Attack-Minded Empire Downs Tacoma 12-5
Ontario, Calif. — The Empire Strykers defeated the visiting Tacoma Stars 12-5 on Sunday evening, putting in their most complete performance of the 2024-25 Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) campaign thus far. With the victory, head coach Onua Obasi's men improve to 6-6-1 (wins-losses-overtime losses) in regular season play, solidifying their current playoff positioning and dealing a blow to one of their fiercest competitors of years past.
Several Empire players enjoyed standout performances in the meeting with Tacoma. While 'keeper Brian Orozco scored a goal and kept a clean sheet through his 30 minutes on the field, backline anchor Robert Palmer recorded five blocks and two assists. Mounir Alami and Marco Fabián each bagged four points, with teammates Justin Stinson and Jorge DeLeon chipping in three apiece. Tacoma defender Tyler John had two points on the day.
The Strykers were in control from the start and took an early lead when Alami received the ball from Fabián and scored a true forward's goal, as he spun his defender and fired into the upper ninety from close range. However, the away side drew level mere moments later, Tyler John smashing a clever ball off the boards to the right of the frame that took a fortunate touch off the referee and was converted at the doorstep by Matt Braem. It would be Empire with the next tally, as DeLeon scored on power play, firing home a restart by Palmer. The visitors subsequently tallied on a power play of their own, Nani Mendoza making it 2-2.
The final and most memorable netter of the opening quarter saw the Strykers reclaim the lead yet again, as DeLeon sent a textbook driven delivery to the far post from the right, Randy Martinez tapping home for his third of the campaign.
If the fans at Toyota Arena thought they had seen the day's best goal, Empire backstop Brian Orozco was determined to prove them wrong inside the second period. Having carried the ball into the opposition half on the right, the 23-year-old rifled a rocket into the far-side upper ninety to make it 4-2. The hosts then extended their advantage to four, courtesy of back-to-back tallies off restarts. First, Alami picked out Stinson. Then, defender Emmanuel Aguirre scored from Palmer for his fourth attacking point in two games.
The highly entertaining third quarter saw the visitors shrink their deficit by one. After Empire's Stinson made it 7-2 on another power play, scoring on a helper by DeLeon, Ramos quickly struck back for the Stars. The home team re-established its previous cushion when Stinson was found by Fabián just left of center and fired a hard right-footed drive inside the right post. However, Tacoma this time responded with back-to-back goals to round out the period at 8-5. After Ramos set up Alessandro Canale on a power play, Willie Spurr needed two attempts to find the net on a shootout opportunity.
Attempting to get back into the match, the Stars spent the majority of the final quarter playing with six attackers, only for Empire to take advantage three times in a row. Alami calmly made it 9-5, taking several touches before slotting into the open net from just beyond the halfway line, followed by an excellent individual run and a toe-poke inside the left upright by Harold Hanson for his side's tenth. Moments later, Fabián received the ball from Stinson on the left and centered it to Alami for a well-executed combination play and the day's next tally. With Tacoma netminder Luis Birrueta back between the pipes, Fabián then added one more for the Strykers, bringing the final score to 12-5.
Empire next faces consecutive home games against defending MASL champion Chihuahua Savage on Sunday, February 2, and Wednesday, February 5. Season tickets and single-game tickets are available at www.TheEmpireStrykers.com.