EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – El Paso Locomotive FC (1-3-0, 3 points) will look to string together a pair of road wins when they face off with FC Tulsa (1-1-2, 5 points) at ONEOK Field on Friday.

El Paso Locomotive FC will enter Friday’s match with some good momentum as the team grabbed its first win of the 2023 season against Louisville City FC last Saturday. Los Locos played its way to a clean sheet and scored three goals in the match.

“That type of win at Louisville is a confidence boost, but I said to the boys ‘that’s done’,” Locomotive FC head coach Brian Clarhaut. “Now we have to look at Tulsa. We need to put that in the back. Enjoy it, enjoyed it yesterday, now it’s more for business getting into Tulsa. Wins bring confidence and hopefully wins are habitual.”

The Locos’ 3-0 win over FC Tulsa was its first after dropping three straight matches to open up its 2023 USL Championship season.

FC Tulsa has been good form to start the season. It currently sits in fifth place in the USL Championship Eastern Conference. The club rebounded from its first loss of the season with a 3-0 win over Loudoun United FC on Mar. 25 and a 0-0 draw against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on Tuesday.

Los Locos are hoping to take advantage of FC Tulsa’s quick turnaround and walk away from ONEOK Field with points.

“I think it will be another tough game,” Locomotive FC goalkeeper Benny Diaz said. “We already know that we can do well on the road just by that first [Louisville City FC] game and that is how we want to play.”

FC Tulsa has been one of the top teams on the offensive end of the pitch. The club is tied with Monterey Bay F.C. in goals scored (6) so far this season.

“We have to be organized defensively. It is an away game as well. We can’t concede early,” Clarhaut says. “That is one thing that has hurt us the last three games. I think we will get our chances as this group does.”

El Paso currently leads the league in shots (56) and is second in passes (1,823), showcasing an ability to dominate possession and create goal scoring threats. The club sits tied for 14th in conversion rate at 13%. Los Locos’ three-goal performance against Louisville City FC was the first time this season that the team scored multiple goals.

Los Locos have never lost a match to FC Tulsa as it holds a 3-0-2 all-time record against the Tulsa side.

El Paso Locomotive FC and FC Tulsa will go head-to-head on Friday, Mar. 31 at ONEOK Field. Kick-off is set for 7:00 p.m. MT. You can catch the action on ESPN+.