The St. Louis Ambush close out the 2017 calendar year when they host the Florida Tropics on Sunday, December 31, 2017 (New Year’s Eve) at 2:05 p.m. CT at the Family Arena.
The New Year’s Eve matinee is the first of two meetings between the Ambush (1-9) and Tropics (5-4) slated for the 2017-18 regular season. The last will be on Friday, January 12 at 6:35 p.m. CT at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland, Florida.
Each team will be without the services of a player for Sunday’s contest. Ambush goalkeeper Paulo Nascimento and Tropics midfielder Anthony Arico will be sitting out the match due to a one-game Points Accumulation Suspension.
This is the second season for the Tropics franchise, who joined the Major Arena Soccer League as an expansion team for the 2016-17 season. The two teams clashed three times last season, with the Tropics winning two of those duels.
Three current members of the Tropics previously played for the Ambush. Forward Freddy Moojen appeared in 12 games with the Ambush during the 2015-16 season. Midfielder Anthony Arico (suspended for Sunday’s game; see above) appeared in three games with the Ambush during the 2014-15 season and 14 games during the 2015-16 season. Goalkeeper Piotr Sliwa appeared in 11 games with the Ambush during the 2015-16 season.
Following Sunday’s game, fans are invited to stick around for a New Year’s Eve Kids’ Bash on the field, including games, prizes and activities. Sunday’s game is also the first of two consecutive home games. The next will be Saturday, January 6, 2018, when the cross-state rival Kansas City Comets invade the Family Arena for a 7:05 p.m. match.
