KiXX Move Into 3rd Place Tie With Win Over Rampage
February 14, 2010 - Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL)
Philadelphia KiXX News Release
Philadelphia (Sunday, February 14, 2010) - The Philadelphia KiXX (4-6) moved into a three-way tie for third place in the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) standings after holding on for a tight 8-7 victory over the host Rockford Rampage (6-8) at the MetroCentre tonight. With Brazilian striker Adauto Neto scoring the 100th regular season goal of his illustrious career and Philadelphia goalkeeper Sanaldo recording his third first half shutout of the season in Rockford, the KiXX now finds itself dead even with the Rampage and Baltimore Blast (5-7).
Both clubs came into this game with the intent of controlling pace in the early-going, resulting in some great defense being played on each end of the field during the first period of play. After 15 minutes had rolled off the clock, the opening frame ended with the no goals on the scoreboard.
The same defensive intensity continued into the second quarter until Ryan Heins found Ptah Myers at 10:59 to hang the first points of the game in favor of Philadelphia, 2-0. In his first game action of the season, player/coach Don D'Ambra then tallied a deuce at 13:18 when he snuck a Neto feed past Rockford netminder Ante Cop. Sanaldo closed out the half by dishing a ball to the feet of Philadelphia points-leader Neto in the final seconds of the half, and the Brazilian playmaker scored a beautiful notch with 0.8 seconds remaining to give the KiXX a 6-0 advantage at intermission. The notch was the 100th career regular season goal for the 2005-06 MISL MVP, and the first half shutout was the third time that Sanaldo has blanked the Rampage at its home in the first half this year.
Rockford midfielder Geison Moura wasted little time in the third stanza to score the first points on the evening for his team, registering two points off a Gary Brooks pass at 3:06. The notch would be the lone tally of the quarter, and the two clubs eventually headed into the final 15 minutes of regulation with the road team leading, 6-2.
After a pair of infractions had Philadelphia possessing an early two-man advantage in the opening minutes of the fourth frame, veteran defender Pat Morris stretched the gap to 8-2 in favor of the visitors by pounding home a D'Ambra feed at the top of the arc at 1:18. With the KiXX clinching a six-point lead, the Rampage then went on a five-point run off a Moura two-pointer and a Matthew Stewart triple to close within a point, 8-7. Cop then moved up on the Rockford possessions to act as a sixth attacker, but Philadelphia was able to hold on for the ever-important win.
The next action for the KiXX is home at the Liacouras Center on Saturday, February 20th, when they have a 7:05 p.m. meeting with first place La Raza de Monterrey (9-5). Tickets for that match are available now by logging onto www.ComcastTix.com or calling 1-888-888-KiXX.
Major Indoor Soccer League Stories from February 14, 2010
- Rockford Rampage Falter Against Philadelphia KiXX, 8-7 - Rockford Rampage
- KiXX Move Into 3rd Place Tie With Win Over Rampage - Philadelphia KiXX
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