Sarasota Paradise kicked off their 2025 campaign with a dramatic finish, as defender Lukas Kamrath’s late goal secured a 1-1 draw against St. Petersburg FC in front of an electric crowd at Premier Sports Campus at Lakewood Ranch.
The home side came out on the front foot, bringing energy and intensity from the opening whistle. Despite a promising start, it was the visitors who capitalized first. In the 27th minute, St. Petersburg forward Alejandro Zúñiga found the bottom corner with a well-placed strike to give his side a 0-1 advantage.
After conceding, Paradise remained composed and continued to build into the game. The squad created promising chances throughout the second half, showing strong attacking intent while limiting St. Petersburg’s opportunities moving the other way.
The breakthrough finally came in the final moments. In the 90th minute, after a well-executed set piece caused chaos in the box, Lukas Kamrath pounced on ball and slotted it past the keeper — sparking loud celebrations from Paradise fans.
“We started nervous, but at least we were able to get the goal in. Credit to St. Pete,” said substitute Felipe Rojas post-game.
It was a spirited second-half performance from Paradise in their first competitive game of the season, especially against a St. Petersburg FC side that had already played a game earlier this season. The effort and resilience on display give plenty of reason for optimism moving forward.
Sarasota Paradise returns to action on Sunday, May 25, as the squad travels down south to take on Weston FC.
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