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USL FC Tulsa

Saturday's Match to Feature Fireworks, Throwback Kits & '83 Trophy

May 29, 2015 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
FC Tulsa News Release


Eli Galbraith-Knapp of the Tulsa Roughnecks
Eli Galbraith-Knapp of the Tulsa Roughnecks
(FC Tulsa)

The Roughnecks return to USL regular season play after falling to the Oklahoma City Energy Wednesday night in U.S. Open Cup action. It will be the first ever meeting between the Roughnecks and Timbers 2. Kickoff is slated for 7:30pm CDT in downtown Tulsa at ONEOK Field.

The two teams suffered similar fates on Wednesday, dropping cup games to their rivals. Timbers 2 lost in extra time to Seattle Sounders 2 by a score of 2-1.

The two sides enter the match with identical results this season. Both Tulsa and Portland have a record of 3-4-2 with 11 points after 9 regular season matches. Defensively, each team has surrendered 13 goals.

The game will be broadcast live on Tulsa's Sports Radio AM 1300 with Jeremie Poplin and David Saunders calling the action. The broadcast can also be heard online at 1300TheBuzz.com. It will be shown live on the Roughnecks YouTube channel.

THROWBACK NIGHT - For the first time this season, the Roughnecks will wear their "throwback kits." The white uniforms with red and black trim are replicas of the uniforms worn by the original Roughnecks during their first season of play in 1978. Both kits were designed by Admiral Sports.

The updated versions that will be worn on Saturday also feature the original Roughneck logo sublimated on the backs of the jerseys and the special 83 Star that has been designed by the club to honor the original Roughnecks championship season in 1983.

1983 CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY - The 1983 Soccer Bowl Championship Trophy will be at ONEOK Field Saturday and will be on display in the Roughnecks Team Store located just inside the Arvest Entrance. Fans will be able to pose for photos with the trophy as well as with 1983 Southern Division Championship Trophy. Both items are being provided by one of the original Roughnecks owners during the '83 championship season, Mike Kimbrell.

FIREWORKS - Saturday's activities will be capped by a large Fireworks display following the game.

NEW KICKOFF TIME - Starting time for the match is scheduled for 7:30PM, thirty minutes later than previous matches.

CHECKING THE STAT SHEET - Portland's Kharlton Belmar is tied for third in the USL with five goals this season. The five goals for the forward have come in only seven games.

Gibson Bardsley leads the Roughnecks with three goals, while Steven Miller has added two.

Tulsa goalkeeper Zac Lubin ranks fourth among all league keepers with a .768 save percentage. Portland's Jake Gleeson in tenth with a .706 save percentage. Lubin's 4.78 saves per match ranks first in USL.

Lubin is the only Tulsa player to play every minute of every USL match this year. Eli Galbraith-Knapp is second on the squad with 763 minutes played.

FULL STRENGTH - The Roughnecks should be at full strength for the match with all players available for duty. Kidd Nwabueze and Ryan Price have been limited the past week with minor injuries, but Kidd came on as a substitute versus Oklahoma City midweek, and Price should be available for the Timbers.

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.

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.

Jay Vidovich is the head coach for the Timbers 2. He formerly served as Wake Forest University's head soccer coach from 1994-2014, posting a 225-87-31 record during that span, including a 60-7-4 mark over his final three seasons. His Wake Forest squad won the 2007 NCAA championship, finishing with a 22-2-1 record.

Check out the FC Tulsa Statistics




Images from this story

Eli Galbraith-Knapp of the Tulsa Roughnecks
Eli Galbraith-Knapp of the Tulsa Roughnecks
   



United Soccer League Championship Stories from May 29, 2015


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