Reno plays down a man for final hour in Oklahoma City, falls 1-0 on ESPN3
A controversial red card in the 29th minute factored heavily on Wednesday night as Reno 1868 FC saw its six-match unbeaten streak end with a 1-0 loss at Oklahoma City.
The defeat dropped Reno to 8-5-6 on the season and 3-4-2 in matches away from Greater Nevada Field. Oklahoma City entered in 10th place in the Western Conference, on the outside of the playoff picture, and moved into a tie with Tulsa for seventh place at 7-8-5.
The box score suggests Reno lost in the 62nd minute when Jose Angulo dribbled through a couple defenders and slid what ended up being the game winner inside the near post. But for Reno, the game was lost in the first half when a phantom red card left the away side down a man for the final hour.
Highlights: Relive the best moments of @EnergyFC‘s 1-0 win over @Reno1868FC. #OKCvRNO pic.twitter.com/xfVdJ1vflB
— USL (@USL) August 3, 2017
Playing with Reno for the first time, San Jose Earthquakes midfielder Fatai Alashe poked the ball away from Jose Barril and out of bounds. He casually touched Barril in the back of the neck once the play was over. Barril took offense to the touch and immediately shoved Alashe, the fourth overall pick in the 2015 draft, in the chest.
The referee jogged over and pulled the red card, ending Alashe’s night.
“The red card tonight … was easily the worst call I have ever seen in my 20-plus years,” Reno 1868 FC General Manger Andy Smith tweeted after the match. “(The) USL should be embarrassed. I am.”
The result came just three days after the best win in franchise history, a resounding 4-1 win at Swope Park in Kansas City. Wednesday’s match was Reno’s first to be nationally broadcast. ESPN3 streamed the contest as USL’s Game of the Week. Reno’s home meeting with Oklahoma City on Sept. 20 will also be streamed on ESPN3.
Reno concludes the three-game road trip on Saturday night at Tulsa (8-8-2).
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