Cop Fuels Chicago Riot to First Home Win Over Baltimore
Published on January 16, 2011 under Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL)
Chicago Riot News Release
VILLA PARK, Ill. -- Chicago Riot goalkeeper Ante Cop was Mr. Everything on Sunday, netting a fourth-quarter game-winner, assisting a goal and adding 22 saves -- including one in the final second -- to lead Chicago to a 14-12 win over the Baltimore Blast in Major Indoor Soccer League action at the Odeum Sports and Expo Center.
Cop scored the game-winner with 23 seconds remaining on the clock -- a deep three-point shot just barely across midfield. With 2 seconds remaining, following a three-line violation, Baltimore was awarded a free kick just outside the three-point arc. But Cop dove to his left to stop a Giuliano Celenza shot as the buzzer sounded to give the Riot its first home win (1-2 at the Odeum, 2-6 overall).
Baltimore fell to 6-3 and sits in second place in the MISL standings behind the Milwaukee Wave (7-2).
Next up for the Riot is a 6 p.m. match on Saturday, Jan. 22, against the Milwaukee Wave at the U.S. Cellular Arena. The Riot's next home match is at 7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 30, against Baltimore at the Odeum Sports and Expo Center. The event features Chicago Soccer Heritage Night. For tickets and more information about the Riot, visit www.ChicagoRiotSoccer.com or call 630-708-6284.
Adrian Bumbut gave the Blast the early 2-0 lead at the 3:07 mark off of an assist from Pat Healey. Healey dished the ball in from the right side and Bumbut drove the ball low past Cop.
Baltimore increased its lead to 4-0 at the 1:16 mark of the second quarter with Matt Watson scoring off of a Max Ferdinand assist. Ferdinand won a 50-50 battle against Riot captain Fred Degand, who played in his 100th career game on Sunday, to lead the Blast attack.
But the Riot needed only 19 seconds to answer with Alex Megson's goal at the 1:35 mark to cut the deficit to 4-2. The quick tally was fueled by Degand on the left side as he crossed the ball to the right and found Megson. Megson has scored a goal in four of the Riot's past five games.
Chicago then tied the score at 4-4 at the 4:53 mark of the second with Eric Lukin's two-point goal. Degand took advantage of a Baltimore player losing control of the ball and the Riot cashed in for the tally. Lukin, who had missed the previous two games for personal reasons, was wearing No. 15 instead of his customary No. 14 jersey.
Bato Radoncic gave the Riot its first lead at the 10:32 mark of the second quarter for a 6-4 advantage. Cop assisted as he passed the ball upfield with his left foot and found Radoncic darting straight at the Baltimore goal, splitting the defense. Radoncic dribbled toward the glass to the right of the goal and shot the ball past Blast goalkeeper Nick Hovaker.
The Blast responded with Pat Morris' restart goal at the 11:15 mark off of a Healey assist to tie the score at 6-6 heading into halftime.
Baltimore took the lead at the 3:52 mark of the third quarter with Worteh Sampson's unassisted goal for an 8-6 lead. Riot defender Eric Duda could not control the ball in the back and Sampson took control. He took one shot that went wide right of the goal, but Sampson followed up his own rebound to garner the goal. Then Ferdinand pushed the Blast's cushion to 10-6 at 5:12 of the third with an unassisted tally.
Chicago ended Baltimore's 6-0 run as Radoncic netted his second goal of the game at the 14:41 mark of the third. Radoncic redirected Marco Sullo's shot from the right side to cut Baltimore's lead to 10-8 heading into the fourth quarter.
The Blast had an answer, however, as Healey scored off of a Carlos Garcia assist at the 7:50 mark of the fourth for a 12-8 lead.
In the final 3 minutes, the Riot started pushing up Cop as a sixth attacker, and at the 12:28 mark Chicago struck with Novica "Novi" Marojevic's three-point goal from the right side to cut the Blast's lead to 12-11.
Then at the 14:37 mark, Cop booted in a long game-winner and the Odeum crowd reached its highest decibel level of the season to hang on for its first home win.
The Blast was shorthanded Sunday with three players suspended for the match following an altercation against Milwaukee the previous week -- forward Lucio Gonzaga, defender Mike Lookingland and forward Warren Ukah.
POST-GAME QUOTES: Riot Head Coach Jeff Kraft: On the game: "We knew we had to come at them. Baltimore's the [second-place] team. The guys showed a lot of heart at the end and we pulled one out for the fans tonight."
On Ante Cop: "Ante can play the game. He's a veteran, and he stepped up and did a great job in goal tonight. And to boot, he makes the winning goal at the end."
On facing Blast backup goalkeeper Nick Hovaker: "We didn't really know anyuthing about their backup. I thought he played well tonight. he stopped a lot of our shots. But in the end, the goals just happened."
Riot Goalkeeper Ante Cop On the game: "You know what, if at the end of the day it's a win, I'll take them all. My heart's OK. I'm 36. I might not have as many ticks as some of the younger guys, but I'll take it. What a great game."
On shooting the game-winner: "The boys said, when we went into the huddle, the boys said 'Ante, shoot the ball, shoot the ball.' When it left the foot, i had Robbie Aristodemo in front of me from Baltimore. If I hit him, I hit him. If it's going to go in, it'll go in."
On what was going through his head with Baltimore's final set piece: "Just get my hands on it, that's it. I wasn't going to let Baltimore ruin the parade. We just came back from a four-point deficit."
About the Chicago Riot: The Chicago Riot is a member of the Major Indoor Soccer League and plays its home games at the Odeum Sports and Expo Center in Villa Park, Ill. The Riot is playing in its first season in the five-team MISL, which features the Chicago Riot, Baltimore Blast, Milwaukee Wave, Missouri Comets and Omaha Vipers. Next up for the Riot is a 6 p.m. match on Saturday, Jan. 22, against the Milwaukee Wave at the U.S. Cellular Arena. The Riot's next home match is at 7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 30, against the Baltimore Blast at the Odeum Sports and Expo Center. The event features Chicago Soccer Heritage Night. For tickets and more information about the Riot, visit www.ChicagoRiotSoccer.com or call 630-708-6284.
Major Indoor Soccer League Stories from January 16, 2011
- Milwaukee Wave Beats Omaha Vipers and Recaptures First Place - Milwaukee Wave
- Cop Fuels Chicago Riot to First Home Win Over Baltimore - Chicago Riot
- Comets Fall to Omaha 6-4 - Kansas City Comets
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