Sports stats



USL Austin Bold FC

Preview: Austin Bold FC at FC Tulsa

August 19, 2020 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Austin Bold FC News Release


Austin, TX - Austin Bold FC are back on the bus and headed north towards roughneck country to take on FC Tulsa at ONEOK Field. The Bold are coming off a tough fought 1-1 draw against Group D leaders San Antonio FC last Saturday and look to continue their positive progression. Tonight is the second match in a five-game road trip over a grueling 15 days that will physically test The Bold. Watch this match and every USL Championship contest on ESPN+.

Xavi Baez Named to USL Championship Team of the Week

USL Championship announced the Team of the Week presented by Cleer Audio for Week 8 on Tuesday and Austin Bold FC midfielder Xavi Baez was recognized for his performance against San Antonio FC on Saturday night. Baez showcased his skill and experience in a beautifully taken volley to score The Bold's lone goal in the 1-1 draw. His standout display wasn't limited to a USL Championship Goal of the Week contender, the midfielder completed 30 of 35 passes, recorded one key pass, won 4 of 7 duels, and made eight recoveries. After the match, Baez spoke on his first goal in 2020 "Personally, I'm very happy with the goal and to be able to help score points. We'll continue working very hard to improve our level of play. Our goal is to be in the top spots."

FC Tulsa: Defense First

FC Tulsa's rebrand from Tulsa Roughnecks was more than a marketing ploy. The Oklahoman club revamped their roster and gave head coach Michael Nsien the tools needed to compete in 2020. It may be early in the season, but these offseason moves seem to be paying off. Tulsa sits in the second playoff spot six points behind first-place San Antonio and two above The Bold. The key to this newfound success is their defensive performances. Nsien's men have recorded two cleans sheets and only given up three goals. Goalkeeper Sean Lewis has shined this season. The American keeper is tied 15th in league with 15 saves and an 83.3% successful save rate.

Growing Austin

This morning, The Bold announced the signing of two more academy players to the 2020 USL Championship roster. Derreck Espinal and Alan Rivera are local youth standouts that represented Austin Bold FC at the 2019 USL Academy Cup tournament in San Antonio, TX, and other local youth teams. Giving young Austin natives a place to grow is ingrained in The Bold's DNA. "I've said it many times, but I will keep saying it. As an organization, we want to be an integral part of growing soccer in Austin. We love Austin because of its uniqueness, inclusiveness, and the love of other cultures. You cannot easily find this in other cities in this country." said Austin Bold FC Head Coach Marcelo Serrano. "Every professional team should have at least 35% of the academy players in the pros, so talented young players like Dereck and Alan can have the opportunity to develop their skills in a professional environment. Being around players who played in some of the best leagues in the world is an invaluable experience for players of their age."

Get to know FC Tulsa by the numbers.

Head Coach: Michael Nsien

2020 Record: 2-0-3 (W-L-D)

2020 Group D Standing: 2nd (9 PTS)

Goals: 6

Top Goalscorer: Rodrigo da Costa (2)

Clean Sheets: 2

Goals Conceded: 3

Check out the Austin Bold FC Statistics



United Soccer League Championship Stories from August 19, 2020


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central