Game Recaps

The second version of the Black Gold Derby did not start off well for the Tulsa Roughnecks FC.

In front of 4,913 cheering fans, the Roughnecks renewed their intra-state rivalry with the Oklahoma City Energy FC and wound up on the short side of a 2-0 decision Saturday night at ONEOK Field.

The Energy received goals by Wojciech Wojcik and Daniel Gonzalez, both on assists from Kyle Hyland, within an eight-minute span midway through the first half to take control of the match. OKC (4-1-4) has now won three in a row and is unbeaten in its last eight, losing just its season-opener 2-1 to Colorado Springs back on Mar. 26. They move into a tie for fourth place in the Western Conference.

Photo by Rich Crimi

Tulsa (2-8-1) made a push in the second half, but was unable to solve OKC goalkeeper Cody Laurendi, who needed to make just two saves for the shutout. The Roughnecks remain in 14th place in the 15-team West.

“Very disappointing,” said Tulsa coach David Irving of the loss, the team’s third in a row. “I thought we started off pretty well. We give away a couple of awful goals, to tell you the truth, and then we come back, and in the second half, we tried to make a fist of it. The boys are working hard, they’re not laying down or anything, but confidence is a good factor, no matter what sport you play.”

Oklahoma City, which won the big wrench last season for claiming the inaugural Black Gold Derby championship, won the first of four games between the squads this year.

Each team had a golden opportunity to seize an early lead in the contest’s opening three minutes, but the goalkeepers thwarted them.

First, the Energy had a chance about two minutes in when a long throw-in from the left sideline found Danni Konig in front, but his 5-yard volley was denied by Tulsa ‘keeper Jake Feener.

Then, about 30 seconds later, with Tulsa on the counter-attack, Brady Ballew lofted a 15-yard shot from the right wing that forced Laurendi to make a difficult, leaping one-handed stop.

Oklahoma City went ahead 1-0 on Wojcik’s goal in the 20th minute. Hyland delivered a nice pass into the middle, where Wojcik volleyed a 12-yard shot past Feener and just inside the left post.

Eight minutes later, OKC took a two-goal lead after Hyland’s cross from the top left of the penalty area sailed past several players and found Gonzalez on the right side for a booming one-timer from 4 yards out.

The second version of the Black Gold Derby did not start off well for the Tulsa Roughnecks FC.

In front of 4,913 cheering fans, the Roughnecks renewed their intra-state rivalry with the Oklahoma City Energy FC and wound up on the short side of a 2-0 decision Saturday night at ONEOK Field.

The Energy received goals by Wojciech Wojcik and Daniel Gonzalez, both on assists from Kyle Hyland, within an eight-minute span midway through the first half to take control of the match. OKC (4-1-4) has now won three in a row and is unbeaten in its last eight, losing just its season-opener 2-1 to Colorado Springs back on Mar. 26. They move into a tie for fourth place in the Western Conference.

Photo by Rich Crimi

Tulsa (2-8-1) made a push in the second half, but was unable to solve OKC goalkeeper Cody Laurendi, who needed to make just two saves for the shutout. The Roughnecks remain in 14th place in the 15-team West.

“Very disappointing,” said Tulsa coach David Irving of the loss, the team’s third in a row. “I thought we started off pretty well. We give away a couple of awful goals, to tell you the truth, and then we come back, and in the second half, we tried to make a fist of it. The boys are working hard, they’re not laying down or anything, but confidence is a good factor, no matter what sport you play.”

Oklahoma City, which won the big wrench last season for claiming the inaugural Black Gold Derby championship, won the first of four games between the squads this year.

Each team had a golden opportunity to seize an early lead in the contest’s opening three minutes, but the goalkeepers thwarted them.

First, the Energy had a chance about two minutes in when a long throw-in from the left sideline found Danni Konig in front, but his 5-yard volley was denied by Tulsa ‘keeper Jake Feener.

Then, about 30 seconds later, with Tulsa on the counter-attack, Brady Ballew lofted a 15-yard shot from the right wing that forced Laurendi to make a difficult, leaping one-handed stop.

Oklahoma City went ahead 1-0 on Wojcik’s goal in the 20th minute. Hyland delivered a nice pass into the middle, where Wojcik volleyed a 12-yard shot past Feener and just inside the left post.

Eight minutes later, OKC took a two-goal lead after Hyland’s cross from the top left of the penalty area sailed past several players and found Gonzalez on the right side for a booming one-timer from 4 yards out.

The Energy nearly made it a three-goal game in the 40th minute when Sebastian Dalgaard dribbled deep into the goalie box before firing a 5-yard shot that Feener made a spectacular lunging, one-handed save.

Jake Feener photo by Brooke Carroll

Oklahoma City had another prime scoring chance early in the second half, when Konig raced in on a breakaway in the 53rd minute, but Feener denied his 15-yard shot.

Less than two minutes later, the Roughnecks nearly got one back, but Henri’s 17-yard blast was smothered by Laurendi.

Tulsa continued to pressure for more opportunities, but never generated another dangerous offensive chance.

“At 2-nil, the next team that scores could go on to win, but we just couldn’t break them down, and they packed it in and made it difficult for us,” Irving said of the Roughnecks’ attempt to battle back. “They threw their bodies at the ball, we tried to make some changes to make it happen, and just couldn’t do it. It’s very disappointing that we continue to let some bad goals in.”

Tulsa was missing midfielder Iarfhlaith Davoren, who was serving his one-game suspension for receiving a red card in the previous match, although they did get forward Cristian Mata back on the field after he sat out the previous six outings with a persistent ankle injury.

Irving also hinted at some more changes possibly coming for the team.

“We may have to try to shuffle the deck a little bit, maybe bring in some fresh faces, just to freshen up and get through this patch,” Irving said. “They worked hard, they just weren’t quite good enough.”

After having the last two weeks off, the Roughnecks will be back in action next Saturday night, facing Saint Louis FC, now tied with OKC for fourth in the West, on the road at 7:30 p.m.

The Energy nearly made it a three-goal game in the 40th minute when Sebastian Dalgaard dribbled deep into the goalie box before firing a 5-yard shot that Feener made a spectacular lunging, one-handed save.

Jake Feener photo by Brooke Carroll

Oklahoma City had another prime scoring chance early in the second half, when Konig raced in on a breakaway in the 53rd minute, but Feener denied his 15-yard shot.

Less than two minutes later, the Roughnecks nearly got one back, but Henri’s 17-yard blast was smothered by Laurendi.

Tulsa continued to pressure for more opportunities, but never generated another dangerous offensive chance.

“At 2-nil, the next team that scores could go on to win, but we just couldn’t break them down, and they packed it in and made it difficult for us,” Irving said of the Roughnecks’ attempt to battle back. “They threw their bodies at the ball, we tried to make some changes to make it happen, and just couldn’t do it. It’s very disappointing that we continue to let some bad goals in.”

Tulsa was missing midfielder Iarfhlaith Davoren, who was serving his one-game suspension for receiving a red card in the previous match, although they did get forward Cristian Mata back on the field after he sat out the previous six outings with a persistent ankle injury.

