A Controversial Red Card Given to Moloto in the First Half Halts FC Tulsa’s Hot Start
EL PASO, Texas – FC Tulsa can’t seem to get on the right side of red card controversy. A straight red shown to midfielder Lebo Moloto for a confrontation with El Paso Locomotive FC defender Yuma after a whistle in the 33′ minute played into a 3-1 loss to El Paso on Wednesday night. Video replay clearly showed Moloto made no contact, yet Yuma went down like he’d been struck. The act worked and head official Elton Garcia ejected Moloto.
It’s the fourth consecutive road loss in USL Championship play to start the season for FC Tulsa as the team now sits at 3-6-0 and is mired in a four-match losing streak.
A wild first half started in favor of FC Tulsa as Michael Nsien’s side got off to the fast start it had been searching for on the road all season. A goal for the good inside the first 10 minutes gave FC Tulsa the lead in El Paso when JJ Williams got up to meet a free kick sent in from Moloto. Williams went far post with his header, notching his 5th goal of the 2022 season.
FC Tulsa gave the lead right back just three minutes later when El Paso scored on a header of its own. Dylan Mares nodded Christiano Francois’ cross past Sean Lewis and into the net. Lewis kept the match tied with two big saves in the middle of the opening half. The two early saves Lewis an even 200 in his USL Championship career.
In the 32′ minute, FC Tulsa again was hit with a controversial red card – its second of the season. Moloto and Locomotive FC defender Yuma went nose to nose and despite no contact, Yuma went down, drawing a red card from the match official, Elton Garcia. The card forced FC Tulsa to play a man down for the final 60 minutes of the match.
Midway through the second half, the man advantage paid dividends as El Paso found a second. Forward Luis Solignac spun and shot in the box, and while Lewis got a foot to the shot, the ball caromed in to give El Paso the lead.
Locomotive found the clincher in the 89′ minute when Solignac secured his brace.
The three goals allowed by FC Tulsa now give the team 18 allowed in nine league matches, and multiple goals allowed in six straight. Coming back to Tulsa for a home match on Saturday night, Tulsa will attempt to stop the slide against Detroit City FC at ONEOK Field.
Here are three quick takeaways from the match.
1) CARD CONTROVERSY
For the second time in 2022, a controversial red card was shown to an FC Tulsa player. Tonight, it was Lebo Moloto who saw red despite making no contact with Yuma in a skirmish following a tackle. A similar red card was issued to Rodrigo da Costa on the road in Tulsa’s season opening defeat to Charleston. That red was ultimately rescinded, but the damage was done as playing down a man negatively affected Tulsa’s ability to muster a comeback. FC Tulsa will plan to appeal the red shown to Moloto tonight in the hopes of another rescinding to allow Moloto to not be suspended for Saturday’s match.
2) WILLIAMS SHINES AGAIN
JJ Williams’ scoring streak may have been stopped in Tulsa’s shutout loss to Colorado Springs two weeks ago, but he started a new one on Wednesday night. His goal in the 8′ minute was his 5th of the season, which leads the team. Just nine matches into the season, Williams is the second quickest player in FC Tulsa history to score five goals in a single season.
3) LEWIS RECORDS 200th SAVE
FC Tulsa keeper Sean Lewis made eight saves, despite allowing three goals. The eight saves are a season-high for Lewis and came with a career mark – his 200th USL Championship save. Lewis’ second save on the evening officially set the mark, a goalkeeping milestone over his six-year career, and became the 32nd USL Championship player to hit the mark. He is just five saves away from Tulsa franchise record of 211 held by Fabian Cerda.
UP NEXT
FC Tulsa will have a tight turnaround for a home match on Saturday against Detroit City FC at ONEOK Field. It will be the first-ever meeting between the sides as Detroit City is new to the USL Championship in 2022. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. CT.
