Ambush Hold Off Shot-Heavy Strykers in 4–2 Home Win
- Jonathan Turner
- 1 hour ago
- 2 min read
NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com
ST. CHARLES, Mo. — The Empire Strykers outshot the St. Louis Ambush by a wide margin but were unable to solve goalkeeper Paulo Nascimento consistently, falling 4–2 on the road Friday night in Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) action.
The loss drops Empire to 2-6-0 on the season despite a commanding 32–14 advantage in shots. The Strykers saw three attempts cleared off the goal line by Ambush field players and were repeatedly denied by Nascimento, who turned in a standout performance with 21 saves and a 91.3% save percentage. St. Louis forward Mario Falsone led the scoring with a two-goal night.
Empire entered the match shorthanded, opting to rest several key contributors. Star attacker Marco Fabián remained in Monterrey, Mexico, for an exhibition match, while goalkeeper Brian Orozco and defender Robert Palmer were held out as a precaution after dealing with minor issues during the week.
The Strykers struck first when Steven Chávez’s initial effort was blocked on the left side, but the rebound fell perfectly to Walter Díaz González, who rifled a first-time finish into the near-side upper corner to give Empire the early lead.
St. Louis answered late in the opening quarter under unusual circumstances. While playing short-handed due to too many men on the field, the Ambush won possession in midfield. Jeff Michaud carried the ball forward and unleashed a long-range strike that slipped under the crossbar, leveling the match with a stunning short-handed goal.
The Ambush nearly took the lead moments later when Daniel Torrealba intercepted possession with Empire goalkeeper Brandon Gomez upfield, but his rushed attempt slid just wide of the open net. St. Louis capitalized before the end of the quarter, however, as Falsone opened his account with a composed one-touch finish off a low driven service from John Gates on the right, sending the Ambush into the break with a 2–1 lead.
St. Louis extended its advantage early in the second quarter through former Strykers midfielder Riley Urie. The 25-year-old weaved past multiple defenders down the left flank before finding Falsone at the far post for a simple tap-in and his second goal of the night.
After a scoreless third period, the Ambush pushed the lead to 4–1 on a breakaway. Ryan Khedoo powered past Justin Stinson and played a smart ball off the boards near the left post, where Colin O’Keefe was waiting to finish from close range.
Empire continued to press and finally broke through late when Tony De La Torre scored his first goal of the season, redirecting a deflected restart from Stinson into the net. It proved to be the final goal of the night, as St. Louis managed the closing minutes effectively to preserve the two-goal margin.
Despite the result, Empire showed attacking promise throughout the match but ultimately paid the price for missed chances and a stellar night from the Ambush goalkeeper.
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