Lazers Lose Fifth Straight Game, 4-3

The Lazers dropped into third place in the Major Indoor Soccer League’s Western Division Saturday night when they were beaten, 4-3, by the Chicago Sting in front of a sellout crowd of 16,122 at Chicago Stadium.

The loss was the fifth in a row for the slumping Lazers (15-12), who trail the first-place San Diego Sockers by four games and the second-place Wichita Wings by half a game.

Chicago improved its record to 17-8 with its 13th straight home victory.

Chicago’s Pat McGauley scored the fastest goal in Sting history when he beat Lazer goalie Mike Mahoney just 12 seconds into the game. The Lazers fought back and took a 3-1 halftime lead on goals by Cacho, Willie Molano and Gus Mokalis.

Pato Margetic’s two goals within 15 seconds of the third period tied the game for the Sting, which won when Karl-Heinz Granitza faked Mahoney out of the nets and passed to teammate Frantz Mathieu, who scored the winning goal into an open net.