UTICA CITY FC DOMINATES AT HOME FRIDAY NIGHT

Utica, NY - On Friday night Adirondack Bank Center, it was Utica City FC who found their “Style” on a night themed for Taylor Swift. A strong defensive effort from both teams in the first half was overshadowed by a second half which featured 7 goals, resulting in a 8-3 win for Utica over the Baltimore Blast, leaving The City on “22” points.

Calling the first quarter cagey would be an understatement. Utica started throwing punches through Kelvin Oliviera. The MASL top goal scorer was unable to add to his tally after a crucial block from Jamie Thomas. It would be Welly Bramusse who was involved in the opener for Baltimore at the 10:07 mark in the first. Jesus Pacheco threaded an incisive pass for Bramusse who slotted it home past Andrew Coughlin. Utica was unable to answer and the score remained 1-0 in favor of the Blast headed into the second period.

It might’ve taken Utica awhile to get going, but they eventually found an equalizer 7 minutes into the second quarter. After some strong hold up play from Vini Dantas, the former Blast player played it off to Mershad Ahmadi, who fired it into the back of the net for his second goal this season. The City quickly made it two just a minute later through Keaton Woods. The Cedar Rapids native bagged his 3rd goal of the season off of a wonderful cross from Oliviera. Junior Pinal doubled the lead after flicking the ball up to himself and volleying it home. It’s a lead that would remain intact after some heroic defending from Pinal in the final moments of the first half with Utica going into the locker rooms with a 3-1 lead.

The second half started much like the first, with both teams remaining solid at the back. That changed at the 7:35 mark when Chad Poarch poked one past Coughlin to cut the deficit to 1 for Baltimore. Both teams continued to be very rigid defensively. Elton De Oliviera and Bruno Henrique both tried to even the score but Coughlin stopped the consecutive shots with a heroic double save to keep the score 3-2. It would be Coughlin who again would steal the show, denying Pacheco and keeping the lead for Utica. Julian Rodriguez for Baltimore was also in fine form. The Queens native denied Dantas in the closing moments, ensuring the score stayed at 3-2 heading into the final period.

To start the fourth quarter, who else but Nilton de Andrade to find the net for Utica. The Brazilian has formed a “Love Story” with the back of the net, restoring Utica’s 2 goal advantage after firing a rocket past Rodriguez. Coughlin ensured that lead would stay restored with an incredible goal line save. De Andrade would then find his second goal not long after, converting the one on one with a cheeky chip at the 8:02 mark in the 4th. The lead almost immediately became 4 through Oliviera, who grabbed his 23rd goal of the season. Baltimore answered with Henrique but Utica slammed the door on Baltimore after Ahmadi and Oliviera made sure a comeback was “Out of the Woods”. It would be enough for the City, who ended the game with a 8-3 win over the Blast.

The City take a little break as the MASL All-Star Game comes to town this Wednesday. Utica are back in action the following Thursday away against Harrisburg before returning home for a weekend doubleheader against the Chihuahua Savage. The first of those two games is on Saturday, the 22nd at 7:05pm. Tickets are available at uticacityfc.com/tickets