Sports stats

USL FC Tulsa

Roughnecks Host OKC Wednesday in Cup Action

May 26, 2015 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
FC Tulsa News Release


The Roughnecks and Energy meet in a cup version of the Oklahoma Derby. It is the third round of the U.S. Open Cup, and at stake is a trip to the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex to face MLS side F.C. Dallas in a fourth round matchup. Kickoff is slated for 7:00pm CDT in downtown Tulsa at ONEOK Field.

Season ticket holders receive tickets to this edition of the Oklahoma Derby as part of their ticket plans. Those tickets can be picked up at any time during Wednesday at the ONEOK Field Ticket Office at 201 N. Elgin Ave.

Fans who are not season ticket holders can purchase tickets at the Ticket Office or online by clicking HERE.

It will be the second meeting between the state rivals. The two sides opened USL regular season play with a 1-1 draw at ONEOK Field on March 28. There are three other meetings scheduled for the regular season

Both teams enter the contest in good form. Tulsa has won three consecutive matches, all by shutout. The Energy enter with only one loss in their last five matches. A streak that includes a pair of victories and a pair of draws.

The match will be shown live on YouTube.

HOW THEY GOT HERE - USL teams enter the U.S. Open Cup in the second round of the tournament. The Energy opened with a trip to west Texas to face the Midland/Odessa Sockers, a PDL side. Oklahoma City produced a 3-1 victory to advance to the third round and a meeting with Tulsa.

The Roughnecks hosted another PDL side at the University of Tulsa Soccer and Track Stadium. On May 20, the Roughnecks blanked New Hampshire based Seacoast United 1-0 to advance to the third round. The lone goal came directly from a corner kick by Chad Bond.

TRIBUTE TO THE BOOMER - For the second straight match, the Roughnecks players will wear black armbands in remembrance of original Roughneck Alan Woodward. Woody, who was also nicknamed The Boomer for his blistering shots, passed away unexpectedly last week at his Tulsa-area home.

The Roustabouts have plans to honor Woodward during the cup match. The winger wore the number 7 shirt during his playing days with the Roughnecks and Sheffield United. In the seventh minute of the match on Wednesday, the Roustabouts plan to observe complete silence during the first 30 seconds of the minute. In the final 30 seconds of the seventh minute, they will lead a chant of "Woody on the Wing" that was popular during his Sheffield days. The Roustabouts encourage all fans to participate in the 30 seconds of silence and in the chant to honor this Tulsa soccer legend.

LUBIN HONORED - Tulsa goalkeeper Zac Lubin has logged two straight shutouts in USL league, and the second one earned him a spot on the league's Team of the Week that was announced Tuesday. Lubin received the honor for his eight-save, clean sheet performance against Austin on May 24.

Lubin joins Gibson Bardsley and Chad Bond as Roughnecks players who have received a spot on one of this year's Teams of the Week. Steven Miller, who scored the lone goal in the game against the Aztex, was given a spot on the substitution's bench on this week's squad.

STAYING BUSY - This match will be the second of three this week for the Roughnecks. Because weather postponed the match in Austin until Sunday, Tulsa will play three matches in seven days. The busy week for the Roughnecks will conclude on Saturday, May 30 when they host Portland Timbers 2 for a USL regular season match.

THE COACHES - Tulsa head coach David Irving was a player for the original Roughnecks in the old North America Soccer League. Irving scored three goals in seven appearances for Tulsa during the 1980 NASL season. His professional playing career also included stints with Everton FC and Sheffield United in England.

Jimmy Nielsen is in his second season in charge of the Energy. Nielsen led OKC to a 9-14-5 record in the club's inaugural 2014 campaign. Prior to becoming a coach, Nielsen played goalkeeper in nearly 600 professional matches. His stops included Danish sides AaB Aalborg and Vejle as well as English side Leicester City. His last stop came in Major League Soccer with Sporting Kansas City. In his final professional game, he led Sporting to the 2013 MLS title with a penalty kick shootout win over Real Salt Lake.

Check out the FC Tulsa Statistics



United Soccer League Championship Stories from May 26, 2015


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