TAMPA, FLORIDA – Sixth-ranked Tulsa delivered a statement victory Thursday night at Corbett Stadium, stunning third-ranked South Florida 3-2 before 480 spectators and ending the Bulls' five-match conference unbeaten streak in a result that reshapes the American Athletic Conference playoff picture.
The Golden Hurricane seized control in the twenty-second minute when Jared Aguilar's incisive through ball found Gyuwon Chong in stride. The forward drove into the penalty area and slotted a composed finish past South Florida goalkeeper into the bottom corner, silencing the home crowd and giving Tulsa a deserved lead.
South Florida responded with urgency. Just four minutes later, Jakob Auby restored parity with a sublime finish. Fabio Bozesan and João Belmudes combined beautifully in midfield, with Belmudes delivering a clever chip over Tulsa's backline. Auby timed his run perfectly, controlling with his chest before volleying past the diving Tulsa goalkeeper to level at 1-1.
The end-to-end action continued as Tulsa regained the advantage in the thirty-first minute. Brandon Nyagurungo and Asher Jones orchestrated a devastating counter-attack, with Richardson finishing clinically from the edge of the penalty area. His low drive found the bottom corner, giving Tulsa a 2-1 halftime lead they thoroughly deserved.
Nine minutes into the second half, Tulsa effectively sealed the victory. Nils Orywol's precision cross from the right flank picked out Alex Cunningham, whose powerful header gave South Florida's goalkeeper no chance. At 3-1, Corbett Stadium fell silent as the upset materialized.
South Florida refused to surrender. Arnau Pedrola Fortuny's ninetieth-minute strike, assisted by Chris Nezianya, reduced the deficit and sparked brief hope of a dramatic comeback. However, Tulsa's defense held firm through four minutes of stoppage time to secure their first victory in eight matches.
The statistics revealed Tulsa's dominance – eleven shots on target to South Florida's seven, and a remarkable 14-0 advantage in corner kicks. Tulsa's goalkeeper made eight crucial saves, while his South Florida counterpart managed five stops in a losing effort.
The defeat drops South Florida to 9-3-5 overall and 5-2-1 in conference play, ending their impressive home form. Tulsa improves to 5-8-4 and 3-3-2 in league play, snapping a seven-match winless drought at the perfect moment. The Golden Hurricane now faces second-ranked Florida Atlantic in the AAC Championship semifinals, riding momentum from their biggest win of the season.
KEY PLAYERS:
Gyuwon Chong (Tulsa) – Opened the scoring with a composed finish and consistently threatened South Florida's defense throughout.
Alex Cunningham (Tulsa) – Delivered the knockout blow with a powerful header that effectively sealed the upset victory.
Jakob Auby (South Florida) – Provided the Bulls' brightest moment with an expertly-taken volley that demonstrated his technical quality.