Around The League // Week 11
**The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the viewpoints or positions of the Major Arena Soccer League.**
Karma (Utica’s Version)
Baltimore’s hot streak ended Friday night, with Utica’s first win against their regional rivals. Their first three meetings all went the way of the Blast, including two at the Adirondack Bank Center, but head coach Hewerton Moreira and his side found their rhythm on Eras Night for a comprehensive and commanding 8-3 win.
We’ve grown accustomed to Utica pushing forward in transition and relying heavily on their attacking prowess to win games. For the past few seasons, it's been their bread and butter. They’ve kept their opponents to three goals or fewer just six times in their last 36 games, but against the Blast, they completely closed up shop.
Baltimore, who averages 27.64 shots and 7.36 goals per game, took just 13 shots and scored three goals. It was just the second time they’ve been held to fewer than 22 shots, with the other occurrence on Jan. 12, also against Utica.
Adding insult to the Blast’s injury, Utica enjoyed their flourishing attack at its fullest. Kelvin had a rare off-night by his lofty standards, with just three points while rookie Mehrshad Ahmadi and veteran Nilton de Andrade each found the net twice.
The win brings Utica up to 22 points, just four points adrift of Milwaukee in fifth, with a game in hand. According to masseyratings.com, Utica is expected to win 6.99 of their remaining 12 games, while the Wave sits just behind with 6.49. If that holds true, the two sides would finish the season with just a few points separating them, meaning any unexpected results from here on out could have major seeding implications for the playoffs. They’ll have to wait a bit before their next test when they face off against a familiar foe in Harrisburg on Thursday, Feb. 20 at 7:05 PM EST.
For Baltimore, the loss means they no longer are projected to win the MASL Shield, but they still have the best chance of catching Chihuahua, especially after San Diego’s loss to Kansas City. Following the All-Star break, the Blast will head across the country to face the Strykers on Saturday, Feb. 16, at 7:05 PM EST with an opportunity to get their Shield race back on track.
Comets Lead From The Back And Join The Leading Pack
With a title in mind, the Comets are relying on old wisdom proving true: Defense wins championships. Right now, the best defense in the league resides in Kansas City, and they’ve already proven they can not only compete with the best teams in the league but come out on top, as we saw this weekend.
The Comets have conceded the fewest goals in the MASL this season with just 52 goals, three fewer than Baltimore in second. Their staunch, yet versatile defensive line boasts the lowest Opponent Goals Per Shot in the league (0.149) and Opponent Shots On Target percentage (57.1%), indicating a significantly above-average ability to block shots. Together their defenders have 98 blocks, and they excel at converting turnovers into offense as evidenced by their 38 direct goal involvements, not including Phillip Ejimadu in goal, who himself has four assists.
Against San Diego on Friday night, the defenders led from the back once again as Chad Vandegriffe and former Socker, Guerrero Pino, combined for a whopping 13 blocks while Lesia Thetsane bagged a goal and an assist. However, they’re not the only line firing on all cylinders. Rian Marques finished with three points against San Diego while Zach Reget did the same two weeks ago against the reigning champions Chihuahua when the Comets kept their visitors to just two goals.
It cannot be overstated how important this string of positive results is for head coach Stefan Stokic and his side. Kansas City will have one final game against St. Louis next week before a difficult double-header in Harrisburg. They’ll end the season with a jam-packed March that features nine games against the likes of Utica, Milwaukee, Chihuahua, San Diego, Tacoma, and Baltimore. Getting these contentious wins now, before their unfavorable gauntlet kicks off, is massive and will buy them some valuable breathing space as the regular season comes to a close.
Before that, they’ll need to overcome the Ambush who gave the Comets an extremely tough time in their last two contests. Both teams won on the road in a weekend series that saw Kansas City contained offensively to just eight goals across the two games, so this final game at the Cable Dahmer Arena will be anything but easy. The final I-70 Rivalry Series kickoff of the regular season is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 16, at 5:05 PM EST.
All Star Game Preview
This Wednesday, Utica, NY, will host the MASL All Star Game, featuring many of the league’s best players. This will be the first event of its kind in quite some time, and I gotta say, I’m extremely excited.
Earlier this week, the two captains, Utica’s Kelvin Oliveira and Tacoma’s Nick Perera, chose their rosters and it’s clear which team the home fans will be rooting for. Oliveira’s team features many familiar Utica City FC faces including Nilton De Andrade and Andrew Coughlin, along with Milwaukee’s Alex Sanchez, Empire’s Marco Fabián, and Texas’ David Ortiz to name a few.
On the other Bench, Perera went with his Stars teammate Chris Toth, Kansas City’s attacking duo of Rian Marques and Zach Reget, and St. Louis Forward, Will Eskay among others. The teams could not be more stacked and the competition will be fierce, especially with a Capelli sponsorship on the line for the game’s MVP.
In addition to the game itself, there will be Skills Challenges consisting of a GK Battle, a Skills Relay Race, a Shootout, and a Crossbar Challenge. It will be fascinating to watch as the league’s best and brightest stars go head-to-head in these feats of strength.
Lastly, they’ll end the night with a Fan Fest and autograph session. This celebration of our incredible sport will be a great opportunity for fans around the league to come together and interact with many of the people that make the game so great.
I would love to offer some insight into the game itself, but I think it’ll be more fun to just sit back and enjoy the greatness. If you can make it out to the Adirondack Bank Center on Wednesday evening, I highly recommend you make an appearance. These players are unique and special and it will be a joy to see them all playing our beautiful game under one roof.