Fights, Injuries Mars Game Between Undefeated Soccer Clubs

To call Sunday night’s game between the Ontario Fury and the Las Vegas Legends intense, might be somewhat of understatement.

Coming into the match, both teams were undefeated and intended to keep their streak judging from the aggressive play that saw one Legend player carted off on a stretcher, another injured and helped to the bench, an angry exchange between Ontario midfielder Isreal Sesay that ended with a chest bump by Sesay and a dramatic collapse to the turf by Legend’s midfielder Ivan Simental.

In the end, Las Vegas walked off with its undefeated record intact and an 11-10 victory. But even after the clock had long ticked off the final seconds, tempers flared as angry words flew. Fury coach Bernie Lilavois could barely contain his anger as Fury goalie, Sanaldo (who goes by one name) stood in the middle of the Legend crowd trying to be peacemaker.

It was not to be as the tension carried into the Citizens Bank Arena locker rooms.

The Fury (2-1) took a 10-9 lead into the fourth quarter thanks to a highlight-reel bicycle kick goal from forward Tino Nunez. But Las Vegas (5-0) tied it 8:45 into the fourth quarter on a tap home goal from Simental sent the game into overtime.

Ontario had a chance to win it in the extra session, but a missed shot sent Las Vegas on the counter-attack. Ivan Campos scored his second goal of the game from straight away to leave the Legends the only undefeated team in the Pacific Division.

The two teams put on a scoring show in the first half, as it ended tied at 7. Ontario’s Nunez and the Legends’ Felipe Gonzalez and Alex Caceres each scoring hat tricks in the first 30 minutes. Things settled down in the second half, as both team’s defenses tightened up.

Vegas opened the scoring 34 seconds into the game with Caceres netting a goal past Sanaldo. Ontario retaliated with four goals in the first.

The second quarter was dominated by Vegas, who scored five times behind Gonzalez. The Fury was held to no power play opportunities in the first half of the game. Despite the strong Vegas quarter, the game was 7-7 in the half, thanks to a goal by Sesay with five seconds remaining in the half..

Sanaldo had 16 saves off of 27 attempts while Vegas goalie Jesus Molina had 15 saves off of 25 shots.

Ontario will be on the road for their first ever road game Dec. 1 in Baja California against Toros Mexico.

Ask some players and they may argue that nearby San Diego is the real rivalry. But the Nov. 24 game may prove differently.

For a full box score from Sunday night’s game, visit the Fury'sweb page.

The Fury will return home at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 12 against the San Diego Sockers.