After Fighting Back to a 3-3 Tie, the Bottom Fell Out for Utica City

After fighting back to tie the game at three, a collapse in the second half doomed Utica City FC at the Adirondack Bank Center on Sunday.

The Mississauga MetroStars scored six unanswered goals in the second half put away City in a 9-3 loss at the Adirondack Bank Center. Mauricio Salles, Nate Bourdeau, and Domenico Vitale scored for Utica. Andrew Coughlin made six saves on 14 shots in the loss.

Shawn Brown put the MetroStars up 1-0 1:30 into the game with a shorthanded goal. Salles tied the game a minute later with a strong left-footed strike. Bourdeau put City on top at the 3:35 mark of the first, converting a header on a cross from Logan Roberts. Mississauga regained the lead with goals from Jarred Philips and Damion Graham 40 seconds apart.

Utica had multiple chances to level the game in the second quarter, including hitting a crossbar, but could not pull even and trailed 3-2 heading into halftime.

Vitale evened the game at three 6:36 into the third quarter, blasting a shot to the top corner after a bounce pass from Salles. David Velastegui put back his own rebound to give the MetroStars a 4-3 lead with 6:46 to go in the third. Darren Chambers gave Mississauga a two-goal lead two minutes later. City upped the pressure again but could not find the back of the net as the third quarter came to a close with Mississauga on top 5-3.

Molham Babouli pushed the lead to 6-3 35 seconds into the fourth quarter. Shaq Agard continued the onslaught with a goal of his own at the 4:02 mark of the fourth quarter. Agard notched his second of the game after a defensive breakdown. Utica brought on the sixth attacker later, but Babouli sealed the game with an empty net goal.

Utica City has a rematch with the MetroStars Friday evening at the Paramount Fine Foods Center. Game begins at 7:35pm and will be broadcast on MASLtv. The team will return to home turf the following week with back-to-back games March 30 and 31. These will be the final home matches of the 2018-19 regular season. Tickets are available at www.empirestatetix.com.

Source: Utica City FC, Lindsay Mogle