The Baltimore Blast have announced their initial preseason roster Nov. 11, in accordance with the Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) roster limits. Beginning with the 2019-20 regular season, each MASL team is restricted to 26 registered players. On game days, those rosters will be limited to an active roster of 14 field players and up to two goalkeepers.
The Blast began training camp Nov. 7 with new and familiar faces alike. All-MASL players Adriano Dos Santos, Tony Donatelli, Jonatas Melo, William Vanzela, Vini Dantas, and Ibrahima “Kalou” Keita return a Blast core that looks to reclaim the Ron Newman Cup. Many new players enter Blast training camp, looking to prove that they belong to the 10-time champion Baltimore Blast. Most of these players have been invited from the Baltimore Blast open try-out last month, performing well enough to enter training camp.
The Blast opens the 2019-20 regular season Nov. 22 at the SECU Arena with a rematch of last year’s Eastern Divisional playoff against Utica City FC. The Blast will then travel to face Utica City FC Nov. 24 at the Adirondack Bank Center.
BALTIMORE BLAST PRESEASON ROSTER
GOALKEEPERS (3): William Vanzela, Michael Zierhoffer, Deivid Chaves
DEFENDERS (6): Mike Deasel, Adriano Dos Santos, Sam Guernsey, Ibrahima Keita, Marco Nascimento, Jereme Raley
MIDFIELDERS (9): Joao Basco^, Ben Dao^, Tony Donatelli, Andrew Hoffmeister^, Curtis Kirby^, Jonatas Melo, Jameel Neptune^, Melvin Thomas^, Rodrigo Valenzuela^
FORWARDS (11): Vini Dantas, Victor France, Juan Galvis, Andrew Hoxie, Mohamed N’diaye, Daniel Oliveira, Kelvin Oliveira+, Juan Pereira, Daniel Peruzzi, Sylla Salifou, Jamie Thomas
*Player pending contract approval
+Player pending visa approval
^Trialist, non-contract player
— Baltimore Blast press release
Photo Credit: David Rippeto/Baltimore Blast