Strykers Fall 8-2 Away to Ruthless Blast

Baltimore trio dominates in decisive win

Click here for the box score.

Towson, Md. — The Empire Strykers lost 8-2 away to the Baltimore Blast on Sunday afternoon, outshooting their opposition 32-24 but falling to a well-organized home side that created the clearer scoring chances. While Strykers ‘keeper Brian Orozco scored in the game, his counterpart at the other end, Julian Rodriguez, collected two helpers while also recording 13 saves and an outstanding save percentage of 86.7%. A pair of Baltimore defenders, Oumar Sylla and Chad Poarch, dominated on attack, each contributing two goals and one assist.

With the defeat, Head Coach Onua Obasi’s Empire team drops to 5-8-0 (wins-losses-overtime/shootout losses) on its Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) season.

The Blast got on the board just over a third of the way into the first period. After netminder Julian Rodriguez pushed forward and smashed a shot off the glass above the frame of the goal, Eber Ospina collected the rebound and fired home for 1-0. Patrick Thompson nearly doubled his team’s advantage when his effort from just outside the penalty area rattled the crossbar.

Instead of Baltimore’s second, those in attendance at SECU Arena saw the Strykers level the match at the other end. With one ‘keeper having already recorded a helper, Empire’s Orozco sent a streamer underneath the bar on a Polo Hernandez corner kick from the right that was received and then laid off by Dayerson Graterol.

It would not be the final goal of the quarter, as Alan Perez bagged his second buzzer beater in three games. Exactly one week after scoring 0.5 seconds from the break in his side’s home win over Kansas City, the Southern California native gave the Strykers a 2-1 lead with a second left in the second period of the match at Baltimore. The 26-year-old Perez collected from Tony De La Torre by the boards on the left and rifled another right-footed long-range shot inside the far post.

The Blast leveled the score inside the second quarter, Sylla setting up Poarch on a power play. Having earlier scored a dramatic late goal, Empire would give up two netters in the final two minutes before the break. First, Poarch made it 3-2 on a Wellington Bramusse assist. Then, Baltimore buried its fourth when Jairo Guevara received the ball from Juan Pereira with his back to the goal and laid it back off this to his teammate, whose first-time pass was tapped home at the right post by Sylla.

Defender Sylla was far from done offensively, as he extended his team’s cushion to three following intermission, cleverly sending a direct free kick on the right inside the near post for 5-2. Still within the opening third of the period, the Blast collected its sixth of the contest. With Empire netminder Orozco pushed up, Poarch intercepted a pass by the visitors, and Jonatas Melo found the unguarded goal by way of a precision hit from inside his own half. The Strykers nearly pulled one back on a power play, but Walter Díaz González’s right-footed effort bounced off the inside of the left post and back into play.

Baltimore seemed to bury another one when Sylla rifled home on a restart from the top of the arc. However, the goal was mysteriously called back, and the refereeing crew announced without any explanation that the Blast bench could not challenge the decision. Nearly halfway through the closing quarter, Baltimore did make it 7-2 on another excellent netter. Having crossed the midfield stripe on the left, Pereira took full advantage of the space afforded to him by picking out Kevaughn Frater, who converted at the back post by way of a deft heel touch.

The hosts added one more on a counterattack very late in the match, ‘keeper Rodriguez collecting his second assist by throwing to a streaking Thompson, who calmly slotted past Orozco for 8-2.

The Empire Strykers will look to regroup and bounce back in a clash with visiting Utica City FC this coming Friday, February 5. Tickets to all Strykers games at Ontario’s Toyota Arena are available here.