EL PASO, Texas – El Paso Locomotive FC (1-3-1, 4 points, West-6) split the points on the road with a 2-2 scoreline against FC Tulsa. Forward Luis “Lucho” Solignac scored both goals for El Paso and became the club’s all-time leading goal scorer (28 goals) in the regular season.
The match got off to a slow start, both sides going back and forth trying to find opportunities to get on the scoresheet first. Tulsa would be the first to break the deadlock in the 33rd minute, with Tulsa’s Rodrigo da Costa sending a ball over the hands of Locomotive goalkeeper Benny Diaz from just outside the penalty area.
However, Tulsa’s lead was short-lived. Five minutes later, forward Ricardo Zacarias regained possession of the ball at the corner of the 18-yard box and ran in towards the goal to force the goalkeeper off his line. Rather than taking shot, Zacarias would send a short pass across to forward Luis “Lucho” Solignac, who slotted the ball into an open net.
Coming back out in the second half, a 68th minute passing error by the Tulsa backline resulted in Solignac regaining possession of the ball for El Paso. The ball eventually ended up at the feet of midfielder Eric Calvillo, who made a quick pass to an open Solignac. Controlling the ball with a single touch in the penalty box arc, Solignac shot a rocket with his left foot past the outstretched hands of Tulsa goalkeeper Austin Wormell.
Solignac’s second goal gave El Paso the lead and would see him become Locomotive’s all-time leading goal scorer in the USL Championship regular season with 28 goals, surpassing fellow forward Aaron Gomez (27).
Speaking of Gomez, the forward came into the match as a second-half substitute in the 62′. As a result, he became the first player in Locomotive history to make 100 appearances in the regular season.
All was lining up for El Paso to come back home with another win, but a heartbreaking stoppage time goal from Tulsa would deny Locomotive the three points.
Still, Los Locos remain undefeated in all competitions against FC Tulsa, with the record now at 3-0-3 (2-0-1 at ONEOK Field). Locomotive return to El Paso with a point and move up into sixth in the Western Conference.
UP NEXT: Wednesday, April 5 at Union Omaha. Kickoff 6 p.m. MT @ Morrison Stadium. Los Locosmake the trip to Omaha, Nebraska for a second-round matchup in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, looking to get their first-ever victory in the historic tournament.