Irving also hinted at some more changes possibly coming for the team.

“We may have to try to shuffle the deck a little bit, maybe bring in some fresh faces, just to freshen up and get through this patch,” Irving said. “They worked hard, they just weren’t quite good enough.”

After having the last two weeks off, the Roughnecks will be back in action next Saturday night, facing Saint Louis FC, now tied with OKC for fourth in the West, on the road at 7:30 p.m.

The Tulsa Roughnecks FC were able to overcome playing a man short from the 16th minute for only so long, but eventually, being shorthanded caught up to them.

After taking a 2-1 lead into halftime, the overwhelmed Roughnecks wound up surrendering four goals in the second half and fell 5-2 to Saint Louis FC Saturday night in front of 4,451 at ONEOK Field.

Irvin Herrera scored four goals for St. Louis, which improved its record to 4-3-2 on the year, good for fourth place in the USL’s Western Conference.

The defeat leaves Tulsa 2-7-1, stuck in 14th out of 15 teams in the West.

Everything hinged on the controversial play in the 16th minute, with Tulsa trailing 1-0, when midfielder Iarfhlaith Davoren was ejected with a red card for a challenge on Saint Louis FC’s Drew Conner.

The Tulsa Roughnecks FC were able to overcome playing a man short from the 16th minute for only so long, but eventually, being shorthanded caught up to them.

After taking a 2-1 lead into halftime, the overwhelmed Roughnecks wound up surrendering four goals in the second half and fell 5-2 to Saint Louis FC Saturday night in front of 4,451 at ONEOK Field.

Irvin Herrera scored four goals for St. Louis, which improved its record to 4-3-2 on the year, good for fourth place in the USL’s Western Conference.

The defeat leaves Tulsa 2-7-1, stuck in 14th out of 15 teams in the West.

Everything hinged on the controversial play in the 16th minute, with Tulsa trailing 1-0, when midfielder Iarfhlaith Davoren was ejected with a red card for a challenge on Saint Louis FC’s Drew Conner.

“It’s very difficult to play nearly 80 minutes with 10 men,” Roughnecks coach David Irving said. “All credit to us in the first half – we came back, had it 2-1 at halftime, and we knew we had a tough task. And once they got the third one, we tried to open it up a little bit and just opened ourselves up. The referee killed the game in the first 15 minutes, whatever it was, so disappointing. Then we played three in the back, we’re trying to get back in the game, and they just countered. It’s very disappointing.”

Sammy Ochoa, with his sixth goal in the last four games, and Jasson Ramos Carpio each contributed a goal and an assist for Tulsa. 

Photo of Jasson Ramos Carpio by Rich Crimi

“I’m just staying hungry, moving off the ball at the right spot at the right time and putting them away,” said Ochoa of his recent hot streak. “But the results are not there and that’s what we want. Hopefully the results will come and I keep scoring.”

In its first home game since Apr. 23, after going 1-3-0 in the four intervening road matches, not including 2-0 loss to the PDL’s Des Moines Menace Wednesday night in U.S. Open Cup action, Tulsa got off to a disappointing start.

STLFC struck first, taking a 1-0 lead just 10 minutes into the match when Mike Ambersley delivered a cross from the right wing into the box, where Herrera headed it home from 12 yards out.

The entire complexion of the contest then changed six minutes later when Davoren was sent off.

“I didn’t think it was a red card,” Irving said. “It was a little harsh, so early in the game. It wasn’t a slide tackle. That’s two home games we had to play 10 men, it’s not good. It just seems that everything we’re trying to do is not going our way. We scored two goals but we still lose. Very disappointing.”

The visitors surged with the momentum after that, dictating play for the next 10-plus minutes or so, looking to be in complete control.

But the Roughnecks capitalized on their next opportunity and swung the momentum back in their favor. Ramos Carpio tied the contest in the 29th minute when he made a slick move to evade a Saint Louis defender and cut back into the middle from deep on the right side of the goal. He sent a 5-yard shot toward the goal from about 10 yards off the right post and it squeezed through Saint Louis goalkeeper Mark Pais (who has some local ties, playing a year for TU) and just over the line.

Tulsa continued to press and nearly took the lead seven minutes later when Kaleem lofted a 20-yard shot that Pais deflected just over the crossbar.

Then one minute after that, Tulsa grabbed a 2-1 lead on Ochoa’s sixth goal in the last four USL contests. Ramos Carpio sailed a corner kick into the goalie box and Ochoa was there, 5 yards out for the header, which bounced off Pais and in, just inside the left post.

“It’s very difficult to play nearly 80 minutes with 10 men,” Roughnecks coach David Irving said. “All credit to us in the first half – we came back, had it 2-1 at halftime, and we knew we had a tough task. And once they got the third one, we tried to open it up a little bit and just opened ourselves up. The referee killed the game in the first 15 minutes, whatever it was, so disappointing. Then we played three in the back, we’re trying to get back in the game, and they just countered. It’s very disappointing.”

Sammy Ochoa, with his sixth goal in the last four games, and Jasson Ramos Carpio each contributed a goal and an assist for Tulsa. 

Photo of Jasson Ramos Carpio by Rich Crimi

“I’m just staying hungry, moving off the ball at the right spot at the right time and putting them away,” said Ochoa of his recent hot streak. “But the results are not there and that’s what we want. Hopefully the results will come and I keep scoring.”

In its first home game since Apr. 23, after going 1-3-0 in the four intervening road matches, not including 2-0 loss to the PDL’s Des Moines Menace Wednesday night in U.S. Open Cup action, Tulsa got off to a disappointing start.

STLFC struck first, taking a 1-0 lead just 10 minutes into the match when Mike Ambersley delivered a cross from the right wing into the box, where Herrera headed it home from 12 yards out.

The entire complexion of the contest then changed six minutes later when Davoren was sent off.

“I didn’t think it was a red card,” Irving said. “It was a little harsh, so early in the game. It wasn’t a slide tackle. That’s two home games we had to play 10 men, it’s not good. It just seems that everything we’re trying to do is not going our way. We scored two goals but we still lose. Very disappointing.”

The visitors surged with the momentum after that, dictating play for the next 10-plus minutes or so, looking to be in complete control.

But the Roughnecks capitalized on their next opportunity and swung the momentum back in their favor. Ramos Carpio tied the contest in the 29th minute when he made a slick move to evade a Saint Louis defender and cut back into the middle from deep on the right side of the goal. He sent a 5-yard shot toward the goal from about 10 yards off the right post and it squeezed through Saint Louis goalkeeper Mark Pais (who has some local ties, playing a year for TU) and just over the line.

Tulsa continued to press and nearly took the lead seven minutes later when Kaleem lofted a 20-yard shot that Pais deflected just over the crossbar.

Then one minute after that, Tulsa grabbed a 2-1 lead on Ochoa’s sixth goal in the last four USL contests. Ramos Carpio sailed a corner kick into the goalie box and Ochoa was there, 5 yards out for the header, which bounced off Pais and in, just inside the left post.

