A sense of urgency was the last problem Blast coach Danny Kelly expected his veteran team to have this weekend.
With a two-game game series at home, the fourth-place squad was presented the perfect scenario to make up ground in the Major Indoor Soccer League standings this past weekend.
In both games, however, the defending league champs were flat.
The Blast (6-8) split the first two of a five-game home stretch, losing Friday to Milwaukee, 7-2, before beating California, 8-6, Saturday.
Kelly called Friday?s loss “embarrassing,” and wasn?t thrilled about Saturday?s game either.
“In my mind, it?s still not good enough,” Kelly said. “We got the win and that?s the positive. This was a huge game for us tonight.”
For a team that is built on scoring talent, the Blast have had issues on the offensive end of late. The team broke a streak of 87 scoreless minutes at home in the loss to Milwaukee.
That performance left Kelly questioning his team?s desire, and telling reporters, “some of these guys in the locker room need to understand what it means to put on a Baltimore Blast uniform.”
In Saturday?s win, the Blast put 25 third quarter shots on goal, converting just one. The quarter was the perfect example of the team?s penchant for squandering opportunities.
“We?ve just got to keep at it,” said Blast forward Machel Millwood, who had two goals and an assist Saturday. “You never know when it?s going to bounce in our favor. Its good at least that we?re getting shots off.”
But expectationsare higher for a team that has won three titles in four seasons. To their credit, the Blast is currently without the defending league MVP as well as the team?s leading scorer from a year ago.
High-scoring forward Guiliano Celenza (groin) is expected back this coming weekend while defending league MVP Adauto Neto (leg) should return in the next month.
The team has two more games at 1st Mariner Arena this weekend ? playing Chicago Friday and then Detroit on Saturday.
If ever there was a time for the Blast to climb back into playoff position (the league?s top four advance), this would be it.
“If we want to get into the playoffs, we have to at least win our home games,” Millwood said.
Failure to launch
» The Blast is now 5-2 at 1st Mariner Arena.
» Blast goalkeeper Sagu made 12 saves on 15 shots in Saturday?s win, including a series of key stops in the closing minute.
» Veteran Lee Tschantret had an assist Saturday and is now just three points away from 1,000 for his career.
