Both Suárez and Machuca Continue to Score as FC Tulsa Takes All Three Points
TULSA – It was Throwback Night at ONEOK Field as FC Tulsa honored the 1983 NASL Champion Tulsa Roughnecks squad, and FC Tulsa threw it back to the win column in front of the home fans with goals from Machuca and Darío Suárez. The club reached double-digit wins with Saturday night’s victory, making it four wins over the club’s last six outings.
The match opened up with Loudoun United FC on the front foot, dictating the pace of play as FC Tulsa was content to sit back in a low block and defend. After the first 10 minutes or so, the momentum evened out with 53% of play occurring in the middle of the pitch.
Marcus Epps was tasked with patrolling the right wing in his first start for FC Tulsa and was clearly the man his club wanted advancing the ball early. Tulsa attacked down the right side 47% of the time using Epps and Sean McFarlane, both of whom created a scoring chance apiece, through the hydration break at the 25′ minute mark.
12 minutes later, in the span of only 67 seconds, things picked up in a hurry.
Kristian Fletcher opened the scoring in the 37′ minute for Loudoun FC, taking six touches to drive 30 yards and put the visitors on top. Then, just over a minute later, FC Tulsa responded, spurred on by a fabulous run from Gabi Torres. Torres ripped through the Loudoun defense with no help needed down the left flank before finding Machuca in the box. The Honduran delivered for FC Tulsa with his left foot, marking the second time in Tulsa’s last three matches that the forward found the back of the net.
The second half was all FC Tulsa. The white and gold blasted four total shots on target in the half, including three great chances early in which Rodrigo da Costa had a shot stopped in the 55′ minute, hit the crossbar in the 56′ minute, and then Machuca was unable to beat the keeper in a 1v1 showdown just one minute later. Over that three-minute span, Loudoun goalkeeper Luis Zamudio made three fine saves to keep the score level with help from the woodwork. Luckily for FC Tulsa, the score would not stay 1-1 for long.
FC Tulsa bagged another in the 79′ minute to take the lead and cement what would go on to be the final score. Another blistering run from Gabi Torres down the left resulted in a gorgeous shot and another dandy of a save by Zamudio. However, Zamudio was unable to corral the shot and it spilled right to the feet of Darío Suárez. From eight yards out, the Cuban does not miss. Super Darío smashed home the attempt to make it three goals in his last four matches and increased his total to five on the season.
The match concluded with FC Tulsa putting nearly 70% of its shots on target and executing a staggering 87 final third entries. The offense was firing on all cylinders as the club concluded its homestand taking six of the possible nine points.
THREE TAKEAWAYS FROM TONIGHT’S MATCH
1) Dynamic Duo
Machuca and Darío Suárez have been on fire in recent matches, putting the USL Championship on watch. After providing both the equalizing goal and match winner on Saturday, the two forwards have combined for five of FC Tulsa’s last six goals. Suárez’s goal tally is now the second best on the club with five scores, and Machuca has moved into third place with three. Both players trail Rodrigo da Costa who leads the club with seven goals.
2) Peppering the Goal
FC Tulsa’s nine shots on target is the highest mark the club has posted since April 2, its home victory vs. New York Red Bulls 2 in which Tulsa steered 10 shots on frame. Suárez led the club with four shots on goal, followed by Machuca who managed two.
3) Torres the Toro
Left-back Gabi Torres had not started a match in nearly two months after suffering a nagging injury back on July 3 until Saturday. He had come on late as a sub in Tulsa’s previous three matches as the Brazilian worked to regain full fitness, and paired with his 90 minute shift vs. Loudoun United FC, Torres has logged 104 minutes and come up with two assists. Torres now leads FC Tulsa with four assists on the season.
UP NEXT
FC Tulsa hits the road for the first time since August 10 to take on Atlanta United 2 next Saturday, September 3. FC Tulsa claimed all three points earlier in the season when these two sides clashed at ONEOK Field by way of a 2-1 win and will try to replicate the same result in Kennesaw next weekend.
