FC Tulsa Blanks Monterey Bay FC 2-0

October 12, 2022 – United Soccer League Championship (USL) – FC Tulsa News Release

TULSA – A crisp Oklahoma night in downtown Tulsa set the scene on Wednesday night for what would turn out to be a thrilling evening of soccer for the home fans. The match was originally scheduled to be played last weekend, but the delay didn’t have any effect on FC Tulsa as a fresh Marcus Epps bagged a brace and Austin Wormell proved unbeatable in goal in the 2-0 affair.

It did not even take seven minutes for FC Tulsa to strike, its second consecutive match in which the black and gold opened the scoring. Darío Suárez found an on-rushing Marcus Epps down the left side and split two defenders with a perfect pass. Epps held up play in front of the goalkeeper as he was joined by Rodrigo da Costa in the penalty area. Da Costa’s arrival caused just enough hesitation from the Monterey Bay defender to open up a shooting angle for Epps who pulled the trigger and buried his attempt.

The goal marked Epps’ first since joining FC Tulsa earlier this season, but not his last, as Suárez earned his club-best fifth assist on the play.

From that point on, Monterey Bay threatened until the halftime whistle, sending in 19 crosses and totaling nine shots. A sensational first-half effort from FC Tulsa’s Austin Wormell kept the visitors off the scoreboard through the first 45 minutes with four saves made.

The second half got off to a much slower start than its counterpart with the two clubs combining for just five shots through the first through the 65′ minutes of action. The best opportunity for either side during that stretch was following a free kick in the 59′ minute. The ball found its way to Suárez who took a touch, settled himself, then unleashed a shot that unfortunately deflected off one of his own teammates.

It would not be until the 82′ minute that the match would provide another goal, and it was Epps once again to send the ONEOK crowd into a frenzy. A flawless cross guided in by substitute Ciaran Winters was not wasted by the forward from Mississippi as he banged home his second of the evening.

FC Tulsa’s 2-0 victory proved to be the club’s sixth clean sheet of the season, five of which have been credited to Austin Wormell over his 21 starts. The squad has scored eight goals over its last three outings to earn seven points in that stretch with one match remaining in 2022.

GOALS

7′ TUL – Marcus Epps (Darío Suárez)

83′ TUL – Marcus Epps (Ciaran Winters)

THREE TAKEAWAYS

1) Keeping the…