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FC Tulsa

Rangers Use Early Goals to Drop Roughnecks

September 22, 2016 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
FC Tulsa News Release


Rangers Use Early Goals to Drop Roughnecks
Rangers Use Early Goals to Drop Roughnecks
(FC Tulsa, Credit: Rich Crimi)

After four consecutive road games, the Tulsa Roughnecks FC returned to ONEOK Field and dug themselves a quick 2-0 hole and never recovered, ultimately falling 3-1 to the Swope Park Rangers in front of 2,449 Wednesday night.

In a make-up date for the match originally scheduled for August 6 that was cancelled due to bad weather, Tulsa fell behind by two just 10 minutes in and, despite Sammy Ochoa's team-leading 11th goal of the season - tied for seventh in the United Soccer League - were unable to battle all the way back.

The Roughnecks are now 5-20-4 as they head into Saturday's season finale at home against Sacramento.

"It's hard, knowing the season's over and we're not making the playoffs," Ochoa said. "We still have to come out here and work. We got behind 2-0 and it's kind of hard to fight back against a team that's already in the playoffs, they're on a run, so have to come out Saturday and be prepared to play. The season's not over yet, a lot of guys are still fighting for a job (for next year)."

Kris Tyrpak scored two goals and former Roughneck goalkeeper Zac Lubin made five saves for Swope Park (13-10-6), which is 5-1 in its last six games and jumped into fourth place in the Western Conference with one more to play. The Rangers won all four meetings with Tulsa this season by a combined margin of 10-3.

"We did the same thing up in Kansas City a couple of weeks ago, gave up three goals in the first 20-25 minutes," said Tulsa coach David Irving, referring to the Rangers' 3-0 win on September 10. "Then we got a lot of the play, we got a goal back, we had some chances in the last third. At least we tried to make a fist of it, we came back and made a game of it. Now we'll just lick our wounds and get ready for Saturday, our last game."

Trailing 3-1 entering the second half, the Roughnecks had two good chances to pull to within one, but Lubin denied them both times.

First, in the 77th minute, Ochoa fired a bomb from the right side, about 20 yards out, that appeared ticketed for the upper right corner of the net, but Lubin leaped up and punched it harmlessly over the crossbar.

"I took a left-footed shot, he made a great save," Ochoa said of the play. "(Lubin) did a good job."

In the 90th minute, TRFC had another opportunity, as Gary Cennerazzo dribbled into the box and had a point-blank shot on goal, forcing Lubin to make another strong save.

In their first home game in 32 days, the Roughnecks gave up the first goal just five minutes into the match. Tulsa goalkeeper Jake Feener came out to play the ball, but lost it to Swope Park's Ever Alvarado about 10 yards out on the left side of the goalie box. Alvarado made a quick pass into the middle, where Tyrpak's leaping header from 15 yards out found the empty net for a 1-0 Rangers lead.

Just five minutes later, the Roughnecks found themselves down by two, thanks to another nifty pass from Alvarado. This time, he fed one from deep on the left side into the middle, where a charging Dane Kelly banged it home from just 4 yards out.

"We just give away terrible goals. You can't beat yourself," Irving said. "It's just terrible. You can't legislate for that, it's been every game. But we didn't lie down, we kept going to that final whistle, and on another day, maybe we could have gotten something out of it, but that's just the way it's been going."

Sammy Ochoa retrieves his successful penalty kick during Wednesday's first half. (Lori Scholl)

Ochoa pulled Tulsa back to within one with his first goal in eight games in the 19th minute. Barreling into the penalty area with the ball, Ochoa was pulled down by Rangers defender Amer Didic, and was awarded a penalty shot. Four days after he missed a PK in a 2-0 loss to San Antonio FC, Ochoa stepped up to the dot and slotted a low shot just inside the right goalpost.

"In San Antonio, I missed a PK, and I got to get revenge," Ochoa said. "That's how soccer is - I got another PK, I put it away. I'm not happy we lost, but happy to be back on the scoresheet."

The Roughnecks nearly tied it just two minutes later when Union High School and TU product Cristian Mata chased down a lead pass from Carlos Martinez and fired a 20-yard blast that sailed just over Lubin and the crossbar.

Swope Park made it 3-1 in the 27th minute on Tyrpak's second of the night, as he volleyed home his seventh of the season from 5 yards out off a corner kick by Ayrton.

The Rangers continued to press and almost made it a three-goal margin six minutes later, when Kelly raced in on a breakaway, but Feener slid out to make a nice save.

Tulsa out-shot Swope Park 17-10 in the match.

The Roughnecks will close out what has been a disappointing and difficult season on Saturday against the Sacramento Republic FC, who are tied for first place in the West and looking to secure home field advantage in the playoffs. The first 1,000 fans into ONEOK Field will receive Ochoa Roughneck T-shirts, and a large Fireworks Spectacular will follow the game.

"We have one left, we've got to keep playing," Irving said. "Hopefully, we can put in a good performance on Saturday, try to win and end on a high note."

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Rangers Use Early Goals to Drop Roughnecks
Rangers Use Early Goals to Drop Roughnecks
(Rich Crimi)		   

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