TULSA, Okla. – Austin Bold FC twice rallied from a deficit to earn a 2-2 draw against hosts FC Tulsa on Wednesday night at ONEOK Field that sqw Tulsa set a club record with its sixth consecutive game undefeated, but both sides still separated by only two points in the race for the playoffs in Group D.

Hoping to add to its lead over Bold FC in the Ground D standings, Tulsa almost grabbed the lead inside the opening two minutes. Played into the penalty area by Vangjel Zguro, Rodrigo Da Costa initially had a shot parried by Austin goalkeeper Diego Restrepo. The rebound was sent back on target by Ariel Martinez, only for Bold FC defender Sean McFarlane to have recovered and be on hand to clear the effort from inside the six-yard area.

Austin’s first chance came in the 14th minute when Ema Twumasi got free to deliver a low cross from the left toward Kleber. The Brazilian was squeezed out for space, but the ball deflected to Billy Forbes, whose low shot toward the bottom-right corner just slid wide of the post. The Turks & Caicos international then found the net nine minutes later with a shot from the left side of the area, only for the offside flag to be raised and keep the game scoreless.

It wouldn’t remain that way for long, however, as the hosts struck in the 26th minute. After a good piece of build-up play brought the ball to Dario Suarez on the left side of the field, he picked out the run of Lebo Moloto as he advanced from midfield, and the South African playmaker laced home a finish to the bottom-right corner of the net for his first goal for Tulsa in the Championship.

Bold FC looked to get back on level terms before the halftime break and almost did so in the 42nd minute. Forbes was played in by Twumasi but had his cleanly-hit shot palmed over the crossbar by Tulsa goalkeeper Sean Lewis. Austin forced another big save from Lewis in the first minute of stoppage time as Ish Jome stepped into a shot from just inside the penalty area, but a minute later after the delivery off a short corner on the left sailed all the way to Jome on the right, his cross picked out Fabien Garcia at the near post for a flicked header and an even score at the break.

Tulsa had a pair of chances early in the second half that both fell to Martinez. A low cross from the left by Suarez saw Martinez fire just wide of the left post from eight yards with a first-time effort, and a minute later the Cuban got on the end of a cross by Christian Altamirano and forced a stretching foot-save by Restrepo.

The hosts regained the lead midway through the second half, though, as Matt Sheldon made a good interception to take possession the other way near midfield and found Zguro on the right. His deep cross to the back post was headed back into the center of the penalty area perfectly by Bradley Bourgeois, inviting Suarez to volley home into the right corner of the net.

Tulsa was denied a third on a fine looping finish by Altamirano with 14 minutes to go for an offside call, but with seven minutes to go Austin pulled level again. Awarded a free kick on the left side of the field, McFarlane delivered an in-swinging free kick that eluded everybody in the penalty area and found the right corner of the net to even the score. Tulsa applied more late pressure, including a series of corner kicks in stoppage time that Bold FC dealt with well, but neither side was able to find a late winner to leave the playoff race as tight as when the two kicked off.

USLChampionship.com Man of the Match

Dario Suarez, FC Tulsa – Suarez recorded a goal and assist for the hosts while also recording three key passes and completing 18 of 20 passes overall in a positive attacking display.