Chicago Mustangs set to open 5th indoor soccer season
As the Chicago Mustangs prepare to open their fifth season of professional indoor soccer, head coach and president Armando Gamboa shares his thoughts on the league, his team, and its rivals in the 17-team Major Arena Soccer League. The Mustangs, which went undefeated in winning the championship in 2014, have qualified for the playoffs the past three seasons.
Q. What makes indoor soccer such an attractive game for fans?
A. It's an action-packed high-scoring game. It's very similar to hockey. We play 6-v-6. Momentum constantly shifts, which makes no deficit insurmountable. The walls make the game faster and keep the action moving for longer periods of time.
Q. Who are some of the key players for this franchise?
A. Last year at midseason we acquired renowned Mexican soccer player Adolfo "Bofo" Bautista. He is back for his first full season with the Mustangs after scoring 18 goals and dishing out 6 assists in 11 games. He is a former Mexican international player and competed in the 2010 World Cup.
Two more players to watch are Efrain "Wilo" Martinez and Miguel Vaca. Wilo was the MVP of the league when we won our 2014 championship. Vaca was second on our team last year with 33 points (19 goals and 14 assists).
Q. Not everyone is familiar with the talent in the league, so what are two must-see games this season at Sears Centre Arena?
A. Our home opener against Cedar Rapids Rampage this Saturday (7:05 p.m.) will be a huge game for us. We need to open the 2016-17 MASL season with a win, and we are playing a fellow Central Division team, which makes this a crucial step out of the gate.
We also host the Milwaukee Wave on Dec. 10. The Wave are our biggest rivals and we are looking to bounce back against the team that knocked us out of the postseason last year.
Q. Can your team contend for the Ron Newman Cup?
A. We are bringing back a lot of talent from last year's squad that went 13-7, so yes the goal for the Mustangs is always to compete for hardware.
We have proved in the past that we have the talent to win in Chicago. We went undefeated in 16 games in the 2013-14 championship campaign, my inaugural year as the coach. That has set an elite standard for this franchise.
Q. Tell us about some of the local athletes on your team.
A. We have a good mix of players from all over the world in addition to the city of Chicago.
Taylor Bond, a St. Charles North alum, was tied for the team lead in goals last season with 21. Rookie defender Stefan Mijatovic has the ability to push for a starting spot in his first year, and he was a DuPage County all-area honorable mention his senior year at York. Alexis Camarena, 23, who attended Burlington Central, is due for a breakout season in his fifth year, after finishing tied for fifth on the team in points.
If you go:
Single-game tickets for the Chicago Mustangs start at $10 and can be purchased by phone at (847) 805-6633, at chicagomustanspro.com or at the Sears Centre Arena box office, 5333 Prairie Stone Parkway, Hoffman Estates.