July 25, 2024 – United Soccer League Championship (USL)
FC Tulsa News Release
TULSA – FC Tulsa added to its attack on Thursday, acquiring midfielder Faysal Bettache from Tacoma Defiance via transfer. Per club policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.
Bettache, age 24, joins head coach Mario Sanchez and FC Tulsa after starring in 17 appearances and 14 starts for Tacoma Defiance of MLS Next Pro this season. He made waves in Tacoma, leading the league with 27 shots on target while slotting third in shot attempts (47) and 10th in goals (seven). A prominent attacker, he also added three assists and 10 crosses in play.
He will wear jersey No. 77 for the club.
“Faysal is a dynamic attacking player, and that’s what we were targeting,” Sanchez said. “He can play a great final pass that hopefully will lead to assists, and he has a really good left foot. He’s scored a solid amount of goals for an attacking mid this season, so that was first and foremost.
“The second thing is that he brings a lot of experience. I think that will add another dimension to us.”
A native of Westminster, London, England, Bettache brings over a decade of experience to Green Country. Beginning his club career at age 13 with Watford, a member of England’s second-tier league – the EFL Championship – Bettache has built a highly decorated resume across multiple levels.
Debuting in the MLS NEXT Pro in 2023, Bettache spent his first season in the States with St. Louis City 2. Across 27 appearances and 24 starts, he emerged as a key cog for the club, putting in nine goals and two assists. A stat-sheet stuffer, Bettache logged the first hat trick in club history on September 3, 2023, against Houston Dynamo 2.
He will reunite with goalkeeper Michael Creek, who started the 2023 season with St. Louis City 2, in Tulsa.
An EFL Championship veteran, Queens Park Rangers acquired Bettache from Watford in 2014, building him through youth and club ranks until his departure in 2023.
With the Queens Park Rangers, the London native spent time at the Academy, U-18 and U-21 levels, including a loan to Billericay Town FC for part of the 2019-2020 season, where he made four appearances. The midfielder made 13 appearances for QPR in all competitions before being loaned to Oldham Athletic in 2021, where he made 13 appearances in all competitions, tallying one assist. He was then loaned to Aldershot of the National League for part of the 2022-2023 season, where he made seven appearances before joining St. Louis.
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