Saint Louis drew level at 2-2 in the 53rd minute when Ambersley fed a quick pass from the right side into the middle, where Herrera’s outstretched foot re-directed it from 8 yards out past Tulsa goalkeeper Jake Feener into the upper left corner.

It was the next goal, in the 71st minute, which really did in the Roughnecks. Jamiel Hardware fed a pass from the end line on the right side of the goal back to Herrera in the middle, and from about 10 yards out, Herrera drilled a one-timer into the upper left corner.

Photo right by Rich Crimi

Tulsa began to take some chances offensively to push for the equalizer, and nearly got it just two minutes later, but Pais made an outstanding save. Gary Cennerazzo’s 20-yard blast appeared headed for the upper right corner, but Pais leapt up to punch it just over the crossbar.

Saint Louis then capitalized on the counter-attack in the 78th minute, as Brandon Barklage fed a nice lead pass up to Herrera, who raced in alone on Feener and slotted a low shot from 10 yards out just inside the right post to make it 4-2.

The visitors then got another one in the 84th minute off a free kick from 30 yards out, that was volleyed from former Roughneck Chad Bond across to a charging James Musa, whose shot from 5 yards out beat Feener just over the goal line.

“You can’t play with 10 men for 80 minutes, they just wear you down,” Irving said. “We got back into it, we showed a lot of character, and then once they got the third one, we got to open it up to try to get back in the game, but they just broke us.

“Very disappointing, especially for the fans. I know the players are disappointed. Everything went well last year, that’s just football. We have to keep going, we have to keep playing and we’ve got to keep working at it. Very disappointed.”

After playing five matches in the past 17 days, the Roughnecks will now have two full weeks to regroup, as they are not scheduled to play again until hosting intra-state rival Oklahoma City Energy FC on Sat., June 4 at ONEOK Field at 7:00 p.m.

Saint Louis drew level at 2-2 in the 53rd minute when Ambersley fed a quick pass from the right side into the middle, where Herrera’s outstretched foot re-directed it from 8 yards out past Tulsa goalkeeper Jake Feener into the upper left corner.

It was the next goal, in the 71st minute, which really did in the Roughnecks. Jamiel Hardware fed a pass from the end line on the right side of the goal back to Herrera in the middle, and from about 10 yards out, Herrera drilled a one-timer into the upper left corner.

Photo right by Rich Crimi

Tulsa began to take some chances offensively to push for the equalizer, and nearly got it just two minutes later, but Pais made an outstanding save. Gary Cennerazzo’s 20-yard blast appeared headed for the upper right corner, but Pais leapt up to punch it just over the crossbar.

Saint Louis then capitalized on the counter-attack in the 78th minute, as Brandon Barklage fed a nice lead pass up to Herrera, who raced in alone on Feener and slotted a low shot from 10 yards out just inside the right post to make it 4-2.

The visitors then got another one in the 84th minute off a free kick from 30 yards out, that was volleyed from former Roughneck Chad Bond across to a charging James Musa, whose shot from 5 yards out beat Feener just over the goal line.

“You can’t play with 10 men for 80 minutes, they just wear you down,” Irving said. “We got back into it, we showed a lot of character, and then once they got the third one, we got to open it up to try to get back in the game, but they just broke us.

“Very disappointing, especially for the fans. I know the players are disappointed. Everything went well last year, that’s just football. We have to keep going, we have to keep playing and we’ve got to keep working at it. Very disappointed.”

After playing five matches in the past 17 days, the Roughnecks will now have two full weeks to regroup, as they are not scheduled to play again until hosting intra-state rival Oklahoma City Energy FC on Sat., June 4 at ONEOK Field at 7:00 p.m.

The tough month of May got even tougher for the Tulsa Roughnecks Wednesday night as they were knocked out of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup with a 2-0 away loss to the Des Moines Menace.  Two second-half goals from the Menace against the 10-man Roughnecks determined the outcome.

Match Photo by Antonio Rodriguez

After a scoreless first 45 minutes, Tulsa was left shorthanded when Head Coach David Irving was sent off at the start of the second half.  It shortly got worse for the Roughnecks as forward Taylor Morgan was shown a straight red card for a reckless challenge in the 66th minute.

Playing 11 v 10, it did not take the Menace long to capitalize.  Only two minutes later, forward Sean Hoek found himself alone on a breakaway against TRFC keeper Alex Mangels.  Hoek rounded the Tulsa keeper and slotted home to give Des Moines the 1-0 lead.

Forced to push forward in search of an equalizer, the Roughnecks conceded a second goal in the 80th minute.  Elvir Ibisevic beat Mangels with hard, well-placed shot that found the lower corner of the net to make it 2-0.

The upset was not uncharted territory for the Menace.  They entered this year’s tournament with six wins against professional teams, the second most for an amateur team in the Open Cup.

Overall, the win was the 14th Cup win for Des Moines, moving it past Michigan for the most by an amateur side.

The Roughnecks will now turn their attention to USL regular season play.  They will host Western Conference rivals Saint Louis FC on Saturday at ONEOK Field with kickoff slated for 7:00pm in downtown Tulsa.  The two teams played to a 0-0 draw in St. Louis earlier this season. 

The tough month of May got even tougher for the Tulsa Roughnecks Wednesday night as they were knocked out of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup with a 2-0 away loss to the Des Moines Menace.  Two second-half goals from the Menace against the 10-man Roughnecks determined the outcome.

Match Photo by Antonio Rodriguez

After a scoreless first 45 minutes, Tulsa was left shorthanded when Head Coach David Irving was sent off at the start of the second half.  It shortly got worse for the Roughnecks as forward Taylor Morgan was shown a straight red card for a reckless challenge in the 66th minute.

Playing 11 v 10, it did not take the Menace long to capitalize.  Only two minutes later, forward Sean Hoek found himself alone on a breakaway against TRFC keeper Alex Mangels.  Hoek rounded the Tulsa keeper and slotted home to give Des Moines the 1-0 lead.

Forced to push forward in search of an equalizer, the Roughnecks conceded a second goal in the 80th minute.  Elvir Ibisevic beat Mangels with hard, well-placed shot that found the lower corner of the net to make it 2-0.

The upset was not uncharted territory for the Menace.  They entered this year’s tournament with six wins against professional teams, the second most for an amateur team in the Open Cup.

Overall, the win was the 14th Cup win for Des Moines, moving it past Michigan for the most by an amateur side.

The Roughnecks will now turn their attention to USL regular season play.  They will host Western Conference rivals Saint Louis FC on Saturday at ONEOK Field with kickoff slated for 7:00pm in downtown Tulsa.  The two teams played to a 0-0 draw in St. Louis earlier this season. 

The first-ever trip to Kansas City for the Tulsa Roughnecks ended in a 2-1 loss to the Swope Park Rangers Saturday night.  Swope Park’s Tyler Pasher scored two second-half goals to offset another goal from Roughnecks’ captain Sammy Ochoa as the Rangers recorded their second win this season over TRFC.

Match Photo by Nick Smith

The loss came in the fourth straight away match for the Roughnecks and left them with 7 points through nine game this season with a 2-6-1 record.  The Rangers improved to 10 points with the win with a 3-3-1 record.

