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Kansas City Comets vs Rochester Lancers
When: Sunday, January 26th, 2020 at 3:05 PM CT
Where: Silverstein Eye Centers Arena, Independence, Missouri
How to Watch/Stream: Masl.tv/YouTube
For the first time since Rochester’s return to professional arena soccer, the Comets will host the Rochester Lancers.
The injury report has listed that Rochester’s John Ciavaglia and Austin Gerber while the Comets listed Lucas Rodriguez as doubtful, with John Sosa and Kiel Williams as questionable, and Robert Palmer, Kevin Ellis, Gui Gomes, and Adam James listed as probable.
After spending last season in M2, the Lancers were upgraded to the MASL after beating the Las Vegas Knights in the third place game. The 0-9 (likely 0-10 by Sunday) Lancers are focused on staying competitive in games, and with a game Saturday night against the Wave, that might be difficult against a Comets team who has been playing well.
Rochester is statistically the worst defensive team (94 goals against) and the worst offensive team (24 goals for) in the MASL, and is on track to be the first team this season to allow over 100 goals. The Lancers are led with nine points by rookie defender Anthony Rozzano, who has racked up four goals and five assists. Six of Rochester’s nine losses have come againt the Harrisburg Heat, with the Florida Tropics, Baltimore Blast, and Utica City FC all notching wins against the Lancers as well.
The Comets enter Sunday’s contest coming off a tough overtime loss to the Milwaukee Wave, just days after defeating them on home turf. Big performances from Robert Palmer, John Sosa, and Leo Gibson were rewarded with MASL Team of the Week honors. The Comets are led in scoring by Leo Gibson, whose league-leading 31 points come from 16 goals and 15 assists.
Doug Miller’s side will enter hoping to keep a respectable scoreline, but it is truly a game of two teams with two different aspirations this season. With the Lancers in a major project working to build for the future, the Comets must get a win, and go an entire game without picking up an injury would also be a major positive.