Memphis 901 FC dominant in win over FC Tulsa, brings unbeaten streak to 11

A mid-week matchup against a struggling Tulsa side proved to be all that was needed to reclaim Memphis’ attacking prowess — racking up four goals following Saturday’s scoreless frustrations. Tulsa has been outscored 10-1 in the past three games, with Phillip Goodrum being shutout in his return to AutoZone Park. 901 FC have won six of their last seven games to go along with their unbeaten streak.

“I think we looked like we were going to sore a lot tonight when we went forward,” coach Stephen Glass said. “The players played with a lot of freedom, a lot of bravery. And I think we’re delighted with the performance level tonight and the quality that the boys showed.”

It took time for Memphis to take control of the match, absorbing a ton of pressure to start. Teams are going to have that extra emphasis in trying to take down one of the best teams in the USL Championship, especially with a team like Tulsa who sit at the bottom of the standings with nothing to lose. 901 FC did a much better job settling in and finding their offensive footing, being more connective on the ball while still preventing space for Tulsa’s attackers.

Things started to shift in Memphis’ favor at the 20 minute mark, the key to unlocking Tulsa being Rashawn Dally who had incredible energy going up and down the right side of the pitch. He was involved in seemingly everything, both offensively and defensively, but his highlights came from the first two goals of the game. Dally was able to catch up to a Laurent Kissiedou pass rolling to the goal line and cross it into the box. Rodrigo da Costa beat his defender near post, and the ball bounced across his chest and into the back of the net for an own goal. Just five minutes later, Dally finished a goal of his own, the assist coming from da Costa.

“[Rashawn] has been knocking at the door to try and get in the team. So when players do that, when you put them in there, that’s brilliant,” Glass said.

The confidence from the midfield and attackers was extremely high, going at the opposition one-on-one and pinging the ball around with much more connectivity. Memphis did not let off the gas peddle either, scoring two more in the second half. Emerson Hyndman, in his first start for the club, scored an absolute rocket after starting the build-up play himself. The ball blasted off of his right foot and into the bottom corner. Jelani Peters also opened up his scoring tab for 901 FC, capping off the night with a header from a set piece (assist to the returning Aaron Molloy).

Memphis was able to dominate in the attack even with their top three goal scorers not in the starting lineup (Bruno Lapa, Nighte Pickering and Luiz Fernando). This shows a depth that can be relied on during times like this when games are coming in quick succession. On a related note, this was the first time that the new midfield additions, da Costa and Hyndman, started together.

“I think they look like a group of players that are happy with what’s going on at the club and that’s brilliant to see and I think the supporters sounded pretty happy tonight as well,” Glass said.

Drew Romig earned his second consecutive clean sheet of the season, starting in his fourth consecutive match. The midfield control and impactful back line did not leave him with much to do — tallying two saves on the night. Peters and Akeem Ward were especially solid in their defensive efforts tonight as Tulsa targeted the right side of the pitch often during their one bit of solid play early in the match. They were able to shut down several chances with timely tackles and clearances.

With the game in hand well before the final whistle, Memphis trotted out the recently signed Hernando High School student Calvin Harrison, a 15-year-old winger, to make history for the club. “It felt like tonight was a good opportunity and I think it does show what we’re trying to do at the club as well,” Glass said.

Memphis ends the action-packed week with another home match against Charleston Battery. This match is significant for two reasons —  the return of former 901 head coach Ben Pirmann and a clash against the top team in the Eastern Conference. The game will be on Saturday, June 24 at 7:30 PM.

(Photo: D’Angelo Connell Photography)