Energy Claim First Win On Gonzalez's Wonder Goal

Miguel Gonzalez scored his first-ever Energy FC regular season goal in amazing fashion to lead OKC to its first regular season win, 1-0, over Sacramento Republic FC Tuesday night at Taft Stadium.

With the match scoreless in the 30th minute, OKC’s Michael Harris inbounded the ball with his characteristic flip throw from nearly 40 yards out into the Sacramento box. Following a high bounce, Gonzalez leapt into a 360-degree bicycle kick that send a line-drive shot into the lower left corner of the Republic FC net, past keeper Evan Newton for what would be Energy FC’s game-winning goal.

Energy FC goalkeeper Cody Laurendi made three saves and claimed two crosses to preserve the win for OKC en route to his first clean sheet of 2017, while former OKC keeper, Newton, tallied a single save.

Seeing action for the first time in 2017, Harris had a team-high 59 touches and created 25 percent of OKC’s scoring chances, while fellow defender Mickey Daly led Energy FC with an 88.9 percent passing accuracy and four tackles.

Dan Trickett-Smith led the way for Sacramento with a team-high three shots and 115 touches.

With the win, Energy FC improved to 1-2-1, while Sacramento suffered its first loss of the season, moving to 3-1-0.

The match marked the first time in 2017 the newly reunited brothers, Miguel and Daniel Gonzalez, started a match together. The brothers previously played together with the Kitsap Pumas of the Premier Development League as recently as 2014, before Daniel arrived in Oklahoma City and Miguel in Colorado Springs.

Energy FC’s next match is a 7:30 p.m. CDT start Saturday, April 29, when the club faces Rio Grande Valley FC Toros at H-E-B Park Stadium in Edinburg, Texas.

OKC’s next home match is a 7 p.m. CDT start Saturday, May 20, when the club welcomes Orange County SC to Taft Stadium.