Comets Sweep the Baltimore Blast in Regular Season Finale
February 27, 2016 - Major Arena Soccer League (MASL)
Kansas City Comets News Release
INDEPENDENCE - The Missouri Comets (17-3) wrapped up the 2015/16 Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) regular season with a hard fought and physical victory over Eastern Conference Champion Baltimore Blast (15-4) in front of a sold out Silverstein Eye Centers Arena.
Coach Vlatko Andonovski's team will be back at home for game two (and three if necessary) of the Central Division Championship against the winner of the Milwaukee Wave / Chicago Mustangs series on Sunday, March 13 at 3:05 p.m. CT.
With the game-winning goal, forward Ramone Palmer was named Borden Man of the Match. In addition, goalkeeper Boris Pardo finished the season leading the league in wins with 16 and standing second with a 4.57 GAA.
Just four minutes into the game, forward Max Touloute dribbled past three Baltimore defenders before simply tapping the ball over goalkeeper William Vanzela to put the Comets on the board followed by reigning league MVP Leo Gibson's 21st goal of the season to double the lead to end the quarter 2-0 in favor of Missouri.
For the second quarter, the visiting Blast's constant pressure paid off after ten minutes when forward Juan Pereira received a ball from teammate Sofiane Tergou inside the box and placed it in the back of the net to shorten the lead and end the first half with 2-1.
Both teams returned to the field with an offensive mindset. At the 7:02 mark, Baltimore's Uzi Tayou capitalized on a mistake from Pardo to tie the game before defender Alain Matingou deflected a shot from team captain Vahid Assadpour into the back of the net. However, Coach Danny Kelly's side found the equalizer with nine seconds left in the period via Jereme Raley assisted by Jinho Kim to make it 3-3.
As the scoreboard reached the 5:27 mark, the visitors grabbed their first lead of the contest when Adriano Dos Santos beat Pardo with a short-range right-footed shot making it 4-3 before the Comets come-from-behind attempt began.
Three minutes later, Assadpour tied the match with an unassisted goal when he took advantage from a Vanzela mistake in the box prior to Palmer's game-winner with 3:33 minutes left in the match. Baltimore's sixth-attacker efforts were denied by a focused and disciplined Comets defense before the buzzer rang.
For more information on Season Ticket renewals and general ticketing information, please call 855-4KC-GOAL.
Major Arena Soccer League Stories from February 27, 2016
- Blast Fall to Comets 5-4 - Baltimore Blast
- Milwaukee Wave Close Out Regular Season With Exciting 6-5 Win Over St. Louis Ambush - Milwaukee Wave
- Comets Sweep the Baltimore Blast in Regular Season Finale - Kansas City Comets
- Blast Fall to Comets 5-4 - Baltimore Blast
- Heat Fall Short in OT - Harrisburg Heat
- Ambush Drop Close Game to Milwaukee in Season Finale - St. Louis Ambush
- Stars Announce First Round Playoff Dates - Tacoma Stars
- Ramos Lifts Stars To 5-4 Victory And Into Playoffs - Tacoma Stars
- Baltimore Defeats Ambush 9-4 in Home Finale - St. Louis Ambush
- Fury Season Ends with Heartbreaking Last-Minute Loss - Ontario Fury
- Heat Fall Short to Knigts - Harrisburg Heat
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.
