Fabián, Stinson Power Empire’s 10-1 Statement Win at Texas

Six Strykers earn two or more points each in dominant team performance

Click here for the boxscore.

Mesquite, Tx. — The Empire Strykers rode a dominant team performance to a 10-1 thumping of hosts Texas Outlaws on Thursday evening, solidifying their playoff positioning and improving to 8-8-1 (wins-losses-overtime/shootout losses) on their 2024-25 Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) campaign. The Strykers, who controlled the vast majority of the possession and only needed a total of eight saves from backstops Brian Orozco and Claysson De Lima, exploded for seven netters after the break. Marco Fabián and Justin Stinson led the charge on offense, contributing four points and three points, respectively.

The visitors jumped out to a two-goal advantage in the opening quarter, Fabián scoring from Leonardo Espinoza and Alan Perez blasting home on a gorgeous assist by Cyro Oliveira. Brazilian Oliveira showed off his excellent technical ability by way of a 360-degree spin inside the area, deftly laying the ball off in the process. In the second period, Randy Martinez then converted a helper by Justin Stinson to expand his side’s lead to 3-0.

Empire bagged a total of four tallies in the third quarter. First, Stinson recorded a clever assist off the boards on the left, setting up Mounir Alami. Then, Fabián made it 0-5 as he rifled a right-footed bullet around the wall and inside the right post on a directly taken free kick from the center of the yellow line. Seconds later, Harold Hanson stripped Grant Michaels of the ball and calmly slotted into the net, followed by an Espinoza netter on a Fabián helper for 0-7.

The away side picked up where it had left off in the game’s final period, scoring two more times before the Outlaws got their consolation goal. After Alami set up Antonio De La Torre on a breakaway, midfielder De La Torre completed his brace when he was released by Martinez down the right and fired a shot off the inside of the opposite upright for a 9-0 Strykers cushion.

Texas finally got on the board with Empire fielding a sixth attacker, Steven Chavez providing the assist to Erik Macias. However, it wouldn’t be the final goal of the match, as Stinson took full advantage of his side’s continued sixth-attacker setup, rounding out his team’s 10-1 victory on another counterattack and an assist by Fabián.

The Strykers return home for a clash with the Milwaukee Wave on Monday, February 24. Tickets are available here.