The Milwaukee Wave made a dramatic comeback to reach the MASL finals, defeating the Baltimore Blast after losing the first playoff game. They secured their spot by winning 5-4 in Game 2 and 2-1 in a knockout match, with rookie Oscar Flores scoring key goals.
Milwaukee Wave makes another dramatic comeback to reach MASL finals
The Milwaukee Wave performed MASL playoff magic for the second time April 13, coming back after losing the first game of a playoff series to advance.
Now the team with seven arena soccer titles will play for an eighth, having knocked off the Baltimore Blast with victories of 5-4 in Game 2 and 2-1 in the 15-minute knockout game that followed at the UWM Panther Arena.
Venezuelan rookie forward Oscar Flores scored two goals in the first victory, the first to tie the game at 3-3 late in the third quarter and then the clincher midway through the fourth. On Flores’ final goal, he picked up a ball bounced hard off the boards by defender Stuart Grable and directed it in behind his back with his right heel.
Baltimore scored 32 seconds into the knockout game, but Wave rookie goalkeeper Gerardo Perez came forward and tied the game with a rebound goal six minutes later. That set the stage for veteran forward Andre Hayne, who took a pass from Ian Bennett and pounded it home with 55 seconds left.
The Wave, under first-year head coach Marcio Leite, won its quarterfinal series with the Empire Strykers in similar fashion, losing the first game before winning 60- and 15-minute games in one night.
Milwaukee won’t know its opponent until April 19th, when the St. Louis Ambush and San Diego Sockers play the second and possibly third game of their semifinal series.
Milwaukee Wave forward Oscar Flores (16) and Baltimore Blast defender Oumar Sylla (2) fight for the ball in a game Friday, April 10, 2026, at the UWM Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Baltimore won, 7-5.
Milwaukee Wave midfielder Alex Sanchez (80) and Baltimore Blast forward Juan Pereira (22) react after Sanchez scored athe first goal of the game.
Milwaukee Wave goalkeeper William Banahene makes a save as Blast forward Kevaughn Frater wrestles with Milwaukee Wave defender Tony Walls, left.
Baltimore Blast forward Nico Williams (6) and Milwaukee Wave midfielder Javier Steinwascher jostle for position.
Milwaukee Wave midfielder Cesar Correa (15) hops over Baltimore Blast goalkeeper Julian Rodriguez (28) as Rodriguez makes a save.
Milwaukee Wave midfielder Cesar Correa (15) reacts after a Baltimore Blast goal.
Milwaukee Wave forward Oscar Flores tries to split Baltimore Blast forward Wellington Bramusse (77) and defender Jake Schindler.
Milwaukee Wave goalkeeper William Banahene blocks a shot by Baltimore Blast defender Pat Thompson.
Baltimore Blast midfielder Jonatas Melo celebrates a goal past Milwaukee Wave goalkeeper William Banahene.
Milwaukee Wave midfielder Alex Steinwascher heads the ball.
Milwaukee Wave defender Mario Alvarez passes the ball under pressure from Baltimore Blast forward Jairo Guevara (19).
Milwaukee Wave midfielder Alex Sanchez shoots.
Milwaukee Wave midfielder Javier Steinwascher (97) and Baltimore Blast defender Marco Antonio Do Nascimento (11) work to head the ball in front of the Blast goal.
Milwaukee Wave forward Oscar Flores (16) tangles with Baltimore Blast defender Oumar Sylla (2) along the boards.
Milwaukee Wave forward Oscar Flores controls the ball in from of Baltimore Blast defender Ayoub Abdelkarim.
Baltimore Blast goalkeeper Julian Rodriguez (28) and forward Nico Williams get to the ball at the same time to prevent Milwaukee Wave from scoring.
Milwaukee Wave defender Mario Alvarez congratulates forward Oscar Flores after Flores scored.
Milwaukee Wave forward Oscar Flores reacts after Milwaukee Wave goalkeeper Gerardo Perez was fouled by a Baltimore Blast player.
Milwaukee Wave defender Mario Alvarez celebrates his power-play goal in the fourth quarter.
A shot by Milwaukee Wave forward Ian Bennett (26) goes past Baltimore Blast forward Juan Pereira (22) for a goal in the fourth quarter.
