Lazers Lose, 6-5, Drop Back to 5th

The Lazers came back from a three-goal deficit in the first quarter but ended up losing to the Minnesota Strikers, 6-5, in a Major Indoor Soccer League game Saturday night at the Forum.

A crowd of 7,286 (of which 6,286 paid) saw the Lazers lose their hold on fourth place in the Western Division as Chris Dangerfield scored the winning goal for Minnesota with 7:47 left.

The Strikers jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead, scoring goals within a 10-second span in the first quarter. They got a third goal 63 seconds later. But the Lazers, getting second-quarter goals from Willie Molano and Beto, tied the score, 3-3, by halftime.

Beto then put the Lazers ahead, 4-3, when, with 12:50 to play in the third quarter, Minnesota goalie Tino Lettieri was out of position. After a Minnesota score tied the game again, the Lazers got the lead back on Juan Cardenas’ power-play goal with 8:16 left in the game.

But the Strikers, the second-place team in the Eastern Division at 16-12, scored twice in the final 12:45, including Dangerfield’s left-footed blast, to go up for good. Lazer Coach Peter Wall pulled goalie Tim Harris in favor of an extra attacker for the final 3:12, but the Lazers were unable to score on Lettieri.

“It’s never nice to lose a game, but our effort and intensity was incredible,” Wall said. “Sometimes, you need a little luck, and Lettieri had it with him tonight. He made some incredible saves.

“I never want to say that luck is part of winning and losing. But he (Lettieri) always seemed to be in the right place at the right time. A lot of that is due to experience.”

The Lazers (10-16), in fifth place by a half-game after Tacoma beat Kansas City, 7-3, Saturday night, will open a two-game trip Tuesday at St. Louis. They will also play Friday at Chicago before returning to meet Wichita next Sunday afternoon.