USL FC Tulsa

Roughnecks Draw 2-2 with Louisville City

Published on August 16, 2015 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
FC Tulsa News Release


Tulsa Roughnecks FC and Louisville City FC met at ONEOK Field Saturday night in one of the USL's marque matchups of the weekend. The match lived up to the billing as the entertaining contest saw goals from each team in each half, producing a 2-2 draw in front of 4,519 fans in downtown Tulsa.

The point gives Tulsa a total of 36 this season with a 10-9-6 record. The draw leaves the Roughnecks with only one loss in their last 10 outings, dating back to June 27. They remain in thick of the Western Conference playoff race. Depending on late results, the Roughnecks will be as high as in a tie for fourth-place in the West table.

For Louisville City, the draw leaves them with a 12-4-6 record and with 42 points, good for second spot in the Easter Conference.

The Roughnecks, who dropped a 2-0 decision to Louisville City earlier this season, began Saturday's match on the offensive. Straight off the kickoff, Brady Ballew got free down the right wing, but his shot went wide of the far post.

In the first 10 minutes, the Roughnecks had two other shots on goal, but Louisville keeper Scott Goodwin denied Adam Black and Sammy Ochoa.

City got its only shot on goal of the first half in the 19th minute, and it put them in front. After a foul was whistled outside the box, midfielder Aodhan Quinn lined up for a free kick approximately 25 yards from goal. Quinn's perfectly placed left-footed blast found the upper corner of the goal, leaving Tulsa goalkeeper Jake Feener no chance and giving Louisville a 1-0 lead.

In the 28th minute, Tulsa looked to have equalized when Steven Miller headed home a free kick cross from Chad Bond, but the assistant referee's flag was up for offsides.

Seven minutes later, the Roughnecks did level the score at 1-1 and they used the same scenario to do so as defender Kyle Venter headed home another free kick from Bond. It was Venter's third goal of the season and Bond's team-leading eighth assist.

After having only the one shot on goal in the first 45 minutes, Louisville City started the second half on the attack. The dangerous Matt Fondy tested Feener in the 50th minute, and nearly had another opportunity four minutes later, but Ryan Price was able to clear the danger.

Tulsa had a second goal nullified halfway through the half, as Mata headed past Goodwin, but he was ruled offside.

The Roughnecks finally went in front in the 76th minute. An initial shot from substitute Lucas Cordeiro was pushed aside by Goodwin, but Ochoa headed the rebound back into the box. The cross went directly to Mata was left unmarked, and he headed into the net to put Tulsa in front 2-1. For Mata, it was his sixth goal in 12 matches this season.

The lead lasted three minutes as a pair of Louisville substitutes teamed up. In the 79th minute, Ilija Ilic chested down a cross to Niall McCabe who blasted past Feener to make 2-2.

Both teams had chances to get the full three points, but neither side could find a third goal in the final 10 minutes.

The Roughnecks, who have only three matches remaining in the regular season, will now travel to the Pacific Northwest for a meeting next Saturday against Portland Timbers 2. Kickoff is set for 4:00PM CDT in Portland.

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from August 16, 2015


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