Milwaukee Wave forward Ian Bennett celebrates after his goal midway through the fourth quarter pulled the Wave within 6-5.
Baltimore Blast forward Juan Pereira (22) feigns sleeping while celebrating with defender Chad Poarch after scoring the final goal with 11 seconds left into an untended goal to give Baltimore a 7-5 victory.
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Milwaukee Wave forward Oscar Flores (16) and Baltimore Blast defender Oumar Sylla (2) fight for the ball in a game Friday, April 10, 2026, at the UWM Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Baltimore won, 7-5.
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Milwaukee Wave forward Oscar Flores (16) and Baltimore Blast defender Oumar Sylla (2) fight for the ball in a game Friday, April 10, 2026, at the UWM Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Baltimore won, 7-5.
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Milwaukee Wave midfielder Alex Sanchez (80) and Baltimore Blast forward Juan Pereira (22) react after Sanchez scored athe first goal of the game.
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Milwaukee Wave goalkeeper William Banahene makes a save as Blast forward Kevaughn Frater wrestles with Milwaukee Wave defender Tony Walls, left.
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Baltimore Blast forward Nico Williams (6) and Milwaukee Wave midfielder Javier Steinwascher jostle for position.
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Milwaukee Wave midfielder Cesar Correa (15) hops over Baltimore Blast goalkeeper Julian Rodriguez (28) as Rodriguez makes a save.
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Milwaukee Wave midfielder Cesar Correa (15) reacts after a Baltimore Blast goal.
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Milwaukee Wave forward Oscar Flores tries to split Baltimore Blast forward Wellington Bramusse (77) and defender Jake Schindler.
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Milwaukee Wave goalkeeper William Banahene blocks a shot by Baltimore Blast defender Pat Thompson.
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Baltimore Blast midfielder Jonatas Melo celebrates a goal past Milwaukee Wave goalkeeper William Banahene.
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Milwaukee Wave midfielder Alex Steinwascher heads the ball.
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Milwaukee Wave defender Mario Alvarez passes the ball under pressure from Baltimore Blast forward Jairo Guevara (19).
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Milwaukee Wave midfielder Alex Sanchez shoots.
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Milwaukee Wave midfielder Javier Steinwascher (97) and Baltimore Blast defender Marco Antonio Do Nascimento (11) work to head the ball in front of the Blast goal.
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Milwaukee Wave forward Oscar Flores (16) tangles with Baltimore Blast defender Oumar Sylla (2) along the boards.
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Milwaukee Wave forward Oscar Flores controls the ball in from of Baltimore Blast defender Ayoub Abdelkarim.
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Baltimore Blast goalkeeper Julian Rodriguez (28) and forward Nico Williams get to the ball at the same time to prevent Milwaukee Wave from scoring.
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Milwaukee Wave defender Mario Alvarez congratulates forward Oscar Flores after Flores scored.
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Milwaukee Wave forward Oscar Flores reacts after Milwaukee Wave goalkeeper Gerardo Perez was fouled by a Baltimore Blast player.
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Milwaukee Wave defender Mario Alvarez celebrates his power-play goal in the fourth quarter.
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A shot by Milwaukee Wave forward Ian Bennett (26) goes past Baltimore Blast forward Juan Pereira (22) for a goal in the fourth quarter.
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Milwaukee Wave forward Ian Bennett celebrates after his goal midway through the fourth quarter pulled the Wave within 6-5.
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Baltimore Blast forward Juan Pereira (22) feigns sleeping while celebrating with defender Chad Poarch after scoring the final goal with 11 seconds left into an untended goal to give Baltimore a 7-5 victory.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee Wave beats Blast, advances to MASL championship series
The Milwaukee Wave advanced by winning two consecutive matches against the Baltimore Blast after losing the first game of the playoff series.
Rookie forward Oscar Flores scored two crucial goals in the first victory against the Baltimore Blast.
The Milwaukee Wave won 5-4 in Game 2 and 2-1 in the knockout game to secure their place in the MASL finals.
The Milwaukee Wave has won seven arena soccer titles and is now competing for their eighth.
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