April 28, 2024 – Major Arena Soccer League (MASL)
Kansas City Comets News Release
INDEPENDENCE, MO – The Kansas City Comets and Chihuahua Savage played in front an atmosphere worthy of a Ron Newman Cup Finals clash, but the Savage prevailed with a 4-3 come-from-behind victory in front of a sold out crowd inside Cable Dahmer Arena on Sunday.
The Comets led for most of the way, but were unable to hang on to their slender lead. Chihuahua overturned a two-goal deficit in the second half to grab the road victory as both teams battle again south of the border on Tuesday.
The Savage went ahead 6:09 into the contest when Erick Tovar fired a missile from a restart on the right side, finding a wide open Miguel Angel Diaz for a simple redirection. The Comets leveled the score towards the end of the opening frame when Lucas Sousa scored his first of the contest, finding the far corner from a restart assisted by Nacho Flores.
The Comets took a 2-1 lead when the Comets executed a well-rehearsed restart from the corner. Flores faked a pass, then knocked it off the boards to Sousa, who smashed it with his right foot past the keeper.
From a Comets perspective, the story was not converting opportunities. After missing some significant chances, Rian Marques finally extended the Comets’ lead to 3-1 early in the third period when he converted his penalty kick. Chihuahua pulled one back in the final minute of the third as Roberto Escalante scored with a shot through traffic.
The Savage leveled the score at 3-3 when Hugo Puentes created some space and found the far corner midway through the fourth quarter. The visitors took the 4-3 lead with 3:44 left to play when Escalante sent the restart pass to the top shelf.
While it worked in the previous two games, the Comets’ sixth attacker offense was unable to pull off late-game heroics against Chihuahua. The Comets got off some shots, but were unable to hit the back of the net with the added attacker.
The Comets now have their backs against the wall as they enter one of the most difficult places in all of the MASL. Chihuahua is now just one home win away from winning back-to-back championships, but the Comets will look to spoil the party south of the border.
The champion will be crowned Tuesday evening in Chihuahua. The Comets will need to win both Game 2 and the Knockout Game. All the action will be available on CBS Sports Golazo Network and Sports Radio 810 WHB.
SCORING SUMMARY
1st – CUU Diaz (Tovar) 6:09; KC Sousa (Flores) 11:03. Penalties -…