ST. CHARLES, Mo.—The Missouri Comets remain undefeated after taking care of the St. Louis Ambush on Saturday night, 8-5. Like so many of the losses for the Ambush this season, the second half proved to be their kryptonite with the Comets outscoring St. Louis 5-2 in the final two quarters.
The Comets showed early why they are undefeated by jumping out to a quick two goal lead with goals from Kiel Williams and Vahid Assadpour. However, the Ambush would rally.
With two minutes to go in the first, Odaine Sinclair went to work along the boards and was able to get it to Manny Forbes posted in front of the Missouri net. Forbes buried it to cut the lead in half. The Ambush tied the score just 20 seconds into the next quarter. Sinclair once again made a good play along the wall to center the ball and found veteran Jeff DiMaria for the equalizer.
Midway through the second, St. Louis got its first lead of the contest when Blake Ordell played a ball perfectly off the wall to a waiting Elvir Kafedzic, who powered it into the top of the net.
The three unanswered Ambush goals had the Family Arena rocking, and a two minute boarding penalty just 20 seconds later had everyone thinking upset for the second time in as many games. Before fans could truly enjoy this notion, the Comets were setting up for short-handed free kick from the top of the arc. Missouri’s John Sosa tied the game once again with a crafty shot around the wall of defenders that froze keeper Greg Crook.
Things went from bad to worse a few minutes later when Forbes collided with a Comets player near midfield and went down with a right leg injury. He had to be carried to the locker room and did not return to the bench until the fourth quarter which he watched in street clothes and on crutches.
The Comets dominated the end of the first half peppering Greg Crook for the final three minutes, but he stood tall like he has all season.
In the second half, Comets put on a clinic of organized, attacking soccer. Robert Palmer broke the tie with a give-and-go from Stefan Stokic. Andrew Braithwaite extended the lead 30 seconds later when he calmly stepped around a sliding defender and drove it into the back of the net.
The Ambush quickly countered with their own goal. Kory Dowell got his team leading seventh of the year when he took a pass off the boards from Chad Vandegriffe and ripped it past the Comets’ keeper to make it 5-4.
In the fourth quarter, the Comets were relentless. Crook was able to turn away most, but when you see 51 shots and 32 are on goal it’s going to be a long night. Braithwaite’s second goal, from almost the same spot as the first, made it 6-4.
MASL leading scorer Leo Gibson got perhaps his easiest goal of the season with an assist from the ref. With the Ambush breaking long to try and cut into the lead Crook threw a ball deep, which hit a ref along the boards bouncing fortuitously (or not depending on which color you are wearing) to Stefan Stokic, who dished it to Gibson in front of the net. Gibson added an assist to the stat sheet on Missouri’s final goal when he executed a perfect heel flick to Alain Matingou streaking down the left side who scored off Crook’s hands, his only goal allowed of the game you could call soft.
Stefan St. Louis tallied the game’s final goal when he collected a Crook throw from off the wall and launched it with the power the frustration of being down 4 goals in the final minute gives you. St. Louis had a rough night to that point against his former team with some uncharacteristic turnovers and poor passes, but he got a nice ovation from the crowd.
The Comets (11-0) had a large contingency, over 200 according to the team website, make the trek to the Family Arena and they made themselves heard throughout the game. Drowning out the rest of the announced 7,000 patrons on multiple occasions singing songs and chanting. My favorite: a take on “Our House” by Madness. After the game some of the team jumped in the crowd to go celebrate with their fans. Much of the group stayed long after the game celebrating the win.
The Comets try to continue their perfect season next weekend against the Tulsa Revolution.
Meanwhile, the Ambush (3-6), still fighting to get into third place and secure a playoff spot, are back in action next Saturday, Jan. 10, in Wichita.
(Photos by Tim Kaiser)
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