By: Joseph Duarte
EBC Florida Bureau

(Lakeland, FL) — Riding on a four game winning streak to open up the MASL season, the Florida Tropics looked to stay hot. In just their second home game of the season,  the Tropics hosted the 10-time MASL champion, the Baltimore Blast. Though no strangers to winning, the Blast looked nothing like the championship caliber team they were in the past. The offense struggled putting pressure on the Tropics in the first half, only notching in one goal, which came came in the second quarter to tie the game 1-1. Lucio Gonzaga, who just recently joined the Tropics, scored a goal to send the Tropics with a 2-1 lead into halftime.

In the second half, the Tropics went full throttle and scored five unanswered goals, courtesy of Lucas Teixeira.  Ricardo Carvalho, and Gordy Gurson. The Tropics showed great poise, with stout defense, and high-pressured offense, ultimately sealing the game with two late goals in the fourth quarter by Gonzaga and Gurson, each with two goals for the game.

After the game, Victor Parreiras, who scored the first goal of the game, credited the team’s offseason moves and chemistry in lieu of their success.

“I think the offseason signings were on point,” said the Tropics Captain, “We have guys going forward and scoring goals. That’s amazing. [We are] Passing. And we’re clicking —  that’s the most important thing. We’re finding each other.”

Despite their winning record, Perreiras still believes that they could get better.

“We still have a lot of room to improve. We’re in a good path. And, we’re still going. We still have more to show,” said Parrieras.

The 7-2 rout of the Blast was the Tropics most dominate performance this season. Looking to remain undefeated next week, the Tropics face the Milwaukee Wave, whom they defeated in an overtime thriller earlier this season.