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Forward Sammy Ochoa returned to Starfire Stadium and scored twice against his former organization in a 2-1 Tulsa triumph over Seattle Sounders FC 2. He notched a pair of goals in a second
straight game by netting in the eighth and 35th minutes as Tulsa raised its record to 2-5-1. S2 is at the bottom of the Western Conference at 1-4-3.
Oalex Anderson, who debuted for
Seattle’s first team this season, scored for S2 in 18th minute. He notched four goals for S2 in 2015.
Ochoa, 29, has bounced between teams in his native Mexico and the U.S. since
starting his pro career with Tecos in 2006. He scored three goals in 17 MLS appearances for the Sounders from 2011 to 2013 and played for Wilmington Hammerheads in 2014 before signing with Tulsa
last season. He led the 'Necks last year in their inaugural season by scoring nine goals.
The Roughnecks rebounded after losing their first game in the Northwest, 3-2, to Vancouver FC 2
Wednesday despite Ochoa's first two goals of 2016.
RIO GRANDE WINS FIRST TEXAS SHOOTOUT.Rob Lovejoy’s goal in stoppage
time thwarted San Antonio FC’s two-goal comeback and provided Rio Grande Valley a dramatic 3-2 victory at Toyota Field in the teams’ first-ever meeting.
A 0-0 game sprang to
life after halftime when Lovejoy and Mauro Manotas scored three minutes apart for a 2-0 RGV lead, but SAFC rallied with goals by Manolo Sanchez in the 79th minute and Shawn Chin
five minutes later. RGV took back the lead and notched a victory by forcing a turnover and setting up a chance that Lovejoy buried.
“I think both coaches would probably need to get
their blood pressure checked at the end of the year,” said SAFC head coach Darren Powell. “That’s what rivalry games are. That’s what you want from rivalry games.
They’re games where you want to create that [atmosphere]. I think that’s good.”
The result improved RGV’s record to 3-2-1. SAFC is 2-3-2. The South Texas rivals
meet again at Toyota Field May 25 and also have two games scheduled at the Toros’ stadium, including the regular-season finale in late September. “You could feel the fight and the energy
from everybody,” said Sanchez. “It’s good that there’s a never-stay-down mentality.”
INDEPENDENCE RINGS LOUD.
Caleb Calvert scored in the 10th minute as Charlotte preserved a 1-0 lead to post its fourth straight victory on Saturday and handed FC Montreal a fourth consecutive loss.
A
free kick by Enzo Martinez set up the chance for Calvert, who nailed a header into the top corner for his third goal, which ties Martinez for the team lead. Charlotte’s victory raised its
record to 5-2-0; FC Montreal (0-6-0) is the only USL team to lose every game in 2016.
Charlotte’s fourth straight win is a team record and during the streak it has outscored
opponents, 9-4, and in beating Montreal recorded its second straight shutout. Last season it won back-to-back games four times. The Independence faces a quick turnaround on the heels of its winning
streak. It plays Tuesday at Wilmington.
USL Standings: EASTERN CONFERENCE: Louisville City 17 points; Charlotte 15;
NY Red Bulls II, Cincinnati 14; Richmond, Rochester, FC 13; Charleston 12; Bethlehem Steel 9; Wilmington, Orlando City B 8; Harrisburg 7; Toronto FC 5; Pittsburgh 3; FC Montreal 0. WESTERN
CONFERENCE: LA Galaxy II 16 points; Whitecaps FC 2 14; Colorado Springs 12; St. Louis FC 11; Sac Republic FC, Rio Grande Valley FC, Timbers 2, Orange County 10; San Antonio FC, Real Monarchs
SLC, Arizona United 8; Swope Park Rangers, Tulsa 7; OKC Energy FC, Sounders FC 2 6.