Chicago Riot Hosts Baltimore for First Time this Sunday
Published on January 15, 2011 under Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL)
Chicago Riot News Release
CHICAGO (Jan. 15, 2011) -- The Chicago Riot hosts the Baltimore Blast for the first time this season at 7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 16, in Major Indoor Soccer League play at the Odeum Sports and Expo Center in Villa Park, Ill.
A live webcast of the match will be available through ChicagoRiotSoccer.com and MISL.net, and Spanish-language radio is available at LaMaquinaDeportiva.com. Tickets are available starting at $10 at ChicagoRiotSoccer.com or by calling 630-708-6284.
The Riot (1-6) begins a four-game stretch where the team faces either Baltimore or the Milwaukee Wave, the top two teams in the current MISL standings. In the only other meeting between the two sides, the Blast defeated the Riot, 10-6, on Nov. 19 at 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore. Chicago is coming off a 13-11 loss to the Omaha Vipers on Jan. 9 at the Odeum.
"We've got to keep barreling through this," Riot Head Coach Jeff Kraft said of the team's slow start. "We sneaked in a win at K.C. [against the Missouri Comets], and I really believe we can make a run at this."
Chicago will see a change of the guard at goalkeeper with Ante Cop manning the net. Cop replaced regular starting goalkeeper Jeff Richey during the Omaha game after Richey left the match with a leg injury. Richey has a torn hamstring and is expected to be out for the next one to two weeks.
"Ante is great with the short pass and great with the long ball," Kraft said. "He has a great foot and can find the target and find guys in the midfield. I consider him a veteran. I don't have to think twice with him in the back."
Also out for the Riot are target forward Anthony Maher (cheek) and defender/midfielder Chris Brisson (knee). Brisson was placed on injury reserve this week and is expected to miss the next three to five weeks.
The Blast (6-2) heads into Chicago with a shorthanded roster. During Baltimore's recent 12-6 win over Milwaukee on Jan. 9, a physical altercation resulted in six suspensions handed down by the MISL, including three Blast players: Lucio Gonzaga (out two games for leaving the bench and kicking a player), Warren Ukah (out one game, stomping on a player) and Mike Lookingland (out one game, third person in the fight).
The Riot is looking for its first home victory this Sunday. Chicago is the final MISL team without a home win, posting a 0-2 record so far at the Odeum.
Last week against the Vipers, the Riot scored two power play goals -- the team's first of the season. Chicago had been scoreless in the previous 12 power play attempts.
Notes:
- Scoring leaders: Riot forward Bato Radoncic leads Chicago with 11 points and four goals, and is tied for the team lead with Semir Mesanovic and rookie Edward Santeliz with three assists apiece. ... Pat Healey leads the Blast with 26 points and 10 goals. Machel Millwood leads Baltimore 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.
- Honored: Blast goalkeeper Sagu earned MISL Goalkeeper of the Month for November and December (shared the honor with Milwaukee's Nick Vorberg in December). Sagu has a 5-2 record, allowing only 8.72 points per game with a .801 save percentage (stopping 113 of 141 shots).
- Milestone watch: Riot captain Fred Degand is one appearance away from 100 career games.
- MISL Injury Report: Chicago Riot -- Chris Brisson (knee, out), Anthony Maher (cheek, out), Jeff Richey (hamstring, out); Baltimore Blast -- Robbie Aristodemo (hamstring, probable), Scott Buete (knee, probable), Richard Costanzo (ankle, out), Carlos Garcia (hip, probable), Machel Millwood (hamstring, probable), Adauto Neto (knee, out), Sagu (groin, questionable).
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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.
A key 2010-2011 addition is the return to Baltimore of Brazilian forward Adauto Neto, who was named to the All-MISL First Team with the Philadelphia KiXX last season. He led the MISL last season with 28 assists and 65 points, while contributing 18 goals. 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 January 15, 2011
- Comets Playing for 3rd Place Sunday - Kansas City Comets
- Chicago Riot Hosts Baltimore for First Time this Sunday - Chicago Riot
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