The Swope Park Rangers sealed a comfortable 3-1 victory over Tulsa Roughnecks FC on Wednesday night at ONEOK Field. Two goals from Kris Tyrpak, either side of a Dane Kelly strike and a Sammy Ochoa penalty for Tulsa, moved the Rangers into fourth in the USL Western Conference heading into Saturday’s regular-season finale against Seattle Sounders FC 2 at Swope Soccer Village.
The Rangers (13-10-6, 45 pts.) began on the front foot and took the lead with the first chance of note. After Christian Duke dispossessed Tulsa goalkeeper Jake Feener in the area, Sporting KC loanee Ever Alvarado clipped in a cross that Kris Tyrpak headed into the empty net to make the score 1-0 in the fifth minute.
The Roughnecks (5-20-4, 19 pts.) were unable to stop the bleeding as Dane Kelly doubled the visitor’s lead four minutes later. Again it was Alvarado with the assist, racing onto Tyler Pasher’s pass and sending in a low cross that Kelly knocked him from close range. The goal was Kelly’s sixth of the season, while Alvarado notched his first two assists for the club.
In the 19th minute, Tulsa was awarded a lifeline. After losing the ball in his own half, Amer Didic raced back in an attempt to prevent Sammy Ochoa’s progress toward goal, but instead brought him down in the box. Ochoa stepped up to beat Zac Lubin from the spot and cut the Rangers’ lead in half.
The goal brought the Roughnecks to life as Kaleem and Cristian Mata each fired off target in the next few minutes. In the 25th minute, former Tulsa goalkeeper Lubin was required to make a low diving save to deny Jasson Ramos Carpio’s shot from the edge of the area.
Two minutes later, the Rangers restored their two-goal cushion. Ayrton swung in a corner from the right that evaded a group of bodies at the near post and found Tyrpak in space, leaving the 24-year-old alone to volley home his seventh goal of the season, while Ayrton added his team-leading sixth assist.
Tyrpak almost notched his hat trick in the 31st minute, but his glancing header off another Ayrton corner went wide. Pasher then played in Kelly over the top, and the Jamaican forward saw off the attention of a defender before seeing his shot well saved by Feener.
The Rangers had a chance to add to their lead two minutes into the second half, but Ayrton stumbled as he attempted to finish Kelly’s low pass from close range. In the 68th minute, Ayrton picked up the ball just outside the Tulsa area, drove into the box and fired a powerful effort that flew just wide of the mark.
Lubin was required to make another excellent stop in the 77th minute when Ochoa turned Oumar Ballo on the top of the box, but the SPR goalkeeper got his fingertips to his goalbound effort. Two Rangers substitutes combined to create and opening in the 82nd minute when Mark Anthony Gonzalez dribbled through two challenges in the box before laying the ball back to Tomas Granitto, but his effort flew wide.
Fellow substitute and University of Tulsa alum Akeil Barrett then weaved his way through several challenges in the area, but his final effort lacked power and went just wide.
Lubin’s night wasn’t over just yet, as Tulsa left back Gary Cennerazzo burst into the area in the 90th minute but Lubin dove to his left to parry away his effort before Alvarado cleared the rebound.
The victory moves the Rangers into sole possession of fourth place in the USL Western Conference, knowing a victory over Seattle on Saturday will seal a home game to kick off the USL Playoffs.
Man of the Match presented by Courtyard Overland Park Metcalf
- Kris Tyrpak – Scored twice in the first half – recording his first multi-goal game of the season – as he became the second highest scorer on the team with seven strikes in 2016.
Next Match
- The Swope Park Rangers return home for their regular-season finale when the side takes on Seattle Sounders FC 2 at Swope Soccer Village on Saturday, Sept. 4. The Rangers will be hosting Fan Appreciation Night during the game, with a full list of gameday festivities available here. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. CT, with tickets available via Ticketmaster and a live stream available on SportingKC.com.
Swope Park Rangers vs. Tulsa Roughnecks FC
September 21, 2016 – ONEOK Field (Tulsa, Okla.)
Swope Park Rangers 3, Tulsa Roughnecks FC 1
Scoring Summary:
SPR – Kris Tyrpak 6 (Ever Alvarado 1) 5’
SPR – Dane Kelly 6 (Ever Alvarado 2) 9’
TUL – Sammy Ochoa 11 (Penalty Kick) 19’
SPR – Kris Tyrpak 7 (Ayrton 6) 27’
Misconduct Summary:
None
Swope Park Rangers: Zac Lubin; Tommy Meyer, Amer Didic, Oumar Ballo, Ever Alvarado; Ualefi (Tomas Granitto 71’), Christian Duke © (Emmanuel Appiah 74’), Ayrton; Kris Tyrpak (Mark Anthony Gonzalez 57’), Dane Kelly (Alex Molano 60’), Tyler Pasher (Akeil Barrett 67’).
Substitutes Not Used: Adrian Zendejas, Johnny Grant.
STATS: Shots 10, Shots on Goal 4, Corners 8, Fouls 9
Tulsa Roughnecks FC: Jake Feener; Edgar Espinoza (Brady Ballew 54’), Isaiah Schafer (Bryce Taylor 80’), Devin Morgan, Gary Cennerazzo; Jasson Ramos Carpio, Carlos Martinez, Ray Lee, Kaleem; Cristian Mata, Sammy Ochoa ©.
Substitutes Not Used: Hunter Harrison, Iarfhlaith Davoren, Gustavo Villalobos.
STATS: Shots 17, Shots on Goal 6, Corners 6, Fouls 10
Referee: Brook Weiss
Assistant Referees: Michael Cap and Matt Trotter
Fourth Official: Jeremy Crockett
Attendance: 2,449
Weather: Partly Cloudy and 88 degrees