Neither team found a goal in the first 45 minutes, but both had chances.  After a slow first 20 minutes, SPR’s Daniel Salloi asked the first question of one of the goalkeepers with a blast from 25 yards, but Tulsa’s Jake Feener answered with a tip over the bar.

Less than 60 seconds later, Matt Whatley set up an unmarked Kyle MacLeod at the other end with a looping pass into the box.  The Roughnecks midfielder chested down the delivery, but he shot over the crossbar to keep the match scoreless.

Tulsa continued to look threatening before the Rangers took charge of the final five minutes of the half.  Pasher failed to put two good chances on frame, and Kris Tyrpak headed a cross wide of Feener’s goal.

It took only three minutes into the second half for Swope Park to find the net.  In the 48th minute, Tulsa’s backline was caught pushing forward and Pasher made them pay.  He slipped behind the Roughnecks defenders and ran onto a pass from Daniel Salloi.  Feener elected to rush off his line and was easily beaten by a chip from Pasher that gave the Rangers the 1-0 lead.

Swope Park nearly doubled its lead in the 68th minute.  Defender Amer Didic headed a corner kick on goal, but Henri cleared off the line to keep TRFC’s deficit at one goal.

The Roughnecks found an equalizer in the 79th minute, courtesy of the in-form Ochoa.  The reigning USL Player of the Week blasted a right-footed shot past former Roughnecks keeper Zac Lubin to level the score at 1-1.  It was the fifth goal of the season for Ochoa, all of them coming in the past three matches.

The euphoria lasted less than three minutes as Salloi was left in space at the edge of the box.  His initial shot was saved by Feener, but the Tulsa keeper left an easy rebound for Pasher who slotted it into the goal to put the Rangers back in front.

The Roughnecks pushed forward trying to find a second equalizer, and it nearly came in stoppage time.  Ochoa sent in a cross from the left side that found defender Anthony Peters, who beat his defender and headed a low shot on goal.  It was too close to Lubin though, who made a left-footed save to preserve the win for the Rangers.

It was the second 2-1 loss to Swope Park this season for the Roughnecks.  The Rangers also recorded a 2-1 win at ONEOK Field on April 2.  The two teams are scheduled to meet two more times this season.

TRFC will be back in action Wednesday night with a second round match in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.  The Roughnecks will play in Iowa against the Des Moines Menace, a PDL side.

Tulsa will return home and back to USL regular season play next Saturday, May 21.  The Roughnecks will host Saint Louis F.C. at ONEOK Field with a 7:00pm kickoff.

The first-ever trip to Kansas City for the Tulsa Roughnecks ended in a 2-1 loss to the Swope Park Rangers Saturday night.  Swope Park’s Tyler Pasher scored two second-half goals to offset another goal from Roughnecks’ captain Sammy Ochoa as the Rangers recorded their second win this season over TRFC.

Match Photo by Nick Smith

The loss came in the fourth straight away match for the Roughnecks and left them with 7 points through nine game this season with a 2-6-1 record.  The Rangers improved to 10 points with the win with a 3-3-1 record.

Neither team found a goal in the first 45 minutes, but both had chances.  After a slow first 20 minutes, SPR’s Daniel Salloi asked the first question of one of the goalkeepers with a blast from 25 yards, but Tulsa’s Jake Feener answered with a tip over the bar.

Less than 60 seconds later, Matt Whatley set up an unmarked Kyle MacLeod at the other end with a looping pass into the box.  The Roughnecks midfielder chested down the delivery, but he shot over the crossbar to keep the match scoreless.

Tulsa continued to look threatening before the Rangers took charge of the final five minutes of the half.  Pasher failed to put two good chances on frame, and Kris Tyrpak headed a cross wide of Feener’s goal.

It took only three minutes into the second half for Swope Park to find the net.  In the 48th minute, Tulsa’s backline was caught pushing forward and Pasher made them pay.  He slipped behind the Roughnecks defenders and ran onto a pass from Daniel Salloi.  Feener elected to rush off his line and was easily beaten by a chip from Pasher that gave the Rangers the 1-0 lead.

Swope Park nearly doubled its lead in the 68th minute.  Defender Amer Didic headed a corner kick on goal, but Henri cleared off the line to keep TRFC’s deficit at one goal.

The Roughnecks found an equalizer in the 79th minute, courtesy of the in-form Ochoa.  The reigning USL Player of the Week blasted a right-footed shot past former Roughnecks keeper Zac Lubin to level the score at 1-1.  It was the fifth goal of the season for Ochoa, all of them coming in the past three matches.

The euphoria lasted less than three minutes as Salloi was left in space at the edge of the box.  His initial shot was saved by Feener, but the Tulsa keeper left an easy rebound for Pasher who slotted it into the goal to put the Rangers back in front.

The Roughnecks pushed forward trying to find a second equalizer, and it nearly came in stoppage time.  Ochoa sent in a cross from the left side that found defender Anthony Peters, who beat his defender and headed a low shot on goal.  It was too close to Lubin though, who made a left-footed save to preserve the win for the Rangers.

It was the second 2-1 loss to Swope Park this season for the Roughnecks.  The Rangers also recorded a 2-1 win at ONEOK Field on April 2.  The two teams are scheduled to meet two more times this season.

TRFC will be back in action Wednesday night with a second round match in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.  The Roughnecks will play in Iowa against the Des Moines Menace, a PDL side.

Tulsa will return home and back to USL regular season play next Saturday, May 21.  The Roughnecks will host Saint Louis F.C. at ONEOK Field with a 7:00pm kickoff.

Captain Sammy Ochoa singlehandedly made sure that the Tulsa Roughnecks winless streak ended Sunday night, producing his second straight brace to lead the Roughnecks to a 2-1 win over Seattle Sounders 2 at Seattle’s Starfire Stadium.  The victory was the first for the Roughnecks since a season-opening win over Rio Grande Valley. 

The win did not come easily as the Roughnecks had to survive six yellow cards and eight minutes of stoppage time to record the much needed victory.

The match started very similar to Wednesday’s loss in Vancouver with Ochoa, a former striker for the Seattle Sounders in MLS, staking TRFC to an early lead.  Only eight minutes into the match, he got behind his defender and dribbled into the box before beating Sounders 2 goalkeeper Tyler Miller with a left-footed shot just inside the far post.

Tulsa would not hold the lead long.  In the 18th minute, a Sounders free kick deflected near Oalex Anderson inside the 8-yard box.  Anderson, who has made seven appearances for the MLS Sounders this season, beautifully finished with a scissor-kick effort that left goalkeeper Jake Feener with no chance. 

It would take Ochoa just over a quarter of an hour to put his side back in front.  In the 35th minute, the Tulsa forward intercepted a poor back pass near the halfway line.  Behind the defense, Ochoa raced into the penalty area and dribbled around Miller before calmly finishing for his second goal of the match.

Captain Sammy Ochoa singlehandedly made sure that the Tulsa Roughnecks winless streak ended Sunday night, producing his second straight brace to lead the Roughnecks to a 2-1 win over Seattle Sounders 2 at Seattle’s Starfire Stadium.  The victory was the first for the Roughnecks since a season-opening win over Rio Grande Valley. 

