One week after suffering a heartbreaking loss, FC Tucson is back home and looking to make a breakthrough.
The last-place club will try to pick up its first USL League One home win of the year on Saturday, when it hosts the ninth-place Charlotte Independence at Kino North Stadium.
FC Tucson (3-8-4) fell at defending USL League One champion Union Omaha 2-1 last week, surrendering the game-winning goal in stoppage time. Tucson hasn’t won a match since June 25, when it beat the Charlotte Red Wolves by a goal.
“It’s difficult,” coach Jon Pearlman said. “We’ve lost nine matches if you include the (U.S.) Open Cup, and seven of them have been by one goal and two of them have been in injury time.
“So it’s never gonna be easy to swallow losses that way.”
Pearlman noted there were “a lot of good things to take away” from the showdown against Omaha. Jacob Crull was named to the USL League One team of the week after scoring the equalizer for FC Tucson against his former team.
However, an errant pass from Crull led to Omaha’s match-winning goal.
“We’re a moment, a step, a break away from turning things around. I really believe that,” Pearlman said. “The margins suggest that. We’ve defended well over the last bunch of games. Yeah it’s a heartbreaking way to go out but we’re on to Charlotte and Jake Crull is a tremendous player and we lose as a team, we win as a team and we move forward as a team, so I’m just excited for this match.”
FC Tucson coach Jon Pearlman says its been "difficult" to endure close losses this season."We’ve lost nine matches if you include the (U.S.) Open Cup, and seven of them have been by one goal and two of them have been in injury time," he said.
The Independence are 5-7-4 heading into Saturday’s match. The Independence’s goal differential of minus-10 is worst in the 11-team USL League One. FC Tucson’s mark of minus-9 is 10th.
Academy impressing
FC Tucson’s USL Academy team has impressed Pearlman.
The academy team (1-3-2) plays its last home match of the season on Sunday at 10 a.m. against Orange County SC at Kino North Stadium. Admission will be free.
Pearlman noted that, despite its record, the academy team has improved throughout the season. It lost to the Loyal in San Diego, for instance, only to then draw with the Loyal at home.
“We’re the only League One team in a league filled with USL Championship teams and teams that were top playoff teams,” Pearlman said. “Most importantly, you see our young guys play and develop and have that opportunity to play in the stadium.”
Local led the way in the academy team’s 2-1 win against El Paso in Texas. FC Tucson Youth alum and forward Ruben Bonilla, midfielder Jerod Allen, who is from Vail, and Tucson High alumnus and goalkeeper Emiliano Andreaux all helped propel the academy club to a win.
Wynding road
Midfielder Elijah Wynder returned to Louisville City of USL Championship this week. He had been on loan with FC Tucson.
Although his Tucson tenure was slowed by an injury in the preseason, he impressed Pearlman.
“He’s a great kid, a good competitor, I think he’s gonna be a good pro,” Pearlman said.
