AMBUSH LOSE 11-5 TO UTICA

Utica, New York (March 23, 2024) – The St. Louis Ambush lost 11-5 to Utica City FC Saturday evening at the Adirondack Bank Center in Utica, New York. The loss dropped the Ambush to 4-12-6 (wins-losses-overtime losses) on the season, while Utica improved to 15-6-7.

The first quarter saw early goals from each team in the first five minutes, with Triston Austin scoring for St. Louis and Logan Roberts for Utica. Franck Tayou gave City FC the lead in the eleventh minute when he took a shot resulted in a diving save from Ambush goalkeeper Jose Ogaz, who couldn’t get a handle on it and Tayou was able to pound the loose ball into the net before Ogaz got back on his feet. A period that started with goals from each team ended with each team collecting a blue card. Ambush forward Aamahn Murvin, playing in his first MASL game after being caled up from the Ambush 2 squad, was sent to the penalty box for kicking. Utica’s Mohamed Ndiaye was also sent to the sin bin for tripping with 36 seconds left in the period. Neither team scored before the first frame elapsed with City FC leading 2-1

Neither of the first quarter penalties, which carried over into the beginning of the second quarter, resulted in a goal from either team. Utica increased their lead to 4-1 on a goals from Dylan Hundelt and Cole Stephens. Murvin would get well acquainted with the penalty box in his MASL debut, as he earned his second blue card for kicking with five minutes remaining in the first half, giving Utica their second power play. St. Louis managed to kill off the penalty, but seven seconds after it ended, Ndiaye scored to make it 5-1, then did it again nearly two minutes later to for a 6-1 score. With 29 seconds left in the quarter, Ronaldinho Diniz scored for Utica to bloat the lead to 7-1. With 14. 5 seconds left, Coughlin was sent off for a handball, resulting in a penalty kick for St. Louis that James Thomas missed, but the visitors weren’t done, as Curtis Kirby scored for St. Louis with 4.3 seconds remaining, making it a 7-2 game.

At the start of the second half, another Ambush 2 player made his MASL debut when Joel Barroso took over in goal for St. Louis. In the first minute of the third quarter, Richard Schmermund was all alone near the goal post and scored off a pass from Christian Briggs to reduce the scoring gap to 7-3. It wouldn’t take long for Utica to answer as Tyou notched his second of the contest in the fourth minute to make it 8-3. Hundelt posted his second goal in the eighth minute to increast City’s lead to 9-3. The Ambush got one back on a beautiful goal from John A. Eskay, who fired a long range rocket from beyond the yellow line in the fourteenth minute. Utica enjoyed a 9-4 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Six minutes into the final period, Geo Alves beat Barroso with a hard shot to move Utica into double digits (10-4). St. Louis answered in the ninth minute when Lucas Almeida chipped a pass to Skylar Funk, who was postioned in front of the goal, and Funk managed to tap the ball in with the inside of his knee to make it a 10-5 game. With 35 seconds left in the match, Nilton de Andrade gave Utica their eleventh goal for a dominant 11-5 win.

Officials issued five blue cards in the game, two to St. Louis and three to Utica. Utica outshot the Ambush 33-23.

The Ambush and City FC go at it again Sunday afternoon at 2:05 p.m. CT. The Ambush conclude the season when they visit the Dallas Sidekicks on Saturday, March 30. All MASL games are available for viewing via webcast at twitch.tv. Fans can stay current on all Ambush news by visiting the team’s official website, stlambush.com and on social media outlets.