Standings: FC Tulsa enters the match with a record of 6W-7L-9D, ranking 9th in the Western Conference. Detroit City FC enters the match with a record of 9W-7L-7D, ranking 6th in the Eastern Conference.
FC Tulsa’s Last Match: On a hot and humid night in Memphis, Tennessee, FC Tulsa got off to a slow start. The home team took six shots in the first 15 minutes of the match, luckily none went in. FC Tulsa controlled only 45% of possession in the first half. Forward Stefan Stojanovic looked to get FC Tulsa on the board in the 14th minute of the match but his goal was called offside. In the 34th minute, after a foul by Bradley Bourgeois in the 18-yard-box, the home team took the 1-0 advantage. As the first half came to a close, FC Tulsa had not attempted a single shot on target. Much of the second half played out similar to the first. FC Tulsa held 42% of possession and attempted only four shots while Memphis attempted 11. In the 56th minute, FC Tulsa’s newest addition Forward Aaron Bibout made his FC Tulsa debut coming in for Defender Harvey St Clair. Bibout looked to make an impact in his first match with the club but unfortunately was unable to. In the 68th minute of the match, Memphis 901 FC doubled their lead with a goal coming from Samuel Careaga. Johan Peñaranda made several great saves and even took one off the face, but unfortunately it wasn’t FC Tulsa’s night and their undefeated streak ended at six.
Last Match-Up Against Detroit City FC: The stage was set on Friday night for FC Tulsa to reverse its fortunes in front of the largest crowd this season at ONEOK Field. Following three consecutive days in which temperatures exceeded 100 degrees in northeast Oklahoma, Phillip Goodrum and Marcus Epps provided a bit of additional heat to light up the scoreboard, cue the fireworks, and clinch all three points by way of another last minute match-winner. FC Tulsa came out of the gates with something to prove, and frankly, the club needed to off the heels of three consecutive losses. The home club created three quality scoring looks within the first 11 minutes of the match, two belonging to Phllip Goodrum and the other to Eric Bird. Detroit City battled its way back into the contest quickly, however, with a golden scoring chance that steered just over the crossbar in the 17′ minute and forced multiple goal-line stops by center-back Rashid Tetteh who missed the last three matches due to injury. Tetteh’s brilliance kept things level just long enough for FC Tulsa to take the lead minutes later. Brilliant link up play from Milo Yosef to Eric Bird resulted in Bird breaking down the right side and into the penalty area. His pace was too much for the opposition, and the only way to stop him was for the Detroit City keeper to chop him down. For the contact Bird drew, Phillip Goodrum was awarded the short walk to the penalty spot. He went right, the keeper went left – 1-0 FC Tulsa. The Tulsa lead was short-lived as the visitors needed only four minutes to respond with a goal of their own off a set piece. Tulsa goalkeeper Michael Nelson made a sensational stop on Detroit’s initial offering, but Matt Lewis was the first to the rebound and buried the equalizer. The second half got off to a much slower start than the first 45 minute period with neither side earning a true high-percentage look for about 20 minutes, although the yellow cards began pouring in with four cautions shown between the 54′ and 59′ minutes. Goodrum appeared to have his second of the match in the 66′ minute when he was found by Eric Bird on a clever overlap, but after the ball rippled the back of the net, the assistant referee blew his whistle to signal offsides. The Detroit backline was haphazardly chasing the Tulsa attack, and the Michigan side was bailed out by a very tight officiating verdict. In the 74′ minute, Detroit City found its second goal, once again following a foul surrendered just outside of the box and once again, FC Tulsa was unable to deal with the delivery. An abundance of offensive substitutions were made by Blair Gavin to equalize, and equalize FC Tulsa did seven minutes later. Moses Dyer’s delivery could not have been more perfect as he picked out Goodrum once again darting down the middle of the pitch from 30 yards away. Goodrum left his feet, hurling his body parallel to the ground and connecting his head to the lofty cross. The ball soared majestically past the goalkeeper, FC Tulsa leveled things at two apiece, and Phillip Goodrum secured the first brace of his FC Tulsa career (the fifth of his professional career). The crowd of over 5,500 fans roared and continued to do so, willing their club to dig deep and find a winner from their feet. Then, in the 89′ minute, a sure-fire goal of the week candidate materialized and ONEOK Field turned into a madhouse. A silky-smooth backheel from Goodrum was directed with pin-point precision to the feet of Marcus Epps with one minute remaining in regulation. Epps made no mistake and his fourth goal of the season was enough for FC Tulsa to edge out Detroit City FC in dramatic fashion, catapulting the club up three spots in the Eastern Conference standings. FC Tulsa now sits in playoff position once again.
Players to Watch: FC Tulsa’s players to watch this match are Forward Stefan Stojanovic and Midfielder Diogo Pacheco. Forward Stefan Stojanovic has slotted back into the striker position since the departure of Goodrum, a position he feels very comfortable in. Stojanovic has 4 goals on 28 shots and has created 14 chances in the 2024 season. He is tied with Diogo Pacheco to lead the team in goals. Midfielder Diogo Pacheco is also tied for first on the team in assists, he is second in shots with 21 and second in chances created with 15. The pair look to be a strong attacking force this weekend.
Detroit City FC’s players to watch this match are Midfielder Maximiliano Rodríguez and Forward Ben Morris. Maximiliano Rodriguez leads the team and is tied for 18th in the USL Championship in goals with seven this season. He is second on Detroit City FC in shots and assists with 22 shots and three assists. Forward Ben Morris is second in goals with 4, but he leads the team in shots, assists and chances created. He has 26 shots, 4 assists and 27 chances created. Ben and Maximiliano have both been featured on the USL Championship Team of the Week in the 2024 season. Ben has been on TOTW once and Maximiliano twice.
Up Next: FC Tulsa returns home to ONEOK Field on Sunday, September 1st at 5:00 p.m to take on Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. The club is hosting their first ever family night where kids under 12 can get in free with a paid adult (limit 3 kids per adult), courtesy of Bank of Oklahoma. For more information and to purchase tickets, email tickets@fctulsa.com, call 918-727-2231 or visit the box office starting at 3pm on matchday.
