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The win came only 48 hours after TRFC defeated Whitecaps FC 3-1 on Thursday.  The quick turnaround seemed to be no issue for the Roughnecks, though things nearly got off to a bad start.  Just 45 seconds into the match, OC’s Wuilito Fernandes took a feed behind the Tulsa backline and fired the ball into the net, but the assistant’s flag was correctly up for an offside call.  Fernandes spent much of the preseason in training with the Roughnecks.

Orange County held much of the possession through the game’s first 10 minutes before the Roughnecks settled in.  Their first chance came from Kosuke Kimura in the 14th minute.  The defender’s effort from 35 yards rattled off the crossbar, and Caffa fired the rebound high.

Five minutes later, the breakthrough came for TRFC, and it came from Caffa.  Brady Ballew, making his first start of the season, made an angled run down the middle of field before being taken down at the arc of the middle of penalty area.  Caffa took the free kick and hammered precisely into the upper corner of the net for the opening goal.  The former La Liga player scored a similar goal in Thursday’s victory.

The Roughnecks doubled their lead only three minutes later.  After a deep ball down the left side, Joaquin Rivas back-heeled a layoff for Svantesson.  The big striker made no mistake, putting his right-footed shot past the keeper to giving TRFC a 2-0 lead.

After the break, the pace of the match slowed down before the Roughnecks found a third goal in the 79th minute, and Caffa played a role.  The Tulsa captain delivered a long pass from the defensive end of the field, perfectly in front of substitute Joey Calistri.  The Chicago Fire loanee ran onto the pass and chipped over the keeper for his third goal of the season and TRFC’s third of the match.

Svantesson capped he and the Roughnecks big night shortly afterwards.  Ballew set up the forward on the right side of the penalty area and slotted his shot into the far corner of the goal to make it 4-0.

TRFC Head Coach David Vaudreuil was happy to complete the six-point week.  “We said these games were very important and two wins would put us up in the table and more where we should be, and that’s what we got.  It took us awhile to get going, but a great goal to open got us going and the game just kept getting better and better for us.”

He was also pleased with how his team came out of the matches physically.  “No one came out with any injuries, and we got a lot of guys involved,” said Vaudreuil.  “Brady Ballew got his first start and did a great job, and Brandt Bronico came down from the Chicago Fire and played 90 minutes.  That’s a big deal for us because it saves other guy’s legs.”

The win came only 48 hours after TRFC defeated Whitecaps FC 3-1 on Thursday.  The quick turnaround seemed to be no issue for the Roughnecks, though things nearly got off to a bad start.  Just 45 seconds into the match, OC’s Wuilito Fernandes took a feed behind the Tulsa backline and fired the ball into the net, but the assistant’s flag was correctly up for an offside call.  Fernandes spent much of the preseason in training with the Roughnecks.

Orange County held much of the possession through the game’s first 10 minutes before the Roughnecks settled in.  Their first chance came from Kosuke Kimura in the 14th minute.  The defender’s effort from 35 yards rattled off the crossbar, and Caffa fired the rebound high.

Five minutes later, the breakthrough came for TRFC, and it came from Caffa.  Brady Ballew, making his first start of the season, made an angled run down the middle of field before being taken down at the arc of the middle of penalty area.  Caffa took the free kick and hammered precisely into the upper corner of the net for the opening goal.  The former La Liga player scored a similar goal in Thursday’s victory.

The Roughnecks doubled their lead only three minutes later.  After a deep ball down the left side, Joaquin Rivas back-heeled a layoff for Svantesson.  The big striker made no mistake, putting his right-footed shot past the keeper to giving TRFC a 2-0 lead.

After the break, the pace of the match slowed down before the Roughnecks found a third goal in the 79th minute, and Caffa played a role.  The Tulsa captain delivered a long pass from the defensive end of the field, perfectly in front of substitute Joey Calistri.  The Chicago Fire loanee ran onto the pass and chipped over the keeper for his third goal of the season and TRFC’s third of the match.

Svantesson capped he and the Roughnecks big night shortly afterwards.  Ballew set up the forward on the right side of the penalty area and slotted his shot into the far corner of the goal to make it 4-0.

TRFC Head Coach David Vaudreuil was happy to complete the six-point week.  “We said these games were very important and two wins would put us up in the table and more where we should be, and that’s what we got.  It took us awhile to get going, but a great goal to open got us going and the game just kept getting better and better for us.”

He was also pleased with how his team came out of the matches physically.  “No one came out with any injuries, and we got a lot of guys involved,” said Vaudreuil.  “Brady Ballew got his first start and did a great job, and Brandt Bronico came down from the Chicago Fire and played 90 minutes.  That’s a big deal for us because it saves other guy’s legs.”

Bronico was a top draft choice of the Fire this season and had played in two regular season MLS games this year. 

For Svantesson it was his second two-goal game of the week, and it came in front of a large contingent of family and friends, including his parents.  “It was great timing for my family, and they were here Thursday too,” said Svantesson.  

The forward likes where the TRFC team is at after the busy week.  “This squad has great camaraderie and, now that we have had a chance to be together, things are starting to click.  This week was a great test, and we showed pretty well.”

