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MASL Major Arena Soccer League

Utica Stifles Blast off the Back of de Andrade's Stellar Performance in 8-5 Victory

February 17, 2024 - Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) News Release


Towson, MD - After a weekend off, Utica City FC returned to MASL action with an away trip to the Baltimore Blast. Having taken down the Blast 13 days ago, UCFC fell flat in their first of two games in 24 hours and lost 13-6.

Both goalkeepers started the match well, with Mike Zierhoffer for Baltimore and Brian Wilkin for Utica making saves to keep the scores level. Then, at the 7:46 mark, the home side found a breakthrough with Victor Parreiras squeezing one past Wilkin. Thirty seconds later, Wilkin would come sliding out to halt a Baltimore 3-on-1 and keep the score 1-0 in favor of the Blast. Unfortunately, Wilkin would make an errant pass leading to a Ricardo Diegues tap-in to make it 2-0 Blast at the 9:41 mark. Baltimore would continue to apply pressure, and with three seconds left in the period the Blast added a shorthanded goal to go up by 3. After the Baltimore goal, Utica went into the first period break down 3.

Five minutes into the second, Utica would gain an opportunity from the penalty spot. Juan Pereira was charged with handling in the penalty box, and Franck Tayou thundered the penalty kick to the right of Zierhoffer. After the Tayou penalty, the floodgates opened for both offenses. Tony Donatelli lasered one past Wilkin before Tayou responded with his second goal of the night. Moments later, Moises Gonzalez tacked on another for Baltimore and then Nilton de Andrade continued to stay hot by placing himself in the scorers' book. At the 9:53 mark in the second, the score sat 5-3 in favor of Baltimore. The Blast continued to dominate the possession, as Diegues found space in the Utica defensive lines at the 14:22 mark to make it 6-3 Baltimore, which would be the score going into halftime.

After the break, Utica would come out on the power play and convert thanks to Cole Stephens nicking a pass and scoring to make the score 6-4. However, the deficit would head back to three as Diegues would cap off his hat trick at the 3:42 mark in the third and make the score 7-4 Baltimore. Diegues turned his hat trick into a haul by adding another goal, this time off of a pass from Pereira to push the game to 8-4 at the 11:14 mark. Diegues would make it 5 goals on the night with another tally at the 14:50 mark in the third to make the score 9-3 going into the fourth.

With a mountain to climb in the fourth, things would not go in favor of the City. De Andrade would earn a tripping call 16 seconds in, putting the Blast on the Power Play. On the ensuing man-up advantage, Baltimore converted thanks to Gonzalez, making the score 10-3. Utica would eventually pull Wilkin leading to two empty net goals, both from Baltimore keeper Zierhoffer. Keeping the net empty, Utica would pull a goal back at the 10:50 mark with Rafa Godoi. Then, Zierhoffer would make it 13 for the hosts, and a late consolation goal from de Andrade would make the final score 13-6 in favor of Baltimore.

After the Utica game in Baltimore, the boys in blue return to the Adirondack Bank Center tomorrow. It is a quick turnaround as UCFC takes on the Milwaukee Wave at 3:05 pm EST-tickets for the matchup are available at uticacityfc.com/tickets.

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Major Arena Soccer League Stories from February 17, 2024


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