TULSA – It’s simple. Four points in four matches. That’s the formula for FC Tulsa to clinch a historic second consecutive USL Championship Playoffs berth.
Fighting injuries at nearly every position over the last month, FC Tulsa has weathered a six-match winless streak and has four remaining matches over the season’s final two weeks to lock in a trip to the postseason. Over the last month, the club has sustained absences via injury, suspension or international duty from goalkeeper Sean Lewis, defenders Jorge Corrales, Mo Jadama and Kevin Garcia, midfielder Eric Bird and forwards Joaquín Rivas, Darío Suárez, Marlon.
FC Tulsa’s depth has been tested, but its destiny is still in its hands. On Wednesday night at ONEOK Field against Atlanta United 2, Tulsa will have a golden chance to come within a point of the Playoffs. While the home team will have everything to play for, Atlanta comes to Tulsa for its season finale having been eliminated from postseason contention. That fact, combined with Tulsa’s 3-1 victory over Atlanta at ONEOK back on August 28, should have FC Tulsa fans optimistic heading into the matchup.
Through three meetings so far this season, FC Tulsa and Atlanta United 2 have scored a combined 12 goals, foreshadowing a potential homecoming for the FC Tulsa offense as it works its way back to full health. The most recent matchup saw Matt Sheldon open the scoring for FC Tulsa and Lebo Moloto netting a four-minute brace with goals in the 30’ and 34’ to put the match beyond reach early, and FC Tulsa will be looking for more of the same in this contest as well.
Wednesday night will also be College Night at ONEOK Field. Special $5 Endline tickets are available to students with a “.edu” email address, and everyone can grab $4 16 0z. drafts of Cabin Boys 918 Cerveza as part of Happy Hour from 6 p.m. through the 40’ minute. Tickets to this week’s midweek matchup can be purchased here.
Kickoff from ONEOK is set for 7 p.m. CT.
SCOUTING ATLANTA UNITED 2
Wednesday night will mark the final match of 2021 for Atlanta United 2 having been eliminated from playoff contention already, joining Sporting KC II as the only clubs from the Central to have been eliminated. Atlanta will attempt to snap an eight-match winless streak having not found the win column since September 4 on the road at Indy Eleven.
Atlanta likes to move the ball around methodically without sending many deep balls down the pitch – it ranks first in the League in total passes (914,972) and third in passing accuracy pct. (82%). However, the intentional passing has not yielded goals. Atlanta is 15th in the League in goals scored and has only scored 21 times this season in 15 matches on the road.
Aiden McFadden, Atlanta’s right-back, leads the club in goals with eight this season while Robbie Mertz leads Atlanta with five assists. Vicente Reyes has started in goal the last two matches for the club with Rocco Rios Novo sidelined. Reyes has made 11 saves in three appearances for a 61.1% save pct. He has not recorded a clean sheet yet.
THREE THINGS TO KNOW
1) Da Costa Doubles Up
Rodrigo da Costa’s 27’ beauty in FC Tulsa’s match last weekend in San Antonio marked his 10th of the season and was the fifth time he has scored in back-to-back matches this season after not scoring in his previous 12 outings. Da Costa is the first member to reach double digits in goals for FC Tulsa this season. It was goal no. 23 of his career, passing teammate Joaquín Rivas for the all-time goal-scoring record for FC Tulsa dating back to the club’s inception in 2015.
2) 20/20 and 30/30
There are two players for FC Tulsa approaching career milestones that are worth keeping an eye out for. With Rodrigo da Costa’s next assist, he will become the first player to reach 20 goals and 20 assists for FC Tulsa in club history. Lebo Moloto currently sits at 29 goals and 29 assists in his USL Championship career, and with one more of each, he would become just the eighth player in USL Championship history to reach 30/30.
3) Playoff Picture
Following last weekend’s results, FC Tulsa’s chances to make the Playoffs have increased to 99%. The club’s Magic Number is now just 4. FC Tulsa is still fighting for the third playoff spot in the Central with Memphis 901 FC, and now that the playoff clubs from the Atlantic Division have officially been decided, the stage is set for a great final two weeks of the season. Any combination of FC Tulsa earning four points between its matches on Wednesday and Saturday or OKC dropping points at El Paso the weekend could see FC Tulsa clinch this weekend.
HOW TO WATCH
TV: MY41
Spanish Radio: Que Buena Tulsa
Stream: ESPN+ (US), YouTube (International)
Follow: You can follow @FCTulsa on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
TULSA – It’s simple. Four points in four matches. That’s the formula for FC Tulsa to clinch a historic second consecutive USL Championship Playoffs berth.
