturday, April 28 with another trip to the west coast to face the Sacramento Republic. Kickoff is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. CDT in Sacramento.
MATCH SUMMARY
Fresno FC 2 Tulsa Roughnecks FC 2
Wednesday, April 18, 2018
Chukchansi Park – Fresno, CA
Scoring Summary:
TUL – Bakero (Jusino) 90 +4’
FRS – Argueta 71’
TUL – Gee (Bakero) 55’
FRS – Ribeiro (Verhoeven) 19’
Misconduct Summary:
TUL – Munoz (Red Card) 81’
FRS – Del Campo (Red Card) 81’
FRS – Argueta (Caution) 81’
FRS – Rodolfo (Caution) 90 +4’
Fresno FC: Kyle Reynish, Alex Cooper, Alberto Navarro, Michael Daly, Ramon Del Campo, Noah Verhoeven (Rony Argueta 72’), Danny Barrera, Pedro Ribeiro, Agustin Cazarez (Rodolfo 71’), Juan Caffa, Renato Bustamante. (Christian Chaney 46’)
Shots: 15; Shots On-Goal: 6; Saves: 2; Fouls: 18; Corners: 5; Offsides: 1.
Tulsa Roughnecks FC: Stefan Cleveland, Franciso Ugarte, Claudio Munoz, Adrian Jusino, Enrique Montano (Michael Binns 83’), Ivan Mirkovic, Paris Gee, Femi Hollinger-Janzen, Joaquin Rivas, Santiago Maidana (Jon Bakero 46’), Fernando Arce (Jhon Pirez 86’).
Shots: 14; Shots On-Goal: 4; Saves: 4; Fouls: 13; Corners: 3; Offsides: 3.
