COMETS COMEBACK FOR 100TH FRANCHISE WIN
KANSAS CITY (Feb. 11, 2017) – Indoor soccer returned to Kansas City in 2010 with the rebirth of the Comets. Since that time the team has averaged 14 wins per season, qualified for postseason play six times, played in the Championship Finals twice and claimed the trophy once. Tonight, they earned their 100thfranchise victory in dramatic style. The Comets came back from a three goal first quarter deficit to win 7-5 in front of 4,108 fans at the Silverstein Eye Centers Arena.
The Dallas Sidekicks came to town clinging to the hopes that they could still earn a spot in the Major Arena Soccer League postseason. Their determination showed as Jamie Lovegrove, VcMor Eligwe and Cameron Brown jumped on the Comets and put the visitors ahead 3-0 after the opening 15 minutes.
This was only the second time all year the Comets had been held scoreless in the first quarter at home. Unlike last time, when they were locked in a 0-0 tie with the Baltimore Blast, Kansas City had a huge deficit to climb back from.
The game could have gotten worse in the second quarter after Alain Matingou was called for Charging and the Comets found themselves on the Penalty Kill.
“When we got that penalty I knew that had to kill it to remain in the game,” said Vahid Assadpour. “We knew we could come back and win, but a 4-0 deficit is extremely tough to come back from.”
The Comets 3rd ranked Penalty Kill unit was up to the task and Kansas City began to build their own momentum. Ramone Palmer opened up the scoring for the home side after redirecting a long-distance shot from Assadpour to make the score 3-1 at the halftime break.
Dallas’ Eligwe scored his second of the match early in the third quarter to give Dallas a 4-1 lead, but the Comets now knew they could solve the Sidekicks defense and they stepped up their pressure.
John Sosa set up yet another restart goal, this one to Bryan Perez, followed by scores from Robert Palmer and
Assadpour to tie the game at 4-4 with 11:10 to play in the fourth quarter. Brian Harris then joined in the scoring to give Kansas City their first lead of the night three minutes later.
Dallas wasn’t done yet though. Eligwe launched a shot that just snuck under the crossbar to temporarily equalize the game once again.
Kansas City got a break when Cameron Brown caught Harris with an elbow and was sent to the penalty box. With a man advantage, the Comets pressed for the winning goal. Dallas had plans of their own though as they broke through and nearly got a short-handed goal before Lucas Rodriguez was able to sprint back on defense and save the tie.
Out of gas, Rodriguez made his way to the bench and Harris jumped back onto the field. With fresh legs, he quickly found himself with the ball on the left side of the goal. Seeing the defense pull towards him, he laid an easy pass to Ramone Palmer who turned and scored the eventual game-winner.
Stefan Stokic was able to break through the Sidekicks 6th Attacker and add an insurance goal with under a minute left and the Comets held on to earn the win.
Kansas City is now 13-4 and holds a 1.5 game advantage over the Cedar Rapids Rampage and two games over the Milwaukee Wave in the Central Division. Those two teams play each other tomorrow afternoon.