Chicago Riot Battles 1st-Place Blast on Friday

March 3, 2011 - Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL)
Chicago Riot News Release


CHICAGO (March 3, 2011) -- The Chicago Riot travels to Baltimore to face the first-place Blast at 6:35 p.m. CT Friday, March 4, at 1st Mariner Arena. The match is available through a live webcast accessible through MISL.net, and Spanish-language radio at LaMaquinaDeportiva.com .

The Riot also announces that the team has traded target forward Anthony Maher to the Missouri Comets for future cash considerations. Chicago travels to Independence, Mo., to face Maher and the Comets at 3:10 p.m. Sunday at the Independence Events Center to close out the Riot's inaugural season.

Chicago (4-14) is coming off a 16-13 overtime loss to Baltimore on Feb. 27 at the Odeum Sports and Expo Center in Villa Park, Ill., to wrap up the home portion of Chicago's season. The Blast's Max Ferdinand netted the game-winner at the 5:15 mark of overtime as the Riot could not hold on to a 13-8 lead early in the fourth quarter.

With last week's Blast win, Baltimore (14-3) is now one victory or a Milwaukee Wave loss away from clinching the MISL regular-season title and the right to host the 2010-2011 MISL Championship Game. Milwaukee faces the Omaha Vipers on Friday.

The Riot fell out of postseason contention last weekend following a 23-7 loss on Feb. 26 to Missouri at the Odeum. The 23 points are the most Chicago's defense has allowed this season, though the Comets' final eight points came when Miodrag "Miki" Djerisilo was in the game as the sixth attacker.

The Riot is playing its final road trip without Brazilian midfielder Andreand defender Roberto Gallo, who are both out with groin injuries. Chicago has lost four straight and holds the league's worst road record at 1-9. Baltimore has the best home record among all five MISL squads with a 7-1 mark at 1st Mariner Arena.

The Blast has won eight straight and has not lost since Chicago topped Baltimore, 14-12, on Jan. 16 with Ante Cop's game-winning three-point goal with 23 seconds remaining.

Notes: - Scoring leaders: Riot forward Bato Radoncic leads Chicago with 41 points and 17 goals. Fred Degand and Novica "Novi" Marojevic are tied for the team lead with eight assists each. ... Blast midfielder Pat Healeyleads his squad with 16 goals and 45 points. Forward Machel Millwood leads the Blast with 13 assists.

- Familiar faces, local ties: Riot head coach Jeff Kraft is a Baltimore, Md., native. When the Rockford Rampage joined the National Indoor Soccer League for the 2008-2009 season, Kraft led Rockford to the title match against his hometown Baltimore Blast, only to fall short, 13-10. ... Baltimore midfielder Scott Buete formerly played for Major League Soccer's Chicago Fire in 2004 and 2005, tallying two assists during his rookie season in 2004.

- Kletzien takes blocks lead: Riot defender Will Kletzien had three blocks Sunday against Baltimore and moved into first place in the MISL with 34. Following Kletzien are the Blast's Mike Lookingland (32), Pat Morris(30) and Robbie Aristodemo (tied for fourth with 21).

- Celenza retiring: Baltimore native and Blast forward Giuliano Celenzaannounced this week that he is retiring following the season. Celenza ranks fourth on the team's all-time scoring list with 424 points. He has 26 points in 15 games this season.

- Milestone watch: Riot midfielder Ptah Myers needs one goal for 75 in his career. ... Semir Mesanovic needs three points for 200 in his career.

- MISL Injury Report: Chicago Riot -- Andre (groin, out), Roberto Gallo (groin, out); Baltimore Blast -- Scott Buete (knee, doubtful), Richard Costanzo (ankle, out), Adauto Neto (ankle, probable), Worteh Sampson(knee, questionable).

About the Riot's opponent, the Baltimore Blast: The Blast has established itself as a regular force in professional indoor soccer. In Baltimore's past eight seasons, the Blast has won five championships. Its most recent was the 2008-2009 National Indoor Soccer League Championship, a 13-10 victory over the Rockford Rampage.

Goalkeeper Sagu is playing in his seventh straight season with the Blast. He was named to the 2009-2010 All-MISL Second Team, posting a 7-6 record and allowing 10.4 points per game. Brazilian forward Adauto Neto returned to the Blast after being named to the All-MISL First Team with the Philadelphia KiXX last season, posting 18 goals, 28 assists and 65 points. Neto played for the Blast from 2005 to 2008. Baltimore also added veteran defender Pat Morris, who is a two-time MISL Defender of the Year and is coming off a 20-goal, 47-point 2009-2010 with Philadelphia.

Danny Kelly, a former Blast player, has coached the Baltimore squad since May of 2006. He was named Coach of the Year following the 2008-09 NISL season after leading the Blast to their most recent championship.



Major Indoor Soccer League Stories from March 3, 2011


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