OKLAHOMA CITY – It’s still early in the season, but a winless start after the club’s opening three games left OKC Energy FC Head Coach Jimmy Nielsen disappointed after a 1-0 setback to Rio Grande Valley FC in the club’s home opener in front of 5,889 fans at Taft Stadium.

“Yeah, this one here is going to hurt a bit,” said Nielsen following Saturday’s loss. “We’ll come in early tomorrow morning and evaluate this year and we’ll move on to the next, but something needs to happen. I hope we can use this as a wake-up call for all of us.”

It won’t get any easier for Energy FC, which hosts Sacramento Republic FC on Tuesday night in the USL Game of the Week on ESPN3 at Taft Stadium on Tuesday night. Sacramento has made a perfect start, going 3-0-0 after its 2-1 win on Saturday against Tulsa. But OKC goalkeeper Cody Laudendi is looking at the current spot the team finds itself in as an opportunity.

“This could be a very galvanizing moment for us,” Laurendi said on Saturday. “You know, the work rate and the heart is there. At times it’s a little misplaced. The aggression, but it has to be controlled aggression. We’re going to learn from this.”

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The aggression Laurendi refers to is part of the reason why Energy FC will be without two of its starters on Tuesday. Richard Dixon and Jose Barril were both sent off against the Toros, and the side has recorded 49 fouls in its first three games, second only to Orlando City B.

The overall decision-making so far this season has also been a bone of contention for Nielsen, with Saturday’s loss one that he felt the side brought upon itself.

“I think there were some very poor decisions, [we’ve] got to get rid of those mistakes otherwise it’s going to be up the hill this season,” Nielsen said. “We all make mistakes, but we want to make them on the right areas of the field, and today we made them at the wrong places.”

With Sacramento having already notched eight goals in three games, and Sammy Ochoa tied for the league-lead with three individually, Energy FC knows the challenge that’s coming if they’re to earn their first victory of the season.

“They’ll be a tough team,” said Miguel Gonzalez. “They’re always a good team. They like to play. So we got to bring our best game and just keep playing and get that win.”

With the strong support of their fans behind them, Energy FC’s players are aiming to turn things around and bring a swift end to the slowest start to a season in the club’s history.

“Credit to the fans for coming out here,” Laurendi said. “Oh my gosh, love playing in front of them. I can’t stress that enough. They really pushed us on and you know we get back on it on Tuesday.”