The Roughnecks will now turn their attention to the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.  They will begin play in the second round Wednesday night by hosting the OKC Energy U-23 team at the University of Tulsa Soccer and Track Stadium.  Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. 

Season ticket holders can redeem the Game Voucher in their packages for free tickets to the match.  Other fans can purchase tickets for $10 each, while youth soccer players can get them for $5 each.

Bronico was a top draft choice of the Fire this season and had played in two regular season MLS games this year. 

For Svantesson it was his second two-goal game of the week, and it came in front of a large contingent of family and friends, including his parents.  “It was great timing for my family, and they were here Thursday too,” said Svantesson.  

The forward likes where the TRFC team is at after the busy week.  “This squad has great camaraderie and, now that we have had a chance to be together, things are starting to click.  This week was a great test, and we showed pretty well.”

The Roughnecks will now turn their attention to the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.  They will begin play in the second round Wednesday night by hosting the OKC Energy U-23 team at the University of Tulsa Soccer and Track Stadium.  Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. 

Season ticket holders can redeem the Game Voucher in their packages for free tickets to the match.  Other fans can purchase tickets for $10 each, while youth soccer players can get them for $5 each.

Spanish Version

Tulsa Roughnecks FC was in need of three points from the opening game of a two-match set at ONEOK Field this week, and it got just that Thursday night with a 3-1 over Whitecaps FC 2.  Juan Caffa opened the scoring with a beautiful free kick, and Ian Svantesson had a brace with a goal in each half to provide the victory.

The win gives the Roughnecks nine points on the season and evens their record at 3-3-0.  TRFC will have little time to enjoy the victory as it will be back in action Saturday night when it hosts Orange County SC in the second match of the two-game set.

Strong thunderstorms moved through downtown Tulsa Thursday just a couple of hours before kickoff, and the cooler temperatures they brought set the stage for an open, offensive game. 

Tulsa set the tone quickly, nearly opening the scoring in the first minute of play as Whitecaps FC 2 goalkeeper Spencer Richey was forced into a save on a left-footed shot from Joaquin Rivas.  Within two minutes, Mo Jadama headed over the crossbar for the Roughnecks, while Gloire Amanda shot just wide for WFC2 at the other end.

In the 24th minute, Jorge Corrales hit the side netting for TRFC as the wide open game continued.

Two minutes later, the Roughnecks finally found the opening goal.  Joey Calistri was brought down just outside the penalty area, and the foul set the stage for Caffa.  The former La Liga forward left Richey with no chance as his curving left-footed shot settled into the top of the net to give TRFC the 1-0 lead.

Calistri nearly doubled the margin in the 38th minute, but Richey denied his low shot with a diving, one-handed save.

In the 40th minute, Caffa combined with Svantesson to make it 2-0.  Svantesson rose above his defender to head home Caffa’s cross as Tulsa went to the halftime locker room with the two-goal lead.

If TRFC had thoughts of an easy victory, those quickly disappeared after the break.  Less than three minutes after the restart, a giveaway from the Tulsa backline set Amanda free.  The 18-year-old striker slipped by a defender and beat Tulsa goalkeeper Fabian Cerda with a strong right-footed finish that made it 2-1.

Spanish Version

Tulsa Roughnecks FC was in need of three points from the opening game of a two-match set at ONEOK Field this week, and it got just that Thursday night with a 3-1 over Whitecaps FC 2.  Juan Caffa opened the scoring with a beautiful free kick, and Ian Svantesson had a brace with a goal in each half to provide the victory.

The win gives the Roughnecks nine points on the season and evens their record at 3-3-0.  TRFC will have little time to enjoy the victory as it will be back in action Saturday night when it hosts Orange County SC in the second match of the two-game set.

Strong thunderstorms moved through downtown Tulsa Thursday just a couple of hours before kickoff, and the cooler temperatures they brought set the stage for an open, offensive game. 

Tulsa set the tone quickly, nearly opening the scoring in the first minute of play as Whitecaps FC 2 goalkeeper Spencer Richey was forced into a save on a left-footed shot from Joaquin Rivas.  Within two minutes, Mo Jadama headed over the crossbar for the Roughnecks, while Gloire Amanda shot just wide for WFC2 at the other end.

In the 24th minute, Jorge Corrales hit the side netting for TRFC as the wide open game continued.

Two minutes later, the Roughnecks finally found the opening goal.  Joey Calistri was brought down just outside the penalty area, and the foul set the stage for Caffa.  The former La Liga forward left Richey with no chance as his curving left-footed shot settled into the top of the net to give TRFC the 1-0 lead.

Calistri nearly doubled the margin in the 38th minute, but Richey denied his low shot with a diving, one-handed save.

In the 40th minute, Caffa combined with Svantesson to make it 2-0.  Svantesson rose above his defender to head home Caffa’s cross as Tulsa went to the halftime locker room with the two-goal lead.

