Energy cruises, clinches USL playoff berth

Thanks to a third straight decisive win, the Oklahoma City Energy now are in the United Soccer League playoffs. Now the question is, how high can it rise in the standings?

The Energy dominated on Sunday against the Swope Park Rangers, riding goals by Miguel Gonzalez, Jose Angulo (two) and Juan Pablo Guzman to a 4-1 win at Taft Stadium. The win not only sealed a playoff spot for Oklahoma City for the third straight year, but moved the Energy into seventh place in the Western Conference, with the possibility of rising to sixth in the final week of the season.

Oklahoma City (1311-7) has 46 standings points, tied with sixthplace Tulsa. Each team has one game remaining – Tulsa at home on Saturday against Colorado Springs (which was eliminated from playoff contention with the Energy’s win) and Oklahoma City at home next Sunday against Seattle Sounders II. Sacramento, with 45 points, is in eighth place and will visit Reno 1868 on Saturday.

The Energy is hitting its offensive stride at the right time, having scored at least three goals in three consecutive games for the first time in the franchise’s four-year history. Oklahoma City’s three-game winning streak is its second-longest of the season and its four goals on Sunday marked only the third time in 2017 that the Energy has scored four or more goals.

“We’re in good form right now,” Oklahoma City coach Jimmy Nielsen said. “We’re playing well. We’re getting good results. Players are playing with confidence and belief. No matter who we throw out there, they’re playing their best at the moment. This is the time of the year when you want that form. We are a tough team to deal with for the opponent. We defend extremely well and we are dangerous coming forward.”

Swope Park (16-8-7) had plenty for which to play, with the Rangers locked in a four-way battle for three hosting spots in the playoffs. Swope Park had beaten the Energy twice this season in Kansas City, Mo., 3-1 and 2-0, but this time, Oklahoma City was the aggressor from start to finish, outshooting the Rangers 19-5 and taking eight corner kicks to Swope Park’s four.

“We know Swope is a very aggressive team and I think everyone was buzzing from the get-go to set the tone,” Guzman said. “You could see it the whole game. We wanted to score and every time we went forward, it was dangerous.”

With a stiff south wind at their back in the first half, the Energy outshot Swope Park 12-1 and recorded seven corner kicks while the Rangers had one. Soon enough, the goals began coming. In the 26th minute, Anthony Wallace took a corner kick, which Angulo headed down to Gonzalez, who unleashed a mini-bicycle kick to put the ball past Swope Park goalkeeper Darrin MacLeod.

Angulo made it 2-0 in the 44th minute. Gonzalez took possession about 35 yards out in the middle of the field and sent it to Alex Dixon in the penalty box. Dixon drove the ball toward the end line before crossing the ball in front of the net, where Angulo – the reigning USL player of the week – scored from inside the 6-yard box.

Dixon also assisted on Guzman’s goal in the 64th minute, sending a cross in from the right side into the 6-yard box, from where Guzman tapped it into the net with his back heel.

Swope Park’s Liam Doyle buried a 35-yard free kick in the 88th minute to allow the Rangers to avoid the shutout, but in the match’s waning seconds, Angulo put away a feed from Jonathan Brown. It was Angulo’s 14th goal of the season, with 10 of those coming with the Energy.

“We’re going through a hot streak right now,” Angulo said. “It’s good timing.”

Despite giving up four goals, MacLeod still played well, making six saves. Oklahoma City goalkeeper C.J. Cochran made one save.