Empire Outshoots Ambush 32-14, Loses 4-2 in Nascimento Clinic

St. Louis goalkeeper stifles frustrated Strykers attack

Click here for the box score.

St. Charles, Mo. — The Empire Strykers fell 4-2 away to the St. Louis Ambush on Friday evening, dropping to 2-6-0 (wins-losses-overtime/shootout losses) on their Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) campaign. The Strykers finished the game with a 32-14 advantage on shots, having seen three of their efforts blocked off the line by field players and having been stifled by outstanding St. Louis goalkeeper Paulo Nascimento, who made no fewer than 21 saves and posted a whopping 91.3% save percentage. Ambush forward Mario Falsone had a brace in the match.

For its clash in Missouri, Empire featured a roster that was without three of the team’s key players. While star attacker Marco Fabián is in Monterrey, Mexico, for a major exhibition game, netminder Brian Orozco and backline anchor Robert Palmer were available for selection but were kept out by Head Coach Onua Obasi as a precaution. Both Orozco and Palmer dealt with minor physical issues during the week.

The Strykers drew first blood, Steven Chávez having his effort blocked on the left and seeing the ball pop out to Walter Díaz González, who fired a first-time bullet into the near-side upper ninety. The home side drew level much deeper into the opening quarter, finding the net in unlikely circumstances. Down a man as punishment for fielding too many players, St. Louis won the ball in midfield, Jeff Michaud carrying it into opposition territory and hitting a long-range bullet that found its way underneath the crossbar for a stunning short-handed tally.

The Ambush nearly grabbed the lead by again winning the ball in midfield with Empire backstop Brandon Gomez on his way to join the attack. Daniel Torrealba aimed for the unguarded net but seemed to rush his effort and missed just wide left. The hosts did make it 2-1 before the end of the period, as Falsone scored his first of the night by way of a beautiful one-touch finish on John Gates’ low driven ball into the box from the right.

St. Louis doubled its advantage early in the second quarter, courtesy of a fantastic play by former Strykers midfielder Riley Urie. The 25-year-old dribbled past several Empire defenders on the left before picking out Falsone at the far post for the easiest of tap-ins.

After an uneventful third period, the Ambush made it 4-1 on a breakaway, as Ryan Khedoo muscled off Justin Stinson and played a clever ball off the boards by the left post, Colin O’Keefe touching it home from the doorstep. After peppering the opposition goal with shots and being denied time after time by netminder Nascimento, the Strykers finally pulled one back when Tony De La Torre bagged his maiden goal of the season with a deflected shot on a restart by Stinson.

It would be the day’s final netter, as St. Louis did well to manage its two-goal cushion for the remainder of the match.

The Empire Strykers will need to dust themselves off quickly before Sunday’s crucial away game against the Tacoma Stars. The Southern Californians return home for a pair of equally important meetings with the San Diego Sockers and the Kansas City Comets on Thursday, January 22, and Sunday, January 25, respectively. Information on season tickets can be found here. Single-game tickets to all matches at Ontario’s Toyota Arena are available here.