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Scorpions Beat League-Leading Tampa Bay 3-0

July 12, 2015 - North American Soccer League (NASL)
San Antonio Scorpions News Release


SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS (July 11, 2015)--The San Antonio Scorpions put together their most complete performance of the year and beat the NASL leading Tampa Bay Rowdies 3-0 in front of 7,636 fans at Toyota Field.

Omar Cummings led the way for the Scorpions as he buried two goals to propel himself back to the top of the league scoring list with seven on the year and also added an assist on the game's opening tally.

That goal came in the 11' thanks to Marvin Chávez's first score as a Scorpion. Defender Adrian Cann cleared away a Tampa Bay header to find midfielder Joseph Nane near the midfield line. Nane then spied forward Omar Cummings streaking up the field, leading to a three-on-two break for the Scorpions. Cummings dropped it off near the left wing for Chávez, who side-footed a shot past an outstretched Matt Pickens for the goal.

The cheers were short lived, however, as defender Julius James suffered a serious injury minutes later trying to thwart a Rowdies attack. Scorpions goalkeeper Matt Cardone ended up making a terrific 1-on-1 save to preserve the 1-0 lead, but the atmosphere at Toyota Field became somber as doctors and trainers tended to James. The fan favorite was eventually carted off the pitch to supportive applause from players and fans and after the match, head coach Alen Marcina revealed James had broken both bones in his lower leg and will be out the remainder of the season.

The second half saw Omar Cummings really get to work. In the 54', the Jamaican international one-timed a shot past Pickens off of a perfectly placed Billy Forbes cross from the left wing. Scorpions fullback Stephen DeRoux initially played the ball through the Rowdies defense to Forbes, who found Cummings in the box for his first goal in two games. Just eight minutes later, Cummings struck again, this time on a beautiful Rafael Castillo through ball from beyond the midfield line. Castillo's ball perfectly split two Tampa Bay defenders in the middle of the field, leaving Cummings in a one-on-one attack against Pickens. Cummings easily put it past Pickens, giving the Scorpions their biggest lead of the season and Cummings his league-leading seventh goal.

While the red and black attack was putting on a show, so too was Matt Cardone on the defensive end. The San Antonio native recorded five saves and a clean sheet in just his second career start. In the 82', Rowdies forward Maicon Santos blasted a shot straight on from inside the 18, but Cardone parried away the attempt, preserving the three-goal lead. Tampa Bay had another opportunity in the 81' when Santos played a cross in from the left wing to an open Zak Boggs in the box, but Boggs' shot from inside the six-yard-box sailed high over the crossbar.

The 3-0 win is the largest margin of victory for the Scorpions since their 7-0 win versus these same Rowdies back on November 11, 2014. After starting off the night 10th in the combined league standings, the Scorpions jumped up to the 6th spot and are only a point off the pace in the Fall Season table.

The Alamo City boys will have a quick turnaround as they square off against FC Edmonton Wednesday night at Toyota Field. Tampa Bay also play their next match against Edmonton as the Eddies visit Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg next Saturday.

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