Miami FC Dealt a Tough Road Loss to AC St. Louis
September 5, 2010 - U.S. Soccer Federation D-2 (USSF D-2)
Fort Lauderdale Strikers News Release
Miami, Sept 5, 2010- Despite a strong effort in the second half, Miami FC suffered a 3-1 loss in the first-ever meeting between the Blues and AC St. Louis at Anheuser-Bush Soccer Park, closing out a three-game road trip.
"We weren't good enough in the defensive end of the field tonight," said Head Coach Daryl Shore. "We have to keep going because mathematically, we aren't out of this. It's not going to be easy, but we have to keep going."
The Blues will return to action at home on Sept. 11 against the Montreal Impact at Lockhart Stadium. The match is set for a 7:30 p.m. start time.
With much at stake and the season entering the late stages, both teams came out with a sense of urgency.
Around the 15 minute mark, St. Louis midfielder Chris Salvagionne made a run down the right flank towards the goal area, but before he could take a clear shot on goal, the Blues defense cut him off. Miami FC goalkeeper Caleb Patterson scooped up a deflected shot to neutralize the threat.
But AC St. Louis would strike in the 20th minute when Luke Krealmayer delivered a free kick inside the box to Brad Stisser, who headed the ball past Patterson to put the Blues down 1-0.
Minutes later, Stisser almost struck again after receiving a dangerous throughball that put the St. Louis forward in clear position for a shot. But Patterson came out and put a hand on the ball, deflecting it safely away from the net.
The Blues then settled down and went on the offensive, looking to even the score before going into the half. Towards the end of the half, Miami FC nearly succeeded when Gerson Mayen headed the ball towards the goal, but St. Louis keeper Alec Dufty made a diving save to his left to preserve the one-goal advantage for St. Louis.
Moments later, Chuckwudi "Chucky" Chijindu had a brilliant opportunity when Christian Gomez delivered a ball on the right side during a counter attack, but his shot sailed just wide and high of the net.
Heading into the final 45 minutes of play trailing by a goal, the Blues continued to look for the tying goal -- and almost delivered when the ball ended up at Paulinho Le Petit's feet just outside the top of the box. Le Petit fired a shot that went wide of the goal.
The Blues finally broke through in the 63rd minute when Le Petit fired another shot on goal. That shot was also stopped by Dufty, but this time, around Abe Thompson was there to pick up the rebound. Thompson chipped the ball over the St. Louis keeper to tie the game.
Although Miami FC continued to add pressure in the moments following the goal, AC St. Louis regained the lead in the 71st minute when Mike Ambersley buried a shot from the top of the box into the back of the net on the counter attack.
AC St. Louis put the game out of reach for the Blues in the 75th minute, when an attempted cross inside the box ended up as an own goal. A Miami FC defender accidentally knocked the ball into the net to put St. Louis ahead 3-1.
U.S. Soccer Federation D-2 Stories from September 5, 2010
- Puerto Rico Islanders, Vancouver Whitecaps FC Finish 0-0 - Vancouver Whitecaps
- Miami FC Dealt a Tough Road Loss to AC St. Louis - Fort Lauderdale Strikers
- Mexican Legend Debuts in RailHawks' 3-0 Victory Over Pumas Morelos - North Carolina FC
- Midfielder Terry Dunfield Called up by Canada - Vancouver Whitecaps
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