T2 Nearly Complete Comeback but Fall Short to Energy in Goal Frenzy

Oklahoma City got off to a hot start netting the opener in the 19th minute and following that up with 3 more across 5 minutes. Giving them the most goals the team has scored this season and their lead scorer Danni Konig the first hat trick in their team's history. It also put Danni Konig in sole possession of the lead for the USL golden boot. George Fochive gave T2 hope going into the break as he got one back for the home team on the last kick of the half.

In the 19th minute, Danni Konig opened the scoring with a simple header into an open net. After a corner was only cleared out to the center circle the ball got out to Pete Toth on the near side who sent in a cross to an unmarked Danni Konig at the back post. Both defenders and Jake Gleeson were ball watching and didn't seem to notice Danni Konig until the ball was in the net.

After that, Oklahoma City continued to slice and dice the T2 defense by adding 3 more. In the 29th minute, Kyle Greig scored the second goal after beating Anthony Manning to a cross from Christian Duke sent in from the far side. And right after that in the 31st minute, Danni Konig made it 3-0 when another cross was sent in and could not be cleared by Taylor Peay. Danni was just waiting right there and tapped in the loose ball from close range. And he completed his hat trick in the 34th minute when Gleeson only parried a shot into the path of Konig who easily tapped the ball into the empty net.

T2 tried all half to get something and they had a number of valiant chances either snuffed out by an organized Oklahoma City defense or the linesman's offside flag. However, they couldn't be kept off the board as George Fochive gave them some hope at the stroke of half time. Fochive got the ball and dribbled towards the top of the box where he wanted to pass to Fatawu but the lane was cutoff. He cut back to get himself an opening and sent a right footed shot into the bottom left corner from the top of the box. It was the last kick of the first half as the whistle blew right at the restart, but Fochive's strike gave T2 hope and energy going into the second.

After the break, T2 started off the second half as perfectly as you could hope for any team. Only 21 seconds into the half, Fochive made it a game by reducing their deficit down to two goals. Right from kickoff Belmar found himself with the ball up near the endline and cut it back to Nanchoff who crossed into the top of the box where Fochive found the ball and ripped a right footed blast into the bottom left corner. Oklahoma's keeper Evan Newton went full stretch and may have gotten a fingertip to it but the blast was too strong and found itself nestled in the back of the net.

Brand new first team acquisition, Michael Seaton, was subbed on for Kharlton Belmar later on in the second half making his T2 debut in front of the home crowd. A home crowd that stayed until the bitter end cheering and willing their team forward to get something out of this match. After working some nerves out of his system, Seaton put a stamp on his debut by scoring and bringing it to a one goal game with 11 minutes and stoppage time to go.

In the 79th minute, Nanchoff got the ball and laid it off to Seaton who dribbled through two defenders and took a shot that nutmegged Evan Newton and found the ball in the back of the net for Portland's third goal of the night. And after T2 got three goals back, it really looked like they could complete the comeback. At this point, Oklahoma City dropped 10 men behind the ball and parked the bus as they fought hard to keep T2 from getting that 4th goal. Also using all the time wasting techniques in the book, Oklahoma weathered the onslaught of T2 as the home team tried desperately to satisfy the fans' desire for the 8th goal of the game and the equalizer.

Through hard work, determination, and a valiant effort T2 made a game of it. But Oklahoma City's 4 goal slaughter of the T2 defense in the first half was enough to leave with three points. Oklahoma City extended their unbeaten run to 7 games and T2 will now host Whitecaps 2 in the second of their three game home stand. Whitecaps 2 will come back to Portland on Sunday, August 16th with a 7pm kickoff here at Merlo Field.