In What Felt Like a Must-Win Match, FC Tulsa Did Just That on the Road in Miami
MIAMI, Fla. – In what has been adequately described by many this past week as one of the biggest matches for FC Tulsa of 2022, Tulsa felt league-wide pressure as it matched up against Miami FC with a potential playoff spot looming. However, it was clear from the moment the match kicked off that this Tulsa squad was unfazed by the situation it found itself in and played quite possibly its best 90 minutes of the season.
Tulsa looked the more dangerous of the two sides to start the match, making Miami FC nervous on multiple occasions with good balls delivered into the box and several set pieces earned in dangerous areas. It’s most lucrative look was crafted by Sean McFarlane on the right side as the Jamaican full-back nutmegged the Miami defender and sent in a ball that asked questions of Miami, but the Florida side responded with a proper clearance.
The Tulsa defense kept a tight shape during the run of play and quickly closed any space that Miami was able to find through the first 25 minutes. However, Miami FC was able to capitalize on a free kick in the 26′ minute as Joaquín Rivas, the winger Tulsa traded to Miami FC on June 22 of this season, found Paco Craig at the back post who headed the ball past goalkeeper Austin Wormell to open the scoring.
Only two minutes later, Darío Suárez responded in spectacular fashion – the only way Super Darío knows how. A brilliant run from Brian Brown saw Tulsa quickly advance the ball down the right flank. Brown held up play perfectly, as he so often does, and found Eric Bird in the middle of the pitch. Bird then delivered a horizontal ball to a lurking Darío Suárez right outside the box who struck it with a vengeful first touch into the top-right corner of the goal, immediately leveling the score.
But Tulsa was not content to head into the break with just one goal. A match of this magnitude needs twists, turns, and drama. Noah Powder understood this and obliged in the 40′ minute.
Some great interplay between Brown and Suárez once again facilitated a break for the Tulsa attack as the two worked the ball down the pitch before Suárez pulled up on the left side. He retained possession despite two pestering defenders chipping at his legs and pawned the ball off to a charging Powder. Powder took a touch, set the ball in front of him, and drove a calculated, long-range bender past the keeper and into the net for his first FC Tulsa goal in just his fourth appearance with his new club.
A very busy first half concluded with Tulsa outshooting Miami 8-2 and leading the blue and orange with 14 touches in its opponent’s box compared to Miami’s eight.
The story of the second half was the FC Tulsa defense. Miami FC was unable to get a shot off between the 33′ minute and the 72′ minute and simply had no answers for Tulsa’s constricting shape.
Eric Bird and Kembo Kibato seemed to take up 11 players worth of space rather than just two as Miami could not deal with FC Tulsa’s suffocating midfield. Anytime the home side was able to advance the ball into the box, the Tulsa backline quickly cleared any real sense of danger before it could truly emerge en route to racking up 27 clearances as a unit.
Despite having 71% of the possession during the final 45 minutes of the match, Miami FC was thoroughly stifled as FC Tulsa closed the gap between the two clubs in the Eastern Conference standings to just six points. With FC Tulsa’s next four matches coming against clubs beneath it in the Eastern Conference and three matches at ONEOK Field, it’s going to be a wild month of August.
The playoffs are quickly approaching, and this FC Tulsa club has not counted itself out. Neither should you.
THREE TAKEAWAYS
1) Hangin’ in the East
After its Wednesday night victory, FC Tulsa has now earned points in five of its last seven matches against Eastern Conference opponents, including four wins in that span. On the season, Tulsa moves to 7W-6L-4D against clubs in the East with four straight upcoming Eastern Conference opponents below the playoff line due up in Indy Eleven, Hartford Athletic, Loudoun United, and Atlanta United 2. Now only six points out of a playoff spot with a seemingly-favorable schedule ahead of it, FC Tulsa is looking to shoot up the standings in a dramatic way.
2) Dominant Defense
FC Tulsa only allowed eight shots from Miami FC on Wednesday, the fewest it has conceded in the club’s last 20 matches dating back to March 23 vs. San Diego Loyal SC. The defense surrendered only 21 touches inside its own box to Miami and did not allow the opposition to create a single “big chance” in front of goal.
3) We Win, You Win!
To celebrate FC Tulsa’s massive win over Miami FC, fans can get $5 Lawn tickets and $10 corner seats to any of FC Tulsa’s three upcoming home matches in August! Act quickly though – this deal will only last for 24 hours. Fans can get their tickets here.
UP NEXT
FC Tulsa returns home for the first of three consecutive home matches on August 20 to host Indy Eleven at ONEOK Field. August 20 will also be Greenwood Night at ONEOK, a night dedicated to remembering the history of Greenwood as well as celebrating its present and future. For more information on Greenwood Night, click here. Or to get your tickets to the match, click here.
