Utica Riggies Take over the Adirondack Bank Center, Fall in Overtime to Texas

January 21, 2024 – Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) – Utica City FC News Release

Utica, NY – While the blue turf at the Adirondack Bank Center had been used to the black, blue, and white kits of Utica City FC, it was a change from tradition as the Utica Riggies took the field in red. The first-ever MASL one-game rebrand saw City trade out the UCFC logo for a rigatoni noodle to take on the Texas Outlaws. In a back and forth contest, Utica forced overtime late but lost to the visitors by a final score of 9-8.

Action picked up early in the game, as Jorge Deleon sprinted down the left side and squared a ball to Luiz Morales who passed it into the back of the net, giving Texas a 1-0 lead in the first 50 seconds. Utica stepped on the gas offensively, firing chance after chance towards the Texas goal. Outlaws goalkeeper Eduardo Cortes made 8 saves in the first quarter, holding Utica scoreless for the first 15. With the lone goal being scored in the first minute of play, the teams would head to quarter two with Utica down by 1.

Utica would head to the power play just two minutes into the second frame, as Texas had Brenden Lee called for a tripping penalty. On the ensuing power play, Taylor Walter Bond slotted a ball into the low corner-Utica’s first home power play goal of the season. One minute later, Emmanuel Belliard clipped the ball to the far post, striking the frame and sneaking in to make the score 2-1 Riggies at the 4:28 mark of the second. Defenses settled down again, and it would take a terrific strike from the Outlaws’ Sebastian Mendez to tie things up at the 9:21 mark. Utica would head to the penalty kill 70 seconds later, as Juan Alava was sent to the penalty box for tripping. On the power play, Texas would score a carbon copy of the second goal-left side, top corner, this time off of the boot of Morales. Utica found a response immediately after play returned, with Franck Tayou poking a ball home after a pass off of the walls from Ronaldinho Diniz. Tied up at 3 a piece, the horn for halftime would sound and the teams would head to the locker rooms.

Three and a half minutes into the third, Utica would take a lead through the foot of Cole Stephens, who was active in the box and found a free ball. The game settled down into a defensive affair again, until Texas found another equalizer. At the 10:22 mark, a well-worked move from back to front saw Jorge Deleon even the scores. The game would head to the fourth, all tied up again.

With the teams…