USL FC Tulsa

Preview: FC Tulsa vs. Indy Eleven at ONEOK Field, Wednesday 7 p.m. CT

September 7, 2021 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
FC Tulsa News Release


FC Tulsa vs Indy Eleven

USL Championship, Week 21

ONEOK Field

September 7, 2021 - 7:00 p.m. CT

TULSA - The drive for five is officially on.

History is at stake on Wednesday night as FC Tulsa plays host to Indy Eleven at ONEOK Field where Tulsa will be looking to extend its franchise-best winning streak to five - tied for the longest such streak in the USL Championship so far in 2021. It's a feat that's only been accomplished 30 times since FC Tulsa joined the league in 2015.

While history would be nice, at this juncture of the season, the table takes center stage and FC Tulsa could make a significant move this week with its two home tilts. A pair of victories, including one in an all-important No. 2 vs. No. 3 match on Saturday, would see FC Tulsa leapfrog Birmingham into second place in the Central Division and in line to host a USL Championship Playoffs match for the first time in club history.

That starts on Wednesday against Indy Eleven, the last team to beat Tulsa at ONEOK back on August 4. Since that defeat, FC Tulsa has won five of its last six matches to put itself back in the conversation at the top of the Central.

SCOUTING INDY ELEVEN

It's been a tough 2021 season for Indy that started with high expectations but has fallen well short. A midseason coaching change, mixed with several in-season player moves haven't worked out in Indy's favor as the Eleven sit in 6th place, three points out of a Playoffs spot. Manuel Arteaga leads the team in scoring with six goals, but is the only player currently on the roster with more than three.

Indy has fared better on the road overall this season with a 4-3-3 record, but have conceded 11 goals in the last three road matches, going 0W-2L-1D in that stretch.

SCORING FIRST

Another match where FC Tulsa scores first and another victory. The 1-0 win over Louisville last weekend marked the 10th time FC Tulsa took the lead first in a match, with a 9W-1L-0D record in those matches. Meanwhile, when giving up the first goal, Indy is 1W-9L-2D. FC Tulsa has won just once this season when conceding first, so will need to capitalize early against Indy.

MILESTONE WATCH

Two FC Tulsa players are nearing significant goal/assist milestones heading into the match. Midfielder Lebo Moloto is one goal and one assist away from 30 goals and 30 assists in his USL Championship career, which would make him the fifth player in league history to be a part of that historic club. One more assist for midfielder Rodrigo da Costa would have the third-year player at 20 goals and 20 assists for his career.

CLEAN SHEET SEAN

It's been a tale of two seasons for FC Tulsa keeper Sean Lewis. In his first eight matches, FC Tulsa's 2020 MVP had an uncharacteristic 48.6 save pct. After six matches on the bench, Lewis has returned to form with a 75.0% save pct. through his last seven matches, culminating with his clean sheet at Louisville City FC on Friday night.

HOME SWEET HOME

FC Tulsa would like to continue its home dominance it has established over the last two seasons. Heading into a three-match homestand, FC Tulsa is 10W-4L-3D at home since the beginning of the 2020 campaign.

HOW TO TUNE IN

TV: MY41

English Radio: SiriusXM FC

Spanish Radio: Que Buena Tulsa

Stream: ESPN+ (US), YouTube (International)

Follow: You can follow FC Tulsa @FCTulsa on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram




United Soccer League Championship Stories from September 7, 2021


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