Edmonton has the stingiest defense in the National Professional Soccer League, but the Attack overcame that and took an 8-4 victory over the Drillers in the first game of their National Conference quarterfinal series Thursday night. The Attack can wrap up the series with a victory Sunday at Kemper Arena. A third game, if necessary, will be Tuesday at Kemper. The Drillers and Attack exchanged chances early, with Kansas City playing a patient possession game against fast-breaking Edmonton. The Drillers had the early chances on restarts and fast breaks but were unable to beat Attack goalie Warren Westcoat, who made 12 saves. The Drillers opened the scoring at 12 minutes, 5 seconds of the first quarter when Sergio Maione broke away from Attack midfielder Novi along the right boards and shot wide of the goal. The rebound went to Edmonton captain Bill Sedgewick, and his two-point shot found a way past Westcoat. It was his first goal of the season, and the only goal in the first quarter. Edmonton continued to give the Attack no time to work with the ball in the second quarter, and the more experienced Kansas City players were unable to get anything going until the final minute. That's when Brian Loftin banged a rebound off Edmonton goalkeeper Scott Heileman, and Carlos Olivas stroked that rebound into the empty net, tying the score with 49 seconds remaining in the first half. There was some controversy before the end of the half. Referee Ron Cory stopped play with 17 seconds remaining and Edmonton on a breakaway because the timekeeper had failed to start the clock correctly a few minutes earlier. Edmonton continued to press in the third quarter, but the Drillers were unable to solve Westcoat. The Attack sat back and finally took the lead with 4:02 remaining in the third quarter. Edmonton has had a problem with set plays this season, and they fell to a neatly executed free kick when Wes Wade set up Eddie Carmean, who was wide open to the right of the Edmonton goal. Carmean beat Hileman cleanly with a left-foot shot. Wade set up the Attack's third goal in the fourth quarter when he played a ball into the corner to Hileman's right. Loftin pulled the ball off the boards onto his left foot, turned past Edmonton defender Shayne Campbell and beat the Edmonton keeper. Domenic Mobilio pulled Edmonton within two on a soft shot that Westcoat fumbled but let by him, but the Attack sealed the victory with a two-point goal following another free kick. Wade found Jon Parry, who passed to Jeff Davis standing beside the right post. Davis tapped the ball in, closing the scoring. The Drillers could have closed the gap, but Mobilio missed a penalty kick with 1:09 remaining.
|
