Chicago Riot Faces Blast in Back-To-Back Weekend Matches
Published on January 28, 2011 under Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL)
Chicago Riot News Release
CHICAGO (Jan. 28, 2011) -- The Chicago Riot prepares for a two-game set against the Baltimore Blast in Major Indoor Soccer League play this weekend, starting with a 6:35 p.m. CT match on Saturday, Jan. 29, at 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore. Chicago then hosts the Blast at 7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 30, at the Odeum Sports and Expo Center in Villa Park, Ill.
Both games broadcast live on a webcast, accessible through MISL.net, and include Spanish-language radio at LaMaquinaDeportiva.com .
Sunday's event includes "Chicago Soccer Heritage Night," which features a first kick by recently retired Chicago Fire defender C.J. Brown and the chance to see a long line of Chicago-area soccer greats -- from the Chicago Sting's Willy Roy and Pato Margetic, to Arlington Heights native and former Fire and U.S. star Brian McBride. Fans who wear a jersey of any former or current Chicago professional soccer team to the game receive a free Riot pin and the chance to have their photo taken on the field at halftime with these soccer legends.
Tickets start at only $10. Visit www.ChicagoRiotSoccer.comor call 630-708-6284.
Earlier this week, the Riot announced the signing of midfielder Ptah Myers, a veteran of six seasons who last played with the Philadelphia KiXX in 2009-2010. The team released Zlatko Zebic to make room for Myers, who has 73 goals, 33 assists, 168 points and 126 blocks in 160 games. Myers is available for both of this weekend's games against Baltimore.
Along with the new addition of Myers, Chicago target forward Anthony Maherreturns to the lineup after missing four straight games because of a cheekbone injury he suffered on Dec. 19 against Missouri.
"We're always looking for veteran experience, and they are battlers who can step in and do the job," Riot Head Coach Jeff Kraft said. "With Anthony returning, he's a big presence up there. And the target position is very important because it brings a whole new dimension to the game."
The Riot will again be without defender/midfielder Chris Brisson (knee) and goalkeeper Jeff Richey (hamstring). Goalkeeper Ante Cop will get his third straight start in the net.
The Riot (2-7) is coming off a 16-8 loss to the Milwaukee Wave on Jan. 22 at the U.S. Cellular Arena. Chicago fell behind early, 5-0, in the first quarter and never could recover as the Wave improved to 3-0 this season against the Riot.
Kraft and the Riot are focused on minimizing some of the defensive mistakes and soft goals allowed during the road loss.
"Some players in the league, if you give them an inch they will take advantage," Kraft said. "We'd have stretches where we played hard but then we'd give up a soft goal. We just have to worry about what we do defensively. Offensively, we need to finish our shots, because we had our chances in Milwaukee."
Baltimore (8-3) is coming off back-to-back victories last weekend -- a 14-6 win over Milwaukee on Jan. 21, followed by a 15-13 victory against the Missouri Comets on Jan. 22. Baltimore's Sagu was named MISL Goalkeeper of the Week for his efforts, stopping 33 of 42 shots. Backup Baltimore goalkeeper Nick Hovaker manned the net when the Riot topped the Blast, 14-12, on Jan. 16 at the Odeum.
The season series is tied, 1-1, between the Riot and Blast. Baltimore earned a 10-6 win over the Riot in the first meeting on Nov. 19 at 1st Mariner Arena.
This season the Riot is 1-5 on the road and 1-2 at the Odeum. Baltimore is 4-1 at 1st Mariner and 4-2 on the road.
Notes: - Scoring leaders: Riot forward Bato Radoncic leads Chicago with 18 points and seven goals. He has scored a goal in five straight games played, posting seven goals, three assists and 17 points in that stretch. Riot captain Fred Degand leads the Riot with five assists. ... Pat Healeyleads the Blast with 12 goals and 33 points, and he is tied with Machel Millwood for the team lead with eight 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.
- Block leaders on board: Heading into this weekend's MISL slate of games, the top three block leaders are present for Saturday's Riot-Blast match. Baltimore defenders Mike Lookingland (23) and Pat Morris (20) are first and second, respectively, in the category, followed in third by Riot defender Will Kletzien (17).
- Milestone watch: Anthony Maher needs three points for 250 in his career, and Riot newcomer Ptah Myers needs two goals for 75.
- MISL Injury Report: Chicago Riot - Chris Brisson, knee, out; Jeff Richey, hamstring, out; Baltimore Blast - Scott Buete, knee, doubtful; Adrian Bumbut, hamstring, probable; Richard Costanzo, ankle, out; Machel Millwood, hamstring, probable; Billy Nelson, hamstring, probable; Adauto Neto, knee, out.
