Three different players scored for the Midland-Odessa Sockers FC, which defeated the Tulsa Athletics 3-1 on Wednesday in a Lamar Hunt US Open Cup First Round game at Grande Communications Stadium.
Walker Hume (16th minute) and Andrew Lopez (35th) netted first-half goals for the Premier Development League’s Sockers, who made their Open Cup debut, and Scott Smith provided the needed breathing room with his 86th minute goal.
Smith’s tally, birthed out of a challenge on Athletics’ goalkeeper Ben La Corsa by Tucker Hume, pushed the Sockers’ lead back to two goals after Jake Schmoker’s stunning shot from 35 yards away from the net sliced into the deficit in the 77th minute.
“Coming out here and getting three goals and allowing one really nice goal from them was a good performance,” said Tucker Hume, who had two assists. “I thought it was a good overall effort from the team and a good starting point.”
Sockers FC advances to face the United Soccer League’s Oklahoma City Energy FC at 7:30 p.m. CDT on May 20 in Midland.
Tulsa, out of the National Premier Soccer League, was out on the front foot in the early stages of the game. Walker Hume’s goal, which stemmed from the Athletics’ inability to clear a corner kick, shifted the run of play toward the Sockers for the rest of the opening half.
Sockers’ keeper Joseph Melong saved Levi Coleman’s penalty kick two minutes after halftime.
Melong finished with five saves. La Corsa came away with six stops.