TULSA – Tulsa Athletic scored a late equalizer in stoppage time to tie the Heartland Conference Semifinal contest at 2-2 and then advanced to the Heartland Conference Finals on penalty kicks, 5-4, over OKC 1889 FC on Wednesday (July 14) at Titan Sports and Performance Center.
After falling behind 2-1 in the second half, Jamie Gilbert evened the score at 2-2 with a goal late into stoppage time.
Tulsa was playing up a man after a red card was given to OKC 1889 after a skirmish between the sides late in regulation. OKC played with 10 men throughout the scoreless 30 minutes of extra time.
The match was decided on penalty kicks with Tulsa Athletic going a perfect 5-5 from the spot, and goalkeeper Bryson Reed making a huge save on OKC 1889’s second attempt to come out on top 5-4.
Romulo Bosqueiro scored on the first penalty for Tulsa. After Reed’s save, Gilbert went to the right corner of the goal to make it 2-1 for the green and yellow after two PKs each. Joe Garcia and Joe Ruiz converted on their penalties, and Reed nearly stopped another attempt, but the OKC shot hit his hands and still managed to go in.
Dante Brigida made the decisive penalty, sending Tulsa Athletic to the conference finals, 5-4.
The green and yellow went up 1-0 in the first half of the contest on a penalty kick goal from Garcia midway through the first half of action, his team-leading eighth of the season. Tulsa held the 1-0 advantage at halftime.
OKC 1889 tied the score at 1-1 in the 62nd minute and took their first lead of the contest a few minutes later for a 2-1 edge. OKC held that margin until the late goal from Gilbert knotted the score at 2-2.
No. 2 seed Tulsa Athletic takes on No. 1 seed Demize NPSL on Saturday. Demize defeated Arkansas Wolves, 2-1, in Springfield in the other Heartland Conference semifinal contest.
