Scorpions Forward Tallies Two goals, Assist In 3-0 Win Over Tampa Bay
Soccer News: The San Antonio Scorpions put an end to the Tampa Bay Rowdies‘ unbeaten streak on Saturday night, and did so in emphatic fashion, notching a 3-0 victory in front of the home fans at Toyota Field. Scorpions forward Omar Cummings played a role in all three goals, earning North American Soccer League (NASL) Player of the Week honors.
“I’d just like to thank my teammates and the coaching staff for believing in me,” Cummings said. “I’d also like to dedicate this honor to my kids that were at the game for the first time on Saturday night and my teammate, Julius James, for always being a warrior on the field.”
In a match where the club lost one of its veteran leaders, James, to a serious leg injury, Cummings helped the Scorpions get off to the perfect start against the visiting Rowdies, providing the pass that led to midfielder Marvin Chávez‘s goal in the 11th minute. The Jamaican veteran then found the net, not once but twice in the second half, beating Rowdies goalkeeper Matt Pickens in the 54th and 62nd minutes where he received a beautiful through ball from midfielder Rafael Castillo that split two Rowdies defenders. Cummings was able to easily deposit the ball into the back of the net after a one-on-one versus Pickens.
“With two world-class finishes on Saturday, Omar again showed his quality in front of goal,” said Scorpions head coach Alen Marcina. “Omar has had a massive and immediate impact for us this year, and has added a new dimension with his attacking prowess and leadership in the locker room. We’re very pleased that he is getting properly recognized for his performance on Saturday.”
The pair of goals on Saturday put Cummings back atop the league’s scoring chart. The Old Harbour, Jamaica, native now has seven goals thus far in 2015, one more than FC Edmonton midfielder (and fellow Jamaican) Lance Laing. The 33-year-old has already tied Rafael Castillo’s club leading total from 2014 with 18 games remaining in the 2015 regular season. Cummings also added an assist on Marvin Chávez’s goal in the 11′, his second helper of the season.
The 5-foot-10 forward, who has 35 caps with the Jamaican national team under his belt, joined the Scorpions prior to the 2015 season. Cummings played in Major League Soccer (MLS) from 2007-2014 – first with the Colorado Rapids and then with the Houston Dynamo – tallying a total of 42 goals and 30 assists. He won the 2010 MLS Cup with the Rapids, who were coached by current Atlanta Silverbacks manager Gary Smith.
This is the second time this season a Scorpions player has been named the NASL’s Player of the Week. Billy Forbes was recognized for his efforts after he found the net twice in the Scorpions 3-2 win over FC Edmonton back on May 17th. Overall, it is the fifteenth time a Scorpions player has been given the league’s player of the week honors: Pablo Campos (5), Billy Forbes (2), Omar Cummings, Adrian Cann, Rafael Castillo, Walter Restrepo, Jonathan Greenfield, Blake Wagner, Javier Saavedra, and Hans Denisson.
Cummings and the Scorpions will remain in San Antonio ahead of Wednesday’s match against FC Edmonton at Toyota Field. Kickoff is set for 8:30 p.m. ET and the match can be seen live on ESPN3, among other outlets. For information on Scorpions tickets call 210-495-8686 or visit sascorpions.com.
