Goals from Eric Bird and Phillip Goodrum Break FC Tulsa’s Winless Streak
Goals from Eric Bird and Phillip Goodrum Break FC Tulsa’s Winless Streak
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Every curious USL Championship fan had their eye on Wednesday night’s clash between FC Tulsa and Louisville City FC. Tulsa just pulled off perhaps the biggest transfer deal in USL Championship history days before, and its new talisman up front was named to the Starting XI in his debut. The Oscar-worthy screenplay moment was there for the taking, and even Hollywood’s greatest script could not have told a better tale.
It was a frantic and anxiety-inducing start for FC Tulsa as the high-pressing home side made it difficult for Tulsa to play the ball out of its own half. LouCity tallied 10 shots before Tulsa mustered its first.
The Tulsa backline’s distribution struggles ultimately netted Louisville the first goal of the match when an errant pass landed at the feet of Manny Perez. Perez found Jorge Gonzales on a run behind the last defender and Gonzales converted the one-on-one chance vs. Tulsa keeper Michael Nelson.
Nelson came up massive for his club on Wednesday, just as he has all season long, with two paramount saves in the first half to hold LouCity to just one goal. The former Dynamo man went into a full stretch to his left on the first stop, then used his forehead to thwart the home side for his second. Nelson finished the evening with six saves on seven shots faces.
A golden chance in first half stoppage presented itself due to some A+ thinking and a sparkling ball from Blaine Ferri. The 22-year-old took a quick free kick and delivered a dime to Marcus Epps through the heart of the pitch before the opposition could react, but the shot ended up off target.
Phillip Goodrum, the 2022 All-League First Team forward that Tulsa acquired from Memphis 901 FC earlier in the week, came within inches of opening his Tulsa scoring account when he stung the crossbar in the 47′ minute.
Louisville continued to threaten in the second half, but their insurance goal would never transpire. What would, however, were two dramatic goals from FC Tulsa that may just have provided a brand new start to the season in Match 12.
Eric Bird accounted for Tulsa’s first in the 77′ minute, his second goal in his club’s last three matches. Moses Dyer found Bird lurking on the left side in a dangerous area and Bird tattooed his shot into the back of the net. The current campaign now marks the first season in which Bird has notched multiple goals since 2020.
The second goal had to belong to Goodrum. The Hollywood script was acted out to perfection when the Nashville native headed home the 89′ minute match-winner in his FC Tulsa debut. As the mullet atop Goodrum’s head flew through the air on his shot attempt, so did it fly during the celebration as every Tulsa player swarmed the new transfer while stealing all three points from the defending Eastern Conference champions on their home turf.
By the end of the night, FC Tulsa found itself in playoff position thanks in part to its very first certified #MulletMoment. The winless streak is over. Time to climb up the table.
GOALS
29′ LOU – Jorge González (assist: Manny Perez)
77′ TUL – Eric Bird (assist: Moses Dyer)
89′ TUL – Phillip Goodrum
UP NEXT
Another midweek matchup on the road is in store next week for FC Tulsa on Wednesday, May 31 when the club travels west to face Monterey Bay F.C. The match will be broadcasted live on My41 Tulsa and streamed nationally on ESPN+.
Eric Bird – 77′ Minute
Eric Bird – 77′ Minute
