Behind a brace from forward Kevin Rodriguez, FC Tucson won its “biggest game” as a pro team.
The Men in Black (10-10-6) ended a two-match losing skid on Saturday night with a 3-1 win over South Georgia Tormenta FC at home.
FC Tucson's Giovanni Calixtro (91) gets caught between South Georgia's Vincenzo Candela, left, and Abuchi Obinwa chasing a loose ball in the first half.
After being limited by injuries, Rodriguez was finally cleared to play a full 90 minutes and thus start, FC Tucson coach Jon Pearlman said.
“I’m glad I finally got to get some minutes and get my goal, my first goals and most importantly I’m glad we got the win,” Rodriguez said. “It was a big game for us, we needed to win and I’m just glad we got the dub today.”
FC Tucson regained the sixth and final playoff spot with 36 points after sliding to seventh place earlier in the day.
Pearlman said it was the most important match in FC Tucson’s three years as a professional team.
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“I’m just incredibly pleased how the players responded to a pressure-filled situation,” Pearlman said. “You’re the last game of the night, you realized people have climbed up, you were third a few weeks ago and now you’re back to seventh and you’re going ‘Oh, my goodness.’
"You could go that way and that’s not what happened.”
South Georgia's Abuchi Obinwa takes down FC Tucson's Noah Franke (15) in the second half Saturday night.
In the 17th minute Rodriguez ended the Men in Black’s nearly 290-minute scoreless drought with a goal. It was his first of the season.
After South Georgia Tormenta FC (8-13-7) equalized in the first half, Rodriguez earned a brace with a goal in the 67th minute. In the 83rd minute FC Tucson midfielder Charlie Dennis scored directly off a free kick near the touchline.
FC Tucson outshot the visitors 18-8.
“To be fair, I think 3-1 was a generous result for them, I think it should’ve been four or five,” Pearlman said.
FC Tucson’s next match is at Forward Madison FC (6-8-11) on Saturday at 5 p.m. on ESPN+. Forward Madison FC is in 10th place.
Its next home match is the regular-season finale against the Richmond Kickers (11-8-7) on Oct. 30. The Kickers are in fourth place.
Corner kicks
FC Tucson honored USL Super League president and Tucson native Amanda Vandervort before the match. Vandervort was named the league’s inaugural president on Tuesday. Vandervort, an FC Tucson season ticket holder, played at Sabino. The Super League kicks off in 2023.
Photos FC Tucson comes back to drop South Georgia Tormenta 3-1, USL League One
FC Tucson vs South Georgia
FC Tucson's Kevin Rodríguez (11) slots home the night's first score, and his first of two, past South Georgia's Pablo Jara (1) in the first half of their USL League One game at Kino Sports Complex, Tucson, Ariz., October 16, 2021.
FC Tucson vs South Georgia
FC Tucson players celebrate Kevin Rodríguez's (11), right, second, and go-ahead, score of the night to go up 2-1 against South Georgia in the second half of their USL League One game at Kino Sports Complex, Tucson, Ariz., October 16, 2021.
FC Tucson vs South Georgia
FC Tucson's goalkeeper Wallis Lapsley (1) collides with South Georgia's Azaad Liadi (9) in the chase for a ball into the FC box in the first half of their USL League One game at Kino Sports Complex, Tucson, Ariz., October 16, 2021.
FC Tucson vs South Georgia
FC Tucson's Giovanni Calixtro (91) gets caught between South Georgia's Vincenzo Candela (99), left, and Abuchi Obinwa (12) chasing a loose ball in the first half of their USL League One game at Kino Sports Complex, Tucson, Ariz., October 16, 2021.
FC Tucson vs South Georgia
FC Tucson's Joao Delgado (20) draws a yellow card on a reckless tackle from South Georgia's Marco Micaletto (10) in the first half of their USL League One game at Kino Sports Complex, Tucson, Ariz., October 16, 2021.
FC Tucson vs South Georgia
FC Tucson's Luca Mastrantonio (4) bowls over South Georgia's Azaad Liadi (9) as the two fight for a ball in the first half of their USL League One game at Kino Sports Complex, Tucson, Ariz., October 16, 2021.
FC Tucson vs South Georgia
South Georgia's Abuchi Obinwa (12) takes down FC Tucson's Noah Franke (15) in the second half of their USL League One game at Kino Sports Complex, Tucson, Ariz., October 16, 2021.
FC Tucson vs South Georgia
South Georgia's Stefan Mueller (3) shields FC Tucson's Deri Corfe (9) on a probing ball into the Tormenta box in the second half of their USL League One game at Kino Sports Complex, Tucson, Ariz., October 16, 2021.
FC Tucson vs South Georgia
South Georgia's Curtis Thorn (23) takes down FC Tucson's Giovanni Calixtro (91) trying to get to a ball along the touchline in the second half of their USL League One game at Kino Sports Complex, Tucson, Ariz., October 16, 2021.
FC Tucson vs South Georgia
South Georgia's Pablo Jara (1) gets a desperate leg onto the point-blank shot from FC Tucson's Luca Mastrantonio (4) in the second half of their USL League One game at Kino Sports Complex, Tucson, Ariz., October 16, 2021.
FC Tucson vs South Georgia
FC Tucson's Shak Adams (17) watches the ball trickle away after he and South Georgia's Stefan Mueller (3) collided in the Tormenta box in the second half of their USL League One game at Kino Sports Complex, Tucson, Ariz., October 16, 2021.
Men in Black climb into the final playoff spot with two games to go with 3-1 win Saturday night.
