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USL FC Tulsa

A Match of Firsts: Pacheco Makes Mark in First USL Championship Start

June 12, 2024 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
FC Tulsa News Release


TULSA - It was a match of firsts for Diogo Pacheco and FC Tulsa as it won 2-1 over San Antonio FC on Saturday at ONEOK Field.

With the recent departure of Justin Portillo, among other lineup changes, head coach Mario Sanchez inserted Pacheco into the starting lineup for his first start in a USL Championship match. After a back-and-forth first half that featured five shot attempts and one on target for both sides, both sides were searching for an edge entering the locker room.

"When we got to the locker room, we just kept going," Pacheco said. "We were on top of the game, and we knew the chances would come."

Shortly after the halftime horn, the native of Lisbon, Portugal broke the silence.

In the 48th minute, Pacheco looked to cash in on a fastbreak opportunity, created by Owen Damm, with a right-footed shot from the centre of the box.

Fireworks, a sea of redbud-colored jerseys and a roar among the 5,062 in attendance at ONEOK Field followed. FC Tulsa was on the board and Pacheco etched his first goal with the club in USL Championship league play - the energy was palpable.

"The fans were really into it," Pacheco said. "You could tell there was some tension. With that first goal, the players, the fans, everybody was celebrating. There's no better feeling."

Fourteen minutes later, he cashed in again with a header, assisted by Milo Yosef, that grazed above San Antonio FC goalkeeper José Mulato.

Pacheco's pair of goals sparked a new trend for the club, being the first player to add multiple goals in a single game, while also helping charge FC Tulsa's first win since April.

The strong introduction was noted by his teammates, including captain Bradley Bourgeois.

"I'm really happy for him," Bourgeois said. "It wasn't the start of the season that he wanted, but immense credit to him for always just being ready to have that moment. He got the start, and I think it just shows all the work that he's been putting in behind the scenes and training, sticking with it. We're really, really happy for him."

After a week away from the pitch, the objective will remain the same for Pacheco and FC Tulsa.

"This is just one win, it's a big turnaround for us, but to achieve our goals, we just have to keep doing more and more every week," Pacheco said. "There's a lot of work to do, but it was a big win tonight. We'll look at film to see what we did well and where we can make things better for next games. But I was proud of the guys."

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