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FC Tulsa

FC Tulsa Edges Detroit City FC

June 30, 2023 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
FC Tulsa News Release


TULSA - The stage was set on Friday night for FC Tulsa to reverse its fortunes in front of the largest crowd this season at ONEOK Field. Following three consecutive days in which temperatures exceeded 100 degrees in northeast Oklahoma, Phillip Goodrum and Marcus Epps provided a bit of additional heat to light up the scoreboard, cue the fireworks, and clinch all three points by way of another last-minute match-winner.

FC Tulsa came out of the gates with something to prove, and frankly, the club needed to off the heels of three consecutive losses. The home club created three quality scoring looks within the first 11 minutes of the match, two belonging to Phllip Goodrum and the other to Eric Bird.

Detroit City battled its way back into the contest quickly, however, with a golden scoring chance that steered just over the crossbar in the 17' minute and forced multiple goal-line stops by center-back Rashid Tetteh who missed the last three matches due to injury. Tetteh's brilliance kept things level just long enough for FC Tulsa to take the lead minutes later.

Brilliant link up play from Milo Yosef to Eric Bird to Goodrum resulted in the forward breaking down the right side and into the penalty area. Goodrum's pace was too much for the opposition, and the only way to stop him was for the Detroit City keeper to chop him down. For the contact he drew, Goodrum was awarded the short walk to the penalty spot. He went right, the keeper went left - 1-0 FC Tulsa.

The Tulsa lead was short-lived as the visitors needed only four minutes to respond with a goal of their own off a set piece. Tulsa goalkeeper Michael Nelson made a sensational stop on Detroit's initial offering, but Matt Lewis was the first to the rebound and buried the equalizer.

The second half got off to a much slower start than the first 45-minute period with neither side earning a true high percentage look for about 20 minutes, although the yellow cards began pouring in with four cautions shown between the 54' and 59' minute.

Goodrum appeared to have his second of the match in the 66' minute when he was found by Eric Bird on a clever overlap, but after the ball rippled the back of the net, the assistant referee blew his whistle to signal offsides. The Detroit backline was haphazardly chasing the Tulsa attack, and the Michigan side was bailed out by a very tight officiating verdict.

In the 74' minute, Detroit City found its second goal, once again following a foul surrendered just outside of the box and once again, FC Tulsa was unable to deal with the delivery.

An abundance of offensive substitutions were made by Blair Gavin to equalize, and equalize FC Tulsa did seven minutes later.

Moses Dyer's delivery could not have been more perfect as he picked out Goodrum once again darting down the middle of the pitch from 30 yards away. Goodrum left his feet, hurling his body parallel to the ground and connecting his head to the lofty cross. The ball soared majestically past the goalkeeper, FC Tulsa leveled things at two apiece, and Phillip Goodrum secured the first brace of his FC Tulsa career (the fifth of his professional career).

The crowd of over 5,500 fans roared and continued to do so, willing their club to dig deep and find a winner from their feet. Then, in the 89' minute, a sure-fire goal of the week candidate materialized and ONEOK Field turned into a madhouse.

A silky-smooth backheel from Goodrum was directed with pin-point precision to the feet of Marcus Epps with one minute remaining in regulation.

"I joked with Phil in the locker room after the match that when I saw he was going for that backheel, I was already picking my corner," Epps told the media after the match.

Epps made no mistake and his fourth goal of the season was enough for FC Tulsa to edge out Detroit City FC in dramatic fashion, catapulting the club up three spots in the Eastern Conference standings. FC Tulsa now sits in playoff position once again.

Attached are Final Stats and Postmatch Quotes from head coach Blair Gavin, forward Phililp Goodrum, and forward Marcus Epps.

GOALS

36' TUL - Phillip Goodrum (PK)

40' DET - Matt Lewis

74' DET - Stephen Carroll (assist: Connor Rutz)

82' TUL - Phillip Goodrum (assist: Moses Dyer)

89' TUL - Marcus Epps (assist: Phillip Goodrum)

HIGHLIGHTS

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1LTJHRmrBCPY4chyhaPjYneRRbaq0E8Yq?usp=sharing

LINEUPS

FC Tulsa: Nelson, Ruxi, Tetteh, Malou, Yosef, Fernandez, McCabe, Ferri, Bird, Dyer, Goodrum (Subs used: Epps, Haji, Pearson, Armour)

Detroit City FC: Steinwascher, Amoo-Mensah, Carroll, Lewis, Gasso, Williams, Rutz, Rodriguez, Fisher, Morris, Simonsen (Subs used: Matthews, Suárez, Bryant, Ballard, Levis)

UP NEXT

FC Tulsa hits the road and is back in action on Saturday, July 8 when it takes on Indy Eleven at 6 p.m. CT.

Check out the FC Tulsa Statistics

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