So Much for the Work Ethic; Sockers Beat St. Louis, 5-3
Artistry prevailed Saturday night.
The crisp passing and picture-perfect finishing of the Sockers was plainly superior to the hard-hatted physical play of the St. Louis Steamers.
Hard work by the Steamers brings praise, but nifty footwork results in goals.
The first half of San Diego’s 5-3 victory against the St. Louis Steamers was one for the highlight film.
“They work hard in every aspect of the game, but our powerful running and individual skills get us through,” said Ade Coker, Socker forward.
A crowd of 10,123 at the San Diego Sports Arena saw the Sockers race to a 4-1 lead after one quarter and a 5-2 halftime advantage.
With their 23rd consecutive playoff win at home, the Sockers took a 2-0 lead in this best-of-five Western Division semifinal playoff series. Game 3 will be played in St. Louis Wednesday night.
On Saturday night, the Sockers got goals from Branko Wegota, Brian Quinn, Hugo Perez, Kevin Crow and Coker. Daryl Doran, Redmond Lane and Rick Davis scored for the Steamers.
Socker goalkeeper Zoltan Toth made five saves on 21 shots, and Steamer goalkeeper Slobo Ilijetski made nine saves on 26 shots.
The Sockers controlled the game from the outset. Quite a contrast from Thursday night’s 7-6 overtime win.
“We were smoking (tonight),” Socker Coach Ron Newman said. “That’s the way we are supposed to play.”
Four of San Diego’s first half goals were well executed.
- Segota blasted a turnaround right-footer from the left corner to give the Sockers the lead after 45 seconds. Segota has 17 goals and 9 assists in eight games against St. Louis this season.
- Midway through the quarter, Coker scored on a one-bounce header from inside the penalty area. The goal was almost as pretty as his post-goal celebration jig at midfield.
After Doran scored on a left-footer to make it 2-1, Quinn took a pass from Coker and stuffed the ball in the net. Good goal, but not textbook material.
- This goal was so quick and precise that it deserves two stars. Jacques Ladouceur controlled the ball in the left corner and hit a cutting Juli Veee, who turned in the crease and threaded a pass to a wide-open Perez. A short left-footer by Perez gave the Sockers a 4-1 lead.
Early in the second quarter, the Sockers hit touch passes to one another in their own zone until the Steamers reluctantly came out of their sagging, 4-1 defense. In that defense, four Steamers form a wall at midfield.
By forcing St. Louis to pressure the ball, the Sockers opened the field and thereby, momentarily, opened their offensive game.
Shortly after their stalling tactics, Jean Willrich and Crow teamed to make it 5-1.
- Willrich, racing into the left corner, back-heeled a pass to a trailing Crow, who shot a low left-footer into the far corner of the net.
Lanm scored on a breakaway to cut the Sockers’ lead to 5-2 at halftime. In a penalty-filled third quarter, the only goal came on Davis’s penalty kick with 5:21 left.
For the game, the Sockers had six penalties for 10 minutes and the Steamers four for eight minutes. However, the penalty-killing units had the upper-hand; no power-play goals were scored.
Actually, no goals were scored after Davis’ penalty kick.
“We just wanted to stay in the game in the third quarter,” said Steamer Coach Pat McBride, “and have a chance to win the game in the fourth.”
Said Newman: “They weren’t ready to really come out, even though they were two or three goals down.”
There were numerous penalties and shoves and bruises in the second half, but none had the impact of the Sockers’ opening-half artistry.
Socker Notes
San Diego defender Fernando Clavijo suffered a bruised left forearm when he bounced into the post late in the fourth quarter Saturday. He is expected to play Wednesday.