OKLAHOMA CITY – Frank Lopez scored a late equalizer for OKC Energy FC as the hosts took a 1-1 draw with Rio Grande Valley FC in an entertaining contest at Taft Stadium on Wednesday night.

The Toros took the lead in the 11th minute when Isidro Martinez found Deshane Beckford with room to advance on the left. The Jamaican nutmegged his initial marker, and then showed great patience as he cut into the penalty area, allowing a defender to slide past a touch inside before firing home from eight yards.

Beckford almost set up a second for RGVFC seven minutes later as he slid a pass through for Garrett McLaughlin, but Energy FC goalkeeper CJ Cochran came off his line quickly and narrowed the angle well to make a big save. Cochran’s opposite number in Toros goalkeeper Paul Blanchette made a key stop of his own just past the half-hour mark as well, standing up to a close-range opportunity for Energy FC’s Arun Basuljevic to keep the visitors ahead.

RGVFC again threatened eight minutes before halftime as a turnover saw Kyle Edwards try to catch Cochran retreating into position from 40 yards only for his effort to slide wide of the left post. Energy FC, meanwhile, created another big opportunity in first-half stoppage time as Jose Hernandez turned cleverly past his defender in the penalty area but fired his shot straight at Blanchette.

Blanchette’s last save of the first half was also his best of the opening stanza, however, as he turned a header by Jaime Chavez onto the crossbar and over deep in stoppage time to send the visitors to the break with a lead. The Toros then almost doubled their advantage early in the second half when James Murphy’s curling shot from 20 yards was tipped over his crossbar by Cochran.

RGVFC continued to threaten in attack as the game opened up during the second half with Robert Castellanos having a header from a corner kick saved by Cochran in the 68th minute. A minute later, McLaughlin got on the end of Taiberson’s cross from the left but sent his finish just wide of the left post.

Energy FC tried to find an equalizer in the closing stages, and a flicked finish from the top of the six-yard area by Lopez was saved by Blanchette with nine minutes to go. Zach Ellis-Hayden also had a long-range effort denied, but with two minute to go Lopez corralled a long throw-in from the right side and ripped home a finish off the underside of the crossbar and into the net to level the score.

OKC almost found a stoppage-time winner when a free kick fell loose in the six-yard area, only for the Toros’ Murphy to react first and scoop a clearance over the crossbar. RGVFC then got an opportunity of its own as Taiberson drove a low cross through the six-yard area only for Martinez’s shot to end up wide of the left post, but neither side found a decisive breakthrough as the points were shared.

USLChampionship.com Man of the Match

Paul Blanchette, Rio Grande Valley FC – Blanchette had a stellar game that was spoiled by OKC’s late equalizer, recording seven saves to keep the visitors in with a chance at victory.