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FC Tulsa

2-0 Victory Hands FC Tulsa the Wrench

October 30, 2021 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
FC Tulsa News Release


TULSA, Okla. - Wrench - Clinched.

The 2021 Black Gold Derby went to FC Tulsa as the champs claimed a dominant 2-0 win over OKC Energy FC on Saturday night in front of over 4,000 fans at ONEOK Field.

With the victory, the Wrench rivalry trophy stays gold for another season

It didn't take the Black Gold Derby's all-time scoring leader to put FC Tulsa in front. Just 11 minutes in, Rivas took a pass from midfielder Lebo Moloto and sent a stellar strike from outside past the Energy keeper for his fifth goal in the rivalry's history.

It was Rivas' first goal since June 16 as the Salvadoran international has missed several matches going back and forth between club and country duty for World Cup qualifiers. He's started to come alive lately though as he has now scored and recorded two assists over the final two weeks of the regular season.

The rest of the first half was uneventful as the teams traded half-chances but neither was able to generate another clear-cut opportunity.

OKC nearly tied the match with a stunning goal of their own midway through the second half. Halftime substitute Aiden Daniels fired a rocket from outside the 18 that hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced straight down. The Tulsa defense was quick to recover and cleared the danger.

The Marlon Zone started in the 73' minute when the winger came off the bench as a substitute. With three goals already past the 80' minute so far in 2021, the Brazilian has a flair for the dramatic. He added a fourth late goal to all but clinch the Wrench as he beat a defender down the right-hand side and punched in the capping goal. It was Marlon's ninth goal of the season, a career-best.

FC Tulsa iced the final eight minutes of the match away, holding OKC without an official shot on target throughout the 90 minutes. It was keeper Austin Wormell's second clean sheet against Energy FC this season and Tulsa's third result, second win, against its in-state rival in 2021.

While Energy FC's season officially comes to a close, there is more soccer to play for FC Tulsa as it travels to Tampa Bay for a Eastern Conference Quarterfinal matchup against the Tampa Bay Rowdies next Saturday.

GOALS

11' TUL - Joaquín Rivas (Lebo Moloto)

82' TUL - Marlon Santos (Bradley Bourgeois)

RIVAS EXTENDS RIVALRY RECORD

Coming into the match tonight, Joaquín Rivas was already the all-time leading scorer in the Black Gold Derby with four goals. The Salvadoran extended his record to five in the 11' minute off a gorgeous threaded assist from Lebo Moloto. It was Rivas' sixth goal of the season to go along with three assists.

30 FOR #30

Midfielder Lebo Moloto has been one of the league's best assisters over his seven-year USL Championship career. Tonight on his helper to Rivas, he recorded his 30th career regular season USL Championship assist to go along with 29 career goals. With one more goal he would be the eighth player in the USL Championship with 30/30 in his career.

MARLON ZONE

Late in the match, it's officially the Marlon Zone. Four of Marlon's nine goals this season have come after the 80' minute, including tonight's tally. It was his first career goal against OKC Energy FC.

WORMELL WONDER

Keeper Austin Wormell has now accomplished something twice that no other Tulsa keeper in USL Championship history has done once - keep a clean sheet against OKC Energy FC. With his shutout tonight, Wormell kept two clean sheets in 2021 over three matches. Prior to 2021, FC Tulsa had never kept a clean sheet against Energy FC.

UP NEXT

FC Tulsa begins its run in the USL Championship Playoffs, presented by TwinSpires with a date next Saturday at Tampa Bay Rowdies, the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament. Kickoff from Al Lang Stadium is set for 6:30 p.m. CT with the match broadcast locally on My41 Tulsa and nationally on ESPN+.

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