Comets Battle Back, But Unable to Overcome Blast
March 10, 2019 - Major Arena Soccer League (MASL)
Kansas City Comets News Release
TOWSON, Maryland - The Kansas City Comets dug themselves a hole in the first quarter against the Baltimore Blast and were unable to make the complete comeback, falling 9-10 at the SECU Arena. Leo Gibson led the way for Kansas City with four goals and two assists.
The Comets outscored the Blast 8-4 across the final three quarters of the match, unfortunately they were outscored 6-1 in the first quarter.
Baltimore's SECU arena field is about 75% the size of Kansas City's home field at Silverstein Eye Centers Arena and the team was unable to adjust to the confined space in the opening quarter. Baltimore scored the first five goals of the game before Kevin Ellis was able to beat Baltimore's William Vanzela to find the net.
In the second quarter, Kansas City came out firing. Gibson scored his first goal 52 seconds into the period, then following another Baltimore goal, he scored his second only two minutes later. The second Gibson score set off a streak of four straight Kansas City goals to get the Comets within a goal of their hosts.
The two teams traded goals in the final minutes of the half as the teams went to the break with Baltimore leading 8-7.
Both teams played the second half a little more conservatively. Baltimore's Vini Dantas briefly put the Blast up by two goals early in the period, but John Sosa hit an absolute rocket from behind the Comets yellow line to make it a one-goal game again after three periods.
Dantas scored his fifth goal of the match in the first four minutes of the fourth period to make it 10-8 for the Blast, but the Comets continued to pressure. Gibson set up Ramone Palmer for the easy chest deflection into the goal midway through the final period to once again make it a one-goal game.
That was the closest the Comets could get though, as even with the sixth attacker inserted in the final two minutes, Kansas City was not able to find an equalizer. The loss drops the Comets to 9-9 on the season. KC still holds a half-game lead on the St Louis Ambush for the second and final playoff spot in the South Central Division.
The team will remain on the road as they head to the Sunshine State for a pair of games against the Orlando SeaWolves (Mar. 16, 6:05 p.m. CT) and the Florida Tropics (Mar. 17, 2:05 p.m. CT). Both games will be broadcast on KMCI, 38 the Spot in Kansas City and streamed live on MASL.tv.
MASL Match Report
Match: Baltimore Blast vs Kansas City Comets
Date: March 10, 2019
Venue: SECU Arena, Towson, MD
Kickoff: 2:04 p.m. CT / 3:04 p.m. ET
SCORING BY QUARTER 1 2 3 4 F
Baltimore Blast 6 2 1 1 10
Kansas City Comets 1 6 1 1 9
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