
Marcus Epps Scores Third Goal of the Season to Tie Club Lead
Marcus Epps Scores Third Goal of the Season to Tie Club Lead
TULSA – Saturday’s 90-minute affair between FC Tulsa and Charleston Battery ended in defeat for the Black and Patina by a 2-1 scoreline. Despite putting more shots on frame than the opposition (7-4) and controlling 60% of the ball throughout the match, FC Tulsa was unable to convert its opportunities into goals, resulting in three dropped points at home.
It took just four minutes for the first goal of the match to be fired into the back of the net. Unfortunately for FC Tulsa, the visitors were the beneficiary of the score. Charleston drove through its afforded space down the right flank and the ball ultimately ended up at the feet of the Battery’s Nick Markanich who converted the easy tap-in chance and put his club up, 1-0.
That scoreline lasted all of 10 minutes as a prompt reply from FC Tulsa’s Marcus Epps leveled things in a hurry. Following a short corner, FC Tulsa pinged the ball around dangerously while looking for its opening. Ultimately, it was sent out wide to Milo Yosef who delivered the ball into the box towards Epps who got on the end of it for his third goal of the season.
Epps’ goal proved the third time this season in which FC Tulsa responded to conceding the first goal of the match with a score of its own in 10 minutes or less.
The first 45-minute window concluded with FC Tulsa leading Charleston in xG (0.62-0.32), passes in its opponent’s final third (68-48), and possession (60%-40%)
Five minutes into the second half, Charleston took its second lead of the match via Donte Polvara’s first goal of the season in the 50′ minute following a Tulsa turnover in its own end.
Both clubs proceeded to utilize all five substitutions at their disposal as Tulsa desperately searched for an equalizer and the Battery looked to bunker down to protect their marginal advantage. One of Tulsa’s five substitutes was none other than 16-year-old and United States Youth National Team midfielder Nate Worth to mark the teenager’s FC Tulsa league debut.
“I’m very happy to have made my debut for FC Tulsa in the Championship,” said Worth. “It felt great to get on the field and play in front of our fans for the first time. Not the result we wanted, but it’s still a night I’ll remember for a long time. I’m excited to keep working and pushing to get more minutes and ultimately help the club move up the table in the league.”
Before FC Tulsa could find its second of the match, the painful sound of the final whistle echoed throughout ONEOK Field to signal FC Tulsa’s second consecutive loss in USL Championship play.
COACH’S QUOTE
“We created some really good opportunities to go up and were unfortunate not to go up in the first half. In the second half, there were so many turnovers to allow a really good team more opportunities on the ball and more opportunities to cross. They took advantage and then we didn’t have the response after that. To continue to rely on responding is a very dangerous thing to do. It is not what we want to do. It is something that we need to continue to focus and work on.” – Blair Gavin
UP NEXT
The bye week awaits FC Tulsa as the club has 13 days off before its next USL Championship affair. On April 29, FC Tulsa hosts Western Conference side Sacramento Republic FC at home. Tickets to the match are available here.