Tayou's lead big Wichita rally in Chicago; Cleveland rolls past Omaha, 15-10

TAMPA, Fla. -- The Wichita Wings -- thanks to the heroic efforts of MASL stars Franck and Uzi Tayou -- and the Cleveland Crunch have a leg up after winning the first of their two games this doubleheader weekend in Major Arena Soccer League 2.

The Crunch and Omaha Kings had a wild shootout in North Olmsted Saturday with Cleveland eventually pulling away for a 15-10 win while Wichita's return to the field after a long break between 2021 games outlasted the Mustangs 8-6.

The Crunch (5-1) roared out of the gate with five goals in the first and another five in the second to take a 10-5 lead to intermission. The closest Omaha (3-6) came was 13-8 when Ali Sodal scored a sixth-attacker goal  midway through the fourth.

Admir Suljevic led the offensive onslaught with four goals and an assist while Mike Dezeric added three goals. Kevin Blackwood added a pair, and the high-flying Crunch -- who now have scored 70 goals in their first six games -- also saw  Tom Beck, Ma'Cain Spragling, Ryan Minick, Sami Multemwa, Ashton Bernard and Smith Peoper add a goal apiece.

Omaha's effort was led by Fernando Gatica with two goals and two assists. Sodal and James Thayer also had two goals each with Edder Hernandez, Leonides Mejia, Daniel Zuckweiler and Elias Galvan netting one goal each. 

The two teams will tangle again Sunday at Soccer Sportsplex in North Olmsted in a 2 p.m. kickoff. Visit www.theclevelenadcrunch.com for more information.

Chicago held a 3-2 lead at the break against Wichita, playing their first game since late January, and in the Wings debut of indoor soccer superstar Franck Tayou and his brother Uzi who both had two goals each. 

Chicago (3-4) expanded its second half lead to 5-2 before the Tayou's swung into action, with Franck getting the game-winner with just over nine minutes to go. The Tayou's combined for four of their team's five goals in the comeback.

Wichita (4-0) also got goals from David Lucio, Eduardo "Benji" Montreal, Taylor Henry and Jared Robbins.

Alex Gomez led Chicago with a pair of goals, while teammates Jonathan Riodriguez, Stefan Mijatovic (on loan from the MASL St. Louis Ambush), Alejandro Chavez and Adrian Ortiz added one each.

The midwestern rivals will rematch Sunday at the Grand Sports Arena in a 2 p.m. Central Daylight Time start.