LEXINGTON, Ky. — Lexington Sporting Club is just one win away from clinching the first playoff berth in LSC men’s history, and it has the chance to do so in front of its home fans Friday night. The club hosts FC Tulsa for the Year of the Horse home finale, presented by Central Bank, and it all starts at 7:30 p.m. ET.
There are three possible scenarios in which the Greens can clinch this weekend:
Lexington win vs. FC Tulsa
OR
Lexington draw vs. FC Tulsa AND Las Vegas Lights FC loses/draws OR San Antonio FC loses
OR
Lexington loses vs. FC Tulsa AND Las Vegas Lights FC loses/draws
LSC’s destiny is in its own hands, and the club has been playing the best soccer in franchise history heading into the final three matches of the regular season.
Mac Hemmi’s side is riding a four-match win streak, something never before accomplished by Lexington SC in league play. His group has scored 16 goals in those wins, the most ever in a four-match stretch in club history.
The goalscoring road has been paved by Phillip Goodrum. The Lexington striker accounted for half his club’s 16 scores to bring his season total up to 12, further increasing his single-season club record.
Goodrum has scored in each of Lexington’s last four matches, becoming the third player in club history to achieve the feat. He joins Marcus Epps, who did so earlier this season, and Ates Diouf who scored in four-straight in 2023 in USL League One. With one more goal, Goodrum would become the first to score in five consecutive matches for Lexington.
Epps has also scored three times over that stretch, and Blaine Ferri has notched four assists to tie him for the league-lead with nine on the season.
Its offensive outburst has fueled Lexington’s rise in the Western Conference standings. LSC enters Friday’s match in fourth place in the West and in possession of a home playoff spot. Only four points separate the Greens from the No. 1 seed after they knocked off first-place El Paso Locomotive FC last weekend, 3-1.
Lexington currently leads the Western Conference with 49 goals, trailing only the Charleston Battery for the USL Championship lead. Its +16 goal differential also leads the West.
The No. 4 vs. No. 5 matchup kicks off from The Stables at 7:30 p.m. ET.
SCOUTING TULSA
FC Tulsa enters play just one point behind Lexington in the Western Conference standings. Last season’s conference champions averaged 1.83 goals per match a year ago, but after selling forward Taylor Calheira to MLS’ Sporting Kansas City in the offseason, its offensive production has dipped to 1.2 goals per 90.
Tulsa’s defense, however, remains one of the strongest units in the USL Championship. The Scissortails have conceded only 25 times all season, tied for the second fewest behind only Detroit City FC.
Coming into the match, Tulsa is 2W-1L-4D over its last seven matches. On the season, the club is 4W-4L-5D away from ONEOK Field.
Arquimides Ordonez’s seven goals lead Tulsa, while Jamie Webber and Jeorgio Kocevski are tied atop the assist column with four apiece. Goalkeeper Dane Jacomen has posted a 78.6% save percentage through 17 appearances with four clean sheets.
STAT OF THE MATCH
Phillip Goodrum’s eight goals in four matches tied him for the most in a four-match span in USL Championship history. He joined Nick Markanich (2024), Cal Jennings (2020) and Dane Kelly (2017) as the only players in league history to do so.
SOCCERTARIAT GIVEAWAY
The first 2,000 fans in attendance will receive a limited-edition Soccertariat plush horse as part of the Year of the Horse season finale. Fans can complete the full collection by purchasing Seabiskick and Man-O-Goal at the Lexington SC Team Store.
HOW TO WATCH
The match will stream live, and free, on CBS Sports Golazo Network.
