The weather may be cooling down, but FC Tucson has remained red-hot.
Last weekend, the Men In Black (9-8-6) beat Union Omaha 1-0 to extend their unbeaten streak to seven matches. It was Union Omaha’s first home loss of the season.
FC Tucson has climbed to third place in the USL League One standings after being near the bottom earlier in the season. The Men in Black are in position to host a playoff match and are vying for a bye in the six-team postseason.
The club begins a crucial final month of the regular season on Saturday, when it hosts North Texas SC (7-7-9) at 7 p.m.
“It’s just such a massive three points,” FC Tucson interim coach Jon Pearlman said of the win. “I mean, no one’s gone (to Omaha) and gotten three points and so to do that, and it was a hostile crown of nearly 5,000, so the level of effort and concentration taken in those waning moments and (FC Tucson goalkeeper) Wallis (Lapsley) was tremendous. The whole back four in general on the day was just very brave.
"I don’t think it was our best-playing game but … for us to come out with that is absolutely tremendous.”
The win marked a bit of payback. FC Tucson’s last loss came Aug. 14 to Union Omaha in Tucson. The match's only score came on an own-goal by FC Tucson. Since then, they've beaten Fort Lauderdale CF, Greenville Triumph SC and New England Revolution II, tied with North Texas SC, topped Fort Lauderdale in Tucson, tied with the Triumph and upset Union Omaha on the road.
FC Tucson leads the league in goals with 35, and the club's defense is now shining. The Men in Black have four shutouts — three coming during their current undefeated streak.
“It’s always good to not concede goals,” said FC Tucson defender Maximiliano Schenfeld. “If we keep doing that, we’re going to have many opportunities.”
FC Tucson midfielder João Delgado and Schenfeld were named to the USL League One Team of the Week for Week 25. It’s the second straight team of the week selection for Schenfeld.
Midfielder Charlie Dennis and forward Shak Adams are tied for seventh in the league with seven goals. Dennis is tied for third in assists with six and has four goals in the last two games.
Lapsley is tied for second in saves with 61.
Part of what makes FC Tucson's streak special is the fact that it's occurred almost entirely on the road, and in distant locales like Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Foxborough, Massachusetts; and Greenville, South Carolina. The team has played just two home matches since Aug. 14.
Four of the Men In Black’s final five regular-season matches will be played at Kino North Stadium.
“Traveling with the team is always good for the bonding, to get a bit closer to each other, but of course it’s more comfortable being around our fans, our community and we happy to come back and play with our fans,” Delgado said.
