PHOENIX – FC Tulsa opened the season strong on Saturday, handling Phoenix Rising FC, 1-0, at Phoenix Rising Stadium.
Behind recently promoted head coach Luke Spencer, FC Tulsa jumps to 1-0-0 on the season, earning its first win over Phoenix Rising FC since its inaugural meeting on July 22, 2017. For Phoenix Rising FC, it holds a 0-1-0 record into its week two match.
“They were committed to our principles tonight,” Spencer said. They committed to and lived out our plan, and that’s what I’m most proud of. There was a real belief in one another, even in the second half, that we would see the game out.
“I saw a lot of guys celebrating defensively, celebrating big plays that they needed to make, and that was something that we spoke about as well. I’m really proud of the guys and how they executed tonight.”
FC Tulsa picked its moments wisely in the first half as it carried 37.7% of possession, but built off an 11-2 cross advantage and 18 final third entries to etch the scoreboard through 45 minutes.
After an opening five minutes that saw the club dominate in possession, Harvey St Clair generated a cross from the right wing to no avail in the 13th minute. The script flipped in minute 19, as Collin Smith produced a quality opportunity for Phoenix at the middle of the 18-yard-box, however, his strike was blocked by newcomer Lamar Batista toward the bottom left of the net.
Alex Dalou notched FC Tulsa’s first goal of 2025 with a right-footed boot in the 25th minute. After a turnover near midfield, Boubacar Diallo struck a left-footed shot with his inside foot, but it was blocked. Dalou pounced on the rebound and buried a right-footed shot into the top of the net.
“We’ve prepared a lot in that area,” Dalou said. “Boubacar Diallo did a fantastic job winning the ball, Taylor Calheria was very unselfish to give it back to him and I was just in the right spot at the right time. It truly felt like a team goal.”
The club came close to a second goal in the 43rd minute when Owen Damm delivered a cross from the left wing to Stefan Stojanovic, whose header was caught on the goal line.
Johan Peñaranda made his mark to open the second half, shutting down a shot called off for offside and a second three minutes later. The duo of Arthur Rogers and Peñaranda forged in the 58th minute, closing off Damián Rivera, who dribbled in from the left side of the box.
Peñaranda posted a pair of saves on the night, completing his eighth clean sheet with the club, with Abdoulaye “AB” Cissoko notching his first win as captain.
“Home or away, our mission is to come out and win,” Cissoko said. “We want to be at the top of the table. We want to be in the playoffs. That’s our goal.”
“We’re strong together. Everyone was involved tonight, yelling and encouraging each other.”
Up next, FC Tulsa heads to ONEOK Field for its home-opener match against Tampa Bay Rowdies on Saturday, March 15, at 7 p.m. CT. The match will feature a schedule magnet giveaway, postmatch fireworks and a Happy Half Hour featuring discounted beers and hard seltzers from 5:30 to 6 p.m. Tickets for FC Tulsa’s home opener are available here.
Goals:
25’ TUL – A. Dalou
Cards:
24’ TUL – A. Dalou
43’ PHX – D. Formella
66’ TUL – A. Cissoko
Lineups:
TUL: Johan Peñaranda, Lamar Batista, Abdoulaye Cissoko (C), Arthur Rogers, Owen Damm, Boubacar Diallo, Giordano Colli, Harvey St Clair, Alexander Dalou, Taylor Calheira, Stefan Stojanovic
Subs Used: Delentz Pierre, Kalil ElMedkhar, Edwin Laszo, Patrick Seagrist, Faysal Bettache
PHX: Patrick Rakovsky (C), Ryan Flood, Mohamed Traore, Pape Boye, Collin Smith, Hope Avayevu, Carl Sainté, Noble Okello, Damián Rivera, Rémi Cabral, Dariusz Formella
Subs Used: Ihsan Sacko, Charlie Dennis, Darius Johnson, Braxton Montgomery
