Sockers Play With Heart In 7-6 Win
Boris Pardo stood tall in net, and Charlie Gonzalez played the hero late as the San Diego Sockers pulled out a 7-6 overtime shootout win over the Kansas City Comets on Saturday night at Cable Dahmer Arena. After a scoreless golden goal overtime period, the Sockers (9-4-1, 26 points) won the shootout 2-1 in four rounds to pull out the road win over Kansas City (9-5-3, 28 points), who scored an equalizer with two seconds left in regulation. Gonzalez netted the match winner in the shootout’s fourth round with a clinical right-footed half-volley, past the right hand of Comets keeper Phillip Ejimadu and into the back-left corner of the net.
“It was intense,” said Gonzalez, who assisted on each of San Diego’s final two goals, “It’s always a tough time playing here, but I’m glad I was able to get the final goal, it was all for the team.”
Pardo, whose family lives in Kansas City, was the reason why Gonzalez and the Sockers could celebrate a win in the locker room. The 41-year-old all-time MASL wins leader was resilient throughout a night in which the defense in front of him made multiple mistakes, stopping 18-of-24 shots in regulation and overtime. When a single goal would mean defeat, Pardo made a last-minute OT bonus save against the Comet’s Marcel Barry. He twice stopped point-blank overtime shots with his face, including in the first minute of golden goal, leading to a trainer’s check which forced him from the match for two minutes. In the shootout, Pardo made saves against Louis Souza, Dominic Francis and Ignacio “Nacho” Flores, with the final save coming on a half-volley off the face, which he shrugged off standing.
Trailing 5-2 with eighteen minutes remaining, San Diego scored four straight goals to take a 6-5 lead with 3:10 left in the fourth quarter on Leonardo de Oliveira’s power play goal. Kansas City was seemingly left for dead before gaining a top-of-arc free kick with thirty seconds left in the game. While their initial try on goal failed, the Comets never completely lost possession, and league points leader Rian Marquez was able to win a ball on the wall and turn a Sockers defender before lifting a pass into the crease with under four seconds left, knocked home by Dominic Francis at 14:58 to force overtime and put one standings point in each team’s coffers.
A wild golden goal period first saw Pardo forced into a point-blank save when the Comets’ Mikey Lenis sprung on a loose ball in the crease and fired a right-footed half-volley. Boris crouched on the turf and tried to wave off the athletic trainer, but a mandatory concussion check forced Pardo to leave the match for two minutes. Rookie backup keeper Nathanael Linquist stepped in and fielded one ball in just over three minutes of action before Pardo was allowed to return on a deadball. Luiz Morales (two goals) had a split-second open goal chance on a rebound with 2:30 left in the OT period, and Kansas City had two last-minute chances thwarted to send the match into a best-of-three shootout.
The shootout began with San Diego winning the coin flip and going second. Each shooter was given five seconds to beat the keeper, starting at the attacking line. With all-MASL scorer Zach Reget unavailable due to an injury taken late in the match, the Comets first turned to Lucas Souza, who was stopped when Pardo read his run and anticipated a shot toward the right post with a convincing save. Ejimadu (20-of-26 saves) was equally strong on a shot by Nick Perera up the middle to leave the first round scoreless. Dominic Francis stood in for Reget in the second round, and the left-footer’s poke toward the left post was saved by a Pardo left-toe block. Leo then ripped a punishing shot between Ejimadu’s legs for the first goal of the shootout and a 1-0 lead. Marques gave KC a look at the shootout with a delayed right-footed shot in the third round for a 1-1 score, and Luiz Morales’ quick left-footed strike to win was stopped by Ejimadu, with Morales’ second chance right-footed bid just wide.
The fourth and deciding shootout round started with Pardo making a confident save against defender Nacho Flores, who barely bent a shot toward the right post only to see the ball smack off Pardo’s head and away, with the keeper smiling. Charlie Gonzalez then made no mistake, reminding fans of the form that led him to score the million-dollar goal at last summer’s TST 7-v-7 tournament. He took one touch and hesitated before calmly slotting a quick shot past Ejimadu and inside the right post for the winner.