About the Riot's opponent, the Baltimore Blast: The Baltimore 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 starting 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. But he has missed much of 2010-2011 because of a knee injury. 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.
More about Chicago Soccer Heritage Night: - Enriched history: The original intention of Sunday night was to pay tribute to the 20th anniversary of the 1990-1991 NPSL champion Chicago Power squad. That team will receive its much-deserved praise. That idea then blossomed into a full-fledged solute to all of the teams, former coaches, players, owners and staff members who have contributed to the game of professional soccer locally. Halftime will include a special tribute video and photo-op with all of the legends. The Odeum will be filled with banners of the former and current professional soccer teams. Championship rings, jerseys and plenty of other memorabilia and trinkets will be displayed.
- 'Soccer Heritage' confirmations: Are you curious to see which Chicago soccer legends will be on hand The list of confirmations continues to grow for Sunday's "Chicago Soccer Heritage Night." As of Friday, the following former players and coaches have confirmed their attendance (in alphabetical order): Adolph Bachmeir - Chicago Mustangs, National Soccer Hall of Fame; C.J. Brown - Chicago Fire 1998-2010; Mirko Castillo - 1990-91 NPSL Champion with Chicago Power; Mile Cop - Chicago Croatan and Yugoslavia Olympic Team; Yaro Dachniwsky - Chicago Shoccers goalkeeper, Chicago Fire staff; Tony Dallas - Chicago Horizons Goalkeeper 1980-81; John Dolinsky- Chicago Cats; Erwin Fleps - Chicago Shoccers; Horst Fleps - Chicago Horizon and Shoccers; Hudson Fortune - Chicago Power; Bob Gansler - Chicago Mustangs, Chicago Spurs; Rudy Getzinger - Chicago Sting and US National Team; Rudy Glenn - Chicago Sting and Shoccers, 1981 NASL Soccer Bowl game winning shootout goal; Mike Grbic - Chicago Spurs, Chicago Sting Assistant Coach and Head Coach Chicago Shoccers; Bret Hall - Chicago Sting 1981 and 1984 NASL Champion, Chicago Power Player/Captain 1990-91 NPSL Champion, Chicago Stingers Coach; Dave Huson - Chicago Sting 1981 NASL Soccer Bowl Champions, Shoccers; Tommy Isirov - 1990-91 NPSL Champion with Chicago Power; Viktor Jakovljevic - 1990-91 NPSL Champion with Chicago Power and Owner Chicago Storm; Rudy Keller - Chicago Sting; Frank Klopas - Chicago Sting, Fire and USMNT; Fred Kovacs - Chicago Cats and US National Team; Teddy Krafft - 1990-91 NPSL Champion with Chicago Power and Chicago Sting; Pato Margetic - Chicago Sting 1981 and 1984 NASL Champion and Chicago Power Player/Coach 1990-91 NPSL Champion; Louis Mateus - Chicago Shoccers; Frantz Mathieu - Chicago Sting 1981 NASL Champion; Brian McBride - Forward Chicago Fire and USMNT; Aleks Mihailovic - Chicago Shoccers; Tony Pierce- Chicago Power; Russ Prince - 1990-91 NPSL Champion with Chicago Power Goalkeeper; Ed Puskarich - 1990-91 NPSL Champion with Chicago Power; David Richardson - Chicago Power and Chicago Stingers; Michael Richardson - 1990-91 NPSL Champion with Chicago Power, Sting and Stingers; Manny Rojas - 1990-91 NPSL Champion with Chicago Power and Chicago Sting; Karsten Roy - Chicago Stingers; Willy Roy - Forward with Chicago Spurs and Sting and Head Coach Chicago Sting (1981 and 1984 NASL Champions); Mark Simanton - Chicago Sting 1981 and 1984 NASL Soccer Bowl Champions; Arno Steffenhagen - Chicago Sting 1981 NASL Soccer Bowl Champions; Larry Sunderland - 1990-91 NPSL Champion with Chicago Power; Ko Thandabouth - 1990-91 NPSL Champion with Chicago Power; John Tyma - Chicago Sting 1981 NASL Champion; Evan Whitfield - Chicago Fire.
About 25 former owners and staff members also will be in attendance.
Major Indoor Soccer League Stories from January 28, 2011
- Comets Let 4th Quarter Lead Slip Away on Retro Night - Kansas City Comets
- Chicago Riot Faces Blast in Back-To-Back Weekend Matches - Chicago Riot
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
