Strykers Lose 10-9 to Utica in Error-Laden Goal Fest

UCFC’s De Andrade, Pinal shine as Empire rues miscues on both ends

 Ontario, Calif. — The Empire Strykers suffered a bizarre defeat to visiting Utica City FC on Thursday evening, falling 10-9 in regulation time, courtesy of a litany of individual errors. The wildly entertaining affair saw Utica’s Nilton De Andrade and Sergio Pinal lead the charge with four points apiece, midfielder De Andrade recording a hat trick. While Empire defender-midfielder Alan Perez continued his impressive run of attacking form with a brace and an assist, netminder Brian Orozco notably collected a goal and a helper.

Time after time in the match, the Strykers clawed their way back from a deficit, only to then produce a defensive miscue at the other end and allow the visitors to score.

With the loss, Head Coach Onua Obasi’s Empire squad drops to 5-9-0 (wins-losses-overtime/shootout losses) on its Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) campaign.

The hosts scored early in the frantic first period, Abdul Mansaray smashing home an unstoppable volley from just outside the penalty area. Still within the opening third of the quarter, UCFC leveled the score at 1-1, as Kyle Gehnrich buried an assist by De Andrade, followed moments later by an Emmanuel Belliard tally from Pinal that gave the away side its first of many leads. Utica would make it three straight when Willie Spur pounced on a careless giveaway in midfield, effortlessly slotting into the open net with Empire ‘keeper Brian Orozco pushed up to create a numerical advantage.

The Strykers subsequently did well to bounce back and stop the opposition’s momentum, as Alan Perez and Polo Hernandez brought the score to 3-3 before the end of the period. After Perez converted a helper by Mansaray, midfielder Hernandez’s buzzer beater sent the home crowd into a frenzy. With few options in front of him and time running out, the 26-year-old dribbled past several defenders on his way inside from the left. When the ball crossed the line on Hernandez’s cleverly-placed shot inside the right post, there was less than a second left on the clock. Perez had provided the helper.

This time it was Empire’s turn to score three in a row. Robert Palmer collected the assist inside the second quarter as Marco Fabián gave his team the edge by burying one of his trademark right-footed bullets on a power play. The Strykers had a golden chance to pull away when Mansaray picked out wide-open backline anchor Palmer on a breakaway, but the Jamaican somehow missed the empty net and instead sent the ball wide left of the frame. Palmer’s side was immediately punished at the other end. UCFC picked up the loose ball and quickly transitioned to attack, Geo Alves making it 4-4 by way of an unassisted tally.

Things would go from bad to worse for Empire, as the away team jumped out on top in the final minute of the first half. An errand pass was picked up by Pinal and carried into the attacking third, where the forward laid it off to fellow attacking ace De Andrade, whose gorgeous chip left the onrushing Orozco without a chance.

The Strykers reemerged from the break with a point to prove, and they wasted little time before tying the match at 5-5. ‘Keeper Orozco added to his stunning attacking numbers this season by bagging his third goal, to go with two assists. The 24-year-old drove into the opposition half on the right and released one of his famous shots toward the left upright. The dangerous drive took a deflection in front of UCFC netminder Brain Wilkin before nestling in the net, Justin Stinson bagging the helper on the play. Stinson would claim another point moments later, as he made it 6-5 from Díaz González.

Just as it seemed the hosts might take control of the contest, Utica showed tremendous resilience by fighting back and scoring the next two goals. First, Cole Stephens set up Pinal. Then, Juan Alava gave his team a 7-6 lead by nodding home an intelligent De Andrade helper off the glass above the crossbar. The Strykers evened the score again, but only to concede once more and head into the final quarter trailing by one. After Empire’s Perez tapped home from the doorstep on a beautiful interplay with Mounir Alami, UCFC’s Barbaro Shelier pounced on a defensive miscue by setting up Mehrshad Ahmadi for a simple finish from close range.

The exhilarating ride continued in the game’s fourth period, with Empire finding another leveler on Orozco’s sixth offensive point of the campaign. The netminder earned the assist by way of a pinpoint pass to Díaz González, whose powerful finish from inside the box made it 8-8. However, the jubilation at Toyota Arena would be short-lived, as Spurr fed Shelier for UCFC’s go-ahead tally of the night.

The fans in the stands knew they were in for a dramatic finish when the Strykers evened the match inside the final third of the closing quarter, Fabián passing the ball inside the left upright after a nice give and go with Alami. Unfortunately for Empire, it would be the visitors jumping out in front one last time, De Andrade’s persistence paying off as he followed up on an excellent Orozco save and crowned his standout performance with the game winner. With just under 32 seconds left, the Strykers threw everything forward but struggled to create any more quality looks, Utica holding on for a 10-9 victory.

After a nine-day span without any MASL fixtures, the Empire Strykers will look to bounce back in an away clash with rivals San Diego Sockers on Sunday, February 15, followed by a clash with the visiting Milwaukee Wave the very next day. Tickets to all Empire games at Ontario’s Toyota Arena are available here.