Comets dominate Mustangs to earn a 6-0 win

The Kansas City Comets wanted to bounce back strong Saturday night and they more than accomplished that mission. The Comets defeated the Chicago Mustangs 6-0 as the defense and keeper Stephen Paterson combined to shutout the previously undefeated Mustangs.

The Comets came into the match with a 2-2 record after dropping their last match in Milwaukee two weeks earlier and were determined to not lose this match at home. “The boys wanted it today; they stepped up and wanted to prove they still have it. That’s who they are, they don’t want to lose,” Comets head coach Goran Karadzov explained after the match. “For the entire two weeks they were looking forward to this game.”

The Comets got on the board early and never looked back. Ignacio “Nacho” Flores gathered in a rebound and was able to punch the ball in past Chicago’s Jesus Flores to take the lead at the 3:37 mark.

It was the Chilean’s first goal for the Comets. “It’s feels good, hopefully I can keep scoring goals but the most important thing is not my goal, it’s the win,” Flores stated.

Veteran Lucas Rodriguez added to the lead at the 8:59 mark to double the lead. Both teams battled but could not find the net in the second but Rodriguez added another one in the third to extend the lead.

Odaine Sinclair started the scoring early in the fourth followed up by Vahid Assadpour and Ramone Palmer to make the final 6-0. It was Sinclair’s first goal for the Comets.

Chicago’s view

“They capitalized on their opportunities and were the better team tonight. Not much more to say. We missed a few shots in the beginning and they came back and finished theirs. They were more composed than us and they managed the game well,” Mustang’s head coach Armando Gamboa stated post game. “The Comets were the better team tonight and despite the bad officials or the lack of knowing the rules by the officials, they did the job.”

Paterson with a Comets first

Kansas City keeper Stephen Paterson had just three starts prior to the season when he was a backup to Danny Waltman and Boris Pardo. With Pardo’s sudden departure, Paterson has stepped into the starting role.

Paterson made 19 saves to lead the Comets to their first shutout since they returned to play in 2010.

“Feels great, we got the win, everybody worked hard. Everybody was firing on all cylinders and it felt great,” Paterson talked about the win.

It takes time for players to adjust to playing indoor professionally and Paterson only has a few games starting under his belt. Paterson was asked if he was getting comfortable starting, “I feel like I’ve been comfortable back there from the start but there is so much to learn and especially coming after Danny and Boris and being a little bit in their shadow. Hopefully I can kind of carve me own way.”

Waltman is one of indoor soccer’s best keepers to play the game and Pardo was an experienced veteran for the Comets.

Neither one had a shutout for Kansas City.

Paterson may already be stepping out of the shadow of his predecessors.