The Swope Park Rangers concluded their Desert Diamond Cup play on a high note with a 1-0 win over hosts FC Tucson to ensure that the club returns to Kansas City with an unbeaten 2-0-2 record in preseason.
The Rangers took the ascendancy from the start, with Dane Kelly and Kris Tyrpak each firing wide when well placed. SPR kept pushing numbers forward, with Nansel Selbol and Tyrpak each taking firing on goal in the same play inside the area, but neither could force the ball home.
In the 25th minute, Selbol dispossessed the deepest FC Tucson player, rounded the goalkeeper but his finish into an empty net was blocked in the final moment by a recovering defender.