FC Tulsa looked to dive headfirst into the Western Conference standings versus Miami FC on Wednesday.
Philip Goodrum took that sentiment literally, and a 2-1 victory came with it.
After Miami FC converted on its first shot attempt of the night, FC Tulsa was pinned in a deficit a mere 11 minutes into the match. While the team strummed up a bevy of shot attempts in the first half, leading 9-2 in the category, head coach Mario Sanchez and the club were looking for a response entering the tunnel.
FC Tulsa stayed patient, and Goodrum delivered.
With three fouls committed in the second half’s opening five minutes, the window of opportunity arrived at the 61st minute. Following a chain of passes into opposing territory, Goodrum and Harvey St Clair found the missing link in the defense. After a pass from Goodrum in the midfield, St Clair, who entered the game two minutes prior, launched a cross from the right wing into the box. For Goodrum, the sequence marked a mad dash.
In the five seconds of downtime, Goodrum parted a sea of seven red kits and fit through four just outside the box for a diving header. The 50 minutes treading murky waters down 0-1 was swapped with a wave of celebration for the supporters section.
Fireworks were rampant in ONEOK Field, and Goodrum’s shot marked the back of the net.
The play marked a change in tide not only for the club, but Goodrum.
“Number one, everyone who watches our game knows he’s one of the hardest-working players on the field,” Sanchez said. “He literally gives everything for the team, and I give him a lot of respect for that. Number two, he needed a goal. It’s been tough for him, and teams target him. Most games, he’s got two defenders on him.
“You could see after that, the momentum was really in our favor, and it was nice to get that second goal and put it away.”
A mere 10 minutes later, Goodrum found himself in action again, setting up forward Diogo Pacheco in what became the night’s game-winning goal and Pacheco’s third in two matches as a starter.
“When I saw Phil going down the line, I just screamed at him, and it was a great ball,” Pacheco said. “I just had to tap it in.”
Goodum, who tied the club’s most goals in a season with 12 last season, ended his five-match scoring drought on Wednesday while also generating a spark on the pitch.
“Bringing energy is part of my game,” Goodrum said. “These last few games, I don’t feel that I’ve had as much of an influence as I could have, so it was just more about focusing on what I can control and knowing what I’m good at, being in and around the box, creating stuff and putting the ball in the back of the net.”
The club delivered with the 2-1 victory Wednesday, earning its first win streak of its USL Championship season along the way. Now standing at 4-4-5 with 16 points in play, they stand just two points from a top-eight seed in the Western Conference. They’ll keep the same energy and mentality as they close its three-game homestand against Sacramento Republic FC on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. CT.
“We just have to stay hungry. Like Bradley Bourgeois has been saying, ‘always forward, always positive,’ and just sticking to FC Tulsa soccer and doing our thing,” Goodrum said. “So that’s what we look forward to – bringing in another three points this Saturday.”
Tickets for Saturday’s upcoming match versus Sacramento Republic FC can be purchased at fctulsa.com/tickets.
