METROSTARS MOUNT 4TH QUARTER COMEBACK TO DEFEAT HEAT 6-5
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MISSISSAUGA, ON – Sunday, February 17, 2019 Matthew Rios scored two goals and Marco Rodriguez netted the game winner as the Mississauga MetroStars staged a remarkable fourth quarter comeback to defeat their Eastern Division rivals Harrisburg Heat 6-5 and register their third MASL win of the season Sunday afternoon at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre in Mississauga. The MetroStars broke the deadlock just over 8:00 into the game when Rios bent a free kick around the wall to beat Heat ‘keeper Matt Perrella. But Dom Francis netted the equalizer for Harrisburg just 3:00 later and the teams were tied 1-1 after 15 minutes. The Heat added two more goals in the second quarter including Ricardo Carvalho’s team leading 12th of the season and Julian Escobar’s 6th just 23 seconds before halftime. Harrisburg added another goal midway through the third quarter as Tavoy Morgan beat MetroStars ‘keeper Adrian Becic with a right foot shot to give the Heat a commanding 4-1 lead. But newcomer Shaq Agard would score his 1st ever MASL goal in his second game for the MetroStars steering in a rebound of a Mo Babouli shot to cut the deficit to 4-2 before the end of the quarter. Just over 4:00 into the fourth quarter Babouli unleashed a missile from just outside the yellow line that found its way to the roof of the net for his team leading 13th of the season and then, just over 4:00 after that, Damion Graham scored the tying goal for the MetroStars as he tapped in a rebound from another blocked Babouli strike. With less than 4:00 to play, Mississauga took the lead as Babouli fed Rios with a perfect pass on a fast breakout and the Mississauga midfielder would score his second of the game and seventh of the season. Just under a minute later, Massimo Mirabelli won the ball back deep in the Harrisburg zone, then fed Rodriguez who found the inside of the near post with a low shot to register his 12th goal of the season and Mississauga led 6-4. Just 27 seconds later, Carvalho’s free kick deflected off the wall and past a helpless Becic allowing the Heat to cut the deficit to 6-5 but that’s as close as they would come as the MetroStars held on for the victory, their third of the season and second over the Heat. With the win, the MetroStars’ record in the MASL’s Eastern Division improves to 3-11 while the Heat fall to 3-9. The MetroStars continue their homestand at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre Friday, February 22 when they host Utica City FC in another all-Eastern Division battle. Kickoff is 7:35pm (ET). MASL Match Report Scoring Summary
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