Luan Oliveria scored four goals, and a late Florida Tropics rally fell just short as the Milwaukee Wave defeated the tropics 6-5 in a Major Arena Soccer League game Saturday at the RP Funding Center.
Down 5-1, Tropics got unanswered goals from Victor Parreiras, Lucio Gonzaga and Zach Reget to pull within 5-4 in the final period before Oliveria scored on the power play at 13:57 for the game-winner. The Tropics, who had not given up a power-play goal this season, gave up three in this game.
Click here to see other photos of the game by Tom Hagerty https://www.flickr.com/photos/lakelandlocal/albums/72157712406782628
Guilherme, and Joey Tavernese with just four seconds to play, got the other Florida goals, while Max Ferdinand got the other two Wave markers.
The Wave improved to 4-1 on the season – avenging a 5-4 overtime loss to the Tropics at home on Dec. 7, and will host Mesquite in a New Year’s Eve matinee next week. Florida, now 5-1 and tied for first atop the Eastern Conference, will hit the road for back-to-back games next weekend starting Friday, Jan. 3 in Rochester followed by a rematch with the Baltimore Blast on Saturday, Jan. 4
The Tropics return to Lakeland for the first of back-to-back Sunday starts, Jan. 12 and 19, against the Orlando SeaWolves. All Tropics games home and away are broadcast live at mastl.tv. Ticket information for upcoming home matches and additional team information is at fltropics.com