The win did not come easily as the Roughnecks had to survive six yellow cards and eight minutes of stoppage time to record the much needed victory.

The match started very similar to Wednesday’s loss in Vancouver with Ochoa, a former striker for the Seattle Sounders in MLS, staking TRFC to an early lead.  Only eight minutes into the match, he got behind his defender and dribbled into the box before beating Sounders 2 goalkeeper Tyler Miller with a left-footed shot just inside the far post.

Tulsa would not hold the lead long.  In the 18th minute, a Sounders free kick deflected near Oalex Anderson inside the 8-yard box.  Anderson, who has made seven appearances for the MLS Sounders this season, beautifully finished with a scissor-kick effort that left goalkeeper Jake Feener with no chance. 

It would take Ochoa just over a quarter of an hour to put his side back in front.  In the 35th minute, the Tulsa forward intercepted a poor back pass near the halfway line.  Behind the defense, Ochoa raced into the penalty area and dribbled around Miller before calmly finishing for his second goal of the match.

It was his team-leading fourth goal of the season, with all four coming in the past two matches.  The four goals equal the entire total that the Roughnecks scored in their first six matches of the season.

Photo right by Charis Wilson

From there, it was a question of whether the Roughnecks and Feener could protect the 2-1 lead. 

Sounders 2 opened the second half on the attack.  The first dangerous chance came in the 54th minute when Victor Mansaray blasted a shot from the 18-yard line, but Feener deflected it over the crossbar.

Substitute Darwin Jones found himself unmarked in the box in the 71st minute, but he fired his effort high over the goal.

The next near miss for the Roughnecks came just before the 90 minute mark when Sounders 2 appealed for a handball call against Kaleem inside the box.  The referee waved off the appeals as TRFC continued to hang on.

The fourth official called for five minutes of stoppage time, but it turned into eight as injuries and delays forced the referee to add more time.

Substitutes Taylor Morgan and Brady Ballew were able to keep possession through much of the last couple of minutes before the final whistle sounded for the relieved Roughnecks.

The win improves TRFC’s point total to seven with a 2-5-1 record.

Tulsa is now a perfect 3-0 in three meetings all-time with Sounders 2,

The Roughnecks will travel back to Tulsa on Monday.  They will continue their four-game road swing next Saturday with their first-ever trip to Kansas City to face the Swope Park Rangers, the USL side for Sporting KC.  The Rangers beat Tulsa 2-1 at ONEOK Field on April 2.

Kickoff is slated for 7:30pm in Kansas City.

It was his team-leading fourth goal of the season, with all four coming in the past two matches.  The four goals equal the entire total that the Roughnecks scored in their first six matches of the season.

Photo right by Charis Wilson

From there, it was a question of whether the Roughnecks and Feener could protect the 2-1 lead. 

Sounders 2 opened the second half on the attack.  The first dangerous chance came in the 54th minute when Victor Mansaray blasted a shot from the 18-yard line, but Feener deflected it over the crossbar.

Substitute Darwin Jones found himself unmarked in the box in the 71st minute, but he fired his effort high over the goal.

The next near miss for the Roughnecks came just before the 90 minute mark when Sounders 2 appealed for a handball call against Kaleem inside the box.  The referee waved off the appeals as TRFC continued to hang on.

The fourth official called for five minutes of stoppage time, but it turned into eight as injuries and delays forced the referee to add more time.

Substitutes Taylor Morgan and Brady Ballew were able to keep possession through much of the last couple of minutes before the final whistle sounded for the relieved Roughnecks.

The win improves TRFC’s point total to seven with a 2-5-1 record.

Tulsa is now a perfect 3-0 in three meetings all-time with Sounders 2,

The Roughnecks will travel back to Tulsa on Monday.  They will continue their four-game road swing next Saturday with their first-ever trip to Kansas City to face the Swope Park Rangers, the USL side for Sporting KC.  The Rangers beat Tulsa 2-1 at ONEOK Field on April 2.

Kickoff is slated for 7:30pm in Kansas City.

The Tulsa Roughnecks opened a two-game trip to the Pacific Northwest with a heartbreaking 3-2 loss to Vancouver Whitecaps 2 Wednesday night.  The Roughnecks, who twice took a lead in the match, surrendered two late goals to suffer the loss.

The defeat overshadowed a two-goal performance from Sammy Ochoa who found the back of the net in each half.

The Tulsa Roughnecks opened a two-game trip to the Pacific Northwest with a heartbreaking 3-2 loss to Vancouver Whitecaps 2 Wednesday night.  The Roughnecks, who twice took a lead in the match, surrendered two late goals to suffer the loss.

The defeat overshadowed a two-goal performance from Sammy Ochoa who found the back of the net in each half.

It took the Tulsa captain only 12 minutes to open the scoring against WFC2, who started four players who have seen action in Major League Soccer this season.  Ochoa ran onto a long through ball from Carlos Martinez and beat Vancouver goalkeeper Marco Carducci to give the Roughnecks a 1-0 lead.

For the next hour, it looked as if the one goal might be enough for TRFC to grab the full three points from the match.  Vancouver’s best chance to beat Jake Feener, who was making his first start of the season in goal for the Roughnecks, came in the 20th minute when a shot from Marco Bustos caromed off the post.

Tulsa carried its 1-0 lead into the locker room and was still protecting the one-goal cushion halfway through the second stanza.

The Whitecaps used two of their substitutions, bringing on Daniel Haber in the 60th minute and former Oklahoma City Energy striker Kyle Greig in the 67th.  Both subs would play key roles in WFC2’s comeback.

Greig had been on the field less than minute when right back Kadin Chung beat Gary Cennerazzo and Kyle MacLeod with a spin move in the box before providing a cross.  Greig was able to head the delivery past Feener to even the score at 1-1.

The Roughnecks retook the lead in the 79th minute.  On a corner kick, Adriano Pellegrino provided a perfect cross that Ochoa was able to head past Carducci to put Tulsa back in front 2-1.

It took the Tulsa captain only 12 minutes to open the scoring against WFC2, who started four players who have seen action in Major League Soccer this season.  Ochoa ran onto a long through ball from Carlos Martinez and beat Vancouver goalkeeper Marco Carducci to give the Roughnecks a 1-0 lead.

For the next hour, it looked as if the one goal might be enough for TRFC to grab the full three points from the match.  Vancouver’s best chance to beat Jake Feener, who was making his first start of the season in goal for the Roughnecks, came in the 20th minute when a shot from Marco Bustos caromed off the post.

Tulsa carried its 1-0 lead into the locker room and was still protecting the one-goal cushion halfway through the second stanza.

The Whitecaps used two of their substitutions, bringing on Daniel Haber in the 60th minute and former Oklahoma City Energy striker Kyle Greig in the 67th.  Both subs would play key roles in WFC2’s comeback.

Greig had been on the field less than minute when right back Kadin Chung beat Gary Cennerazzo and Kyle MacLeod with a spin move in the box before providing a cross.  Greig was able to head the delivery past Feener to even the score at 1-1.