If TRFC had thoughts of an easy victory, those quickly disappeared after the break.  Less than three minutes after the restart, a giveaway from the Tulsa backline set Amanda free.  The 18-year-old striker slipped by a defender and beat Tulsa goalkeeper Fabian Cerda with a strong right-footed finish that made it 2-1.

Svantesson struck again in the 53rd minute to complete scoring.  Calistri got free down the right side, and on the run, delivered a perfect cross to the 6”6” striker.  Svantesson full-volleyed the cross past Richey for his second goal of the night and restored Tulsa’s two-goal lead.

Amanda continued to look dangerous, but WFC2 could not beat Cerda a second time as the match finished 3-1.

 The result pleased TRFC Head Coach David Vaudreuil who felt it was important that the Roughnecks pick up three points in the first of two matches in three days. 

“I thought we did a great job of attacking their goal right away,” said Vaudreuil.  “We had two or three really good early chances and set a good tone.”

The head coach was especially pleased with Svantesson’s two-goal outing.

“We keep telling Ian to get to the back post, and he scored two goals from the back post,” said Vaudreuil.  “He is slowly but surely turning himself into a real striker.”

He was also impressed with the fight from the Whitecaps FC 2, the USL side for the Vancouver Whitecaps of Major League Soccer. 

“To their credit, they stayed tall, and their goalkeeper played well.  Amanda was quicker than he looks on tape, and their right side had a lot of speed.  They didn’t give up and played hard.”

Vaudreuil will spend little time enjoying the three points with Orange County visiting ONEOK Field Saturday night. 

“It was a great result tonight for us, as we got to rest a couple of guys for an extra 10-15 minutes.  We came out healthy and set up well for Saturday with Orange County.  We will have to make some decisions on who to rest and who to play with the quick turnaround.”

Caffa, the TRFC captain, was delighted with his free kick opportunity in the first half.  He said that it was something he has been working on.

“I have been training the whole week with Fabian,” Caffa said.  “I thought about shooting at the goalkeeper’s post, but I decided to go over the wall.”

He was also happy to play provider on Svantesson’s first goal.  “I always tell Ian that he has to be there, that I want to cross to him,” he said.  “I am happy for him and for the team, as we are getting better.” 

It was not all positive news for TRFC with the win.  Francisco Ugarte was issued his fourth yellow card of the season in the second half.  The defender will be forced to miss a match with his next caution.

It will be Team Poster Night on Saturday for the match with Orange County SC.  The first 1,000 fans will receive a full-color team poster compliments of TPSI of Tulsa, Tulsa’s Channel 8 and El Patron. 

There will also be a McDonald’s Pre-Game Clinic for youth players with the Roughnecks players and staff.

Kickoff at ONEOK Field is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.  Tickets are available online by clicking HERE.

Svantesson struck again in the 53rd minute to complete scoring.  Calistri got free down the right side, and on the run, delivered a perfect cross to the 6”6” striker.  Svantesson full-volleyed the cross past Richey for his second goal of the night and restored Tulsa’s two-goal lead.

Amanda continued to look dangerous, but WFC2 could not beat Cerda a second time as the match finished 3-1.

 The result pleased TRFC Head Coach David Vaudreuil who felt it was important that the Roughnecks pick up three points in the first of two matches in three days. 

“I thought we did a great job of attacking their goal right away,” said Vaudreuil.  “We had two or three really good early chances and set a good tone.”

The head coach was especially pleased with Svantesson’s two-goal outing.

“We keep telling Ian to get to the back post, and he scored two goals from the back post,” said Vaudreuil.  “He is slowly but surely turning himself into a real striker.”

He was also impressed with the fight from the Whitecaps FC 2, the USL side for the Vancouver Whitecaps of Major League Soccer. 

“To their credit, they stayed tall, and their goalkeeper played well.  Amanda was quicker than he looks on tape, and their right side had a lot of speed.  They didn’t give up and played hard.”

Vaudreuil will spend little time enjoying the three points with Orange County visiting ONEOK Field Saturday night. 

“It was a great result tonight for us, as we got to rest a couple of guys for an extra 10-15 minutes.  We came out healthy and set up well for Saturday with Orange County.  We will have to make some decisions on who to rest and who to play with the quick turnaround.”

Caffa, the TRFC captain, was delighted with his free kick opportunity in the first half.  He said that it was something he has been working on.

“I have been training the whole week with Fabian,” Caffa said.  “I thought about shooting at the goalkeeper’s post, but I decided to go over the wall.”

He was also happy to play provider on Svantesson’s first goal.  “I always tell Ian that he has to be there, that I want to cross to him,” he said.  “I am happy for him and for the team, as we are getting better.” 

It was not all positive news for TRFC with the win.  Francisco Ugarte was issued his fourth yellow card of the season in the second half.  The defender will be forced to miss a match with his next caution.

It will be Team Poster Night on Saturday for the match with Orange County SC.  The first 1,000 fans will receive a full-color team poster compliments of TPSI of Tulsa, Tulsa’s Channel 8 and El Patron. 

There will also be a McDonald’s Pre-Game Clinic for youth players with the Roughnecks players and staff.

Kickoff at ONEOK Field is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.  Tickets are available online by clicking HERE.