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Kansas City Comets @ Dallas Sidekicks
When: Saturday, Jan. 2, 7:05 p.m. CST
Where: Allen Events Center, Allen, Texas
How to Watch: MASL Featured Match or MASL Regular Season Pass
The Kansas City Comets will open their 2021 regular season with another visit to Dallas on Saturday.
The Comets visited Dallas just four weeks ago when they ran out with an 8-3 victory in the opening round of the Central Cup. Adam James led the way with three goals for KC as they held the Sidekicks to 14 shots throughout the match.
The Sidekicks have won just one of the previous five meetings between these two sides, which came last season when the Comets fell 5-2 to the Sidekicks after beating the Mesquite Outlaws the previous night.
The Comets enter Saturday’s contest after claiming the inaugural Central Cup title with three impressive performances. Adam James led the competition with six goals and tied Wichita’s Taylor Henry with seven points. Kevin Ellis also impressed with five goals in two games.
The Comets enter Saturday on a four-game winning streak, which includes the three-game sweep in the Central Cup as well as the dramatic win against Utica City at the end of last season.
Despite John Sosa receiving a red card in the Central Cup finale against the Wings, it appears as if he won’t be suspended because the incident came in “a non MASL sanctioned tournament.”
The MASL is aware of an incident involving Kansas City Comets John Sosa during the Central Cup, a non MASL sanctioned tournament. The incident has been referred to the governing parties Central Cup for review.
— MASL (@MASLarena) December 21, 2020
Dallas Sidekicks
Simon Bozas enters his sixth season as head coach of the Dallas Sidekicks, who are coming off a season where they finished dead last in the Western Conference in 2019/20 with a 3-19 record.
Following their opening-round loss to the Comets in the Central Cup, the Sidekicks were able to salvage a second-place finish with back-to-back wins over the Wichita Wings and St. Louis Ambush.
The Sidekicks will be leaning on midfielder Lipe Andrade, who was named to the MASL All-Rookie Team after scoring 16 goals and recording four assists in 2019/20. Lipe recorded two assists in the MASL All-Star Game last month and scored four goals in the Central Cup, including three against KC.
Indoor veteran Freddy Moojen is another player the Comets will need to watch. Moojen scored 21 goals in 19 matches last season and scored two in three games in the Central Cup. Both Moojen and Andrade accounted for 37 of Dallas’ 92 goals scored last season.
Other Interesting Information
As mentioned in the Sidekicks preview, former Dallas Cowboy Pro-Bowl defensive end Jason Hatcher will kick things off Saturday evening with the honorary first kick. Additionally, Pops You Crazy will be the halftime entertainment. He is a world-famous daredevil and was a finalist in America’s Got Talent.
Final Prediction
While I expect a closer game than the last time these two sides met, I still think the Comets have enough to get by the Sidekicks. For my final prediction, I think both teams will put in a good defensive effort, but the Comets energy will win it 6-4.