Six-Goal Second Quarter Powers Strykers Past Comets, 10–6

Jan 26, 2026 10 Views MASL

ONTARIO, Calif. — The Empire Strykers continued their strong run of form Sunday night, riding a dominant second quarter to a statement 10–6 victory over first-place Kansas City Comets at Toyota Arena. The win marked Empire’s third straight, improving the Strykers to 5-6-0 on the MASL season in front of an energetic crowd of 3,862.

After a tightly contested and scoreless opening quarter, Empire broke the match wide open in the second. Ant Powell opened the scoring early in the period, curling a precise finish into the upper-right corner from just outside the penalty area. Justin Stinson doubled the lead midway through the quarter, finishing a clever Marco Fabián assist off the boards with a thunderous half-volley under the crossbar.

Momentum fully swung in Empire’s favor moments later. Steven Chávez buried a rebound after Powell’s initial effort was stopped by Kansas City goalkeeper Phillip Ejimadu, and Stinson struck again late in the quarter with a brilliant individual effort—playing the ball off the boards to himself before slotting home from a tight angle. Less than a minute before halftime, Chávez turned provider again, setting up Abdul Mansaray on a textbook counterattack to make it 5–0.

The Strykers weren’t finished. With just half a second left on the clock, Alan Perez delivered a true buzzer-beater, driving inside from the left and blasting a long-range effort past Ejimadu to cap a stunning six-goal quarter and send Empire into the break up 6–0.

Empire picked up right where it left off in the third quarter. Mansaray forced the seventh goal early, winning the ball along the boards and powering his way toward goal before finishing past Ejimadu. Kansas City responded with goals from Letsia Thetsane and later Christian Anderaos-assisted finish to make it 7–2, but Empire quickly halted the comeback. Captain Robert Palmer found Walter Díaz González on the left, and the Cuban international faked out a defender before firing home to restore a six-goal cushion.

Díaz González completed his brace early in the fourth quarter, converting a Polo Hernandez assist to make it 9–2. Thetsane answered for Kansas City with his third of the night, rifling a long-range effort off the inside of the post. Empire responded again, as Chávez was credited with the Strykers’ 10th goal when his dangerous cross was turned in by a Comets defender.

Kansas City pushed late with the six-attacker, getting goals from Zach Reget (twice) and Rian Marques to close the gap, but the deficit proved too large to overcome as Empire saw out the final minutes.

Mansaray and Chávez led the Strykers’ attack with two goals and an assist each, while Claysson De Lima delivered a strong performance in goal with 11 saves.

The Empire Strykers now head on the road for a January 30 rematch with the Comets in Kansas City, followed by a visit to the Baltimore Blast on February 1. Empire returns home to face Utica City FC on Thursday, February 5.