The Oklahoman

OKC HOSTS COLORADO SPRINGS

- By Ed Godfrey Staff writer egodfrey@oklahoman.com

Oklahoma City Energy FC is set to face Colorado Springs Switchback­s FC at Taft Stadium on Saturday night

Energy to host struggling Switchback­s

Energy FC, coming off a disappoint­ing 1-1 draw last Saturday night to Real Monarchs SLC, will face the struggling Colorado Springs Switchback­s at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Taft Stadium.

The Switchback­s (2-72) have lost four matches in a row by a combined score of 10-2. Their last point came April 20 with a 2-2 draw against Portland Timbers 2. Their last win was March 23 against San Antonio FC.

“Any team in this league can beat anyone,” Energy FC midfielder Rafael Garcia said. “We take every game seriously and treat every team with respect. For us, it's all about what we are doing and what we're trying to accomplish, which is to get three points this weekend.”

EnergyFC coach Steve Cooke said the Switchback­s will bring the fight Saturday night against Oklahoma City.

“As always, they' re a very tough team to play against, very tough to beat, and they have some experience­d players who have been in the league along time ,” he

ENERGY FC VS. COLORADO SPRINGS

Where: Taft Stadium When: 7:30 p.m., Saturday

said. “They're going to give us a real hard game, so we have to be mentally prepared and play with quality again.”

Saturday's night match is the second of a threeg a me h o mes t a n d t h a t began with Real Monarchs stealing a win from Energy F C ( 4 - 4 - 3 ) b y s c o r - ing in the final moments t o salvage of 1 - 1 draw. Garcia said the result was disappoint­ing.

“I thought we deserved the three points,” he said.

Opponents have been s i t t i n g b a c k a g a i n s t Energy FC and denying the attack. Cooke said that is to be expected.

“When you're a team that have scored quite a few goals, home and away, people are going to try and stop that,” Cooke said. “That's normal. Our job is to make sure we are a little more aggressive and positive going forward but that we also stay solid defensivel­y.”

Energy FC sits ninth in the Western Conference standings with 15 points. Colorado Springs is in 17th place with eight points.

 ?? BILLINGS/ THE OKLAHOMAN] ?? Oklahoma City's Mekeil Williams, left, tries to take the ball away from Orange County's Darwin Jones during a USL game in April. The Energy will try to notch three standings points on Saturday against Colorado Springs at Taft Stadium. [NATE
BILLINGS/ THE OKLAHOMAN] Oklahoma City's Mekeil Williams, left, tries to take the ball away from Orange County's Darwin Jones during a USL game in April. The Energy will try to notch three standings points on Saturday against Colorado Springs at Taft Stadium. [NATE

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