First-place Cedar Rapids Rampage fighting for a win in rising Chicago rivalry

CEDAR RAPIDS — The Major Arena Soccer League rivalry between Cedar Rapids and Chicago has experienced a little of everything in two seasons.

Blowouts, comebacks, overtimes, scuffles, a double hat-trick and scores both high and low have marked five memorable matchups.

As the teams meet for a sixth installment Friday at 7 p.m. at the U.S. Cellular Center, one key element has been absent for the hometown Rampage.

A victory.

'Chicago has a great team of great players,' Rampage player-coach Hewerton Moreira said. 'For us, it is going to be important to stay focused and continue what we've been doing. ... I believe that we're going to bring all of our power, our strength, for the game.'

Cedar Rapids (8-2) — winners of seven games in a row and in first place in the MASL Central Division — has not lost since dropping two one-score contests to the Mustangs during a weekend home-and-home series in mid-November. Fourth-quarter Rampage leads evaporated into defeats in both games.

'Honestly, I think us losing those two games to Chicago were the best thing that could have happened to us,' Rampage forward Gordy Gurson said. 'We lost one game in overtime, we lost another by a goal. Those are just the little things to me. We've got to remember those feelings, how hurt we were.'

Chicago also won all three meetings during Cedar Rapids' 2015-16 expansion season, which included a franchise-worst 14-4 loss. Mustangs forward Efrain 'Wilo' Martinez has posted 14 goals and five assists in five career games against the Rampage, including five of his six scores this season. Last season, Martinez scored six times during a 10-7 Chicago victory that nearly ended with a melee. After the Mustangs pulled their goalkeeper for a sixth attacker in the waning minutes with a three-goal lead, Rampage brass accused Chicago of having a former referee on the bench acting as an assistant coach in an attempt to influence the on-field officials.

Cedar Rapids defender Joshio Sandoval has seen both sides of the rivalry. After three seasons with Chicago, Sandoval has two goals in 10 games this season with the Rampage.

Gurson and Moreira lead the offensive attack for Cedar Rapids. Gurson has collected 14 goals and eight assists this season, while Moreira has added 13 scores and distributed seven assists in his first season juggling the role of player-coach. First-year defender Jonatan Santos leads the team with 12 assists.

Cedar Rapids rookie goalkeeper Brett Petricek leads the MASL with eight wins, but struggled in two losses to Chicago.

'Those games, obviously, we made a few mistakes that cost us,' Petricek said. 'Over the last few weeks, I think we've really kind of corralled and learned from those mistakes. Not only individually, but collectively as a team. I think as long as we stay focused, we have a good training session ... and we stay positive with each other, that is the biggest thing. Any time there is negative energy on the bench with this team, it is immediately cut off by somebody. We're always positively reinforcing each other. That goes a long way.'

After a 4-0 start this season, Chicago (5-3) limps into Friday's contest losers of three of four games. The Mustangs have surrendered 33 goals over that span.

l Comments: douglas.miles@thegazette.com