FC Tulsa Earns its Second Clean Sheet of the Season, Wormell’s First of 2022
TULSA – Three critical saves from keeper Austin Wormell led FC Tulsa to a first clean sheet in 11 matches as the home drew Miami FC 0-0 to complete a two-match homestand on Saturday night at ONEOK Field. It’s the second consecutive home draw from FC Tulsa, but more importantly the shutout is a step in the right direction defensively for a team needing confidence in the backline.
A formation switch to a 3-4-3 has yielded immediately dividends this week with the center-back trio of Matheus Silva, Johnny Fenwick and Adrián Diz Pe in front of Wormell allowing just one goal this week on 11 total shots on target from Tampa Bay Rowdies on Wednesday and Miami FC on Saturday.
It was an eventful week for the native Tulsan in net, who didn’t learn he was going to make his USL Championship season debut until just hours before Wednesday’s match. Wormell made seven saves on Wednesday and three more on Saturday, including a highlight reel double save on Miami fullback Mark Segbers and forward Adonijah Reid in the 7′ minute on what was Miami’s best chance of the opening half.
FC Tulsa was unlucky not to score themselves inside the match’s first 20 minutes. Two chances from Brian Brown that barely missed the target and a rocket from Rodrigo da Costa that skimmed the crossbar had Tulsa on the front foot throughout the half.
Despite the scoreless first half, both teams compiled an xG (expected goals) of nearly 2.0 in the first half with FC Tulsa edging Miami 1.25-0.71.
The chances dried up for both sides in the second half as each defense locked down in their own third.
Tulsa fans’ hearts were in their throats in second half stoppage time when Miami substitute Kyle Murphy, who scored three goals against FC Tulsa last season as a member of Memphis 901 FC, headed a shot towards Wormell’s left post. It evaded the outstretched fingers of Wormell, but caromed off the post back across the goalline.
Wormell recovered quickly and snatched the ball out of the air before it could fully cross the line, preserving the point and the shutout.
1) RARITY AT ONEOK
It has been nearly two years since the last home 0-0 draw FC Tulsa has played in – a 0-0 draw on August 12, 2020 against San Antonio FC, a stretch of 31 matches. Over that time, FC Tulsa has scored 60 home goals, averaging nearly two a match inside ONEOK Field.
2) WORMELL A WALL
With 10 saves on 11 shots faced this week, Austin Wormell has burst onto the scene in 2022 after serving as the backup keeper through FC Tulsa’s first dozen matches. He owns a 90.9% save pct. through two matches, the highest save pct. for any USL Championship keeper who has started multiple matches in 2022. According to advanced soccer statistics site, American Soccer Analysis, Wormell has been worth 2.46 G+ (Goals Added) over just 199 minutes (including stoppage time). That’s the 7th-best mark for any keeper in just a fraction of the minutes of the six keepers in front of him.
3) #TULSASTRONG
Fittingly on Saint Francis Tulsa Tough Night, FC Tulsa honored the victims of this week”s mass shooting at Saint Francis Hospital with warm-ups shirts bearing the hashtag #TulsaStrong in pink. A limited amount of the shirts were on sale at the stadium, and with 100% of the proceeds going to the families of the victims, the shirts quickly sold out. Fans wanting to purchase a shirt on pre-sale can do so here: https://shop.fctulsa.com/products/tulsa-strong-adult-tee
UP NEXT
FC Tulsa will have a bye week before hitting the road on June 15 to take on New York Red Bulls II. It will be the second all-time meeting between the sides after the teams met on April 2 at ONEOK Field in what was a 3-2 FC Tulsa win. Kickoff is scheduled for Wednesday, June 15 at 6:00 p.m. CT.
