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The MetroStars were much better defensively in this match, and on another day, they might have been more lethal in attack and scored a few more goals. They won’t have much time to worry about this loss, as on Saturday they are back at home to take on the undefeated Milwaukee Wave. Kickoff for that match is 3:05 p.m.
5:25 — Mississauga MetroStars 5-6 Baltimore Blast — The Blast take this one in overtime. The ball ricocheted off a bunch of MetroStars defenders, and ended up crossing the line.
7:25 — Mo Babouli strips the ball from a Blast player, runs the length of the pitch and hits he post. The MetroStars were an inch from winning the match. Graham is back out of the box and the two sides are at even strength,
8:29 — Andrew Hoxie skied it over from inside the Mississauga penalty area, and the game lives on. The Blast are firing shot after shot on the MetroStars goal.
9:24 — Damion Graham is given a blue card for a challenge against the boards. The MetroStars will be down a man for two minutes.
Overtime:
0:00 — For the first time this season, the MetroStars are heading to overtime! It’s a golden goal, 10 minute period.
2:18 — Mississauga MetroStars 5-5 Baltimore Blast — MARCO RODRIGUEZ!! The sixth attacker fires home a free kick, tying the game up late. Becic is back in goal.
4:22 — Mississauga MetroStars 4-5 Baltimore Blast — Jonatas Melo gives the Blast the lead. The MetroStars pull their goalie as Marco Rodriguez replaces Adrian Becic, wearing a different shirt to show that he’s the sixth attacker.
6:04 — Mississauga MetroStars 4-4 Baltimore Blast — The Blast tie it up.
6:43 — The ref isn’t earning himself any respect by making late calls. A late foul call on a Mississauga player leads to chants of “I’m blind, I’m deaf, I wanna be a ref”
6:58 — The Blast are getting frustrated. They are doing silly fouls and yelling at the referees. During a timeout, it looked as thought the ref warned the Blast bench.
8:24 — Mississauga MetroStars 4-3 Baltimore Blast — Damion Graham! The MetroStars forward scores his 5th goal in his last three games to give ‘Sauga the lead. It’s his third match in a row with a goal.
10:39 — The MetroStars look much better defensively tonight. A few blocks and goal-line clearances are the reason they are still in this one.
15:00 — The fourth quarter kicks off. There is still everything to play for.
4th Quarter
0:00 — The third quarter has ended with the two sides tied at 3-3.
0:33 — Marco Rodriguez puts his body on the line again to block another shot. If you watched the last game, you will likely remember the block he made at the end of the game that resulted in a dislocated shoulder.
5:43 — Adriano Dos Santos becomes the latest Baltimore player to rifle it over the bar from a few yards out. They could have scored 5 more if they took advantage of these opportunities.
7:15 — Mississauga MetroStars 3-3 Baltimore Blast — Matthew Rios redirects the ball home from a yard out and the MetroStars have tied it up! The entire team goes nuts, igniting the crowd again.
9:45 — Mississauga MetroStars 2-3 Baltimore Blast — De Rosario picks up his second goal of the game after curling the ball into the top corner with his weak foot.
11:43 — The Blast get penalized after their goalie illegally picked up a pass back to him, but after the entire team surrounded him complaining, the referee overturned the call.
15:00 — The second half is now underway.
3rd Quarter
0:00 — It’s halftime and the MetroStars are down 3-1. They have been decent defensively so far, but it’s the finishing that has let them down. They need to make better use of their chances in the second half in order to get back into the game.
4:14 — Shouts for a handball in the Blast penalty area but the referee waves away the protests. The MetroStars bench is going crazy.
7:16 — Mississauga MetroStars 1-3 Baltimore Blast — The Blast double their lead. Hughes with his second of the game.
8:13 — Alen Kucalovic ran back and denied John Orlando’s breakaway opportunity.
12:52 — Mississauga MetroStars 1-2 Baltimore Blast — Josh Hughes gives Baltimore their first lead of the night.
15:00 — The second quarter is now underway.
2nd Quarter
0:00 — End of the first quarter. Good defensive work from both sides means that the score is just 1-1.
4:13 — Blast player John Orlando sends Adrian Cann into the boards and picks up a blue card so the MetroStars are now on the powerplay. Cann was slow to get up, but is able to continue.
6:22 — Adrian Becic somehow kept the ball from crossing the line with a sprawling stop and the score remains 1-1.
7:40 — Mississauga MetroStars 1-1 Baltimore Blast — Jamie Thomas ties it up with a goal from close range.
9:23 — Mississauga MetroStars 1-0 Baltimore Blast — Dwayne De Rosario opens the scoring! Damion Graham stripped the ball off the defender and on the breakaway, unselfishly set up DeRo, who made no mistake from close range.
13:11 — Baltimore had another chance to score but Josh Parades blocked the shot.
13:56 — Josh Hughes skies it over the empty MetroStars goal, and the score remains 0-0. Mississauga goalkeeper Adrian Becic was injured on the play and was down for a minute or so but he is able to continue.
15:00 — The first quarter has kicked off. MetroStars are looking to upset the three-time reigning champions and pick up their second straight win.
1st Quarter
Preview:
On Thursday night, the Mississauga MetroStars welcome the Baltimore Blast to the Paramount Fine Foods Centre. The three-time reigning MASL champions will visit Mississauga with fond memories of the last time they faced each other, as it was the Blast who defeated the MetroStars 11-3 in their first game of the season.
Mississauga snapped their two-game losing streak on Sunday, ending 2018 with a 7-6 victory over the Harrisburg Heat, their second win of the year. Both Dwayne De Rosario and Mo Babouli picked up a goal and an assist as the MetroStars improved their record to 3-2.
They will look to open 2019 with a victory against their division rivals, who currently sit in second place in the Eastern division, with a 3-2 record. A MetroStars win would give them an equal record, but it would have to be by a significant margin in order for them to overtake Baltimore in the standings, as the MetroStars currently have a -8 goal differential and the Blast are at +6.
MetroStars midfielder Marco Rodriguez hurt himself at the end of the last game with a big tackle, but clips of him training have been posted online so it looks as though he’s good to go.
How To Watch:
Match Date/ Time: Thursday, January 3rd, 2019. Kickoff is at 7:35 p.m. ET
YouTube Stream: