Energy FC enters home stretch of season

It' s make or break time for Energy FC.

Oklahoma City hosts Austin BoldFC Saturday night in a match that begins a critical stretch of games to finish the regular season. With only nine games remaining, Energy F Ci sc lingin gtoeigh thin the tightly bundled US L Championship Western Conference standings, holding the final playoff spot.

"Everybody t hat we play from here on out are the teams that are within either one of two wins of us or one or two losses of us ," Energy FCgoalkee per Cody Lauren di said ." Every game now is amplified."

Energy F C (8-89) either could host a first-round playoff game or miss the playoffs entirely depending on the outcomes of the next nine matches. It begins with Austin Bold FC, a club that defeated Energy FC 2-1 in Texas earlier this year.

Des horn Brown put Energy FC on t op 1 - 0 in that match before Austin Bold scored two goals in the second half to snatch the victory.

"We definitely owe them one ," Lauren di said ." We are coming in at a good moment. Obviously last weekend was a fantastic result for us."

Energy F Cr allied defeat the Portland Timbers 4-2 on the road last weekend. It was the first time in club history Oklahoma City has overcome a halftime deficit to claim all three points.

Austin Bold (108-6) is currently fourth in the Western Conference standin gs but only three points ahead of Energy F C. Austin BoldFC is coming off a 5-1 thrashing of Tulsa last weekend.

"We trained well all week and we are looking to keep this momentum going," Laurendi said. "Austin is an interesting team because they have at on of ex perience, much like us ."

Energy F Cw ill be without Josh Garcia on Saturday after the midfielder from U.S. Grant High School was called up to the Dominican Republic national team for a friendly against the United Arab Emirates on Aug. 30 and two Concacaf Nations League matches against Montserrat on Sept. 7 and El Salvador on Sept. 10.