The Roughnecks retook the lead in the 79th minute.  On a corner kick, Adriano Pellegrino provided a perfect cross that Ochoa was able to head past Carducci to put Tulsa back in front 2-1.

The lead would not last.  Six minutes later, Kianz Froese put the teams back on level terms when the Roughnecks backline was unable to clear the danger of a Whitecaps’ attack.  Froese found the ball in space and rolled a shot past Feener to tie the match at 2-2.

The Whitecaps were able to find the winner one minute into stoppage time.  Substitute Haber was left unmarked near the penalty spot, and his right-footed shot found the back of the net to give Vancouver the full three points.

The defeat extends Tulsa’s winless streak to six straight matches.  The Roughnecks remain on four points with a 1-5-1 record.

WFC2 remain unbeaten at 4-0-2 and improved its point total to 14.

The Roughnecks will get another chance to end their winless streak Sunday night in Seattle when they take on Sounders 2.  Like Tulsa, Seattle has only one win on the season with six points from a 1-3-3 record.

Kickoff at Seattle’s Starfire Stadium is scheduled for 9:00pm CDT on Sunday.

The lead would not last.  Six minutes later, Kianz Froese put the teams back on level terms when the Roughnecks backline was unable to clear the danger of a Whitecaps’ attack.  Froese found the ball in space and rolled a shot past Feener to tie the match at 2-2.

The Whitecaps were able to find the winner one minute into stoppage time.  Substitute Haber was left unmarked near the penalty spot, and his right-footed shot found the back of the net to give Vancouver the full three points.

The defeat extends Tulsa’s winless streak to six straight matches.  The Roughnecks remain on four points with a 1-5-1 record.

WFC2 remain unbeaten at 4-0-2 and improved its point total to 14.

The Roughnecks will get another chance to end their winless streak Sunday night in Seattle when they take on Sounders 2.  Like Tulsa, Seattle has only one win on the season with six points from a 1-3-3 record.

Kickoff at Seattle’s Starfire Stadium is scheduled for 9:00pm CDT on Sunday.

The Tulsa Roughnecks ended their goalless drought Saturday night, but still dropped a 3-1 decision in San Antonio.  San Antonio FC broke a 1-1 tie with a pair of late second-half goals to gain the victory before a crowd of 7,837 in the Alamo City.

The defeat leaves the Roughnecks with four points on the season with a 1-4-1 record through six matches.  SAFC improved to 2-2-2 and eight points with the win.

Tulsa entered the match without a goal in its past three matches and the scoreless streak continued through the first 45 minutes.  The Roughnecks produced very few threats going forward and fell a goal behind in the 38th minute.  

Match Photos by Darren Abate Media, LLC

San Antonio opened the scoring when Carlos Alvarez beat defender Matt Whatley inside the penalty area before slipping his shot past goalkeeper Alex Mangels to make it 1-0.

The Roughnecks opened the second 45 minutes on the attack and the pressure paid off after only four minutes.  Sammy Ochoa found space on the left side and delivered a low cross into the box that found Kaleem.  The Pakistan International ran perfectly onto the cross and pounded his shot past SAFC goalkeeper Josh Ford to even the score at 1-1.  It was Kaleem’s first regular season goal for the Roughnecks.

After Kaleem’s strike, the Roughnecks looked to produce a second goal, but threatening crosses from David Abidor and Brady Ballew failed to generate a dangerous chance.

San Antonio slowly started to retake control of the match.  Carlos Alvarez twice tested Mangels with a pair of long distance efforts, and Chin struck the crossbar.

The Tulsa Roughnecks ended their goalless drought Saturday night, but still dropped a 3-1 decision in San Antonio.  San Antonio FC broke a 1-1 tie with a pair of late second-half goals to gain the victory before a crowd of 7,837 in the Alamo City.

The defeat leaves the Roughnecks with four points on the season with a 1-4-1 record through six matches.  SAFC improved to 2-2-2 and eight points with the win.

Tulsa entered the match without a goal in its past three matches and the scoreless streak continued through the first 45 minutes.  The Roughnecks produced very few threats going forward and fell a goal behind in the 38th minute.  

Match Photos by Darren Abate Media, LLC

San Antonio opened the scoring when Carlos Alvarez beat defender Matt Whatley inside the penalty area before slipping his shot past goalkeeper Alex Mangels to make it 1-0.

The Roughnecks opened the second 45 minutes on the attack and the pressure paid off after only four minutes.  Sammy Ochoa found space on the left side and delivered a low cross into the box that found Kaleem.  The Pakistan International ran perfectly onto the cross and pounded his shot past SAFC goalkeeper Josh Ford to even the score at 1-1.  It was Kaleem’s first regular season goal for the Roughnecks.

After Kaleem’s strike, the Roughnecks looked to produce a second goal, but threatening crosses from David Abidor and Brady Ballew failed to generate a dangerous chance.

San Antonio slowly started to retake control of the match.  Carlos Alvarez twice tested Mangels with a pair of long distance efforts, and Chin struck the crossbar.

The pressure eventually produced a second goal for SAFC in the 68th minute.  Rafael Castillo beat Ballobi at the top of the box and fired a shot that deflected off the gloves and Mangels before settling into the back of the net to give San Antonio a 2-1 lead.

Twenty minutes later, poor defending from the Roughnecks sealed the outcome as a trio of Tulsa defenders failed to clear the danger of a San Antonio run forward.  Mangels saved one shot, but the deflection found Jason Johnson at the 18-yard line, and his left-footed shot curved inside the far post to make it 3-1.

The loss leaves Tulsa without a victory in its past five matches following a season-opening win over Rio Grande Valley.

The Roughnecks will have to try to reverse their form on the road, as their next three matches will be away from ONEOK Field.  Tulsa will quickly return to action with a trip to the Pacific Northwest. The Roughnecks will travel to Canada on Wednesday to take on the Vancouver Whitecaps 2 before moving to Seattle for a matchup with Sounders 2 on Sunday.  Wednesday’s match in Vancouver will kickoff at 9:00pm Central Time.

The pressure eventually produced a second goal for SAFC in the 68th minute.  Rafael Castillo beat Ballobi at the top of the box and fired a shot that deflected off the gloves and Mangels before settling into the back of the net to give San Antonio a 2-1 lead.

Twenty minutes later, poor defending from the Roughnecks sealed the outcome as a trio of Tulsa defenders failed to clear the danger of a San Antonio run forward.  Mangels saved one shot, but the deflection found Jason Johnson at the 18-yard line, and his left-footed shot curved inside the far post to make it 3-1.

The loss leaves Tulsa without a victory in its past five matches following a season-opening win over Rio Grande Valley.

The Roughnecks will have to try to reverse their form on the road, as their next three matches will be away from ONEOK Field.  Tulsa will quickly return to action with a trip to the Pacific Northwest. The Roughnecks will travel to Canada on Wednesday to take on the Vancouver Whitecaps 2 before moving to Seattle for a matchup with Sounders 2 on Sunday.  Wednesday’s match in Vancouver will kickoff at 9:00pm Central Time.

