Strikers Beat Lazers, 3-2, as Lettieri Has 25 Saves

Goalie Tino Lettieri, who led the Major Indoor Soccer League in wins, saves and minutes played last season, added to his league-leading totals with a seventh win in eight 1985 decisions Thursday night as the Minnesota Strikers defeated the Lazers, 3-2, before a crowd of 6,230 at the Forum.

Lettieri, who will be in goal as Canada makes its first appearance in World Cup soccer competition in the spring, turned away 25 of 27 shots and was beatable only for a short time during the third period, when the Lazers scored two goals in a 16-second span to tie the score.

“I don’t know if I’d say there was a lapse, though,” he said. “That first one was a cheap goal. It was a deflection off our own man.”

Lazer goalie Mike Mahoney played well despite the loss. It could be said that he also only gave up two goals since Minnesota’s second score with 2:06 remaining in the first half went in off the foot of Lazer Amr Aly.

The goal was credited to Chris Dangerfield, a former star with the Los Angeles Aztecs of the North American Soccer League, and gave the Eastern Division-leading Strikers a 2-0 lead. The Lazers (3-7) came back and tied it on a goal by Greg Ion at 10:15, the one Lettieri claims was knocked off the foot of defender Ken Fogarty, and a 25-foot blast by Beto at 10:36.

But Minnesota, which is tied with Tacoma for the best record in the MISL at 7-3, got the go-ahead goal with 4:45 remaining in the game as Alan Willey chipped a high shot into the corner of the net over Mahoney’s right shoulder.

The Lazers, who are 1-5 on the road this season, play Sunday at Wichita, then return to the Forum for a three-game home stand beginning Dec. 13 against Tacoma, Dallas and San Diego. Minnesota will play in San Diego tonight.