AROUND THE LEAGUE: WEEK 4

by Joseph Reina

**The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the viewpoints or positions of the Major Arena Soccer League.**

@josephreina21

The Empire Strykes Back

What a week it's been for Empire. After a frustrating start to the season, the Strykers won both games against Tacoma and Texas and now sit two points clear of the Stars with four games played each. They looked dynamic and dangerous en route to their pair of 10-5 wins, a far cry from their struggles against Chihuahua and Utica.


Empire secured their first win in 326 days on the back of a performance that explicitly defied the narratives that plagued this team in recent years. After an even first period, the Stars put their noses in front and led the hosts 4-3 at the half. Tacoma went on to score just one goal and concede seven in the second half, including six in the fourth quarter alone.




On the road against Texas, the plot was eerily similar. The Outlaws took a 4-3 lead into halftime after an even opening half hour, before another 7-1 second half in favor of the Strykers. Across the two games, head coach Onua Obasi’s side took 64 shots and scored 20 goals, for 0.31 Goals Per Shot (GPS), which is roughly 10% higher than the leaguewide average from last season.


So what does this mean? When looking at these two games in isolation, Empire created good scoring opportunities and converted on those opportunities at a higher rate than expected. For the majority of last season, Empire actually has a lower GPS than the league average so this jump under Obasi is a massive step in the right direction.




Leading the charge for Empire is Justin Stinson, who has eight points in four appearances. While Marco Fabián continues to do the impossible, 27-year-old Stinson keeps defenders on their toes with his own brand of creative attacking energy. His impact cannot be overstated and while Texas managed to end Fabián’s goalscoring run, Stinson was there to keep his team afloat with a brilliant hattrick.


Looking ahead, the Strykers will round out 2024 with their first matchup against San Diego, and they’ll open 2025 at home against Tacoma. Given that over half of Empire’s opponents are the Savage, Sockers, and Stars, they’ll need to keep finding ways to get points from these tough games. Kickoff from San Diego will be Saturday, Dec. 28 at 10:05 PM EST.

Sidekicks end Milwaukee’s win Streak

Terry Woodberry and the Sidekicks are ready to make some noise this season. Faced with a road trip to St. Louis and a home game against the Wave the following day, Dallas made it clear that they were up for a fight in both games. Despite a heartbreaking loss to the Ambush, they showed their resilience with a memorable 7-3 win over Milwaukee, sending all of their rivals a message in the process.


All phases of play were key to Dallas’ victory on the night. In goal, Parker Lacklund and Juan Gamboa combined for 17 saves and conceded just three goals. Defensively, Moises Hernandez, Kristian Quintana, and Felipe Silva added a point each with 9 blocks between them. Jamie Lovegrove and brothers Oscar and Esai Romero shined in attack, bagging two points apiece to secure the Sidekicks’ first win over the Wave since Jan 16, 2022.




Milwaukee’s three-game win streak ended in large part due to an extremely below-average day in front of the net. Giuliano Oliviero’s side generated many scoring opportunities but couldn’t convert frequently enough to keep it close down the stretch.




On top of their finishing ineptitude, Dallas managed to breach Milwaukee’s typically airtight sixth-attacker unit with three empty-net goals in the final four minutes. This feat should not go unappreciated and credit must be given where credit is due to Lovegrove and his spectacular technique.


Both sides will have a few days off before another pair of meetings in Milwaukee. Any more dropped points could spell panic for the Wave, while Dallas attempts to prove this win was no fluke. Milwaukee hosts the Sidekicks on Saturday, Dec. 28 at 7:05 PM EST, and then again for their New Year’s Eve game on Tuesday, Dec. 31 at 4:05 PM EST.


Battles brewing in the Northeast

After three games each, just one point separates Utica and Baltimore in the league table. Both sides have faced teams that made deep runs into the playoffs last season and looked up to the task despite a pair of frustrating losses. We’ve discussed the importance of these regional rivalry games previously, but now more than ever, it looks like a serious fight is on the cards.


Both sides visited Harrisburg this weekend for a pair of tumultuous tussles with the Heat and it's become clear that no game between these three rivals will be a foregone conclusion. The hosts gave their guests trouble in both contests, only losing to Utica by one while the Blast managed to pull away a bit earlier thanks to four goals in the second quarter.


Veteran forward Joey Tavernese scored his second hattrick of the season against Utica and currently has a 2.3 points per game average. Head coach Pat Healey’s side has put together some good passages of play, but they haven’t yet unlocked the team’s full potential, and their record reflects that.




Chad Poarch, the Million Dollar Goal Scorer from this summer’s TST tournament, bagged three points over the weekend with his first career goal coming in Baltimore’s 5-4 loss to Milwaukee on Friday night. Against Harrisburg, Poarch managed a further two goals from defense. Jamie Thomas and Bruno Henrique led their side in scoring over the two games with four points each.


Utica, by contrast, actually trailed the Heat with 12 minutes to go in the fourth quarter. With time running out and his team trailing, Kelvin Oliviera stepped up with a pair of clutch set-piece goals to carry his team to victory. His third consecutive hattrick to open the season puts the Brazilian futsal star firmly atop the league’s goalscoring chart and ensures he will be a strong candidate for player of the month.




This next stretch of games will likely have major playoff implications in the Northeast corridor. Utica and Baltimore will both face the Heat to open their respective weekends before meeting each other for the first time this season on New Year’s Eve.


Harrisburg is already deep in a hole with three straight losses to open the season and it already feels like they need at least one win this weekend if they want to stay in the hunt for a playoff spot. For Utica and Baltimore on the other hand, the goal will be six points and a double-digit December points haul.


The Heat will travel to face Baltimore on Friday, Dec. 27 at 7:30 PM EST, before visiting Utica on Sunday, Dec. 29 at 3:05 PM EST. Finally, the Blast will make the journey to upstate New York for a showdown you won’t want to miss against Utica on Tuesday, Dec. 31 at 3:05 PM EST.