July 29, 2024 – United Soccer League Championship (USL)
FC Tulsa News Release
The nylon behind Johan Pe ñ aranda has gone virtually untouched.
Closing out July with a clean-sheet draw to Indy Eleven, Pe ñ aranda, FC Tulsa’s goalkeeper, and the club enter August rising up the franchise record books. Allowing just one goal across its past five matches, FC Tulsa has marked the franchise’s fewest goals allowed in a five-game stint and its longest clean-sheet streak ever.
“They’re very motivated,” head coach Mario Sanchez said. “I think they can also sense that we’re close to our goals. The belief is growing.”
The progression to this point has been long in the making and is a testament to the club’s ever-evolving culture under Sanchez.
Establishing a defensive identity has been of the utmost importance in Green Country. With a locker room loaded with young talent and experience, FC Tulsa filled up the stat sheet to open the season, but it also began to fill up the injury report. In May, the club turned to the market, adding defender Owen Damm via loan from Louisville City FC. In June, it turned to Pe ñ aranda, who was playing in Miami AC of USL League Two, for a boost after losing its one-two punch of Michael Creek and Joey Roggeveen to injury.
Adding the pair to its back third planted seeds of success in May as the club closed out June with a 2-1 win over Miami FC and a clean-sheet draw against Sacramento Republic FC, but it also added another layer. For Damm, the 20-year-old flashed excellence on June 19, earning USL Team of the Week honors with an assist and two interceptions, while Pe ñ aranda added a clean sheet the following match.
A clean sheet that started this historic stretch.
FC Tulsa came seven minutes from fireworks on July 4, allowing its lone goal of the streak in penalty time to Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. In action, the club garnered six saves, however, its loss in the possession battle led to 18 shot attempts from Switchbacks FC.
The fix came in the form of midfielder Andrew Booth, a five-year veteran known for his prominence in possession. After a pair of practices, he hit the pitch in the club’s July 13 match at Monterey Bay F.C. and plugged in nicely – even when the club had its back seemingly against the wall. After defender Bradley Bourgeois committed a foul in the box, Monterey Bay held the potential match-winning penalty kick in the 89th minute. One stutter step later, a Pe ñ aranda deflection and a scramble later – FC Tulsa kept it…