Befitting a matchup of former 1980’s MISL titans, the match was even throughout, physical, and spirited. Both teams scored in each of the first four quarters, and the only scoreless frame was the ten-minute golden goal overtime. A four-goal Kansas City run was answered by a four-goal San Diego run. A third-quarter kerfuffle between both sides led to Sockers forward Tavoy Morgan being shown a red card for a headbutt foul (and a sure MASL suspension to follow). Both head coaches used the MASL challenge system to success, each leading to a power play goal for their team. The end result split the standings points 2-1 and reminded MASL fans that with four matches left in the season series between the Sockers and Comets, the action can only get more intense.
“We know it will always be physical and intense,” said Gonzalez, “We know these are (basically) playoff games.”
A spirited first quarter went scoreless for the first ten minutes, with each team getting its share of possession and chances. All-Star defenders shined on both sides of the field, as Cesar Cerda had a key block for San Diego on one side, and Chad Vandegriffe had two blocks on the other. With both keepers looking sharp as well, the first goal would come down to who made the first mistake. Sockers defender Drew Ruggles extended two hands on an offensive midfield block, and after a Kansas City challenge flag, the MASL officials ruled a two-minute penalty for charging. The San Diego penalty kill came charging out as well, pressuring the full field a man down, which was quickly and savagely dissected by the Comets. Kansas City spread the field wide before finding Marques in the middle, who quickly slid a pass to the unmarked Nacho Flores in the left corner for a power play goal on a low shot inside the right post at 11:19 for a 1-0 lead.
San Diego found their footing after falling behind. Before the first quarter ended, Nick Perera showed once again why he’s the league’s all-time assists leader, capturing an inbound pass with back-to-goal on the right post, and back-heeling a perfect ball to the onrushing Mitchell Cardenas up the middle. Cardenas one-timed a shot that skipped past Ejimadu at 13:12 to tie the match 1-1. The quarter ended with San Diego outshooting Kansas City 10-9.
The Sockers found the lead in the first minute of the second quarter, buzzing the Comets' zone with quick passing and a Perera shot, saved by Ejimadu. The rebound came out to San Diego’s Jesus Pacheco, who passed to Cesar Cerda in the middle of the field for a skipping shot that found purchase inside the back-left corner of the net at 0:46. The Sockers led 2-1.
For a while, it looked like San Diego might take control, as the Sockers dominated possession and chances, missing wide on multiple opportunities, while Perera rang the inside of the left post to no avail. Midway through the period, Charlie Gonzalez stole a Comets pass at the edge of the attacking zone and missed a good look just wide, with the rebound bouncing out to Kansas City. On a quick counter, the Comets lost possession but immediately got it back on a Ruggles turnover, slipped forward to Zach Reget up the middle of the crease. His shot was blocked by Pardo and the rebound fell to his right, where Cardenas attempted to sweep it wide with a slide-tackle. Mitchell’s attempt to clear instead bounced off Pardo’s knee and into the net at 7:47 for a 2-2 tie.
The goal lifted the spirits of the Kansas City crowd, and the Comets responded by giving them the lead. The play was started and finished by MASL points leader Rian Marquez, who first controlled the ball against a double team along the right wall in the attacking zone. Cerda’s attempt to dispossess off the side wall instead caromed out to Kansas City defender Chase Peterson, who shot wide into the left corner. The ball came to Flores, who put it back into the crease, where Peterson tipped it left-to-right to Marquez, who floated it over the defense and into the goal at 10:02 for his 21st goal of the season. Despite being outshot 16-8 in the quarter and 26-17 for the half, the Comets protected a 3-2 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Kansas City had an immediate golden chance to grow their lead at the start of the third quarter, with Mikey Lenis springing free for a point-blank one-on-one shot, which Pardo stopped with a slick kick save. The Comets kept up the pressure, and again the Sockers defense cracked. Marquez attempted a back-heel pass from the post to Reget which was picked off by Cerda, but his attempt to clear caromed off Leo and back to Reget in the middle. Zach shot off-footed with his right, and the lefty put it in at 3:31 for a 4-2 lead. Reget stood and pointed to his right foot in shock and amazement as his teammates marveled, huddling around it like a campfire.
