CLEVELAND CRUNCH ADVANCE TO 3-0 WITH HOME OPENER WIN OVER CHICAGO MUSTANGS

The Cleveland Crunch advanced to 3-0 with a 10-1 win over the Chicago Mustangs Saturday evening. 

The Crunch, who now sits in second place in the North Conference of the Major League Indoor Soccer (MLIS), welcomed 2,400 fans in its home opener at the Wolstein Center at Cleveland State University. 

It was the team’s first home game at the Wolstein Center, marking the return of one of Cleveland’s historic indoor soccer franchises to the city center. Fans embraced the homecoming, filling the arena with noise and anticipation well before kickoff.

Player availability created early storylines before the whistle. Forward Ma’Cain Spragling was unable to play due to injury but remained heavily involved from the sideline. “You can’t rush greatness,” Spragling said.“Can’t wait to come back.”

Head Coach Antonio Manfut noted the team’s readiness, stating, “It’s been a long time coming, but the Crunch are very happy to see all the fans. They appreciate the support and are happy to be back.”

Forward Gabriel Pewu projected confidence hours before kickoff, saying simply, “We are gonna win.”

The organization also debuted a rendition of its old Mascot , Kickster. 

Crunch Strike Early 

Ryan Minick opened the scoring off an assist from Admir Suljevic. The pace intensified from both sides, but the Crunch found the net again at 3:27 when Chris Cvecko converted off a pass from Aidan Bozak.

With :11 left in the quarter, Minick scored his second goal, assisted by Brenden Swann, pushing Cleveland ahead 3-0 after one.

Chicago broke the ice early in the second quarter. Dario Gamboa capitalized on a defensive lapse with 14:12 remaining, cutting the lead to 3-1. 

Cleveland responded with increased defensive pressure anchored by goalkeeper Marijo Musa, whose positioning and shot-stopping frustrated Chicago throughout.

Swann restored the three-goal cushion with 7:36 left. Later, Suljevic converted a penalty with 2:04 remaining to make it 5-1, and Omar Najjar scored at 1:16 off a Bozak assist to extend the lead to 6-1 entering halftime.

The third quarter mirrored the intensity of the first two. At 6:45, Tamas Nagy scored with an assist from Sami Mutemwa, pushing the lead to 7-1, and at 1:27, Bozak tallied a goal assisted by Cvecko.

Cleveland added two more in the fourth. Suljevic scored another penalty at 4:29, and with just :06 remaining, Gabriel Pewu delivered a fan-favorite moment, finishing off an emotional goal assisted by Suljevic. Pewu lifted his shirt to dedicate the score to his late sister, Dana Powell, drawing applause from the crowd and his teammates.

After the final buzzer, players and coaches spoke to the significance of the performance.

Goalkeeper Marijo Musa praised the environment, saying he loved “being around the home fans and feeling the love,” adding that the team played consistently in an “overall successful home opener.”

Suljevic called it “a good performance from the team, and great to play in front of the fans.”

Coach Manfut summarized the night: “It was a tough game, fantastic win for everyone. We had a hiccup, but it was great to come out with the win.”

Aidan Bozak, who finished with three points and was named the MetroHealth Man of the Match, said “It was great to hear from the crowd, and great to give the fans a win. This year is gonna mean something.”

The Crunch return to the Wolstein Center on Jan. 24. Tickets are on sale now at theclevelandcrunch.com/tickets.