The Baltimore Blast faces an uphill battle as it seeks its second successive Major Indoor Soccer League title starting Friday with the opening game of the best-of-five championship series.
The Milwaukee Wave, which fell in a best-of-three series to the Blast last season, appears to have an edge after posting the best regular-season record in the MISL, beating the Blast in three of four meetings this season, and arriving with a five-game winning streak and victories in 11 of its past 12 encounters.
The Wave, which won three titles in the four years before the National Professional Soccer League became the MISL in 2001, will be home, at U.S. Cellular Arena, for Friday's Game 1 and Saturday's Game 2.
The series will shift to Baltimore, to 1st Mariner Arena, for Games 3 and (if needed) 4, on May 1 and 2. If a fifth game is necessary, it will be played May 8 in Milwaukee.
The Blast is led by former San Jose Clash forward Carlos ''Chile'' Farias, who was third in the MISL in scoring, with 65 points, and No. 1 in assists, with 43. Farias played in two MLS games in 1999.
Denison Cabral, last year's championship series MVP, led Baltimore with 36 goals this season, and Giuliano Celenza added 33. Lee Tschantret netted 25, including five in four games against the Wave, and David Bascome, who is nursing a knee injury, scored 24.
The Blast defense was bolstered by midseason pickup Ibrahim Kante, who played in two MLS games for the New England Revolution last season.
Milwaukee is led by forward Greg Howes, the MISL scoring champion with 57 goals and 85 points. Howes, who scored eight goals with three assists against the Blast this season, added a pair of goals in the Wave's semifinal victory over Kansas City.
The Wave also features Todd Dusosky (24 goals-36 assists) and his twin brother, Troy, a defensive specialist. Joe Reiniger and Michael King also scored 20-plus goals, and Dan Green was the league's top goalkeeper with a 4.02 goals-against average.
Milwaukee's roster includes two former MLS players: recent signing Johnny Torres, a Hermann Award winner at Creighton, who played 97 games in five seasons with New England, Miami and Chicago; and Leighton O'Brien, who saw action in two matches with San Jose in 1999.
Wave coach Keith Tozer has won 561 games in 20 seasons as an indoor coach, the past 12 in Milwaukee. He's a five-time NPSL and MISL Coach of the Year.
Tim Wittman took charge of the Blast this season after assisting Bobby McAvan in 2002-03.
Milwaukee won both its home meetings with the Blast this season, pulling out a 7-5 victory on Oct. 18 and a 5-3 triumph on March 14. Baltimore notched a 9-8 overtime win at home on Dec. 6, but lost to the Wave, 10-9, at 1st Mariner in its April 3 regular-season finale.
MAJOR INDOOR SOCCER LEAGUE
CHAMPIONSHIP
Milwaukee Wave vs. Baltimore Blast
Best-of-five series
April 23: at Milwaukee, 7:35 p.m. CDT
April 24: at Milwaukee, 7:35 p.m. CDT
May 1: at Baltimore, 7:35 p.m. EDT
*May 2: at Baltimore, 6:05 p.m. EDT
*May 8: at Milwaukee, 7:35 p.m. CDT
* – if necessary