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Gameday Report: Switchbacks rebound, earn confident win in Tulsa

By USLChampionship.com Staff, 04/23/22, 10:36PM EDT

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Barry, Foster score first-half goals to lead Colorado Springs to 2-0 victory at ONEOK Field

TULSA, Okla. – Hadji Barry scored the opening goal as Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC claimed a 2-0 victory against FC Tulsa on Saturday night at ONEOK Field to continue its strong start to the season while sending the hosts to a third consecutive league defeat.

The hosts had an early pair of chances in the sixth minute when first JJ Williams had a shot blocked by Colorado Springs’ Matt Mahoney before Joaquin Rivas sent a chance on the carom wide of the right post. The Switchbacks took the lead in the 12th minute, however, as 2021 Championship MVP Barry got in behind the Tulsa defense onto a through-ball by Michee Ngalina after a turnover near the halfway line and laced home a finish to the top-left corner for his second goal of the campaign. Ngalina then went close to a second for the visitors as he wove into the right side of the box but was denied by a low save from Tulsa’s Sean Lewis on a shot from a narrow angle, but six minutes before halftime Isaiah Foster doubled Colorado Springs’ lead as he broke onto a through-ball by Zach Zandi and lifted his finish past Lewis into the right side of the net.

Tulsa almost responded less than a minute into the second half when Rivas played Gabriel Torres through on an overlap down the left that the fullback shot across goal only to hit the right post and see the ball stay out, allowing the defense to clear. The hosts were unable to follow up on their early opportunity, however, as Colorado Springs remained in control until 11 minutes to go when Brian Brown almost pulled Tulsa back into the game. The Jamaican forward broke onto a good leading pass into the penalty area from the right by Eric Bird, but his shot back across goal to the right corner was well saved by Switchbacks goalkeeper Jeff Caldwell to keep it a two-goal game.

Brown threatened again for the hosts with a minute to go only for his header to fly off target, and from there the Switchbacks saw out their victory, moving to six wins out of seven so far this regular season campaign in solid fashion.

USLChampionship.com Player of the Match

Michee Ngalina, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC – Ngalina was a handful in the attacking third much of the game, recording one assist, three shots and three chances created while completing 7 of 8 dribbles.

Scoring Summary
COS
– Hadji Barry (Michee Ngalina) 12’
COS – Isaiah Foster (Zach Zandi) 39’

Full Box Score

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