The win came only 48 hours after TRFC defeated Whitecaps FC 3-1 on Thursday. The quick turnaround seemed to be no issue for the Roughnecks, though things nearly got off to a bad start. Just 45 seconds into the match, OC’s Wuilito Fernandes took a feed behind the Tulsa backline and fired the ball into the net, but the assistant’s flag was correctly up for an offside call. Fernandes spent much of the preseason in training with the Roughnecks.
Orange County held much of the possession through the game’s first 10 minutes before the Roughnecks settled in. Their first chance came from Kosuke Kimura in the 14th minute. The defender’s effort from 35 yards rattled off the crossbar, and Caffa fired the rebound high.
Five minutes later, the breakthrough came for TRFC, and it came from Caffa. Brady Ballew, making his first start of the season, made an angled run down the middle of field before being taken down at the arc of the middle of penalty area. Caffa took the free kick and hammered precisely into the upper corner of the net for the opening goal. The former La Liga player scored a similar goal in Thursday’s victory.
The Roughnecks doubled their lead only three minutes later. After a deep ball down the left side, Joaquin Rivas back-heeled a layoff for Svantesson. The big striker made no mistake, putting his right-footed shot past the keeper to giving TRFC a 2-0 lead.
After the break, the pace of the match slowed down before the Roughnecks found a third goal in the 79th minute, and Caffa played a role. The Tulsa captain delivered a long pass from the defensive end of the field, perfectly in front of substitute Joey Calistri. The Chicago Fire loanee ran onto the pass and chipped over the keeper for his third goal of the season and TRFC’s third of the match.
Svantesson capped he and the Roughnecks big night shortly afterwards. Ballew set up the forward on the right side of the penalty area and slotted his shot into the far corner of the goal to make it 4-0.
TRFC Head Coach David Vaudreuil was happy to complete the six-point week. “We said these games were very important and two wins would put us up in the table and more where we should be, and that’s what we got. It took us awhile to get going, but a great goal to open got us going and the game just kept getting better and better for us.”
He was also pleased with how his team came out of the matches physically. “No one came out with any injuries, and we got a lot of guys involved,” said Vaudreuil. “Brady Ballew got his first start and did a great job, and Brandt Bronico came down from the Chicago Fire and played 90 minutes. That’s a big deal for us because it saves other guy’s legs.”
The win came only 48 hours after TRFC defeated Whitecaps FC 3-1 on Thursday. The quick turnaround seemed to be no issue for the Roughnecks, though things nearly got off to a bad start. Just 45 seconds into the match, OC’s Wuilito Fernandes took a feed behind the Tulsa backline and fired the ball into the net, but the assistant’s flag was correctly up for an offside call. Fernandes spent much of the preseason in training with the Roughnecks.
Orange County held much of the possession through the game’s first 10 minutes before the Roughnecks settled in. Their first chance came from Kosuke Kimura in the 14th minute. The defender’s effort from 35 yards rattled off the crossbar, and Caffa fired the rebound high.
Five minutes later, the breakthrough came for TRFC, and it came from Caffa. Brady Ballew, making his first start of the season, made an angled run down the middle of field before being taken down at the arc of the middle of penalty area. Caffa took the free kick and hammered precisely into the upper corner of the net for the opening goal. The former La Liga player scored a similar goal in Thursday’s victory.
The Roughnecks doubled their lead only three minutes later. After a deep ball down the left side, Joaquin Rivas back-heeled a layoff for Svantesson. The big striker made no mistake, putting his right-footed shot past the keeper to giving TRFC a 2-0 lead.
After the break, the pace of the match slowed down before the Roughnecks found a third goal in the 79th minute, and Caffa played a role. The Tulsa captain delivered a long pass from the defensive end of the field, perfectly in front of substitute Joey Calistri. The Chicago Fire loanee ran onto the pass and chipped over the keeper for his third goal of the season and TRFC’s third of the match.
Svantesson capped he and the Roughnecks big night shortly afterwards. Ballew set up the forward on the right side of the penalty area and slotted his shot into the far corner of the goal to make it 4-0.
TRFC Head Coach David Vaudreuil was happy to complete the six-point week. “We said these games were very important and two wins would put us up in the table and more where we should be, and that’s what we got. It took us awhile to get going, but a great goal to open got us going and the game just kept getting better and better for us.”
He was also pleased with how his team came out of the matches physically. “No one came out with any injuries, and we got a lot of guys involved,” said Vaudreuil. “Brady Ballew got his first start and did a great job, and Brandt Bronico came down from the Chicago Fire and played 90 minutes. That’s a big deal for us because it saves other guy’s legs.”
Bronico was a top draft choice of the Fire this season and had played in two regular season MLS games this year.
For Svantesson it was his second two-goal game of the week, and it came in front of a large contingent of family and friends, including his parents. “It was great timing for my family, and they were here Thursday too,” said Svantesson.
The forward likes where the TRFC team is at after the busy week. “This squad has great camaraderie and, now that we have had a chance to be together, things are starting to click. This week was a great test, and we showed pretty well.”
The Roughnecks will now turn their attention to the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. They will begin play in the second round Wednesday night by hosting the OKC Energy U-23 team at the University of Tulsa Soccer and Track Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
Season ticket holders can redeem the Game Voucher in their packages for free tickets to the match. Other fans can purchase tickets for $10 each, while youth soccer players can get them for $5 each.
Bronico was a top draft choice of the Fire this season and had played in two regular season MLS games this year.
For Svantesson it was his second two-goal game of the week, and it came in front of a large contingent of family and friends, including his parents. “It was great timing for my family, and they were here Thursday too,” said Svantesson.
The forward likes where the TRFC team is at after the busy week. “This squad has great camaraderie and, now that we have had a chance to be together, things are starting to click. This week was a great test, and we showed pretty well.”
The Roughnecks will now turn their attention to the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. They will begin play in the second round Wednesday night by hosting the OKC Energy U-23 team at the University of Tulsa Soccer and Track Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
Season ticket holders can redeem the Game Voucher in their packages for free tickets to the match. Other fans can purchase tickets for $10 each, while youth soccer players can get them for $5 each.