Game Report by John Tranchina
It was a difficult night for the Tulsa Roughnecks FC, as they fell 2-0 to the Portland Timbers 2 Saturday night in front of an enthusiastic crowd of 4,078 at ONEOK Field.

After winning their season opener 2-0, the Roughnecks are now winless in their last four (0-3-1), and have scored just once in those matches. Overall, Tulsa drops to 1-3-1 on the season, 1-3-0 on its home field, and 0-3-0 all-time against Portland, who improved to 2-4-0.

Game Report by John Tranchina
It was a difficult night for the Tulsa Roughnecks FC, as they fell 2-0 to the Portland Timbers 2 Saturday night in front of an enthusiastic crowd of 4,078 at ONEOK Field.

After winning their season opener 2-0, the Roughnecks are now winless in their last four (0-3-1), and have scored just once in those matches. Overall, Tulsa drops to 1-3-1 on the season, 1-3-0 on its home field, and 0-3-0 all-time against Portland, who improved to 2-4-0.

Things don’t get any easier for the Roughnecks, as they will play their next four on the road.

“Very disappointing,” said Tulsa head coach David Irving. “We’ve put ourselves in an awful situation because now we’ve got four games away, which is difficult. Very disappointed. I thought we could have done something in the game tonight, but we gave two soft goals away. And if you look at all the goals that we’ve let in so far at home, they’re very similar. We’ve got to be stronger in the tackle, and we’re not, so we’re being punished at the minute. Last year, we could score goals for fun, and we’re having a tough time scoring at the minute. That’s disappointing. We’ve got to be better, that’s all there is to it.”

Photos by Rich Crimi

The Timbers 2 took control of the game by scoring four minutes apart midway through the opening half.

Kharlton Belmar made it 1-0 in the 22nd minute after intercepting Roughneck defender Matt Whatley’s clearance attempt and then rolling a low shot from 20 yards out past goalkeeper Alex Mangels just inside the right goalpost.

Portland took a two-goal lead on Andre Lewis’ goal in the 26th minute on a similar play. This time, Mason Grimes’ clearing attempt was stolen by Lewis and seconds later, he drilled a 20-yard bomb into the upper right corner, off the underside of the crossbar and in.

“It’s the same type of goals that we’ve let in all year – not clearing the ball, nobody’s strong enough on the tackle and it kind of goes to them, and they shoot from 25 yards,” Irving said. “That’s football. And at the other end, we’re huffing and puffing and not getting clear chances, some poor passing in the final third. We’ve got to be a little tougher in the tackle, we’ve got to win second balls and we’ve got to be a little more aggressive. It’s a combination of a couple of things, but it’s disappointing.”

Tulsa continued to have difficulty dealing with Portland’s team speed, and the Timbers 2 nearly made it 3-0 in the 42nd minute, but Mangels came up with an outstanding, leaping save to prevent Dylan Damraoui’s corner kick from curling inside the far post.

The Roughnecks had their best scoring opportunity of the night in the 58th minute when Brady Ballew, who had just entered the match two minutes earlier, chased down a long lead ball from Iarfhlaith Davoren. As Ballew entered the box alone, Portland goalkeeper Kendall McIntosh charged out and made a sliding save on Ballew’s point-blank shot.

Portland almost got another one in the 71st minute, but Villyan Bijev’s shot from 15 yards out sailed just over the crossbar.

TRFC had another good chance in the 80th minute as Ballew delivered a cross into the penalty area, where Sammy Ochoa, back in the lineup after serving a one-game suspension, leapt up and knocked a header over the crossbar.

Mangels came up with a nice save about 30 seconds later, getting his hand on a shot from Bijev to deflect it over the crossbar. The Tulsa goalkeeper, who entered leading USL in saves, wound up with four total saves in the match.

Over the final minutes, including five-plus minutes of stoppage time, the Roughnecks had a difficult time mounting significant pressure on the Timbers and did not generate any more shots on goal.

Overall for the night, they forced McIntosh into making just two saves and were shut out for the third straight contest.

“We are going through a dry spell, but we’re working really hard,” said forward Taylor Morgan of the offensive struggles. “If we keep doing the same things, hopefully we’ll go on a spree. We’re getting in the right positions and we’re working hard to get there, but the end bit wasn’t quite there.”

Things don’t get any easier for the Roughnecks, as they will play their next four on the road.

“Very disappointing,” said Tulsa head coach David Irving. “We’ve put ourselves in an awful situation because now we’ve got four games away, which is difficult. Very disappointed. I thought we could have done something in the game tonight, but we gave two soft goals away. And if you look at all the goals that we’ve let in so far at home, they’re very similar. We’ve got to be stronger in the tackle, and we’re not, so we’re being punished at the minute. Last year, we could score goals for fun, and we’re having a tough time scoring at the minute. That’s disappointing. We’ve got to be better, that’s all there is to it.”

Photos by Rich Crimi

The Timbers 2 took control of the game by scoring four minutes apart midway through the opening half.

Kharlton Belmar made it 1-0 in the 22nd minute after intercepting Roughneck defender Matt Whatley’s clearance attempt and then rolling a low shot from 20 yards out past goalkeeper Alex Mangels just inside the right goalpost.

Portland took a two-goal lead on Andre Lewis’ goal in the 26th minute on a similar play. This time, Mason Grimes’ clearing attempt was stolen by Lewis and seconds later, he drilled a 20-yard bomb into the upper right corner, off the underside of the crossbar and in.

“It’s the same type of goals that we’ve let in all year – not clearing the ball, nobody’s strong enough on the tackle and it kind of goes to them, and they shoot from 25 yards,” Irving said. “That’s football. And at the other end, we’re huffing and puffing and not getting clear chances, some poor passing in the final third. We’ve got to be a little tougher in the tackle, we’ve got to win second balls and we’ve got to be a little more aggressive. It’s a combination of a couple of things, but it’s disappointing.”

Tulsa continued to have difficulty dealing with Portland’s team speed, and the Timbers 2 nearly made it 3-0 in the 42nd minute, but Mangels came up with an outstanding, leaping save to prevent Dylan Damraoui’s corner kick from curling inside the far post.

The Roughnecks had their best scoring opportunity of the night in the 58th minute when Brady Ballew, who had just entered the match two minutes earlier, chased down a long lead ball from Iarfhlaith Davoren. As Ballew entered the box alone, Portland goalkeeper Kendall McIntosh charged out and made a sliding save on Ballew’s point-blank shot.

Portland almost got another one in the 71st minute, but Villyan Bijev’s shot from 15 yards out sailed just over the crossbar.

TRFC had another good chance in the 80th minute as Ballew delivered a cross into the penalty area, where Sammy Ochoa, back in the lineup after serving a one-game suspension, leapt up and knocked a header over the crossbar.

Mangels came up with a nice save about 30 seconds later, getting his hand on a shot from Bijev to deflect it over the crossbar. The Tulsa goalkeeper, who entered leading USL in saves, wound up with four total saves in the match.

Over the final minutes, including five-plus minutes of stoppage time, the Roughnecks had a difficult time mounting significant pressure on the Timbers and did not generate any more shots on goal.

