TULSA, Okla. (May 21, 2026) — FC Tulsa return to ONEOK Field after nearly a month away from home as they take on Hartford Athletic in an interleague clash on Friday, May 22 at 7:30 p.m. CT.
FC TULSA VS HARTFORD ATHLETIC
USL CHAMPIONSHIP REGULAR SEASON
FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2026 @ 7:30 P.M. CT – ONEOK FIELD – TULSA, OKLAHOMA
Watch: Fox23, ESPN+
In-game updates: @FCTulsa X/Twitter feed
LAST TIME OUT
USL Championship Regular Season
Corpus Christi FC 0:1 FC Tulsa
Saturday, May 16, 2026 – Corpus Christi Sports Complex – Corpus Christi, Texas
The Scissortails seemed poised to find an early goal with several attacking threats but could not find the back of the net. Six shots on goal in the opening 45 minutes were all saved as the match was scoreless at the break.
The hosts controlled the flow of the match out of the locker room to start the second half with several chances testing goalkeeper Alex Tambakis who finished with four saves on the night. Things became chippy as well with 34 combined fouls and 12 yellow cards issued.
In the 80th minute, Tulsa finally found a breakthrough as midfielder Jamie Webber slid a ball perfectly into the path of forward Remi Cabral who came on as a substitute 20 minutes prior. The Frenchman slotted it home as he has done all season to capture the lead and the full three points for Tulsa in the Lone Star State.
Cabral has now scored four goals in his last four matches across all competitions with this being his third off the bench on the season. The match also marked the club debut of defender Grant Robinson after he was signed to a 25-day contract last Thursday.
KEY STORYLINES
Goalkeeper Alex Tambakis earned a selection to the Prinx Tires USL Cup Team of the Round after his standout performance against Corpus Christi FC last Saturday. The long-time USL veteran recorded his second clean sheet in a Tulsa kit with four saves on the night which launched the Scissortails into second place in Group 3 with a massive home clash with San Antonio FC looming on June 6 for a spot atop the table.
Last Saturday’s result was Tulsa’s third win in Texas this season in three tries with each victory coming in a different competition (San Antonio – Open Cup – 4/1, El Paso – Regular Season – 4/29). Since their last home match, the Scissortails finished their three-match road trip with three victories as they prepare to resume league play on Friday.
FC Tulsa signed defender Grant Robinson to a 25-day contract last Thursday as he made his club debut on Saturday at Corpus Christi FC as a late substitute. Robinson had been a mainstay for Monterey Bay FC since its inaugural season in 2022 ranking fourth in interceptions (98), sixth in tackles won (63) and eighth in chances created (51) on the team during that span.
Friday’s showdown with Hartford Athletic is the Scissortails’ first match against an Eastern Conference opponent this season. Tulsa had mixed results in interleague matches last season with a 2-4-3 record across all competitions including the USL Cup Final defeat against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. Last season’s match against Hartford ended 1-1 in Connecticut in August.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Goalkeeper Alex Tambakis: Since recovering from an early season injury, Tambakis has been a force between the sticks for the Scissortails saving 11 of 14 shots faced in his last four starts. The Greek keeper looks to record his 60th career USL Championship shutout this weekend against a Hartford side that gave him fits last season.
Midfielder Jamie Webber: After arriving during last season’s Western Conference championship run, Webber has taken on a bigger role in 2026 for the Black and Gold. The South African ranks third in the Western Conference in crosses (50) and fourth in chances created (15) as he continues to provide dangerous attacking threats that have started to find the back of the next as of late.
Forward Remi Cabral: Taylor Calheira’s departure to Sporting Kansas City in the offseason left a 21-goal sized hole in the Scissortails’ attack. So far in 2026, Cabral has come the closest to filling those shoes in the nine role with six goals across all comeptitions this season including three off the bench. The Frenchman is averaging 0.84 goals per match with four goals in his last four matches.
OPPONENT INFO: HARTFORD ATHLETIC
This is the sixth ever meeting between Tulsa and Hartford with the visitors holding a slight lead in the series. Hartford have been road warriors in 2026 earning the second most points (8) in the league away from home. After a five-match scoreless streak across all competitions, Hartford have responded with back-to-back victories over Detroit City FC and Brooklyn FC.
Brendan Burke is in his third season at the helm and looking to build off the club’s USL Cup championship last season. Hartford boast one of the league’s best defenses led by Jordan Scarlett (54) and Adrián Diz (50) who rank fifth and ninth in the league in clearances, respectively. Antony Siaha has also been one of the league’s standout goalkeepers as he currently sits at second in saves (28) and clean sheets (4).
KEY STATISTICS
– FC Tulsa 8.26 expected goals against in the regular season is the lowest total in the Western Conference in 2026.
– Entering this match, Tulsa have allowed the fewest shots per match (9.13) in the Western Conference while Hartford has the fourth fewest shots on target (30) in the Eastern Conference.
– Tulsa have drawn the third most fouls per match (15.75) in the USL Championship while Hartford have drawn the fourth fewest (11.75).
– Remi Cabral’s 0.84 goals per 90 minutes across all competitions this season is the highest such rate in FC Tulsa history (min. 10 matches).
– The matchups between these two sides have traditionally been high-scoring affairs with both sides finding the back of the net in all six contests.
– Own goals have played a prevalent role in the series between Tulsa and Hartford showing up in four of the six matches all-time.
RECENT QUOTES
Head coach Luke Spencer on recent road success: “I think we’ve seen a gritty mentality and a real team effort in the performances. That’s something that we speak about, so there’s a lot of positives to take from the collective group. We’ve had players out for one reason or another in each game, so it’s been positive that the next player is ready to step up, and we’ve been able to get results.”
Spencer on attack finding their finishing boots: “I think we’ve just had more time to build the relationships. The last couple of games, we’ve seen better combination play in the final third, and guys are getting to know one another. Those things take more time. We’ve taken advantage of training, and I think we’re seeing that on the field.”
Spencer on team hitting stride à la last season: “The goal is always to improve, right? We don’t want to be the team at the end of the season that hasn’t made any progress from the start of the season. If it’s a theme from year to year that the team is improving throughout the season, then that’s a good thing. As far as when a team picks up momentum, that has nothing to do with last season. That’s more so just us being focused on the process and preparing for each game.”
Alonzo Clarke on club improvement across 2026: “Honestly, I think it’s team chemistry. Early on, we were clicking and getting the chances, but we just didn’t have the belief yet. After training every day for months, you start understanding people’s movements, the type of balls that they like to receive and the ones they like to play. The only thing that could solve that is time, so spending time with each other and learning each other’s play styles has been very impactful in where we are today.”
Lucas Stauffer on trio of recent road victories: “Our group showed resilience within the grueling schedule of the USL Championship. Those away wins are very, very important and are a good sign of growth. As we work in new players, these are good to build camaraderie and resilience for the latter part of the season.”
