January 28, 2024

UTICA, N.Y. - The Rochester Lancers overcame a three-goal deficit in the second half to record a resounding 11-6 victory over United Elite Krajisnik FC in a Major Arena Soccer League 2 match at the Adirondack Bank Center on Sunday night.

Facing a 5-2 hole early in the third quarter, the Lancers ripped the nets for seven unanswered goals to turn the game on its head. August Finn snapped a 5-5 deadlock at 1:15 of the fourth quarter and the visitors never looked back.

Taner Bay led the way with a hat-trick, including two key third-period goals, for the Lancers (3-0-0). Matt D'Amico, Ali Alomari (three assists) and Finn added two goals apiece for Rochester, which cracked double digits for the third time in as many games.

Elite Krajisnik FC fell to 2-4.

After the Lancers registered a 11-4 win here on Jan. 21, Krajisnik FC decided to send down a few players from its Major Arena Soccer League squad to nullify the visitors' experience. It helped the team early on.

Helped by some solid goalkeeping by Davion Bailey, Krajisnik FC got off to a solid start, grabbing a two-goal first-quarter lead. 

Head coach Bogdan Yatsishin boosted the hosts into the lead at 3:42, firing home a shot from the right side into the upper left corner. Jayce Berger doubled the margin at 4:26, burying a free kick with his left foot.

Rochester found its footing in the second period, but not before the hosts extended their lead to 3-0 at 1:47. A ball rebounded off the right post, deflected off goalkeeper Jakeb Mitchell to Alex Pompo, who slotted it home from the right side. Douglas Barrera Tanes was awarded an assist.

Ryan Curtis tallied the Lancers' first goal 10:31 into the quarter. Joe Balls fed him the ball from the top right side of the attacking area and Curtis drilled a shot from a difficult angle on the left flank into the goal to cut the lead to 3-1.

Defender Zach Gleasman, off a Berger pass, restored Krajisnik's three-goal advantage at 11:41 when he rifled in a deflection off a defender from distance.

The visitors cut the deficit to 4-2 just before halftime after former Lancers standout Rafa Godoi was penalized for fouling Finn from behind in the box. Alomari took the penalty kick and left no doubt, sending a line drive into the upper left 90 with 2:40remaining, for his sixth goal of the young season.

The Lancers came out strong in the third quarter, but Krajisnik FC took advantage of a Rochester turnover. Assistant coach Dragan Cvetkovic powered a shot into the top of the net to lift the team to a 5-2 lead at 2:31.

The rest of the period, however, belonged to the Lancers, who struck for three consecutive goals.

Bay, from a severe angle on the right side, ripped a shot home to slice the lead to a pair of goals at 6:53. Domenico Vitale received an assist. The Lancers made it a one-goal game at 5-4, when August Finn scored a left-footed shot into the far-left corner at 7:40.

Alomari caused a Krajisnik FC turnover near the penalty area and Bay took advantage, drilling a shot past goalkeeper Robert Sams, who had replaced an injured Bailey, to knot things up at 5-5 at 10:13.

Only 75 seconds into the fourth period, Rochester took a 6-5 lead. Alomari sent a shot off the right boards. During a goal-mouth scramble, Finn slotted it home to give the visitors a lead they would never relinquish. A little more than a minute later at 2:18, the Lancers extended their advantage to 7-5.  D'Amico, off an Alomari pass, beat his man on a break and slipped the ball into the net.

Rochester was far from finished. Bay scored at the back post off a D'Amico feed at 4:40. Domenico Vitale, off a Curtis pass, made it 9-5 at 6:06. The hosts snapped the Lancers' goal streak with a Berger goal at 7:30.

Then it was all Lancers again. Alomari tallied his second at 8:16 and D'Amico put a ribbon on the game, chipping the goalkeeper with 2:50 remaining.

After playing their opening three games on the road, the Lancers will make their season home debut against Atletico Orlando at the Total Sports Experience in East Rochester, N.Y., this Friday, Feb. 2 and Saturday, Feb. 3. Both contests will kick off at 7:45 p.m.

Those two matches will start a slate of six consecutive home games.

After a three-week break, the Lancers will return to the great indoors, welcoming Baltimore Arsenal on Feb. 23-24, Atletico Orlando on March 8-9, and Krajisnik FC on March 22-23. Rochester also has one final away game at Baltimore on March 16.

For more information about the team, visitwww.RochesterLancers.com.