Mustangs sweep weekend series

Bond-Beard combination secures win

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (Nov. 13, 2016)  – With a weekend sweep of Cedar Rapids, the Chicago Mustangs started the season 2-0 for the second time, and first time since 2013.

Chicago scored the first three goals of the fourth quarter to break a 6-6 tie, before withstanding Cedar Rapids' furious comeback for a 9-8 win.

"I couldn't be more pleased with the resilience my team showed in our opening weekend of the MASL season," Mustangs coach Armando Gamboa said. "Both of these games were battles with multiple momentum swings. We got the two wins we wanted to get off to an ideal start in the Central Division."

A give-and-go combination resulted in the game-winning goal by forward Taylor Bond, his third of the game, assisted by defender Ephraim Beard, with six minutes, 18 seconds remaining. The Rampage (1-2) pushed to get back in the game by pulling their keeper and playing 6v5. It nearly worked as the team scored a pair of goals six seconds apart with less than five minutes left.

Cedar Rapids defender Jonatan Santos scored the first goal of the sequence, he finished the night with two more assists. Player-coach Hewerton Moreira led the team with two goals.  

Forward Efrain 'Wilo' Martinez bagged a pair of goals to finish with five in two days for Chicago. Forward Osvaldo Rojas had two goals, midfielder Miguel Vaca and defender Douglas Dos Santos scored one, each.

The Mustangs are undefeated in five games in their history against Cedar Rapids.

"We put in two solid efforts to open the season, but we know we have more work to do to get where we want to be," Gamboa said. "I'm pleased with our effort in the young season."