Overall for the night, they forced McIntosh into making just two saves and were shut out for the third straight contest.

“We are going through a dry spell, but we’re working really hard,” said forward Taylor Morgan of the offensive struggles. “If we keep doing the same things, hopefully we’ll go on a spree. We’re getting in the right positions and we’re working hard to get there, but the end bit wasn’t quite there.”

The Roughnecks wore their third, red kits for the game, replicating the home uniforms that the original Roughnecks wore during their first season in the old North American Soccer League back in 1978.

While TRFC did get Ochoa and defender Anthony Peters, who missed the previous three games due to a head injury, back on the pitch, they were missing defender Raymond Lee, who sat out with a groin muscle strain that forced him out of the previous contest against St. Louis FC, and forward Christian Mata. After missing the first three games with an ankle sprain, Mata returned to play the final 10 minutes of the last game against St. Louis FC.

“We’ve had injuries, but no excuses,” Irving said. “We’ve got to buck up and give somebody else an opportunity. We need a little luck for a goal and it’s not going our way at the moment, but we’ve got to make it go our way.”

The Roughnecks start their stretch of four straight road games with a date next Saturday, April 30, against USL expansion side San Antonio FC, who are 1-2-2 following a 1-0 loss to Colorado Springs. Tulsa won’t be back home until May 21 when St. Louis FC visits ONEOK Field at 7:00 p.m.

The Roughnecks wore their third, red kits for the game, replicating the home uniforms that the original Roughnecks wore during their first season in the old North American Soccer League back in 1978.

While TRFC did get Ochoa and defender Anthony Peters, who missed the previous three games due to a head injury, back on the pitch, they were missing defender Raymond Lee, who sat out with a groin muscle strain that forced him out of the previous contest against St. Louis FC, and forward Christian Mata. After missing the first three games with an ankle sprain, Mata returned to play the final 10 minutes of the last game against St. Louis FC.

“We’ve had injuries, but no excuses,” Irving said. “We’ve got to buck up and give somebody else an opportunity. We need a little luck for a goal and it’s not going our way at the moment, but we’ve got to make it go our way.”

The Roughnecks start their stretch of four straight road games with a date next Saturday, April 30, against USL expansion side San Antonio FC, who are 1-2-2 following a 1-0 loss to Colorado Springs. Tulsa won’t be back home until May 21 when St. Louis FC visits ONEOK Field at 7:00 p.m.

Tulsa Roughnecks FC played its first away match of the season Saturday night and turned in a workmanlike performance with a 0-0 draw against Saint Louis FC before a sellout crowd at World Wide Technology Soccer Park in St. Louis.  

Tulsa Roughnecks FC played its first away match of the season Saturday night and turned in a workmanlike performance with a 0-0 draw against Saint Louis FC before a sellout crowd at World Wide Technology Soccer Park in St. Louis.  

Photo by Lori Scholl

The draw snaps a two-match losing streak for TRFC and improves its season point total to four with a 1-2-1 record after four games.  Saint Louis now has five points with a 1-2-2 mark after five matches.

It is the second shutout of the season for the Roughnecks and goalkeeper Alex Mangels.  Mangels was officially credited with six saves, but most were routine as Tulsa’s midfield and backline combined to limit the chances for STLFC.

With the large crowd in support, Saint Louis started the match positively and controlled most of the play through the first 15 minutes. 

In the 31st minute, Tulsa Head Coach David Irving was forced to turn to his bench when left back Raymond Lee suffered a leg injury stretching to block a cross.  David Abidor came on for Lee, and the backline continued to protect Mangels.

Tulsa’s best chances of the half occurred in the final five minutes.  The first came in the 41stminute when Taylor Morgan was fed a through ball, but former University of Tulsa goalkeeper Mark Pais just beat him to the ball at the top of the box.

Two minutes later, Morgan was in one on one with the keeper, but Pais took the ball off his foot before the striker could get his shot off.

Photo by Lori Scholl

The draw snaps a two-match losing streak for TRFC and improves its season point total to four with a 1-2-1 record after four games.  Saint Louis now has five points with a 1-2-2 mark after five matches.

It is the second shutout of the season for the Roughnecks and goalkeeper Alex Mangels.  Mangels was officially credited with six saves, but most were routine as Tulsa’s midfield and backline combined to limit the chances for STLFC.

With the large crowd in support, Saint Louis started the match positively and controlled most of the play through the first 15 minutes. 

In the 31st minute, Tulsa Head Coach David Irving was forced to turn to his bench when left back Raymond Lee suffered a leg injury stretching to block a cross.  David Abidor came on for Lee, and the backline continued to protect Mangels.

Tulsa’s best chances of the half occurred in the final five minutes.  The first came in the 41stminute when Taylor Morgan was fed a through ball, but former University of Tulsa goalkeeper Mark Pais just beat him to the ball at the top of the box.

Two minutes later, Morgan was in one on one with the keeper, but Pais took the ball off his foot before the striker could get his shot off.

Halfway through the second half, Mangels was called into to duty by the dangerous Jamiel Hardware.  The forward was left in space for a shot from 18 yards, but the Tulsa keeper made a diving save to keep things scoreless.

Alex Mangels photo courtesy of Saint Louis FC

Ninety seconds later, TRFC had a chance at the other end, but Abidor could not get full force on his shot, and the soft roller was stopped by Pais. 

Tulsa product Cristian Mata made his first appearance of the season in the 80th minute as the Roughnecks looked to grab the full three points with a late goal.  But, neither side could find the net as the two teams split the points.

Irving was pleased with the draw.  “It was a good performance,” he said.  “The boys worked hard, and we are not easy to breakdown.  Dav and Henri were really solid and gave us good effort in midfield.  We are improving, and we need to take this performance and continue to get better.”

The Roughnecks will be back home for their next outing on Saturday, April 23.  Tulsa will host the Portland Timbers 2 at ONEOK Field with kickoff at 7:00PM.  The Timbers, who have lost their first three matches, host Sacramento Sunday afternoon.

Halfway through the second half, Mangels was called into to duty by the dangerous Jamiel Hardware.  The forward was left in space for a shot from 18 yards, but the Tulsa keeper made a diving save to keep things scoreless.

Alex Mangels photo courtesy of Saint Louis FC

Ninety seconds later, TRFC had a chance at the other end, but Abidor could not get full force on his shot, and the soft roller was stopped by Pais. 

Tulsa product Cristian Mata made his first appearance of the season in the 80th minute as the Roughnecks looked to grab the full three points with a late goal.  But, neither side could find the net as the two teams split the points.

Irving was pleased with the draw.  “It was a good performance,” he said.  “The boys worked hard, and we are not easy to breakdown.  Dav and Henri were really solid and gave us good effort in midfield.  We are improving, and we need to take this performance and continue to get better.”

The Roughnecks will be back home for their next outing on Saturday, April 23.  Tulsa will host the Portland Timbers 2 at ONEOK Field with kickoff at 7:00PM.  The Timbers, who have lost their first three matches, host Sacramento Sunday afternoon.