January 14, 2019
DETROIT, MI. — Indeed, you can’t win them all.
The Rochester Lancers dropped their first game of the Major Arena Soccer League 2 season Saturday night, a 5-3 decision to the Detroit Waza Flo at the Detroit City Fieldhouse.
Rochester (3-1), dropped to second place in the Eastern Conference behind the first-place Chicago Mustangs while Detroit improved to 2-3. On Friday night, the Lancers recorded a 12-6 triumph at the Muskegon Risers.
Playing their second match within 24 hours, the Lancers could not hold onto a 2-0 first-quarter advantage as the Waza Flo connected for the next four goals to take command of the match.
The visitors grabbed their two-goal early and late in the first period against goalkeeper Nate Steinwascher. August Finn, off a Michael Cunningham assist, tallied only two seconds into the match and Boomer Steigelman fired one home, his first of two goals, with 2:04 remaining.
The Waza Flo, however, ripped the net for four consecutive scores, including three within the final 5:35 of the second quarter.
Rod Asllani cut the lead in half with the first of his two goals at 9:25 past Lancers' keeper Mark Sotile, followed by Mario Morana’s tally, off Asllani’s feed, with 1:40 remaining in the half to equalize at 2-2. Before the Lancers could catch their collective breaths, Saeed Tawil, off Jeremy Sheppard’s assist, gave the hosts the lead to stay with 55 seconds left.
Ahmed Zaky, with Migell Ormsby assisting, gave Detroit some breathing room at 10:09 of the third period, 5-3.
After Lancers head coach Doug Miller pulled Sotile for a sixth attacker, Steigelman pulled the visitors within a goal at 10:01 of the fourth quarter. Asllani, however, scored a vital insurance goal against six attackers for the final goal of the encounter with 69 seconds left. Steinwascher assisted on that goal.
Rochester defeated Detroit in its home and season opener last Friday, 7-3.
The Lancers return home for two games the first weekend of February. They host the Mustangs Friday, Feb. 1 and the Cincinnati Swerve Saturday, Feb. 2. Both games kick off at 7 p.m.