Segota Leads West to MISL All-Star Win

Branko Segota of the San Diego Sockers scored two goals, including the game-winner, as the West defeated the East, 5-3, in the seventh annual Major Indoor Soccer League All-Star game Tuesday night at Chicago Stadium.

A crowd of 12,456, smallest in all-star game history, watched the West win its sixth game in the series and second in a row.

The score was tied, 3-3, in the fourth period when Segota’s shot sailed past East goalie Tino Letteiri at 4:53 for the game-winner. Steve Zungul of Tacoma, a former teammate of Segota’s at San Diego, also had two goals and one assist.

The West took a 1-0 lead in the first period when Segota, second in the league in scoring, took a pass from Socker teammate Brian Quinn and kicked it past goalkeeper David Brcic of Pittsburgh.

Minnesota’s Dwight Lodeweges tied the score at 11:10 of the second period with a kick that sailed under St. Louis goalie Slobo Ilijevski.

Less than two minutes later, the West took a 2-1 lead to close out first-half scoring when Chico Borja of Wichita scored.

Zungul, the MISL’s all-time leading scorer and its leader this season, faked Letteiri, of Minnesota, who started the second half, to give the West a 3-1 lead at 5:05.

Neill Roberts of Chicago brought the East back to 3-2 at 11:01 when he blasted a shot past Alan Mayer of Kansas City.

After an apparent tying goal by Tatu of Dallas was disallowed because of a penalty, the popular forward took only 40 seconds to tie the score at 3-3.

In the final quarter, Segota’s point-blank goal, on an assist from Zungul, gave the West a 4-3 lead at 4:53. Zungul scored an insurance goal at 14:06 after the East pulled its goalie.

The MISL also announced Tuesday that Los Angeles will be the site of next year’s All-Star game.