USL PRO Game Report
Saturday, July 12, 2014
OKLAHOMA CITY – Adda Djeziri recorded two assists and a team-high two shots as OKC Energy FC extended its current unbeaten streak to seven games by blanking the Pittsburgh Riverhounds 2-0 on Saturday night in front of 3,619 fans at Pribil Stadium.
Djeziri’s first assist put Energy FC up 1-0 in the fifth minute. After a foul near the corner of the Riverhounds’ penalty area, Djeziri sent a free kick to the front of the Pittsburgh goal, where Michael Thomas headed it past Riverhounds goalkeeper Mike Lisch for his third goal of the season.
OKC extended its lead in the 19th minute when Djeziri stole the ball from Pittsburgh defender Alfonso Motagalvan 25 yards in front of the Riverhounds’ net. Djeziri found Dan Delgado just outside of the Pittsburgh six-yard area, where Delgado fired a shot that deflected off Motagalvan and into the Pittsburgh goal for his first goal for Energy FC.
In what was his second start of the season, Energy FC goalkeeper Samir Badr made two saves, including a diving stop on a headed corner kick by Pittsburgh's Jose Angulo in the 49th minute. Badr earned his first clean sheet of the season with the 2-0 win.
The Riverhounds outshot Energy FC 13-8, 11 of which came in the second half. Despite managing fewer total shots than Pittsburgh, OKC doubled the Riverhounds in shots on goal, 4-2.
With the win, Energy FC improved to 6-7-3 on the season and retained the eighth and final playoff position in the USL PRO standings, while the Riverhounds fell to 3-10-5. Energy FC’s next game is 7 p.m. CT on Thursday, July 17, against Arizona United SC at Pribil Stadium.