Comets stage dramatic comeback for win over Syracuse

Despite taking an early lead Friday night, the Kansas City Comets needed to stage an exciting comeback to secure a win over the Syracuse Silver Knights. The 6-5 victory at home on top of three road wins gave the Comets a four game win streak.

An early goal from Leo Gibson with an assist to Alain Matingou gave the Comets the lead in the first quarter. Syracuse tied it up in the second but Matingou kept up his hot streak and scored a couple minutes later to retake the lead. A costly turnover right before the end of the half cost the Comets and the two teams went to the half tied.

The third and half of the fourth quarters went all Syracuse’s way. Lack of possession and Syracuse counter-attacks punished Kansas City and at the 7:44 mark, the Comets found themselves down 5-2.

Kansas City went with John Sosa as the sixth attacker and Vahid Assadpour one timed a rebound to narrow the gap with 6:35 left in the game,

Syracuse ended up a man down for a substitution penalty and the Comets took advantage of the power play. Leo Gibson slotted home the ball and make it a one goal game at 5-4.

The Comets peppered the goal with shots while playing with the sixth attacker as time dwindled down. Finally Vahid Assadpour threaded a pass through traffic to Bryan Perez on the other side of the box. Perez received the ball, took a small touch and launched the ball into the upper corner to level the game at 5-5.

With the momentum, the Comets did not let up. Syracuse fought back but with less than 90 left the Comets sent a pass into Leo Gibson. With two defenders on him Gibson chose to pass and found a wide open Brian Harris. A touch to settle and Harris buried the ball in the net for the game winner.

“I was double teamed and I knew there had to be a player open,” Gibson explained after the match. “I looked over my shoulder and there was Brian just wide open. I knew I had to get the ball to him and he would have all the time and space.”

“I was surprised he was that wide open,” Gibson added.

Comets head coach Goran Karadzov was understandably pumped up after the come from behind win. “Unbelievable the way we finish,” Karadzov exclaimed.

“I don’t think we played a complete game,” Karadzov continued. “We played some good soccer, created some good chances but sometimes soccer is brutal. It showed our mental toughness, even when we are three goals down we are going to play all the way to the end.”

The win kept the Comets in a tie with Cedar Rapids for first. Kansas City hopes to keep third place Chicago below them when they meet the Mustangs Sunday afternoon.