The Swope Park Rangers (16-8-7, 4th in West) fell to a 4-1 defeat on the road against OKC Energy FC (13-11-7, 7th in West) at Taft Stadium on Sunday afternoon. A brace from top scorer Jose Angulo and further strikes from Miguel Gonzalez and Juan Pablo Guzman earned OKC the win, while SPR defender Liam Doyle scored a stunning consolation goal late in the game with a long-distance free kick.
The home side was the first to threaten as Wojciech Wojcik met Alex Dixon’s cross to head straight into the arms of Darrin MacLeod in just the second minute. The two continued their personal battle in the seventh minute when Wojcik forced MacLeod into a quality save with a well-struck volley from inside the penalty area.
Wojcik thought he’d given OKC the lead in the 13th minute when he bundled home from a corner kick but the goal was disallowed for a handball by the forward. Wojcik tested MacLeod once again in the 19th minute with a thunderous left-footed strike from the top of the area, but the rookie goalkeeper did well to hold onto the shot.
In the 25th minute, a neat Energy move ended with Miguel Gonzalez finding Jose Angulo whose curled finish was deflected inches over by Liam Doyle. From the ensuing corner, the hosts took the lead as Sam Fink headed the cross down toward Gonzalez who fired home on the turn to make the score 1-0.
Dixon almost added to OKC’s lead in the 31st minute when the speedy winger dribbled at the SPR backline and sent a shot toward the near post that MacLeod was able to tip around the post.
The Energy doubled their lead moments before halftime when Dixon thrashed a low ball across the face of goal that found Angulo lurking with intent, and the OKC forward made no mistake, tapping home his 13th goal of the season to make it 2-0 at the interval.
Dixon produced his second assist of the day and on the season in the 64th minute when his low cross toward the near post found OKC captain Juan Pablo Guzman who produced an impudent flick that trickled into the far corner, making the score 3-0.
SPR looked to hit back moments later when substitute Max Rugova was chopped down 25 yards out, and fellow Sporting KC Academy product Felipe Hernandez stepped up to curl an effort on goal that was comfortably held by C.J. Cochran. In the 70th minute, Hernandez sent in a corner kick from the right that found the head of Oumar Ballo, who nodded narrowly over the bar.
Seconds later, MacLeod produced his best save of the night to deny Dixon who had escaped in on goal and tried to beat the Canadian goalkeeper at his near post.
The Rangers pulled a goal back in the 88th minute when center back Doyle lined up a free kick from 30 yards and unleashed a pile-driver that crashed into the back of the net off the inside of the post. That was as good as it got for the Rangers as Angulo netted his second of the game in the fourth minute of stoppage time to make the final score 4-1.
Next Match
- The Swope Park Rangers return home for their regular-season finale as the side hosts Fan Appreciation Night against Seattle Sounders FC 2 at Swope Soccer Village on Wednesday, Oct. 11. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. CT with the match streamed live on YouTube.com/USL and in-game updates will be available through the team’s Twitter, Facebook and Instagram channels.
Swope Park Rangers vs. OKC Energy FC
October 8, 2017 – Taft Stadium (Oklahoma City, Okla.)
Swope Park Rangers 1, OKC Energy FC 4
Scoring Summary:
OKC – Miguel Gonzalez 7 (Sam Fink 1) 26’
OKC – Jose Angulo 13 (Alex Dixon 1) 44’
OKC – Juan Pablo Guzman 2 (Alex Dixon 2) 64’
SPR – Liam Doyle 2 (Unassisted) 88’
OKC – Jose Angulo 14 (Jonathan Brown 2) 94+
Misconduct Summary:
OKC – Wojciech Wojcik (Yellow Card) 53’
SPR – Parker Maher (Yellow Card) 79’
OKC – Sam Fink (Yellow Card) 85’
Swope Park Rangers: Darrin MacLeod; Colton Storm (Joe Amico 72’), Oumar Ballo, Liam Doyle, Parker Maher; Dakota Barnathan, Kuzain (Cameron Iwasa 46’), Christian Duke ©; Felipe Hernandez, Lebo Moloto, Nansel Selbol (Max Rugova 65’).
Substitutes Not Used: Adrian Zendejas, Will Little, Robert Mirosavic.
STATS: Shots 5, Shots on Goal 2, Corners 4, Fouls 6, Possession 56.9%
OKC Energy FC: C.J. Cochran; Richard Dixon, Kyle Hyland, Sam Fink, Anthony Wallace; Juan Pablo Guzman ©, Alex Dixon (Daniel Gonzalez 82’), Jose Barril (Chad Bond 69’). Miguel Gonzalez; Jose Angulo, Wojciech Wojcik (Jonathan Brown 75’).
Substitutes Not Used: Jacob Lissek, Michael Daly, Luis Martinez, Andy Craven.
STATS: Shots 19, Shots on Goal 10, Corners 8, Fouls 13, Possession 43.1%
