Back-to-Back Clean Sheets see FC Tulsa Take Off in the Standings
Back-to-Back Clean Sheets see FC Tulsa Take Off in the Standings
TULSA – On an evening that kicked off with a heat index of 114 degrees, the midweek crowd at ONEOK Field was treated to another FC Tulsa win, the club’s third consecutive victory, made possible by another defensive gem and late goal from Marcus Epps.
Contrary to FC Tulsa’s 5′ minute goal to start things off last Saturday, Wednesday night got off to a more sluggish start. The clubs combined for only eight shots in the first half of play, six of which belonged to FC Tulsa. Tulsa consistently found pockets of space centrally and down the wings, but the final pass seemed to be lacking with each promising attack.
Possession was dominated by FC Tulsa throughout the match, specifically in the first half where it retained 59% of the ball.
Much of the second half was reminiscent of the first 45 minute period with FC Tulsa dictating the tempo and threatening more frequently than Miami FC.
Then finally, the breakthrough the crowd had been waiting for.
On the night of his 150th regular season USL Championship appearance, a moment of absolute brilliance from Marcus Epps netted FC Tulsa’s first and only goal of the match in the 71′ minute. Phillip Goodrum won his aerial duel over a Miami center-back and flicked the ball out wide to Epps with room to run. Epps took the space, cut back onto his right foot around a defender, and curled in a beauty just inside the far post.
The goal was Epps’ fifth of the season as the seven-year veteran of the league claimed sole possession of FC Tulsa’s 2023 scoring lead.
Just moments later, Miami flashed in front of goal following an earned set piece. The ball pinged from head to head, ultimately steering towards the visitors’ leading scorer, Kyle Murphy. The forward got power behind his header, but it was sent right into the confident arms of Tulsa keeper Michael Nelson. Nelson would finish the evening with two saves on two shots faced.
Epps’ goal proved enough to claim all three points from the affair, making it back-to-back 1-0 wins for FC Tulsa and extending its current win streak to three straight. The club’s current run marks the first such sequence dating back to September of 2021 when Tulsa rattled off five on the bounce.
Not to overlook another quality outing from FC Tulsa’s defense, the backline limited Miami FC to five shots throughout the entirety of the match, only two of which were on target.
With the win, Blair Gavin’s unit bumped up another spot in the Eastern Conference standings. FC Tulsa now controls the 7th spot in the table, trailing 6th-place Birmingham Legion FC by just one point.
UP NEXT
FC Tulsa’s second of its three matches at ONEOK Field awaits in only three days when Hartford Athletic travels to Tulsa, the club currently rounding out the bottom of the Eastern Conference. Hartford has lost five straight and is winless in its last eight outings.
GOALS
71′ TUL – Marcus Epps (assist: Phillip Goodrum)
LINEUPS
FC Tulsa: Nelson, Ruxi, Tetteh, Malou, Armour, McCabe, Bird, Yosef, Epps, Dyer, Goodrum (Subs used: Ferri, Fernandez)
Miami FC: Zendejas, Stanley, Hernández, Craig, Thron, Sorto, Segbers, Cabral, Salazar, Rivas, Murphy (Subs used: Mines, Telfer, Valot, Dowouna, DiMercurio)
