COMETS STREAK TO 9-4 WIN OVER AMBUSH

St. Charles, MO

Friday night’s Major Arena Soccer League game at the Family Arena was a study in contrasts. The Missouri Comets defeated the St. Louis Ambush 9-4. The Comets are perched atop the Central Division with a perfect 6-0 record while the Ambush fell to 0-3 and are tied for a spot in the division’s cellar along with the expansion Cedar Rapids Rampage. The victory extended Missouri’s regular season win streak to 31.

The highlight of the game for the Ambush was their first goal. Goalkeeper Marcelo Moreira brought the ball just past the yellow line and made a long pass to Gordy Gurson, who headed the ball into the back of the net at 9:43 of the first quarter to give the Ambush a 1-0 lead. Penalties would cost the Ambush as they gave the Comets power plays for too many men on the field and another when Chris Mattingly was sent to the box for a slide tackle. Missouri made good on both power play opportunities, with goals by Leo Gibson at 13:12 and John Sosa at 14:14.

The second quarter was all Comets as goals by Ramone Palmer, Vahid Assadpour, and Leo Gibson all scored to give the visitors a 5-1 advantage heading into the halftime break. Palmer’s shot went right through goalkeeper Moreira’s legs and Assadpour’s shot hit the crossbar and bounced down just behind the goal line, exemplifying the frustration that plagued the Ambush all night.

Gurson got his second tally of the night with the lone goal of the third quarter at 8:13. Odaine Sinclair got the first goal of the final stanza just 17 seconds into the period, moving the Ambush to within two (5-3) of the Comets. Gibson registered his second goal less than a minute later (1:12), but Sinclair answered with his second of the night at 2:34 to keep the home team within two (6-4) of the visitors. Sinclair’s goal was the last offensive blast for the Ambush of the night. Lucas Rodriguez scored at 4:19 to increase Missouri’s lead to 7-4. With 2:38 remaining in the game, Ambush Head Coach Daryl Doran put Lucas Almeida in as the sixth attacker, but the strategy produced two open net goals for Missouri (from Brian Harris and Assadpour) to make the final score 9-4.

Missouri goalkeeper Boris Pardo made 17 saves on 21 save attempts on his way to his sixth win of the season. Moreira saved 18 on 25 chances for the Ambush.

The Ambush won’t have to wait long for another opportunity to notch their first win of the season as they square off with the Chicago Mustangs at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois tomorrow night (November 28) at 7:05 p.m. Following that contest, the Ambush travel to Milwaukee to tangle with the Wave next Sunday, December 6 at 2:05 p.m. The Ambush return home to host the Tacoma Stars on Saturday, December 12 at 7:05 p.m.

Season, group and single game tickets are now on sale for all remaining home games. Call the Ambush office at 636-477-6363 for more information. Keep up with Ambush news anytime by visiting the team’s official web site, stlouisambush.com, the Ambush Facebook page, facebook.com/stlouisambush, or on Twitter, twitter.com/stlouisambush.