OKLAHOMA CITY – There’s been an element of one step forward, two steps back this season for OKC Energy FC, which enters Friday night’s USL Game of the Week on ESPNU against San Antonio FC in need of a boost as it begins the second half of the season.

For every burst of form the side has managed, a setback either on the field or in the training room has arrived soon after, leaving the club currently on the outside looking in as the race for a place in the USL Cup Playoffs heats up.

“I thought we were just about to hit that corner a few weeks ago, but then you add some more injuries to the team,” Energy FC Head Coach Jimmy Nielsen told Mike Watts on USL Coast 2 Coast on SiriusXM FC this week. “[Wojciech] Wojcik got hurt with his elbow, Philip Rasmussen did his ACL, Miguel Gonzalez got a three-game suspension, it seems like all the bad luck is hitting us here.”

If there’s one thing Energy FC does have going for it entering Friday’s game at Toyota Field, it’s that the side has gone undefeated in four previous meetings with San Antonio. With three of the four meetings finishing all square, though, it’s been a series that has tended to see tight-fought affairs, most notably a clash in San Antonio last season that finished scoreless, but also saw both teams reduced to 10 men.

“I’m always excited when we play San Antonio,” said Nielsen. “It seems like something extraordinary happens in those games. Last year in San Antonio, if I remember correct, there were two red cards and a lot of intensity on the field, a good atmosphere at the stadium in San Antonio, so I’m excited about the game.”

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While OKC has had to weather setbacks this season, San Antonio has put itself into the conversation as one of the leading contenders to raise the USL Cup at the end of the season. SAFC is second in the Western Conference, and hosts back-to-back home games over the next two weeks with first-place Real Monarchs SLC visiting next Saturday looking to bolster those hopes.

The manner of San Antonio’s success, which has included some good performances by former Energy FC defender Cyprian Hedrick, has impressed Nielsen. 

“I think you could already see in the offseason, preseason they were already bringing in a lot of good quality players, a good mix of experience and some good talent,” said Nielsen. “I’ve got the deepest respect for what they’ve accomplished this season. We already played them once already this season at Taft Stadium here in Oklahoma City where we tied 0-0. Very even game, very competitive game, it was two good teams going up against each other, and I expect a heck of a challenge coming up on Friday in San Antonio.”

The hope, meanwhile, for Energy FC is that the injury bug will dissipate, new loan addition Jose Angulo can make an effective spearhead to the club’s attack, and the team can start fielding a more consistent starting lineup week-in and week-out over the second half of the season.

With the club only three points out of the top eight going into the weekend, Nielsen remains upbeat that a third consecutive berth in the USL Cup Playoffs is still there for the taking.

“I’m still very optimistic about this group here,” Nielsen said. “I agree that after 16 games, halfway through the season you are you are, and there have been games this season where we haven’t performed good enough as a team. That’s on me, that’s on the players as well, and it’s something we need to improve, that consistency.”