Rangers ready for playoffs

One of the most significant soccer matches ever in Arkansas will be played tonight at Little Rock’s War Memorial Stadium between the Little Rock Rangers and Tulsa Athletic.

Of its five semiprofessional teams in history, it’s the first time an Arkansas team has hosted a playoff match, and a deep playoff run could secure the state’s first appearance in the U.S. Open Cup.

“We’re getting a little bit of a buzz around here,” said Rangers owner and co-founder Jonathan Wardlaw. “We’re going into uncharted territory. Not really know what to expect. It’s a weeknight game, and I want to say we expect a big crowd. It’s the playoffs.”

In the franchise’s third season, the Rangers (7-3) clinched a home playoff game by beating Tulsa Athletic (6-4) Saturday 2-0 at home.

The victory gave Little Rock the No. 2 seed in the Heartland Conference regionals of the National Premier Soccer League’s playoffs, and the Rangers have now won five consecutive matches. They haven’t given up a goal in their last four.

“We’ve got a really strong defensive core,” said Rangers Coach Will Montgomery, who lauded goalkeeper Walid Birrou’s performance. “He’s really taking on the responsibility of our defensive third. We’re really pleased with how they’re training.”

Several of the Rangers players returned from last

season’s team, which lost 1-0 to Tulsa Athletic in the Little Rock franchise’s inaugural playoff appearance.

Tulsa midfielder Joe Garcia, who scored the game-winner in the 82nd minute last season, scored a goal in Tulsa’s 6-1 victory over Little Rock in this year’s season opener May 6 in Oklahoma.

Both teams were eventually tied in the Heartland standings going into Saturday, which set up a nearly identical scenario as last season, when the Rangers traveled to Tulsa to determine which team would host the other in the first round.

In 2017, the Rangers lost the season finale to Tulsa, then lost again in the opening round.

Does that come into memory at all now?

“Oh absolutely,” Montgomery said. “That’s a rival. It intensifies the game. We’re already ready to compete with them.”

Paired with Little Rock’s sturdy defense, forward Alex Guadron leads the South Region with 0.9 goals per game.

Guadron, who played at Yavapai (Ariz.) College, was named NPSL Player of the Week on June 8, after he scored four goals in a 4-3 victory over Demize NPSL.

He scored the go-ahead goal in the 80th minute against Tulsa on Saturday.

“Initially going into the season, he had to adjust to our speed of play,” Montgomery said. “Once he made that adjustment, he saw the opportunities to score and get goals.”

Several opponents, Montgomery said, have pressured Guadron with two defenders.