König Focused On Playoff Push After Tying Record
In front of a sellout crowd of 6,089 fans at Taft Stadium, OKC Energy FC not only clinched a place in the playoffs, but took pole position in the race for first place in the USL’s Western Conference with a 2-0 victory against the Austin Aztex.
Add Danni König’s 20th goal of the season, tying the USL regular-season record set by Kevin Molino last year, and there was a lot to celebrate for The Grid, and the club overall.
For his part, though, König was more focused on the result than tying Molino’s record. With another big game coming up against an in-form Real Monarchs SLC side on Wednesday night, König said he’s more focused on getting results, and earning a strong position for the playoffs.
“We haven’t talked about the record,” König admitted after the game. “Some guys said congrats now, but I want to enjoy the record after the season. When the season’s over, I’ll be glad to say I’m happy about it, but right now I’m focusing on the team.”
A clever piece of creativity between Sebastian Dalgaard put Energy FC on top late in the first half, as he and Christian Duke slide a pair of passes that send Dalgaard into the left side of the penalty area. Dalgaard then finished into the far corner past Aztex goalkeeper Cody Laurendi to make it 1-0.
“It kind of just happens sometime, I didn’t really think about it,” Dalgaard said. “I was just trying to dribble my man, and Dukie was right there and he laid if off to me. I got a good touch inside the box and got a good hit on it.”
Laurendi and his Energy FC counterpart Evan Newton both put in good performances as the Aztex goalkeeper recorded nine saves to keep his side in it with a chance of an equalizer in the second half. Newton was up to the Aztex’s pressure, however, as he recorded a five-save shutout for his ninth clean sheet of the season.
“I felt good. It’s my job to keep us in it, and I was fortunate enough that I was able to do that tonight,” Newton said. “We held on and got the goals we needed, Sebastian with a great finish, Danni with a great finish, and I thought [Daniel] Gonzalez came on and gave us a huge spark, and we battled.”
König wrapped up the win with two minutes to go as he curled home a shot off Chuy Sanchez’s pass at the top of the penalty area. The 28-year-old Danish forward now has four games remaining to break Molino’s record, and hold off Louisville’s Matt Fondy and Pittsburgh’s Rob Vincent for the league’s Golden Boot this season.
More importantly for König, though, is the ability for Energy FC to control its own destiny as it looks for the top seed in the USL’s Western Conference Playoffs.
“We need to be in a good place for the playoffs so we can get some home games,” König said. “That’s what I’m thinking about right now.”Blues Give Wyss Birthday Treat In Win Against T2
As far as birthdays go, Orange County Blues FC’s Oliver Wyss couldn’t have had much better.
Appointed as the club’s General Manager to add to his head coaching duties in midweek, Wyss celebrated his 41st birthday as the Blues took a 3-1 victory against the Portland Timbers 2 and moved within one victory of a return to the USL Playoffs in the Western Conference.
With the club also hosting a charity night with Soccer For Hope, Wyss was delighted with what proved to be a great night all around for the club.
“Most meaningful is Soccer For Hope Night, and that people understand that this is all about that this is a franchise, but we care more than just about winning – we care about our community and giving back,” Wyss said. “[My] birthday is one of many that will come, but it is a little bit sweeter, obviously, and I’ll remember that for a long time.”
The Blues got a pair of goals from Chris Cortez, and a pair of assists from recent addition David Estrada, as they cruised past T2, which saw its playoff hopes take a severe blow with not only their defeat, but also Sacramento’s victory against Tulsa. Portland is now six points out of sixth position, with only three games remaining.
For Orange County, though, the performance of Cortez and Estrada – called in late after Pavle Popara sat out as a precaution with an injury – put in an excellent attacking performance.
“Chris is a leader of this team, he’s one of the older players on the team, I wanted him to lead and he showed us that he’s a great leader,” Wyss said. “David showed today why we were fortunate to get him at this point in time.”
The Blues next face a big game in the I-405 Derby as they welcome the LA Galaxy II to Anteater Stadium. With not only a chance to clinch a playoff place in view, but also the chance to jump past their regional rival, Wyss is looking for more of the same that his side showed against Portland.
“We wanted to come back and show our fans that we’re truly a team that is a contender for the USL Championship, and first and foremost the playoffs, so it feels very, very good,” Wyss said. “The players played fantastically, executed the game plan, fantastic training week, great results.”
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