The match had been physical and athletic from the start, and saw chippy words exchanged between both clubs on the way off the floor at the end of the half. Things turned even hotter when Morgan and Vandegriffe grappled in the Kansas City crease in the seventh minute of the third quarter, with Tavoy thinking he was fouled. The two continued to scrap with no whistle, and Vandegriffe thought himself kicked, throwing Morgan to the ground with his legs. After the whistle and ensuing argument, Nacho Flores and Morgan made contact, and Morgan responded with a head butt, which led to a red card foul and ejection at 6:28. Kansas City backup keeper Nicolau Neto jumped off the bench to yell at Morgan as he left the field, and he was sent to the penalty box for a five-minute yellow card.
San Diego then killed the ensuing penalty and even got a golden chance when Marcel Sanchez—serving Morgan’s penalty—jumped out of the box and even got past the onrushing Ejimadu for a 2-on-1 into an empty net. His shot went wide, however, and as the ball came back down the floor, Ramone Palmer sent a pinpoint pass from the right mid-wall across the width of the field to David Stankovic, who rose for a header that would draw screams indoors or outdoors, slotted into the net at 8:59 for a golazo and a 5-2 Comets lead.
The Sockers pulled one back in a flash at 12:16 when Sebastian Mendez deflected a ball away from the Comets and up the field to Luiz Morales for a breakaway. Morales opened his hips to commit Ejimadu before shooting back the other way for his sixth goal of the season, drawing San Diego back within two at 5-3. The Sockers then unleashed a wave of pressure on the Kansas City zone, only to see Ejimadu shine with four saves, including an off-footed kick save against an open Charlie Gonzalez at the top of the crease. After giving up the first eight shots of the quarter, San Diego wound up out-shooting Kansas City 10-9, but the Comets carried a 5-3 lead into the final fifteen minutes.
The Sockers picked up their pace to start the fourth quarter, and then picked up a break when Lesia Thetsane made a careless attempt at a clearance, instead kicking Luis “Peewee” Ortega for a blue card penalty. While San Diego didn’t score during the two-minute man advantage, they didn’t lose possession and quickly found the net after, as Cerda sent a pass to Morales in the middle of the crease, who turned with one touch and scored with his second at 4:51 to draw the Sockers closer at 5-4. With renewed energy, San Diego won the ball back quickly after the restart and held possession, with Charlie feeding Perera on the low right block. Nick drove against his defender toward the goal wall before shooting at a narrow angle, off Ejimadu’s hand and in at 6:24 for the 5-5 tie.
Both head coaches then put their names into the hat for critical decision-making, as each was successful on a late fourth-quarter challenge flag. The Comets’ Stefan Stokic correctly challenged a common foul against Charlie with 5:49 remaining, earning a blue card for contact above the shoulders. However, Kansas City was unable to score on the power play, as the Sockers again charged into a risky high press formation, keeping the ball away from the Comets attackers.
With seconds left in the man advantage, former Socker and current Kansas City defender Guerrero Pino kicked San Diego’s Luis Ortega on a missed clearance, and Sockers head coach Phil Salvagio threw his challenge flag. The replay machine indeed led to a blue card against the Comets, and the Sockers cashed it in when Leo accepted a left-wing pass on the run from Charlie and smashed a right-footed shot diagonally past Ejimadu with 3:10 remaining for a 6-5 lead.
The Sockers seemed to have all three points in the bag as they smoothly moved the ball around and played keep-away from the Kansas City attackers. However, an inadvertent clearance out of the defensive zone by Leo with thirty seconds remaining gave the Comets a top-arc free kick, with a Kansas City fan in the first row touching the ball to put it out of play before it possibly hit the top of the wall. The Comets went into a frenzy, but four blocked shots, a Pardo save, and a Francis bid high-and-wide sent a curving rebound toward the left mid-wall. Peewee attempted to trap the bal,l but it bounced over his head to Marquez, who spun and sent a pass in the air to the crease, knocked down and in by Francis for the equalizer at 14:58, sending the crowd of 3,940 into apoplexy.
For the Sockers, they can only be reminded of an old bromide, “no rest for the weary”. The club will rise with scant sleep for a pre-dawn trip to the airport and a flight back to California, arriving just hours before Sunday’s 4:00pm home kickoff against the fresh and rested Empire Strykers. The first 1,500 fans through the gates at Frontwave Arena will receive a free Community Night scarf. Tickets are available at frontwavearena.com or sdsockers.com, with coverage on MASL TV and Fox Soccer Plus.