Chicago Storm 10-8 La Raza de Monterrey (OT)

by Dan Gaichas

HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL--Without three of its players due to suspension, the Chicago Storm put in one of their best performances of the season by defeating La Raza de Monterrey, 10-8, in overtime to take Game 1 of their MISL Championship Series Quarterfinal. 

Byron Alvarez opened the scoring ten minutes in for La Raza on the power play after the Storm were called for too many men on the field.  Fabinho would equalize for the Storm at the 8:11 mark of the second quarter off the restart.

La Raza just needed 29 seconds of the second half to regain the lead as Ivan Medina sent a crisp pass to Victor Quiroz for the finish.  That lead would last just 78 seconds as Ian Bennett caught La Raza off on a quick restart and scored from close range.  The Storm would take the lead eight minutes into the third quarter after Andy Rosenband put in Mark Ughy’s cross. 

However, the Storm would turn the ball over in their own end and Ivan Medina made them pay with four minutes to go.  It would be level for all of eight seconds as Stephen Armstrong went over to the other end and made it 8-6 Storm.  Medina would strike again, though, scoring from an acute angle with 2:23 to play in regulation.

Overtime would last all of 21 seconds as Fabinho got on the end of a Mark Ughy cross and gave the Storm Game 1.

“I saw (Mark) Ughy and I kept saying, ‘Ughy, Ughy, Ughy,’ and I had imagined the play in my head, and it just happened,” said Fabinho through a translator.  “The win is extremely important and I want to carry it on to the next game.” 

Storm head coach Steve Morris was especially proud of his team’s attitude after all that has happened in the past week.

“I was pleased with the attitude,” said Morris.  “I was pleased with the commitment.  We took care of step one.  Now, we’ve got a few more to go.  Win, lose, or draw (on Sunday), I’ll be alright if we duplicate that type of attitude and performance.”

Morris also emphasized getting back to the type of soccer that the Storm are capable of playing--and that meant special focus on defense.

“There’s been an emphasis on defense this particular season,” said Morris.  We have not had everyone buying into that sort of commitment to play defense.  Today, we had five that did on the field.”

Game two will be on Sunday in Monterrey at 6pm Chicago time with a “Golden-Goal” mini-game shall follow should La Raza win.  If the Storm win on Sunday, then Game 1 of the MISL Championship Semifinal, regardless of whether it is Detroit or Milwaukee, would be Saturday, April 19 at noon at the Sears Centre. 

SCORING SUMMARY:

(1st) MON-Alvarez (Birche)(PPG) 9:58

(2nd) CHI-Fabinho (Ball) 8:11

(3rd) MON-Quiroz (Medina) :29

(3rd) CHI-Bennett (Ball) 1:47

(3rd) CHI-Rosenband (Ughy) 8:08

(4th) MON-Medina (unassisted) 11:00

(4th) CHI-Armstrong (Savic) 11:08

(4th) MON-Medina (Quiroz) 12:37

(OT) CHI-Fabinho (Ughy) :21

PENALTY SUMMARY:

(1st) CHI-bench (blue, too many men)(Ughy) 9:44

(3rd) MON-Vega (blue, holding) 1:59

SHOTS:  CHI 23-18 MON

SAVES:  CHI 12-11 MON

BLOCKS:  CHI 2-7 MON

FOULS:  CHI 18-22 MON

POWER PLAYS:  CHI 0-1; MON 1-1

Man of the Match:  Fabinho (CHI) for a stellar match on both sides of the ball.

Second Star:  John Ball (CHI) who put in one of his best performances of the year.

Third Star: Mark Ughy (CHI) whom also had his best game in awhile.