Roughnecks roll Toros

Roughneck Joey Calistri lines up goal. Photo: Lori Scholl

TULSA, OK— Sometimes one goal is all you need, and Joey Calistri met that need for the Tulsa Roughnecks FC as they battled the RGV Toros FC to a 1-0 decision at ONEOK Field in front of 3,015 on Saturday night.

Calistri took a lead pass from Ian Svantesson in the 31st minute and punched it past Toros goalkeeper Borja Angorita for what was the only goal of the match.  Goalkeeper Bryan Byars posted his first clean sheet of the season, making eight saves in the shutout. 

With the win, the Roughnecks sit atop the USL Western Conference with a 2-0-0 record.

Calistri is one of three players on loan from Major League Soccer's Chicago Fire, the Major League Soccer affiliate for the Roughnecks.

The goal was the second professional goal for the Northwestern University product.  He scored his first pro goal last year in the MLS for the Fire.

"Calistri has been playing very well," Vaudreuil said. "He's been getting behind, setting up guys and getting lots of looks at the goal. He is someone we think, with more repetition, is going to keep getting chances, keep scoring goals and keep getting assists.  We are extremely happy with him."

Roughneck Goalie Bryan Byars  Photo Lori Scholl

Overall Coach Vaudreuil is pleased with the fast start of his team.

"As a coach, it's great having won our first two games," Roughnecks head coach David Vaudreuil said. "Rio Grande Valley gave us a lot of problems and they were playing between the lines. You can tell they've been together and well drilled tactically, and it took us the entire first half to adjust and figure out how to hold them defensively. But we were dangerous and stuck to our game and created a good chance to score."

On a historical note, Saturdays’ match happened on the 39th anniversary of the very first professional soccer match in Tulsa history.  On April 1st 1978, the Tulsa Roughnecks of the North American Soccer League (NASL) hosted the Detroit Express and lost 2-1.

Next Saturday the Roughnecks will host Sacramento Republic FC at ONEOK Field with the kickoff set for 7pm.