Fighting injuries at nearly every position over the last month, FC Tulsa has weathered a six-match winless streak and has four remaining matches over the season’s final two weeks to lock in a trip to the postseason. Over the last month, the club has sustained absences via injury, suspension or international duty from goalkeeper Sean Lewis, defenders Jorge Corrales, Mo Jadama and Kevin Garcia, midfielder Eric Bird and forwards Joaquín Rivas, Darío Suárez, Marlon.
FC Tulsa’s depth has been tested, but its destiny is still in its hands. On Wednesday night at ONEOK Field against Atlanta United 2, Tulsa will have a golden chance to come within a point of the Playoffs. While the home team will have everything to play for, Atlanta comes to Tulsa for its season finale having been eliminated from postseason contention. That fact, combined with Tulsa’s 3-1 victory over Atlanta at ONEOK back on August 28, should have FC Tulsa fans optimistic heading into the matchup.
Through three meetings so far this season, FC Tulsa and Atlanta United 2 have scored a combined 12 goals, foreshadowing a potential homecoming for the FC Tulsa offense as it works its way back to full health. The most recent matchup saw Matt Sheldon open the scoring for FC Tulsa and Lebo Moloto netting a four-minute brace with goals in the 30’ and 34’ to put the match beyond reach early, and FC Tulsa will be looking for more of the same in this contest as well.
Wednesday night will also be College Night at ONEOK Field. Special $5 Endline tickets are available to students with a “.edu” email address, and everyone can grab $4 16 0z. drafts of Cabin Boys 918 Cerveza as part of Happy Hour from 6 p.m. through the 40’ minute. Tickets to this week’s midweek matchup can be purchased here.
Kickoff from ONEOK is set for 7 p.m. CT.
SCOUTING ATLANTA UNITED 2
Wednesday night will mark the final match of 2021 for Atlanta United 2 having been eliminated from playoff contention already, joining Sporting KC II as the only clubs from the Central to have been eliminated. Atlanta will attempt to snap an eight-match winless streak having not found the win column since September 4 on the road at Indy Eleven.
Atlanta likes to move the ball around methodically without sending many deep balls down the pitch – it ranks first in the League in total passes (914,972) and third in passing accuracy pct. (82%). However, the intentional passing has not yielded goals. Atlanta is 15th in the League in goals scored and has only scored 21 times this season in 15 matches on the road.
Aiden McFadden, Atlanta’s right-back, leads the club in goals with eight this season while Robbie Mertz leads Atlanta with five assists. Vicente Reyes has started in goal the last two matches for the club with Rocco Rios Novo sidelined. Reyes has made 11 saves in three appearances for a 61.1% save pct. He has not recorded a clean sheet yet.
THREE THINGS TO KNOW
1) Da Costa Doubles Up
Rodrigo da Costa’s 27’ beauty in FC Tulsa’s match last weekend in San Antonio marked his 10th of the season and was the fifth time he has scored in back-to-back matches this season after not scoring in his previous 12 outings. Da Costa is the first member to reach double digits in goals for FC Tulsa this season. It was goal no. 23 of his career, passing teammate Joaquín Rivas for the all-time goal-scoring record for FC Tulsa dating back to the club’s inception in 2015.
2) 20/20 and 30/30
There are two players for FC Tulsa approaching career milestones that are worth keeping an eye out for. With Rodrigo da Costa’s next assist, he will become the first player to reach 20 goals and 20 assists for FC Tulsa in club history. Lebo Moloto currently sits at 29 goals and 29 assists in his USL Championship career, and with one more of each, he would become just the eighth player in USL Championship history to reach 30/30.
3) Playoff Picture
Following last weekend’s results, FC Tulsa’s chances to make the Playoffs have increased to 99%. The club’s Magic Number is now just 4. FC Tulsa is still fighting for the third playoff spot in the Central with Memphis 901 FC, and now that the playoff clubs from the Atlantic Division have officially been decided, the stage is set for a great final two weeks of the season. Any combination of FC Tulsa earning four points between its matches on Wednesday and Saturday or OKC dropping points at El Paso the weekend could see FC Tulsa clinch this weekend.
HOW TO WATCH
TV: MY41
Spanish Radio: Que Buena Tulsa
Stream: ESPN+ (US), YouTube (International)
Follow: You can follow @FCTulsa on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
