December 9, 2023 – Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) – Empire Strykers News Release
St. Charles, Mo. – The Empire Strykers defeated host St. Louis Ambush 8-7 on Saturday evening to record their first victory of the 2023-24 Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) season. Holding a three-goal lead late in the final quarter, Head Coach Paul Wright’s men fought off a late Ambush rally for the narrow win, which came courtesy of a strong opening period and an attacking clinic by Mexican midfielder Gerardo Jurado, who bagged four goals and an assist. St. Louis midfielder William Eskay had four tallies of his own in the contest.
The Strykers came out guns blazing, with Jurado collecting a pair of early helpers. First Claude Bilal Dielna, an alum of Major League Soccer (MLS) and the French Ligue 1, wasted no time in his indoor debut, slotting home to make it 0-1. Then Stefan Mijatovic fired a rocket under the bar to double his side’s advantage. The visitors continued their furious start shortly thereafter, Adam James setting up Alan Perez for an easy tap-in. The Ambush would pull one back before the end of the quarter, Strykers ‘keeper Brandon Gomez doing well to deny John A Eskay on a wide-open opportunity, only to see Billy Stimac clean up the rebound.
Empire nearly restored its three-goal cushion in the second period, Justin Stinson smashing a long-range missile off the crossbar. Netminder Gomez subsequently produced an excellent fingertip parry to keep out St. Louis midfielder Lucas Almeida’s dangerous drive from a tight angle. Back inside the Ambush area, the visitors from Southern California came within a hair of finding the open net, but James Togbah pulled off a spectacular goal-line clearance that sent Andy Nuñez’ seemingly sure finish onto the underside of the bar.
The Strykers finally made it 1-4 on a beautifully executed counterattack, a wide-open James slotting home after being picked out by former Ambush defender Mijatovic. Empire ‘keeper Gomez then came up with a memorable save against Ali Sodal, throwing himself into the midfielder’s diving header. At the other end of the turf, St. Louis netminder Jose Ogaz gave evidence of his own shot-stopping abilities, leaving his feet for a two-handed parry that kept out a dangerous shot by Jurado.
The game’s next goal was scored by the home side. Stimac dispossessed Mijatovic deep inside the Empire half and set up an unmarked Robert Kristo, who cut the Ambush’s deficit to 2-4. John A Eskay could have pulled…