TULSA – Under the Friday night lights of Titan Sports Complex, FC Tulsa cruised to a 5-0 preseason victory over FC Wichita. Newcomer Jerome Kiesewetter and Tulsa veteran Rodrigo da Costa linked up twice to lead FC Tulsa against the USL League Two side.
It was a bounce-back performance for FC Tulsa after it started preseason 0-3 without finding the net. The opposite was true on Friday night as four different players scored for Tulsa including Lebo Moloto, Joaquín Rivas, Kiesewetter and da Costa.
Moloto kicked off the scoring just three minutes into the first half, when he took a pass from forward Stanley Oganbor at the top of the 18-yard box and pinged the shot in off the left post into the bottom corner. Fresh off his international appearances for El Salvador, Rivas doubled the margin off a cross put into the box by defender Bradley Bourgeois in the 22’ minute.
From there, Kiesewetter took over the scoresheet. First, he converted a penalty he himself earned just before the stroke of halftime. Early in the second half, Kiesewetter added a second on a one-touch redirection from da Costa’s pass into the 6-yard box. The roles were reversed only two minutes later when Kiesewetter found da Costa who turned and shovelled it in over the head of the keeper.
That scoreline held as FC Tulsa made full changes midway through the second 45 to give their starters on the night a breather.
THREE STORYLINES FROM THE MATCH
1) Goals, Goals, Goals
It’s preseason, results don’t matter, etc., etc. But FC Tulsa fans surely breathed a sigh of relief when the tweet came across the timeline that Moloto had scored four minutes into the match. That goal stopped a 274-minute scoreless drought to open the preseason for FC Tulsa that, while not of any real importance, was certainly not an ideal start. More than anything, the five goals on Friday were a confidence builder for FC Tulsa attackers to see the ball hit the back of the net.
2) Jerome Sends in His First…and Second
The biggest acquisition of the FC Tulsa offseason was bringing in striker Jerome Kiesewetter who had Bundesliga and MLS experience on his impressive resume. That move was made to add goals and Kiesewetter’s two goals tonight, with an assist for good measure, was a nice sign for the U.S. international. Kiesewetter famously bagged 10 goals in his first 10 USL matches two seasons ago for El Paso Locomotive, and while tonight’s pair won’t count, they could be a harbinger of things to come in 2021.
3) Wormell Impresses Again
Keeper Austin Wormell logged another preseason start, this time on his hometown turf, and again impressed with 68 minutes of scoreless goalkeeping. Wormell has made appearances in all four of FC Tulsa’s preseason matches and hasn’t allowed a goal in three of the four matches. The Bishop Kelley High School and Rogers State University product is now getting his chance in the preseason to see some vital minutes and work with the FC Tulsa backline to form some chemistry. These preseason match opportunities could always come in handy during a long season where injuries and fixture congestion might lead to an opportunity for the Tulsa native.
UP NEXT
FC Tulsa will have one final intrasquad scrimmage on Saturday, April 10 at 10 a.m. before its final preseason match at ONEOK Field on Saturday, April 17. Tickets to the April 17 friendly against Austin Bold FC, presented by Tulsa Area United Way, are included in all 2021 Season Ticket Memberships. More info on tickets can be found at www.fctulsa.com/tickets.
TULSA – Under the Friday night lights of Titan Sports Complex, FC Tulsa cruised to a 5-0 preseason victory over FC Wichita. Newcomer Jerome Kiesewetter and Tulsa veteran Rodrigo da Costa linked up twice to lead FC Tulsa against the USL League Two side.
It was a bounce-back performance for FC Tulsa after it started preseason 0-3 without finding the net. The opposite was true on Friday night as four different players scored for Tulsa including Lebo Moloto, Joaquín Rivas, Kiesewetter and da Costa.
Moloto kicked off the scoring just three minutes into the first half, when he took a pass from forward Stanley Oganbor at the top of the 18-yard box and pinged the shot in off the left post into the bottom corner. Fresh off his international appearances for El Salvador, Rivas doubled the margin off a cross put into the box by defender Bradley Bourgeois in the 22’ minute.
From there, Kiesewetter took over the scoresheet. First, he converted a penalty he himself earned just before the stroke of halftime. Early in the second half, Kiesewetter added a second on a one-touch redirection from da Costa’s pass into the 6-yard box. The roles were reversed only two minutes later when Kiesewetter found da Costa who turned and shovelled it in over the head of the keeper.
That scoreline held as FC Tulsa made full changes midway through the second 45 to give their starters on the night a breather.
THREE STORYLINES FROM THE MATCH
1) Goals, Goals, Goals
It’s preseason, results don’t matter, etc., etc. But FC Tulsa fans surely breathed a sigh of relief when the tweet came across the timeline that Moloto had scored four minutes into the match. That goal stopped a 274-minute scoreless drought to open the preseason for FC Tulsa that, while not of any real importance, was certainly not an ideal start. More than anything, the five goals on Friday were a confidence builder for FC Tulsa attackers to see the ball hit the back of the net.
2) Jerome Sends in His First…and Second
The biggest acquisition of the FC Tulsa offseason was bringing in striker Jerome Kiesewetter who had Bundesliga and MLS experience on his impressive resume. That move was made to add goals and Kiesewetter’s two goals tonight, with an assist for good measure, was a nice sign for the U.S. international. Kiesewetter famously bagged 10 goals in his first 10 USL matches two seasons ago for El Paso Locomotive, and while tonight’s pair won’t count, they could be a harbinger of things to come in 2021.
3) Wormell Impresses Again
Keeper Austin Wormell logged another preseason start, this time on his hometown turf, and again impressed with 68 minutes of scoreless goalkeeping. Wormell has made appearances in all four of FC Tulsa’s preseason matches and hasn’t allowed a goal in three of the four matches. The Bishop Kelley High School and Rogers State University product is now getting his chance in the preseason to see some vital minutes and work with the FC Tulsa backline to form some chemistry. These preseason match opportunities could always come in handy during a long season where injuries and fixture congestion might lead to an opportunity for the Tulsa native.
UP NEXT
FC Tulsa will have one final intrasquad scrimmage on Saturday, April 10 at 10 a.m. before its final preseason match at ONEOK Field on Saturday, April 17. Tickets to the April 17 friendly against Austin Bold FC, presented by Tulsa Area United Way, are included in all 2021 Season Ticket Memberships. More info on tickets can be found at www.fctulsa.com/tickets.
