Spanish Version

The Tulsa Roughnecks FC “clinched the wrench” Saturday night with a 2-1 victory over the Oklahoma City Energy FC at ONEOK Field. It was the second straight win for the Roughnecks over their state rivals, clinching a victory in the season series known as the Black Gold Derby. The orange and green wrench is presented to the winner of each year’s series by the team’s supporters groups, and The Roustabouts and the Roughnecks players accepted the prize at the end of Saturday’s victory.

Front Page Photo by Brooke Carroll

Just as importantly, the victory improved the Roughnecks’ season point total to 32 with a 10-9-2 record and moved them into sixth place in the Western Conference standings of the USL. The top eight finishers in each conference qualify for the playoffs.

Saturday’s rivalry match began with the Roughnecks the more attacking side with Paris Gee and Joey Calistri both getting scoring chances in the first six minutes, but it was the Energy who actually put the ball into the net first, but the offside flag negated the effort in the 12th minute.

TRFC continued to push forward and the breakthrough came in the 20th minute. A chipped pass from Jacori Hayes sent Joey Calistri on a run down the right wing. Calistri’s cross eventually found an unmarked Joaquin Rivas, and the Roughneck midfielder’s shot left Energy goalkeeper Cody Laurendi with no chance, giving Tulsa a 1-0 lead.

The goal brought the Energy out of their defensive posture, and TRFC goalkeeper Fabian Cerda made two big saves over the next 15 minutes. Gee also helped his keeper when he headed a corner kick cross off the goal line in the 31st minute.

Calistri had a chance to double Tulsa’s lead in the 38th minute when he got behind the backline, but his shot rolled through the goal mouth.

Sixty seconds later, Jose Angulo fired a shot into Cerda’s net, but the forward was well offside to keep the Tulsa one-goal lead in place.

The second half got off to a perfect start for the Energy when Tulsa midfielder Collin Fernandez was called for a trip in the penalty area just 30 seconds after the restart. Angulo buried the ensuing penalty kick to level the score at 1-1.

But, it took the Roughnecks less than ten minutes to go back in front. Jorge Corrales delivered a bending cross that found the head of Ian Svantesson at the back post. Svantesson made no mistake, heading his shot past Laurendi for his team-leading tenth goal of the season, to make it 2-1.