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NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com
BY DAN STICKRADT
WEB AND CONTENT EDITOR | NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF NEWS
Premier Media Group | National Soccer Network and affiliates
BUSINESS LINE: (248) 525-2349
TW/X: @msn_stickradt @MiSoccerNetwork, @NatSoccerTV
CHIHUAHUA. Mexico – You can’t stop the Chihuahua Savage at home. You can only hope to contain them.
The Kansas City Comets did so for most of the first and third quarters Friday night, but in the end it was far from enough as Chihuahua outlasted the Comets 9-4 at Corner Sport Arena.
The Savage (17-4-0) moved to a perfect 11-0-0 insides the confines of Corner Sport this season and in the process avenged a 5-2 defeat to the Comets in a game played Jan. 25 in Kansas City.
Brian Macias had a goal and two assists and Jorge Rios – who ranks amongst the top 10 in a multitude of offensive statistical categories this season – chipped in with a goal and an assist for the Savage, who clawed back from an early 2-1 deficit.
After tying the game at 2-2 with 46 seconds left in the first quarter on a goal by Jose Gilberto Lopez, that goal kickstarted a 5-0 run that ended with a tally by Jaime Alejandro Romero with 2:53 remaining in the first half that gave the Savage a 6-2 cushion.
The closest the Comets (13-3-2) would get is a three-goal deficit at 6-3 when Nathan Durdle ripped home a shot off a pass from Stefan Mijatovic 7:01 into the third frame.
Chihuahua had the answer with two more goals in the third stanza. Carlos Hernandez scored unassisted at 9:24 and Lopez sent one home off a Macias pass at 10:09 of the third period.
In the fourth quarter, Lucas Souza got one back for Kansas City on a penalty kick goal at the 8:50 mark of the fourth quarter that trimmed the deficit down to 8-4. That was the last ray of hope the Comets would enjoy on this night in falling eight points behind the league leaders (49-41).
Rios capped the scoring off a pass from Macias 9:06 into the fourth quarter to push the lead back up to five goals (9-4).
Playing some sting defense and frustrating the Savage by clogging up the backfield and consistently blocking shots, the Comets were able to score a pair of goals off set pieces in the first quarter, including one of their first shot of the game.
Ignacio Flores laced a free kick from just inside midfield that shuck into the corner of the goal just 2:16 into the match.
The Savage’s Macias had answer when he banged home a serve from Rios at the 3:08 mark to tie the game at 1-1.
Kansas City went up a second time when Sousa ripped in a penalty kick at the 3:53 mark of the first to push the Comets into a 2-1 lead. That was the last lead Kansas City would enjoy, as Chihuahua responded with its 5-0 run.
After Lopez’s game-tying tally, Luis Medrano (0:42 of the second quarter), Roberto Escalante (1:25), Pedro Castaneda (6:53) and Romero (12:07) scored during the game-breaking run. Castaneda, Hugo Puentes and Cesar Ruiz (twice) all assisted on goals during the 5-0 spurt.
Chihuahua (49 points) outshot the Comets by a wide 54-22 margin in the contest. Christian Hernandez and Diego Reynoso combined for seven saves in goal to share the win for the Savage.
Phillip Ejimadu recorded 10 saves in 13 chances while playing the second half for Kansas City. Nicolau Neto played the first half and recorded 11 saves but conceded six first-half goals to the vaunted Chihuahua offense.
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(Have a story suggestion for the Premier Media Group and the National Soccer Network regarding club/youth soccer, high school varsity, amateur soccer, collegiate soccer or professional soccer involving teams, players or coaches with ties to a particular state or states, contact Web and Content Editor/Director of News Dan Stickradt via email at dstickradt@thepremiermediagrp.com and news@nationalsoccernetwork.com, or call 248-525-2349. Dan Stickradt is a 32-year veteran of the Michigan and national media circles and recently joined the staff full time at PMG in March of 2024. Want to schedule a broadcast game or live show, contact PMG/NSN Director of Broadcasting Jonathan Turner for availability and pricing at jonathan@thepremiermediagrp.com.)
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