MEMPHIS, Tenn. – OKC Energy FC played more than an hour down to 10 men but emerged with a 1-0 victory against Memphis 901 FC on Wednesday night at AutoZone Park as Villyan Bijev’s 10th goal of the season early in the second half and a seven-save shutout by goalkeeper CJ Cochran gave the visitors victory and sole possession of fourth place in the USL Championship’s Central Division.

OKC had an early half-chance in the 11th minute as a deep cross from the right by Zach Ellis-Hayden wasn’t cleanly handled by Memphis goalkeeper Cody Cropper as he stretched to try and claim, allowing the ball to fall to Seyi Adekoya, who couldn’t quite feed Bijev for a shot 10 yards from goal. Less than 30 seconds later 901 FC countered as Mark Segbers fed a through-ball for Kadeem Dacres that the winger controlled in the right side of the penalty area before cutting onto his left foot past a defender and shooting into the side-netting.

901 FC’s Laurent Kissiedou – whose red card in the last meeting between the sides proved critical – also had a long-range shot in the 15th minute that was saved by Cochran, but nine minutes later Energy FC was reduced to 10 men as Ellis-Hayden came in heavily on Andre Fortune III and was shown a red card. Memphis looked to take advantage and in the 34th minute the first chance fell on the night to leading scorer Kyle Murphy, whose low shot from the left side of the penalty area was also saved.

Despite being down a man, though, Energy FC took the lead two minutes into the second half as Villyan Bijev notched his 10th goal of the season. After clearing a dangerous moment at their own end the visitors sprang out on the counterattack with a ball over the top to Deklan Wynne down the left, and the New Zealand international cut back a cross that picked out Bijev, who navigated past a defender and shot into the left corner of the net.

Needing a win to close the gap to the postseason positions, Memphis redoubled their efforts and Trinidad and Tobago international Dre Fortune forced a save from Cochran 10 minutes into the second half before Niall Logue zipped a long-range shot from 35 yards that needed a good tip over the crossbar by the OKC goalkeeper as it flew toward the top-left corner. Kissiedou then fired a low shot in the 64th minute that Cochran parried low to his right before his defense did enough to get in the way of Roland Lamah’s chance on the rebound, hustling the ball wide for a corner.

Both Kissiedou and Dacres had efforts as the game entered the final 20 minutes, the latter forcing a low save by Cochran as Dacres cut in from the right for a low left-footed shot, while with 11 minutes to go Murphy beat Cochran to a cross from the right by Dacres only for his header to go just wide of the left post. A minute later, Lamah lifted a ball into the penalty area from the left that drifted and hit the crossbar, a sign of just how out of luck the hosts seemed to be.

That continued to be the case in the 85th minute when Segbers wove into the right side of the penalty area and cut back a low pass that Michael Salazar controlled and then flicked goalward, only for Cochran to stay big and turn the ball wide of the post. Murphy had one final chance in stoppage time to earn the hosts a point, but his header went wide of the right post, allowing Energy FC to hold on for a crucial win on the road.

USLChampionship.com Man of the Match

CJ Cochran, OKC Energy FC – Cochran came up with crucial saves, especially after Energy FC took the lead, to preserve the win with a seven-save shutout, his seventh of the season.

Scoring Summary
OKC – Villyan Bijev (Deklan Wynne) 47’

Full Box Score