Big fourth quarter leads Force over Steamers, 8-4
Published on March 28, 2004 under Major Indoor Soccer League 2 (MISL 2)
St. Louis Steamers News Release
(St. Louis, March 28, 2004) -- The Cleveland Force rallied from a 3-2 deficit to score six fourth-quarter goals en route to a key 8-4 win over the St. Louis Steamers Sunday at the Convocation Center at Cleveland State University. With the win, Cleveland improves to 15-19 while the Steamers fall to 13-20. The Steamers and Force are battling for the sixth and final MISL playoff berth behind fifth-place Kansas City (15-19). Entering the final week of the 36-game MISL season, the Steamers have three games remaining, all on the road; Cleveland has two road games remaining.
In Sunday's pivotal matchup, Antonio Sutton led the Cleveland rally with three fourth-quarter goals and finished the game with four goals. Hector Marinaro also had a pair of fourth-quarter goals. Goalkeeper Jim Larkin was credited with the victory for Cleveland. Mike Apple had two goals to lead the Steamers, and Player/Coach Daryl Doran added a goal and an assist. Apple also scored two goals in the Steamers' 5-4 loss Saturday against Milwaukee.
Cleveland jumped to a 2-0 first-quarter lead on goals by Justin Evans (seven minutes, 10 seconds) and Sutton (11:02). The Steamers cut the deficit to 2-1 on a re-start goal by Apple with an assist to Doran at 11:42 of the first. Franck M'Bemba tied the game 2-2 at 7:38 of the second. Following a two-minute tripping penalty to Sutton, Apple gave the Steamers a 3-2 advantage at 9:48 of the second. The goal was the second of the half â and fourth in two games â for Apple, who grew up in nearby Akron, Ohio. The Steamers carried the 3-2 lead into halftime.
The Steamers escaped a Cleveland shootout opportunity and two Force power plays to lead 3-2 through three quarters. However, at just :46 of the fourth, Marinaro made it 3-3. Sutton gave the Force a 4-3 lead at 1:54 of the fourth, but Doran countered with an unassisted goal at 5:51 to make it 4-4. Sutton scored the eventual game-winner at 8:12 of the fourth to make it 5-4, and Marinaro followed with an unassisted goal 20 seconds later to give Cleveland a 6-4 lead. With the Steamers using Sterling Wescott as a sixth-attacker for the final three minutes, Sutton and John Ball each scored goals for the 8-4 final.
The Steamers and Force split the season series 2-2. However, should the teams finish the season with the same record, Cleveland would win the playoff tiebreaker based on goal-differential (plus-six) in head-to-head matches. St. Louis has three games remaining this season: March 31 at Monterrey, April 3 at Dallas, and April 5 at Monterrey. Cleveland has two road games left: April 2 at Baltimore and April 3 at Philadelphia. Kansas City plays later tonight (March 28) at Monterrey and concludes its season at home April 3 against San Diego.
Major Indoor Soccer League 2 Stories from March 28, 2004
- Big fourth quarter leads Force over Steamers, 8-4 - St. Louis Steamers
- Sidekicks down Philadelphia, 6-5, in double overtime - Dallas Sidekicks
- Dallas slides past KiXX, 6-5, in double OT - Philadelphia KiXX
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