MISL News Release
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
TAMPA, Fla. – The biggest regular season game of the MISL season will have all eyes on Kansas City’s Sprint Center this Saturday night at 7:35 p.m. CT as the Missouri Comets host the Wichita Wings in their annual “Retro Game”.
The contest, which coincides with the 2012 National Soccer Coaches Association of America Convention in Kansas City, is the final game of the season between the Comets and Wings, who rekindled their rivalry this season with the Wings’ return to the MISL. Two of the best-known names in North American soccer, the Comets and Wings are now locked in a battle for the playoffs in the Central Division, with the Comets aiming to extend their three-game lead on the Wings as the season enters its second half.
The contests between the two teams have produced some outstanding entertainment already this season, with their opening-night meeting going to overtime before MISL leading scorer Geison scored the winner in a 16-14 victory. Geison has scored 54 points in 16 games this season, and will be a key figure in Saturday’s contest.
Other games between the two teams have also come down to the wire. On December 28, Missouri overturned a fourth-quarter Wings lead to take a 10-7 victory, while Edvin Worley’s goal with 1:36 to play on January 6 gave the Wings their first victory against the Comets since their return, 12-10. Missouri claimed the Turnpike Trophy, the newly-established rivalry trophy the teams compete for, in their last meeting this past Saturday as goals by Tiguinho and Geison in the final five minutes led to a 13-10 win at Hartman Arena.
A big crowd is expected at the Sprint Center, with demand for tickets being immediate when they went on sale last October as fans from both teams showed their eagerness to be in attendance.
Elsewhere, the Syracuse Silver Knights will host a pair of games at the Oncenter as the Milwaukee Wave and Norfolk SharX come to visit on Friday and Sunday, while the Wave will remain in upstate New York to take on the Rochester Lancers on Monday night at 7 p.m.
The weekend’s action kicks off on Thursday night as Norfolk hosts the Baltimore Blast at 7 p.m. at the Norfolk Scope Arena. All of this weekend’s games will be available on MISL Live (www.misllivesoccer.com).