April 23, 2022 – Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) – Kansas City Comets News Release
LAKELAND, FL. – The Comets (3-3-0) and the Florida Tropics (4-1-0) met at the RP Funding Center to see which team would advance to the 2022 Ron Newman Cup Finals. With the Comets leading the series 1-0, Florida needed to win Game Two to force a 15-minute Extra-Time to advance and they did just that. Florida topped the Comets by a 4-2 final in both Game Two and Extra-Time to advance and end Kansas City’s season.
True to playoff form so far, the Comets and their opponent played a low-scoring first half with the teams combining for just three goals through the first 30 minutes. Florida picked up the first two in the opening frame. Victor Parreiras and Drew Ruggles each scored for Florida and the Tropics took a 2-0 lead into the second quarter.
The lone goal of the second quarter came less than 90 seconds into the period. The Comets executed a quick restart near midfield and slid a pass to Milos Vucic, who was low in the left corner. Once he had possession, Vucic beat Florida keeper Rainer Hauss with a low shot to the opposite post to cut the Tropics’ lead in half at 2-1.
Each team had power-play opportunities in the first half though neither could capitalize. The Tropics were shown a blue card for too many men on the field and their defense killed the penalty to run the Comets’ streak to four power-play chances without a goal this post-season.
Florida got their chance with the man advantage when Nacho Flores was whistled for dangerous play with 3:13 left in the half. With Flores still in the penalty box, James Togbah picked up a blue card for tripping, giving Florida a 5-on-3 power-play. The Comets killed the first penalty and kept the Tropics off the board as time expired in the half. Florida had 10 seconds left on the 5-on-4 advantage to open the third quarter.
The second half of Game Two also saw three combined goals, with two going to the Tropics. Ricardo Carvalho scored the…