Red-Hot Palmer Leads Strykers to 7-6 Win at Tacoma

Visitors take critical step toward clinching playoff berth

Kent, Wash. — Backline anchor Robert Palmer continued his hot form for the Empire Strykers on Friday evening, scoring a goal and adding an assist to help his side earn a critically important 7-6 away win over the Tacoma Stars and improve to 11-9-1 on its 2024-25 Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) campaign. In addition to Palmer, who enjoyed his second straight two-point performance, goalkeeper Brandon Gomez played a key role in the contest. The Los Angeles area native produced a number of important interventions and finished the night with an outstanding .800 save percentage.

While defender Alex Caceres bagged a brace, fellow Stars veteran Nick Perera enjoyed a strong performance up top, earning a goal and two assists.

In light of the St. Louis Ambush losing its own match earlier in the day, Empire’s hard-fought victory sees the Southern Californians now on the verge of finalizing their first playoff appearance since the fall of 2021. While one more regulation win will guarantee postseason play for first-year head coach Onua Obasi’s men, they will likely find out they have clinched prior to taking the field again in two weeks.

Strykers rookie Mounir Alami opened the scoring in the first quarter. The Moroccan received the ball from Justin Stinson on the right and cut inside before releasing a low, left-footed drive from outside the area that found its way inside the bottom left corner. The two teams subsequently exchanged well-worked tallies late in the period to bring the score to 1-2.

First, Alami hit a pinpoint ball from deep inside his own half that found the head of Harold Hanson on the left side of the box, the attacker gently nodding it across to an open Palmer and the Jamaican first-timing it home with the inside of his foot. Tacoma’s maiden goal was a near carbon copy of the previous netter, Chase Hanson this time hitting the long ball to the left side of the area, where Perera laid it off with his chest rather than his head. The perfectly weighted touch was first-timed inside the left upright by Khai Brisco, leaving less than 30 seconds on the clock.

After Leonardo Espinoza re-established the visitors’ two-goal cushion very early in the second quarter, making it 1-3, Tyler John cut the Stars’ deficit back in half on an excellent solo effort. Streaking down the left side of the turf, the 29-year-old rifled a hard, left-footed shot inside the near post for his team’s second of the match.

The Strykers made it 2-4 a mere 33 seconds after the break, Hanson scoring from Andy Reyes, followed by a stunning right-footed kick save from Empire backstop Brian Orozco to deny an unmarked Yahir Romero on a Stars power play. The home side did score on the same numerical advantage, as Perera rolled the ball out to Caceres on the right and the defender hit it back across the frame and into the upper ninety with his left.

Mike Ramos bagged the second of three straight Tacoma goals, leveling the game at 4-4, followed by a Perera tally that gave the Stars their first lead of the contest. The indoor legend showed great instincts as he managed to poke home an errand defensive header by Israel Sesay that was intended for the Empire netminder. The Strykers tied things back up before the end of the period, Alan Perez stabbing the ball into the net and Jorge DeLeon recording the helper.

Empire rode its momentum to two more netters in the final quarter. After DeLeon was rewarded for his pressure high up the field, dispossessing an opposition defender and calmly tucking home for 5-6, Stinson bagged the winning goal on a Palmer restart from the right. The midfielder cleverly hit the ball first time, using the opposition screen to catch netminder Chris Toth flat-footed as he curled his shot around several defenders and inside the near post.

Tacoma set up a dramatic finish by pulling one back with just under three minutes left to play, Adrian Correa dispossessing recent Strykers signing Issak Somow on the left and playing provider for Caceres. However, the away side smartly controlled possession in the closing stages, preventing any dangerous looks by the Stars and holding on for a hard-fought 7-6 victory.

After traveling south to take on the San Diego Sockers on Saturday, March 22, the Strykers return to Ontario’s Toyota Arena the very next day for the rematch and their regular season home finale. Tickets for the clash on fan appreciation night are available here.