FC Tulsa Kicks off USL Jägermeister Cup against One Knoxville SC

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USL FC Tulsa

FC Tulsa Kicks off USL Jägermeister Cup against One Knoxville SC

April 25, 2025 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
FC Tulsa News Release


FC Tulsa will make its inaugural appearance in the USL Jägermeister Cup on Saturday, taking on USL League One opponent One Knoxville SC at the newly opened Covenant Health Park in Knoxville, Tennessee. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. CT, with live coverage on ESPN+.

GAME INFORMATION

FC Tulsa (4-2-0, 12 points) at One Knoxville SC (3-0-1, 10 points)

Saturday, April 26, 2025

Covenant Health Park - Knoxville, Tenn.

6 p.m. CT | ESPN+

Tulsa enters the competition in strong form, sitting second in the USL Championship's Western Conference with a 4-2-0 record (12 points). One Knoxville, meanwhile, is off to an impressive start of its own, posting a 3-0-1 mark (10 points) and standing as the lone unbeaten team in USL League One.

Saturday's match marks the USL Championship's introduction to the newly launched USL Jägermeister Cup. The tournament features six regional groups, each consisting of six or seven teams based on league or conference affiliation. Every team will play four group-stage matches, two at home and two away, with home sites determined by random draw. Group play runs from April 26 through the weekend of July 26, followed by single-elimination knockout rounds and a final scheduled for the weekend of October 4.

FC Tulsa and One Knoxville are part of Group 3, along with Championship sides Birmingham Legion FC and Indy Eleven and League One clubs Chattanooga Red Wolves SC and Forward Madison FC.

Tulsa heads into its Cup debut fresh off its largest win since 2023 - a 4-1 road victory over Las Vegas Lights FC. The performance turned heads across the league, with head coach Luke Spencer, defender Arthur Rogers, and forward Taylor Calheira all earning Team of the Week honors. Midfielder Stefan Lukic and goalkeeper Johan Peñaranda were also recognized with the USL Championship's Goal and Save of the Week awards, respectively.

Defining Defense

FC Tulsa has emerged as one of the league's top defensive units to start the season. Through six matches, the club leads the USL Championship in both goals allowed (4) and goals-against average (0.67).

Goalkeepers Johan Peñaranda and Bryan Dowd have combined for three clean sheets, two for Peñaranda, one for Dowd, providing reliable depth and consistency in net. That stability has played a key role in Tulsa's early-season success.

Peñaranda, who returned to action last week, turned away the club's highest expected goals (xG) against this season (1.93) and currently leads the league in save percentage at 91.7%. Tulsa also ranks first in overall team save percentage, tied at 82.4%.

World Wide Web

FC Tulsa enters Saturday's match just two weeks removed from acquiring South African midfielder Jamie Webber - one of the most high-profile incoming transfers in USL Championship history.

Valued at €1 million by TransferMarkt, Webber holds the distinction of being the league's highest-valued player. The 27-year-old made his debut with Tulsa in a 4-1 win over Las Vegas Lights FC, logging 18 minutes off the bench.

Webber arrives from Sekhukhune United F.C. of South Africa's top-tier DStv Premiership, where he established himself as a midfield mainstay since 2018. He recorded four goals in his most recent 25-match campaign and has totaled 129 league appearances in his career. A proven leader and playmaker, Webber has also featured for the South African national team.

He's the second international signing for Tulsa this month, joining forward Al Hassan Toure, who debuted on April 4 against Phoenix Rising FC. Toure nearly made an immediate impact, missing a dramatic match-winning header in the 104th minute by mere inches.

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