November 29, 2024 – Major Arena Soccer League (MASL)
Kansas City Comets News Release
St. Charles, MO. – The Comets (1-0-0) went on a first-half run and never let up as they cruised to an 8-3 win over the St. Louis Ambush (0-1-0) at the Family Arena Friday night in front of 2,802 fans. Kansas City goalkeeper Phillip Ejimadu stopped 15 of the 18 shots he faced to pick up his first career MASL win. For his efforts, he was named the Second Star of the Game.
The first 25 minutes of play belonged to the Comets as they tallied the first five goals of the game, including four in the first quarter.
The first goal of the 2024-25 MASL season was scored with 8:06 left in the first when Michael Lenis found Leonardo Acosta at the top of the arc. Acosta slid a low shot past Ambush keeper Paulo Nascimento for the 1-0 lead.
Lucas Sousa doubled the Kansas City advantage on a pass from Erik Pereira near midfield by chipping a shot from near midfield over a retreating Nascimento for the 2-0 lead with 5:29 to play in the opening quarter.
The former Ambush member and new Comet, Marcel Berry, picked up a loose ball played by Franck Tayou and scored from short range to make it a 3-0 KC advantage with 3:33 on the clock in the first.
A late goal with 17 seconds left in the frame off the foot of Rian Marques following a spin move inside the box, closed out scoring in the opening quarter with the Comets on top 4-0. Marques’ goal was assisted by Acosta, making him the first player this season with a multi-point first quarter.
St. Louis found the score sheet first in the second quarter, but it was a blue card to Uzi Tayou for tripping which gave the Comets their first power play chance of the season. They made good on it when Acosta sent a pass to Lesia Thetsane who sent a rocket to the upper 90 for a 5-0 KC lead with 6:18 to play in the half.
A newly signed Julio Varela snapped the Comets’ run with an assist by Lucas Almeida to close out scoring in the first half. He sent a low shot to the opposite corner past Ejimadu who got the start in place of Nicolau Neto who is nursing an injury. Ejimadu stopped six of the seven shots he faced in the half.
The first 10 minutes of the third quarter passed uneventfully before the teams combined for five goals in the final five minutes, beginning with Varela’s second of the game for St. Louis, this one assisted by Almeida who finished with three points in the game. The Comets’ lead was cut to 6-2 with 5:02 to go in the third.
With 1:59 to play in the…