Utah Warriors Nearly Complete Impossible Late Comeback, Fall To Miami Sharks On Road

May 11, 2024, 7:40 PM

(Photo courtesy of Utah Warriors)

KSL Sports

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Utah Warriors nearly completed a huge comeback in the final minutes against the Miami Sharks on Saturday but fell just short, 20-19.

The Warriors will stay on the road for their next match against the NOLA Gold on Saturday, May 18.

Warriors Comeback Falls Short Against Sharks

The Utah Warriors traveled to AutoNation Sports Field in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to face off against the Miami Sharks on Saturday, May 11.

Utah fell to 4-6 on the season with the one-point win loss to Miami.

First Half

The first half saw almost nothing but hard-nosed defense from both sides.

The first scrum came just 45 seconds into the match and set the tone for what would be a slow offensive half.

It didnt appear that would be the case early on though. The Sharks nearly punched in a try in the 3rd and 5th minutes but lost possession on both attempts.

Whenever Utah or Miami would get into scoring distance, either an offensive mistake or a great defensive play stopped the ball in its tracks.

The Warriors and Sharks went back and forth like this until after the 20-minute break.

Miami broke the seal with a penalty kick in the 24th minute to take a 3-0 lead.

FIRST POINTS! Videla opens the scoring for @miasharksrugby
#MIAvUTAH live now on @therugbynetwork!#MLR2024 pic.twitter.com/YZ0wxUzl8C

— Major League Rugby (@usmlr) May 12, 2024

Once again, Utah made some good progress with the ball following the score but got stopped by Miami on their half.

The Sharks took the ball back and looked to have some extra pep in their step with an advantage on the scoreboard. Once again, a penalty in their own half hurt the Warriors.

Miami got possession about 20 feet from their try-line and all it took was a quick move from the ball carrier to score the first try of the game. The conversion kick was good, making the score 10-0.

The Warriors kept at it, looking to get on the board before the conclusion of the first half.

Unfortuantely, Utah was unable to find any holes in the Miami defense and the Sharks got the ball back with one more chance to extend their lead before halftime.

In the 39th minute, Miami got off on a breakaway and all it took was one pass to make it in the in-goal area. A second conversion kick gave the Sharks a 17-0 lead as the first half came to an end.

HALFTIME
It’s halftime. Which means there’s 40 minutes of rugby ahead of us.
UT 0 – 17 MIA#ForTheNation | #MIAvUTAH

— Utah Warriors Rugby (@utwarriorsrugby) May 12, 2024

Second Half

Tensions rose early in the second half and it ended up working against the Warriors.

An altercation broke out in the 48th minute on Miami’s half which resulted in a red card for Utah and a yellow for Miami.

Now at a disadvantage for the final 30 minutes, Utah made a group substitution to maximize their size and speed on the pitch.

The Warriors attempted to play more aggressively following the subs but that didnt bode well in a tightly officiated match. Utah was shown a yellow card in the 54th minute.

Another Utah foul about a minute later resulted in a penalty kick for Miami. The kick was made to give the Sharks a 20-0 lead.

The Warriors nearly broke through for a try in the 60th minute but the attack fell just short.

The next ten minutes saw back and forth from both sides with neither Utah nor Miami able to make much leeway.

Just after the 70th minute, the Warriors started off on an attack that had a lot of promise. An efficient drive resulted in the first try of the game for Utah in the 75th minute.

The conversion kick bounced off the right upright, leaving the score at 20-5.

74′
Points have been scored try from Onehunga Havili
UT 5 – 20 MIA#ForTheNation | #MIAvUTAH pic.twitter.com/fqAqWvzdXM

— Utah Warriors Rugby (@utwarriorsrugby) May 12, 2024

Utah regained possession and found themselves knocking on the door once again with a scrum near the try-line. A Miami yellow card ended up in a second Utah try.

The Warriors trailed 20-12 with a minute left on the clock.

The Warriors even punched in another try in extra time but the comeback ended up being too little, too late. Utah dropped to Miami on the road, 20-19.

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Chandler Holt is a co-host for the Jazz Notes podcast and a Digital Sports Producer for KSLSports.com, specializing in all things basketball and football. Follow Chandler on Twitter @ChandlerHoltKSL or on Threads @chandlerho1t.