August 10, 2022 – United Soccer League Championship (USL) – FC Tulsa News Release
MIAMI, Fla. – In what has been adequately described by many this past week as one of the biggest matches for FC Tulsa of 2022, Tulsa felt league-wide pressure as it matched up against Miami FC with a potential playoff spot looming. However, it was clear from the moment the match kicked off that this Tulsa squad was unfazed by the situation it found itself in and played quite possibly its best 90 minutes of the season.
Tulsa looked the more dangerous of the two sides to start the match, making Miami FC nervous on multiple occasions with good balls delivered into the box and several set pieces earned in dangerous areas. It’s most lucrative look was crafted by Sean McFarlane on the right side as the Jamaican full-back nutmegged the Miami defender and sent in a ball that asked questions of Miami, but the Florida side responded with a proper clearance.
The Tulsa defense kept a tight shape during the run of play and quickly closed any space that Miami was able to find through the first 25 minutes. However, Miami FC was able to capitalize on a free kick in the 26′ minute as Joaquín Rivas, the winger Tulsa traded to Miami FC on June 22 of this season, found Paco Craig at the back post who headed the ball past goalkeeper Austin Wormell to open the scoring.
Only two minutes later, Darío Suárez responded in spectacular fashion – the only way Super Darío knows how. A brilliant run from Brian Brown saw Tulsa quickly advance the ball down the right flank. Brown held up play perfectly, as he so often does, and found Eric Bird in the middle of the pitch. Bird then delivered a horizontal ball to a lurking Darío Suárez right outside the box who struck it with a vengeful first touch into the top-right corner of the goal, immediately leveling the score.
But Tulsa was not content to head into the break with just one goal. A match of this magnitude needs twists, turns, and drama. Noah Powder understood this and obliged in the 40′ minute.
Some great interplay between Brown and Suárez once again facilitated a break for the Tulsa attack as the two worked the ball down the pitch before Suárez pulled up on the left side. He retained possession despite two pestering defenders chipping at his legs and pawned the ball off to a charging Powder. Powder took a touch, set the ball in front of him, and drove a calculated, long-range bender past the keeper and into the net for his first FC Tulsa…