Match Recap: Comets Defeat the Monterrey Flash in Overtime; Win Central Division Championship
January 25, 2015 - Major Arena Soccer League (MASL)
Kansas City Comets News Release
MONTERREY, Mexico (January 25, 2015) - When the Monterrey Flash (14-2) were getting ready to celebrate, Ramone Palmer tied the nail biter match 7-7 with 17 seconds left on the clock. Moments later Robert Palmer scored the game-winning tally in overtime to win the game 8-7 at the Arena Monterrey in front of over 5,000 fans in attendance.
Head coach Vlatko Andonovski's team came back twice to win its fifteenth consecutive contest in the inaugural season of the Major Arena Soccer League. A total of six players scored for the Comets, who also secured the Central Division title.
"I am extremely proud of the guys and very happy for them," Andonovski said. "Tonight we were disciplined, organized and aggressive. However, that didn't win the game. Tonight our players played with passion. Our passion won the game."
Less than three minutes into the match, Monterrey's Angel Hernandez opened the scoring at the world-class arena making. However, team captain Vahid Assadpour notched an unassisted goal followed by a rocket by Alain Matingou, which ended in the back of the net to take a 2-1 lead to the second quarter.
Forward Erick Tovar scored three consecutive goals throughout the second stanza giving the Flash a 4-2 lead before Assadpour notched his second one of the night with 30 seconds left in the half making a one-goal match once again.
Both teams returned to the field with a very offensive mindset, which heated an already physical game. Both John Sosa and Angel Curiel received yellow cards for misconduct before Robert Palmer was issued a blue card for tripping, which ended in a powerplay goal for Monterrey scored once again by Tovar.
Only twenty seconds after the Flash had extended the lead, Max Touloute tallied his first and only goal of the match to end the quarter 5-4.
Early in the fourth quarter, Andre Braithwaite assisted by Stefan Stokic equalized the match but seven seconds later Monterrey would score again when Yotsi Martinez beat goalkeeper Danny Waltman on goal.
Halfway through the fourth, Assadpour completed his hat trick assisted by Sosa but at the 12:42 mark, team leader Lourenço Andrade put the ball out of Waltman's reach making it 7-6 for Monterrey.
With only seventeen seconds left in the match and Sosa in as the sixth attacker, Ramone Palmer took advantage of a Monterrey's back line mistake and beat goalkeeper Diego Reynoso to force the ten-minute golden goal overtime.
Twenty-five seconds into the overtime, Touloute was issued a blue card for kicking a player giving Monterrey a powerplay opportunity, which ended in a shorthanded game winning tally for Robert Palmer ending the match with a final score of 8-7.
Next up, the Comets will return home to the Independence Events Center on Friday, January 30 when they host the Chicago Mustangs.
Major Arena Soccer League Stories from January 25, 2015
- Match Recap: Comets Defeat the Monterrey Flash in Overtime; Win Central Division Championship - Kansas City Comets
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