FC Tucson’s improbable run to — and through — the USL League One playoffs ended Saturday at the hands (and feet) of the tournament’s top seed.
Union Omaha’s Evan Conway scored three minutes into the match and the Owls piled on five more goals on the way to 6-1 win over the Men in Black in a semifinal match at Werner Park. Union Omaha outshot FC Tucson 28-8, with 16 of the Owls’ shots on target. Exactly 20 of the home team’s shots came from inside the box. Omaha attempted nine corner kicks to Tucson’s two.
FC Tucson played the final 58 minutes with 10 men after Maxi Schenfeld was shown a red card for violent conduct in the 32nd minute, shortly after Conway gave Omaha a 2-0 lead with his second goal of the match. Omaha took advantage of the booking, scoring twice in the first 10 minutes of the second half to make it 4-0.
Charlie Dennis scored the Men in Black’s only goal, sending one home in the 63rd minute. Austin Panchot built Omaha’s lead back up to four goals when he found the net seven minutes later. Emir Alihodzic goal in the 83rd minute capped scoring for the host Owls. It was a rare rout in what has become one of the league’s top rivalries.
Omaha beat the Men in Black three times during the regular season, all by one goal. FC Tucson won 1-0 in Nebraska on Sept. 28.
Omaha advances to play the winner of Saturday night’s match between Greenville Triumph SC and the Chattanooga Red Wolves SC for the USL League One title.
Saturday’s loss marks the end of a remarkable turnaround for FC Tucson. The club started the six-month USL League One season 2-4-3, the parted ways with coach John Galas. Ownership replaced Galas with Jon Pearlman, one of the club’s original founders and a member of this year’s front office. Pearlman tweaked his lineup, adding key players, and allowed Dennis to lead the team offensively. The club caught fire, and Pearlman was named full-time coach.
An Oct. 30 win placed the Men in Black in the USL League One playoffs, and a late goal by Deri Corfe helped the club advance past the Richmond Kickers in last week’s playoff opener at Kino North Stadium. The club finishes the 2011 season 12-11-7, but was 10-7-4 on Pearlman’s watch.
