PLAYOFF PRIMER: DAY 2

by Joseph Reina

Part Two

*The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the viewpoints or positions of the Major Arena Soccer League.**

@josephreina21

#3 Baltimore Blast vs #6 Utica City FC

After a tumultuous season in which the Blast endured several winning and losing streaks, they’ve not just qualified for the playoffs but clinched the third seed ahead of the Comets with a win on the final day. They’re in good form with four wins on the bounce, but can this Baltimore team make a run?


This new-look Blast roster made waves immediately with 10 wins in their first 11 games. They played a bullish and brooding style of soccer that enabled their more skilled players to enjoy space on the ball, and with time to create, they did just that. Baltimore outscored their opponents 81-47 in those first 11 games for an average margin of victory over three goals.


Among the superstars they unlocked this season were forwards Juan Pereira, Bruno Henrique, and Wellington Bramusse, who all finished the season with over 25 points in a system that rewards targets. In defense and midfield, Chad Poarch and Jesus Pacheco made their presence known, with 33 and 28 points, respectively. 


Blast head coach David Bascome, widely regarded as one of the best in the league, excels in set-piece preparation, and his side routinely catches opponents off guard with well-designed plays. The little moments matter so much in one-off games, and when the going gets tough, being able to convert your set pieces with consistency so often is the difference.


That said, they’ve struggled at times this year, especially on the road. Their three-game West Coast road trip yielded just one point, and the only teams they’ve beaten away from home are Utica, Harrisburg, and Milwaukee. They also didn’t face San Diego or Chihuahua during the regular season, so we’ll see how they react when facing the league’s top competition.

However, they’re not playing the Sockers or Savage. They’re playing Utica, who only beat the Blast once in five attempts this season, albeit with the help of one Kelvin Oliveira.


First and foremost, it’s impossible to discuss this Utica team without mentioning number nine. The Brazilian set the MASL alight this season with a staggering 3.5 points per game while leading Utica to nine wins in his 12 appearances. The world’s best small-sided soccer player made his mark, and everyone who saw him play is better for it.


They haven't been the same since he got injured at the beginning of March. Utica won just four of their final nine contests, only managing to beat Harrisburg and Texas during that stretch, but they still have reason for hope. 


City is stacked with talent like Nilton de Andrade, who quietly hit 25 goals this season from midfield. Vini Dantas, Sergio Pinal, Gordy Gurson, and Mehrshad Ahmadi hit the 20-point mark, so it’s clear this team is not hurting for scorers. Since the beginning of March, Utica scored eight goals per game and gave up just 6.556. All of their losses were extremely close, and their wins were comfortable.


Head coach Hewerton Moreira will need his team ready and up to the task against Baltimore because a bigger field, similar to Utica’s turf, could suit their play style a bit more than the Blast. Though not for the reason you may expect.


When looking at the data from their five games against the Blast sans-Kelvin this season, the two one-score losses came when Utica slowed the game down and took fewer shots than usual. A rampant offense that doesn’t stop running could feed into the Blast’s game plan. If a track meet breaks out, it will favor Baltimore, but Utica could have an outside chance to win if the game becomes a chess match. Kickoff will be Saturday, Apr. 5 at 7:00 PM EDT


#4 Kansas City Comets vs #5 Milwaukee Wave

The scriptwriters outdid themselves with this one. A bitter rivalry, overflowing with vitriol, will send either Kansas City or Milwaukee packing. We’ll start with the Comets, who, up until mid-March, looked primed for an MASL Shield push. However, since beating Utica on Mar. 1, they’ve earned just five points from a possible 24.


That may not seem like much because it isn’t. The Comets showed they could do great things early in the season with dominant and emphatic statement wins over San Diego and Chihuahua. However, while the league’s upper crust continued to churn out wins down the stretch, Kansas City hit a run of bad form, reminiscent of last year’s midseason slump.


The difference being that last season, head coach Stefan Stokic and his side managed to find their rhythm again going into the playoffs, and they rode that high to the Ron Newman Cup Finals. This year, there is no time to recover. The playoffs are already here, and the Comets have no momentum to build on. They have superstars on par with any other team in the league, a coach and a system that will put them in the position to win games, and an opponent they’re highly familiar with, so they’re set up for success; they just need to deliver. 


Defensively, they’re one of the best units in the league. They block more shots than any other team in the MASL, and they are devastating when turning defense into attack. Watch for Nacho Flores or Christian Andreros to win the ball back in their own end before springing forward to overload their opponents on the break. This mesmerizing flow creates small bursts of momentum that the rest of the team feeds on, so as they attempt to start from scratch, their defense will be the foundation.


Kansas City relies heavily on its deadly transition game, where their young and skillful midfielders drive at their opponents, creating gaps for their teammates to exploit. Zach Reget and Rian Marques are two of the best in the league at capitalizing on this calculated chaos, but they’ll need to be at their best to get the better of Milwaukee. Marques missed a few games late in the season with an injury, so questions will be asked of his fitness, but when those two are at their best, they’re one of the most devastating to face in the league.


Head coach Giuliano Oliviero’s side does a good job of shutting down opposing target forwards while pressing in the midfield to stop attacks before they start. As a target, having no runners or support can feel like you’re stranded on an island, and the Wave makes sure to instill that feeling deep into the psyche of their opponents.


On the other end of the turf, the Wave’s new attacking line of Franck Tayou, Ian Bennett, and Alex Sanchez is running rampant. Since The King joined Milwaukee via trade from St. Louis, he’s played like a man possessed. In six games, he has 13 goals and seven assists for a Franckly absurd 3.3 points per game. Alongside him, Bennett has turned back the clock, scoring 15 points in his last seven games, while 23-year-old Sanchez, a man nearly half the age of his Canadian counterpart, finished the season as the league’s second-top scorer with 48 points, only four behind Ríos. 


Just as there are questions about the Comets’ form, the Wave can be a bit Jekyll & Hyde at times, too. This season, the Wave faced every team except Harrisburg, and the only team they never lost to was Tacoma. Despite winning four season series, the Wave dropped games against the Blast, the Comets, the Sidekicks, and the Outlaws, and they split their four games with St. Louis.


Teams that do the basics well are typically rewarded in the playoffs. Good defending and great goalkeeping. Set pieces and discipline. While the Wave is the league’s best offensive power play unit, the Comets are the best defensively. Coach Giuls will give his team a game plan to be competitive, but it’s on the players to keep themselves in the game defensively and then convert their chances on offense.


When you look at these two squads, the Comets fit the archetype of a playoff team, and in times like this, you gotta go with the hot hand. Of the six games Tayou has featured in black and yellow, the only team to beat Milwaukee was Kansas City. The fourth and final rematch of the season will be tonight, Apr. 5, at 10:30 PM EDT.