Diegeus sets team record with five goals as Tropics drop KC

LAKELAND, Fla. – Ricardo Diegues set a team record with five goals, and the Florida Tropics tied a record for most goals in the game as they routed the Kansas City Comets, 12-8, in a Major Arena Soccer League Game Sunday at the RP Funding Center.

Diegues, who now has 22 goals in 14 games, didn't start his onslaught until midway through the third quarter, which stretched the Florida lead to 6-3. Diegues had a four-goal game last Sunday at the RP Funding Center in a loss to St. Louis.

Enzo Marangoni and Matt Clare staked the Tropics to a 2-0 lead just three minutes into the game before the Comets roared back with three straight. However, goals 14 seconds apart, in the last 30 seconds of the first half by Rafa Alves and Victor Parreiras, put the Tropics on top 4-3, a lead they never relinquished. 

Both Alves and Perreiras finished with two each, with Antonio Manfut adding one as Florida improved to 6-14. 

Kansas City, which fell to 10-10, got two each from Kiel Williams and Bryan Perez, and single scores from Leo Gibson, James Togbah, Robert Palmer and Anthony Grant.

Florida will be on the road next weekend to take on the division-leading Milwaukee Wave in a 8:05 p.m. (EDT) start on Saturday, March 23, before returning to Lakeland to host the Comets again on Saturday, March 30, at 7:05 p.m.