Empire Win Streak Snapped in 6-3 Loss to Comets

Marques shines as Kansas City claws back from halftime deficit 

Click here for the box score.

Independence, Mo. — The Empire Strykers had their three-game win streak snapped by the Kansas City Comets on Friday evening, falling 6-3 away to the Major Arena Arena Soccer League (MASL) giants and dropping to 5-7-0 (wins-losses-draws) on their 2025-26 campaign. The fiercely contested affair at Cable Dahmer Arena, which was led 2-1 by Empire at the break, saw Kansas City earn all three points by battling back in the second half and outscoring the visitors 5-1. Comets forward Rian Marques dominated on attack, bagging three goals and one helper.

Replays showed that both assists on a pair of netters by Kansas City’s Michael Lenis had been incorrectly awarded to Christian Anderaos. Lenis’ goals were unassisted.

The home side opened the scoring just under a third of the way into the first quarter. Having received the ball from Guerrero Pino with his back to the goal, Marques turned to his right while expertly flicking it up to himself, followed by a clinical volley inside the far post. With just over five minutes left to go in the period, the Strykers leveled the score at 1-1, Mounir Alami’s drive on a Polo Hernandez restart being tapped home at the right post by defender Filipe Dutra. The equalizer marked rookie Dutra’s first ever MASL goal.

In a second period that at times resembled a chess match — with Empire controlling much of the possession and the Comets daring their opponents to break them down — the Strykers did jump out on top 23 seconds from the break. Recent signing Qudus Lawal displayed impressive skill as he took down a chipped Stinson pass off the boards in the left corner, turned toward the goal, and sent a right-footed drive underneath ‘keeper Phillip Ejimadu from a tight angle.

Nearly halfway through the third quarter, Kansas City tied the game at 2-2, Michael Lenis scoring on a deflected shot from inside the penalty area. The hosts grabbed the advantage shortly thereafter, as Marques sent a brilliant pass across the face of the goal from the left. Lesia Thetsane had little trouble converting from the doorstep on the right. Empire netminder Brian Orozco nearly tied the score back up when he sprinted across the midfield stripe and rifled a right-footed bullet off the inside of the left post.

Instead of another equalizer, the Comets made it three straight tallies at the other end. In a moment of controversy, Marques’ pressure on Orozco paid off, as the Strykers backstop had his attempted clearance blocked by the Kansas City forward. Brazilian Marques had little trouble heading into the open net, given Guatemalan American Orozco stayed down holding his head and claiming an illegal infraction after the initial block.

With both benches having used up their challenge flags in the first half, the play was not reviewed by the refereeing crew — and neither was the one that cut the Empire deficit down to 4-3 with 15 seconds left in the quarter. Former Comets man Tony De La Torre netted against his old club on an assist by Steven Chávez. The replay seemed to show the ball finding De La Torre by way of an unintentional touch off Chávez’s right arm.

Kansas City increased its lead to two early the final period, the home side’s press leading to a giveaway in midfield and a Lenis pass into the open net, as ‘keeper Orozco had pushed up to join the Strykers attack. The Comets put the game out of reach inside the final six minutes, Marques calmly converting against Orozco on a shootout and rounding out the final score at 6-3.

The Empire players will have to dust themselves off quickly if they hope to bounce back in Sunday’s away clash with the Baltimore Blast. Head Coach Onua Obasi’s side returns home to Ontario for a February 5 meeting with Utica City FC. Tickets to all Strykers matches at Toyota Arena are available here.