June 12, 2022 – United Soccer League One (USL1) – Union Omaha News Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Union Omaha was able to overcome scorching Arizona temperatures and some additional adversity to defeat FC Tucson 2-1 Saturday night. Tucson has been Omaha’s most familiar foe since joining USL League One, the two sides meeting six times in the past two years. The Owls knew they would have to come in ready for a tough challenge, as Tucson would be looking to avenge its 6-1 semifinal loss to Omaha at Werner Park last season. And although Tucson has had a slower start to the season and sits at the bottom of the table, in a league with as much parity as League One this year, every match is anyone’s for the taking.
It was a slow burner of a first half. The Owls struggled to find much possession in the opening minutes of the match, but were still able to craft some promising looks early in the half.
Omaha was able to string together a series of passes in the 16th minute, leading to a strong shot from JP Scearce that a Tucson defender was just able to deflect and send it over the crossbar.
Kemal Malcolm used his speed to dribble through a pair of Tucson jerseys in the 36th minute and found himself with an open look on goal, with only Tucson goalkeeper Carlos Merancio standing between him and the scoresheet. He attempted a shot from just outside the box that tailed right.
The most action came in the back five minutes of the half, starting with none other than Noe Meza. Scearce was able to earn a free kick from a Tucson foul, setting up a threatening set-piece opportunity from just outside the box. That was when Meza calmly stepped up and delivered a strike that was perfectly placed just over the outstretched fingertips of Merancio into the back of the net. With the score, Meza continues his breakout season as the team’s leading scorer with 5 total goals across all competitions.
Malcolm wasn’t content with just one, however. In the last minute of stoppage time before halftime, Scearce tracked down a long ball past two defenders and set Malcolm up with a dangerous look in front of the goal, but Merancio was able to get hands on the ball this time to bat it away, leaving the score at 1-0 at the break.
Gabriel Claudio found his way into the referee book in the 51st minute with the first yellow card of the match.
Rashid Nuhu recorded his first save in goal in the 57th minute as Tucson looked to convert one of its own free kicks into a goal and sent a shot on-goal and into…