Empire Makes it Consecutive Wins with 10-5 Result at Texas

Stinson, Aguirre lead charge as Strykers ride second-half dominance to victory

Mesquite, Tx. — The Empire Strykers made it two straight victories on Saturday evening, defeating hosts Texas Outlaws 10-5 to improve to 2-2-0 (wins-losses-overtime/shootout losses) on their 2024-25 Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) campaign. The successful road trip to the Lone Star State came courtesy of a dominant team display, with Empire’s two netminders only making a combined eight saves, as well as standout attacking displays by midfielder Justin Stinson and former Outlaws defender Emmanuel Aguirre. The visitors from Southern California outscored their opponents 7-1 in the second half of play.

Like Stinson and Aguirre, Texas’s Erik Macias and Billy O’Dwyer enjoyed three-point performances.

The Strykers opened the scoring early in the first period, goalkeeper Claysson De Lima being credited with the assist on a tally by Jose Gonzalez. Making his first appearance after recovering from injury, new Empire man Alex Bradley then doubled his side’s advantage on a clever assist off the boards by Marco Fabián. After David Stankovic cut the Outlaws’ deficit in half on an unassisted play, Justin Stinson reestablished the away team’s previous cushion. The Missouri native made it 3-1 by picking up a pass from Aguirre on the left and unleashing a wicked right-footed drive from range that found the far-side netting.

After Strykers netminder De Lima closed out the opening period by standing his ground and denying a wide-open Steven Chavez, Macias scored Texas’s second from nearly the exact spot Stinson had been when unleashing on his earlier tally. Macias’s goal was equally impressive, as he found the upper right-hand corner, O’Dwyer recording the helper. Outlaws backstop Jesus Rivera subsequently prevented a Fabián goal at the other end, producing an excellent kick save to deny the two-time FIFA World Cup veteran from close range.

Following the save, the momentum swung noticeably in the direction of the home side, with Stankovic and Macias completing their braces for the Outlaws’ first lead of the contest. First, forward Stankovic converted on a breakaway, having been released by Macias. Then, defender-midfielder Macias made it 4-3 by way of a dipping shot from all the way at the yellow line, the ball finding its way inside the left upright.

Empire scored three unanswered in the third quarter. After Robert Palmer had his first of the season on Bradley’s first assist in a Strykers uniform, defender Aguirre hit yet another shot from where teammate Stinson and Outlaws veteran Macias had previously released their unstoppable efforts, this one finding the same upper ninety Macias had picked out in the second period. Alan Perez finally nodded home from the doorstep for his first of the campaign, cleaning up a deflected shot off the crossbar by Antonio De La Torre.

In the game’s closing period, the away side picked up right where it had left off, finding the net two more times on a pair of Stinson tallies. Mounir Alami set up the first, and Aguirre was credited with the assist as 27-year-old Stinson rifled a right-footed drive off the underside of the bar to extend the Strykers’ advantage to 8-4. After O’Dwyer pulled one back for Texas in memorable fashion, curling the ball over the wall and into the net on a directly taken restart from the top of the arc, Empire forward Harold Hanson claimed his maiden goal of 2024-25. The Inland Empire native touched home a helper by Andy Reyes.

With midfielder O’Dwyer guarding the net as Texas’s sixth attacker, Gerardo Jurado rounded out the final score at 10-5.

The Empire Strykers travel to take on rivals San Diego Sockers on Saturday, December 28, 2024. The team’s next home game is a clash with the Tacoma Stars on Sunday, January 5. Tickets are available here.