This week, FC Tulsa makes its first trip to Heart Health Park since 2020. The contest will be the eleventh all-time between Sacramento and the Oklahoma club, which rebounded in Week 2 after a tough loss on opening night. Check out all you need to know about this week’s foe ahead of Sunday’s matinee:
Offseason Recap
Tulsa had a busy winter, bringing in a handful of players poised for breakouts in 2022. Up top, Brian Brown and JJ Williams, previously of New Mexico United and Birmingham Legion FC, add another dimension to the attack that greatly benefitted each of their past clubs. To acquire the pair, they sent 2021 Sacramento loanee Jerome Kiesewetter to New Mexico for Brown, and poached the 24-year-old Williams, who has MLS experience with Columbus and Atlanta, from one of last season’s top attacking units on a free agent deal.
The club will be missing a few key pieces on Sunday. Two players – Joaquin Rivas and Ronald Rodriguez – will be out on international duty for El Salvador in CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying. It leaves the club with a pair of holes on the attack that Williams and Brown will need to fill as the duo have combined for seven chances created through the season’s first two weeks.
Last Week’s Drama
Tulsa rebounded nicely from a tough opening night that saw them outperform Charleston with 10 men. The club’s Week 2 action saw them take three points from a strong Birmingham side in a back and forth match, putting in a penalty just before half followed by a stoppage time dagger in the 95th. It wasn’t all smooth however, as they were outshot 21-8 and nearly saw Birmingham knot things at two in the 74th minute with a strike that went off the post.
Head to Head
Tulsa and Sacramento have faced off 10 times since 2015. Eight have gone Republic FC’s way, including five straight to open the fixture. The other two contests have seen the two clubs split points, including their most recent contest on opening night in 2020.
Republic FC has put together some big performances since the first time the two sides met. Five of the Indomitable Club’s eight wins in the fixture have come by more than one score, including a 6-0 blowout in 2019 that still stands as the biggest win in club history.
