When the Blast takes the field tonight at 8 at U.S. Cellular Arena in Milwaukee, Wis., against the Wave, it will be playing for more than a chance to move to within percentage points of first place in the Major Indoor Soccer League.
“Over the years,” Blast defender Mike Lookingland said, “it always comes down to Milwaukee and Baltimore at some point on the road to the championship.”
That?s because the teams have combined to claim seven league titles in the past 10 seasons ? four for Milwaukee and three for the Blast. The Blast defeated the Wave to win the championship in 2003 and 2004, and ended Milwaukee?s season in the semifinals en route to winning it all in 2006.
“It?s always a classic game,” goalkeeper Sagu said. “This is going to be a very big game for us. If we beat Milwaukee, we?ll be first in the league. It?s a crazy game. It?s going to be tough.”
The Blast (12-7) is tied with Detroit for third place, a half-game behind Chicago (13-7) and a game behind league-leading Milwaukee (14-7). But the Blast, which finished one victory shy of making the playoffs last season, already has defeated the Wave twice at 1st Mariner Arena, outscoring it, 25-15.
But the Blast is not the same team once it leaves Baltimore. The Blast is 3-5 on the road this season, but two of its victories are at last-place Orlando. Still, the Blast?s players, who are riding a season-best six-game winning streak, said this game is not any more important than any of their remaining 10 games.
“Every game is important and we want to win,” forward Denison Cabral said. “But knowing that we?re that close to being in first place, it makes us realize the hard work is paying off. We always have a good game to look forward to playing against Milwaukee. It?s always tough.”
Since the league features eight teams separated by 5 1/2 games for six playoffs spots, there is little margin for error. If the Blast suffers a swoon like it did last season by ending the season on a six-game losing streak or earlier this year when it dropped five straight, it could easily miss the playoffs for the second consecutive year.
“The league is very tight this year, so a lot of games are really close,” Blast president Kevin Healey said. “These two teams really know each other, respect each other, and, hate to lose to each other. It really comes through on the field.”
In the Blast?s last game against the Wave, the teams combined for three penalties and 33 fouls, with the Blast emerging with a 12-7 win on Jan. 25.
“Every time we meet we know it?s going to be a battle,” Lookingland said. “It?s something, as a player, you look forward to. But at the same time, going into that game, you know it?s going to be 60 minutes of beating each other up.”
