Chicago Riot's 4th-quarter Leads Escape In 16-15 Loss To Omaha
February 11, 2011 - Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL)
Chicago Riot News Release
OMAHA, Neb. - The Chicago Riot could not hold onto a pair of fourth-quarter leads as the Omaha Vipers pulled off a 16-15 win over the Riot on Friday in Major Indoor Soccer League action at the Omaha Civic Auditorium. The Riot had a 15-12 lead at one point late in the fourth, but Omaha's Johnny Torres scored two goals in the final stretch and four goals in the quarter to lift the Vipers.
Leading the way for Chicago was captain Fred Degand, who had two goals on the night, as the Riot fell to 3-10 on the season and third-place Omaha improved to 7-7.
Next up for the Riot is the second leg of this weekend's series against Omaha as Chicago hosts the Vipers at 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 13, at the Odeum Sports and Expo Center in Villa Park, Ill. Tickets start at only $10. Visit www.ChicagoRiotSoccer.com or call 630-708-6284.
On Friday, the Riot struck first as Degand played a forward role during the match and tallied the game's first goal at the 5:10 mark of the first quarter for a 2-0 lead. Riot goalkeeper Ante Cop provided the assist with a deep pass to the right corner. Degand lost Vipers defender Fabinho, and Degand shot just inside the far left post past Vipers goalkeeper Jose Bontti.
Eric Lukin pushed the Riot's lead to 5-0 at the 6:55 mark of the second quarter with a three-point goal just above the left side of the arc. Lukin's strike went inside the far right post as Bontti stretched to his left and could not get a piece of the ball.
Omaha's Fabinho got Omaha on the board at the 11:00 mark of the second quarter to cut the Riot's lead to 5-2. The Riot had some trouble clearing the ball against the boards just to the right of the net. Aaron Polak popped the ball out and Fabinho converged in the box for the goal.
But the Riot was quick to respond at the 12:11 mark with a Bato Radoncic goal to boost the lead to 7-2. Sandre "Sunny" Naumoski assisted by playing the ball strongly off the left-side boards, and Radoncic made a strong run at the ball, shooting it to the right side of the net.
The Riot maintained its momentum early in the third quarter as Ptah Myers netted his first Riot goal at the 0:58 mark for a 9-2 lead. The goal was unassisted as Bontti attempted the clear the ball, but Myers got his leg on the ball and it trickled into the net.
Omaha's Mauricio Curiel cut the Riot's lead to 9-4 at the 8:08 mark of the third quarter. The Riot had dodged a few close calls in the defensive third during the period, but Cop could not get enough of Curiel's attempt from the right side as the ball crossed the goal line.
Then at the 14:27 mark of the third, Ryan Junge cut it to 9-6. Carlos "Chile" Farias took the restart in the left corner, tapped the ball to Junge and he drilled the ball into the back of the net.
The Riot opened the fourth quarter with a deep two-point goal from Eric Duda to increase Chicago's lead to 11-6 at the 1:50 mark. Radoncic assisted from the right corner of the field.
But the Riot spent much of the fourth quarter in a defensive stance as Myers received two blue cards and Lukin and Will Kletzien each had blue cards. Omaha capitalized on the situation with three power play goals: a Torres goal at the 5:04 mark, a Freddy Moojen tally at 6:21 and a Torres penalty kick goal at 7:07, to take a 12-11 lead over Chicago.
The Riot's Novica "Novi" Marojevic made up for a missed penalty kick chance by tallying a power play goal at the 10:10 mark of the fourth to recapture the lead at 13-12. Then Degand pushed the Riot's lead to 15-12 as he redirected Myers' shot at the 12:32 mark. Degand's second goal of the game came shortly after a clutch goal-line stop by Cop to prevent a Vipers goal at the other end. Chicago countered and Omaha went the rest of the way with a sixth attacker.
During the final two and a half minutes, it was all Omaha and all Torres. Torres headed a Fabinho cross at the 12:54 mark, then netted an unassisted game-winner at 13:19 for the 16-15 win.
The Vipers improved to 3-0 against the Riot this season.
Major Indoor Soccer League Stories from February 11, 2011
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