The injuries and struggles over the past month have caught up with the defending Major Indoor Soccer League champion Baltimore Blast.
The Blast lost at home Saturday for the first time all season.
With a 6-4 loss to the Detroit Ignition Saturday night before 6,342 fans at 1st Mariner Arena, the team has lost four in a row and fallen into last place in the league standings.
“We?re not good enough. We?re not good enough right now,” Blast coach Danny Kelly said. “We?re not the Baltimore Blast team that has won three championships in the last four years. In order to get back to that level it?s going to take a lot of work and a lot of sacrifice on everybody?s part.”
The game was tied within one minute of play, when former Blast forward Carlos “Chile” Farias headed home a lob for the deciding goal.
Overwhelmed with injuries ? particularly to offensive playmakers ? the Blast struggled to finish goal-scoring opportunities.
Veteran forward Lee Tschantret, who scored his first goal in over a month, said the team hit the crossbar and posts repeatedly, and was stymied by former Blast goalkeeper Sonaldo.
“I actually thought we played OK. We?re just going through our tough stretch right now,” Tschantret said. “I?ve seen it before. Get it out of the way now.”
The team?s last-place standing is a first in roughly two years ? dating back to the 2004-05 season in which it missed the playoffs. Other than that season, the team has been the most dominant in the league.
On the positive end, the Blast defense was strong ? holding league-leading goal scorer Jamar Beasley scoreless.
But veteran Mike Apple scored a pair of goals ? neither of which were well struck, and both of which seemed to fool Blast keeper Sagu.
“Sometimes I can?t see the ball,” said Sagu, who noted that at least one of the goals was deflected. “There?s too many people in my face.”
But Kelly will take those goals rather than see his defense stand by as Sagu is left alone. The first-year coach and former All-Star defender has preached team defense and “getting behind the ball” throughout the season.
“I thought for the most part we played pretty well defensively,” Kelly said. “After giving up 21 points [at Chicago] we gave up six points. We can look at that as moving in the right direction.”
The Blast play at California Thursday at 10 p.m.
