CRUNCH AND OMAHA TIE 1-1; CHICAGO TAKES WIN OVER RAPID CITY: THE WEEK THAT WAS 3/10

The Cleveland Crunch and Omaha Kings delivered an exciting weekend of back-to-back matches, keeping fans at the edge of their seats. With the Crunch boasting a 7-1 record and the Kings not far behind at 6-1, the stakes were high as both teams vied for first place in the MLIS league standings. Here’s a recap of the weekend: 


Omaha takes win via shootout:

Friday’s match was closely contested between the Omaha Kings and Cleveland Crunch. The scoring opened with Andy Rodriguez of the Omaha Kings finding the net, but Sami Mutemwa quickly equalized for the Cleveland Crunch. Leonides Mejia put the Omaha Kings ahead again, only for Antonio Manfut to level the score for Cleveland before the end of the first period. 

In the second period, Ryan Minick's goal gave Cleveland the lead, but David Rojas pulled the Omaha Kings level again. In the third period, two goals from Manfut and one from Ali Sodal put the Crunch up by 5-4 going into the fourth. Admir Suljevic scored in the fourth to put the Crunch up 6-4, but the Kings' Bobby Jaffery and Gabi Gaiotto both found the net to equalize at 6-6. 

The game went into a scoreless overtime, leading to a shootout, where Bernardo Torres and Mejia scored for the Omaha Kings, securing the win. The penalty summary showed a few instances of infractions, including tripping and reckless tackles, mostly resulting in two-minute penalties.

Crunch comes back with 7-4 win:

In Saturday’s match, after a scoreless first quarter, the Crunch took an early lead in the second period with a goal from Michael Derezic, which was quickly matched by the Kings' David Panter. The Kings then gained momentum with a goal from Stevie Siy, but the Crunch responded with goals from Antonio Manfut and Admir Suljevic to put the score at 3-2 going into the half.

In the third period, Michael Derezic extended the Crunch’s lead to 4-2, but the Kings’ Jeff Sumaili narrowed the gap. Suljevic and Manfut scored again to put the Crunch up 6-3. The fourth period saw another goal from Manfut and the Kings' Andy Rodriguez. The game concluded with a 7-4 victory in favor of the Crunch. Cleveland remains in first place in the MLIS League standings with a record of 8-2, with Omaha in second at 7-2.

Chicago Defeats Rapid City:

The Midwest clash intensified over the weekend as the Mustangs made their way to Grand Rapids to face the reigning MLIS champions, Rapid City FC. This match held significance as Rapid City aimed to avenge their previous narrow defeat against Chicago, where they fell short 6-5 in overtime.

Chicago asserted early dominance, maintaining a solid 4-1 lead over Rapid City until the third quarter. Despite Rapid City's attempts to rally, managing to score one goal in the third quarter and two more in the final minutes, it wasn't enough to surpass the Mustangs.

This match marked the conclusion of the Mustangs' regular season for 2024-2025, with them securing third place with an 8-4 record. In contrast, Rapid City's standing dropped to 4-4 and fourth place in league standings.

MLIS FINALS WEEKEND:

Tickets are now available for the 2024 Major League Indoor Soccer (MLIS) Finals Weekend, set to take place at the Baxter Arena in Omaha, NE, April 12-14. Soccer fans can look forward to a weekend packed with exciting matches as the final four teams battle it out! Here's what you need to know to ensure you don't miss the action:

Match Schedule:

  • Two matches will be held Friday, April 12, at 5 PM and 7:30 PM (CST).

  • A single ticket priced at $30 grants fans access to both matches Friday night.

Championship Match:

  • The Championship Match is scheduled for 2 PM CST on Sunday, April 14.

  • Tickets for the Championship Match are priced at $35 per person and will be available for purchase Sunday, March 3. 

Ticket Purchase:

Secure your tickets for Friday now at https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0600605BEE2378B5. Sunday's tickets can be purchased here: https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0600605BEE3178BB. Alternatively, fans can purchase tickets directly from the Baxter Arena box office via phone at 402-554-MAVS or in person.

Teams in the Running:

The teams competing for the final four are Omaha Kings FC, Ohio Extreme Pro Indoor Team, Cleveland Crunch, Rapid City Football Club, Colorado Bucks SC and Chicago Mustangs.

See you at the arena!