TULSA, Okla. (October 7, 2026) — FC Tulsa heads east to the Bluegrass State as it squares off with Lexington SC on Friday, October 9 at 6:30 p.m. CT at Lexington SC Stadium. The match will be broadcast on CBS Sports Golazo Network and streamed on Paramount+.

FC TULSA VS LEXINGTON SC
USL CHAMPIONSHIP REGULAR SEASON
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2026 @ 6:30 P.M. CT – LEXINGTON SC STADIUM – LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY

Watch: CBS Sports Golazo Network, Paramount+
In-game updates: @FCTulsa X/Twitter feed

LAST TIME OUT

USL Championship Regular Season
FC Tulsa 1:1 Sacramento Republic FC
Saturday, October 3, 2026 – ONEOK Field – Tulsa, Oklahoma

A late free kick from the visitors forced FC Tulsa to settle for a 1-1 draw against Sacramento Republic FC last Saturday night at ONEOK Field. Both teams came out aggressive with the visitors perhaps too much so as Lucas Stauffer was able to draw an early penalty in the ninth minute that was converted by Arquímides Ordóñez to slot Tulsa ahead early. Neither side mustered much offensively the rest of the half as the Scissortails’ back line excelled defensively on the ball.

Sacramento came out of the locker room determined to equalize in the second half, controlling 65 percent of the possession. Tulsa held on for most of the frame, but a free kick in the 89th minute just squeaked past Dane Jacomen to salvage a point for the visitors and force the Scissortails to wait out their postseason dreams at least another week.

KEY STORYLINES

With three matches left in the regular season, Tulsa’s magic number to secure its second consecutive playoff berth sits at four points. Friday’s showdown against Lexington could serve as a playoff preview as this matchup is set to be a first round clash if the season ended today. The winner of this match controls its destiny to host at least one match in the postseason with both clubs eyeing deep runs no matter their seed.

After dealing with numerous injuries throughout 2026, Tulsa is arguably the healthiest its been all year with Owen Damm and Boubacar Diallo having made their returns to the Starting XI last Saturday night after extended absences. These two help fortify the midfield and free up other players to return to their natural positions on the pitch. With Damm surging up the left flank and Diallo holding things down in the middle, the Black and Gold will be a tough out for any opposition down the stretch.

Head coach Luke Spencer sits on the verge of becoming the club’s all-time winningest head coach across all competitions on Saturday night with a victory. He is currently tied with Michael Nsien at 36 wins but has reached that mark in 46 fewer matches. Since Spencer’s arrival in Oklahoma, the Scissortails have reached new heights on the pitch culminating in the club’s first ever Western Conference championship last season. Tulsa looks to continue that trajectory as playoff soccer comes within reach.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Defender Lucas Stauffer: An unsung hero for the Scissortails, Stauffer has been a staple of consistency for Tulsa in 2026. In a season full of injuries left and right in the squad, his best ability has perhaps been his availability as he has appeared in 32 consecutive matches across all competitions, the longest active stretch for the club. His willingness to take on any challenge in either wingback position of Luke Spencer’s 3-4-3 tactic makes him a valuable piece of the puzzle for Tulsa moving forward.

Midfielder Boubacar Diallo: Almost a year to the day since he was sidelined due to a lower leg injury, Diallo made his return to the Starting XI for the Scissortails in front of a thrilled home crowd at ONEOK Field. His presence enabled Tulsa to control the flow of the match against Sacramento early on in an easier manner than it was able to without him over the course of the season. His availability for the postseason push opens a lot of doors for Tulsa to burst through as November nears.

Forward Logan Dorsey: As the Scissortails have looked for more consistency in the attack these last few weeks, Dorsey has often answered the bell with five goals across all competitions since joining the squad in June. The Minnesota United FC loanee has shown a knack for getting the ball in dangerous areas and should be called on down the stretch to slot those chances home as the playoff push continues.

OPPONENT INFO: LEXINGTON SC

This is the fourth meeting between Tulsa and Lexington with the Scissortails recording clean sheets in all three matches thus far. FC Tulsa is one of two Western Conference clubs that Lexington SC has not recorded a victory against in its two-year USL Championship stint. Taylor Calheira and Lamar Batista scored in Tulsa’s 2-0 victory in its lone trip to Kentucky last season.

New head coach Masaki Hemmi has his side rolling at the right time as they look for their first playoff appearance in the USL Championship. Since an early September loss in Jacksonville, Lexington has reeled off four straight victories with 16 goals in this stretch.

Former Tulsa man Phillip Goodrum has scored eight of those goals and has surged up to a tie for fifth in the USL Championship with 12 in 2026. Marcus Epps (7 goals, 5 assists) and Blaine Ferri (9 assists – most in USLC) also spent some time in Oklahoma with the Scissortails. These three along with Milo Yosef combined for 205 appearances and 38 goals wearing Tulsa kits.

KEY STATISTICS

– Friday’s match features the Western Conference’s leading attack (Lexington) against its best defense (Tulsa).
– Tulsa has allowed just eight first half goals in the regular season, the lowest mark in the league. 
– Lexington has excelled in the second half this season, leading the league with 30 goals scored.
– Lexington holds the best record at home in the Western Conference in 2026 (9-4-1).

RECENT QUOTES

Head coach Luke Spencer on last week’s results: “Overall, I feel really good about the two games this week for a lot of different reasons. Considering the two opponents that we played, getting results in both of those games is very important at this time of the year. I’m also proud of the performance. They’ve been very collective and together, and I can’t fault the effort, so that’s the most important thing for us. We’re certainly not done. We want more, and we’ll get back to the drawing board.”

Spencer on matching physicality of opponents: “We’ve been a physical team all year. That’s our identity and is not going to change. I think the challenge on the road is that the crowd is against you, and sometimes that can sway how the game is called, so we’ve been up against that. I’m proud of the way that the guys have dealt with it, and that’s only going to make us better and more prepared as we enter the last stretch here.”

Abdoulaye Cissoko on getting players back from injury: “It’s good to have everyone back. It’s brought more competition to the roster and for spots in the starting eleven. The competition for each position raises the overall level of the team. It’s really nice to see Bouba and Owen back. We’re still integrating  everyone back into our DNA and everything, but it’s great to have more numbers back.”

Forward Arquímides Ordóñez on keys to success: “I think in our upcoming games, we just need to continue setting the tempo. We need to keep playing to our physicality and our speed and make sure that we’re a very aggressive team. If we do that on a consistent basis, the results will follow.”