Game Preview: Newly Appointed Monterey Bay FC Head Coach, Alex Covelo, makes home debut against FC Tulsa
SEASIDE, California (Saturday, April 25, 2026) – Monterey Bay FC (0-5-2, 2 points) play their second consecutive home match, this time against FC Tulsa (2-2-3, 9 points) at Cardinale Stadium on Sunday, May 3, 2026 on MBFC’s Star Wars Night. Kickoff is set for 4:00 p.m. PT in Week 9 of the USL Championship Season. The match will be streamed live on ESPN+.
Monterey Bay FC returns to Seaside following a 1-1 draw and 4-3 victory in penalties against rival Oakland Roots. Ilijah Paul and Omari Glasgow continued their good form of play as Paul recorded his second consecutive week scoring a goal and Glasgow recording an assist in three consecutive matches. Though not a win regulation, the Crisp-and-Kelp felt a weight off their shoulders to record the season’s first win against their rivals in the Prinx Tires USL Cup. MBFC will look to impress after the new appointment of their new Head Coach, Alex Covelo, mid-week leading up to the club’s USL Championship match.
FC Tulsa are coming off an impressive 4-1 win against El Paso Locomotive, the club’s first USL Championship win since March 21 (3-2 versus Las Vegas Lights). Prior to the match, Tulsa went through a four game winless streak that recorded a loss against Orange County in the USL Championship, a U.S. Open Cup loss against St. Louis City and a loss in penalties versus One Knoxville SC in the Prinx Tires USL Cup. FC Tulsa will look to continue their winnings ways against MBFC on the road.
In their previous matchup on August 6, 2025, Monterey Bay FC fell 3-2 to FC Tulsa at Cardinale Stadium in a match where Johnny Klein scored in his Crisp-and-Kelp debut and Luke Ivanovic added his fourth goal of the season to give Monterey Bay the edge at halftime after FC Tulsa opened up the scoring at the 12th minute by Alex Dalo. Entering the second half, FC Tulsa answered in the 71st minute with a left-footed goal from Stefan Lukic to level the match at 2-2. Then in an ironic and unfortunate twist of fate in the 86th minute, FC Tulsa was awarded a penalty for a hand ball in the box and Arthur Rogers had no trouble converting to put the visitors in front by a final score of 3-2.
Historically, FC Tulsa has had the advantage over Montery Bay FC as Tulsa has never lost a USL Championship match against Monterey Bay FC. The Crisp-and-Kelp have been able to record only two points (2 draws at Tulsa) against FC Tulsa in six all-time regular season matches. MBFC will look to record their first win or points against Tulsa at Cardinale Stadium.
