Sockers Give Game to Lazers; Perez May Miss 6 Weeks
The Sockers seem to bring out the best in the Lazers, and the Lazers bring out the worst in the Sockers.
Case in point: The Sockers’ blew a two-goal lead in the final four minutes of regulation and suffered a 6-5 loss in sudden-death overtime to the last-place Lazers Sunday in front of 9,131 fans in the San Diego Sports Arena.
Lazer forward Chris Chueden, acquired from Cleveland for Paul Kitson on Friday, scored the game-winner at the 10-minute mark on a 35-footer that was mishandled by Socker goalkeeper Zoltan Toth.
“It goes under me,” Toth said. “So many goals happen to me when the ball goes off my slippery gloves.”
That’s three San Diego losses in five games with the Lazers, who have the worst record in the Major Indoor Soccer League at 8-25. The Lazers had lost 15 of 16 coming into Sunday’s game and are 2-15 on the road. The other road victory came against the Sockers, 5-4, on Nov. 22.
The Sockers suffered another, far more serious loss Sunday.
Midfielder Hugo Perez, who scored two goals Sunday and is the team’s second-leading scorer, suffered strained right knee ligaments when Lazer defender Gus Mokalis ran into him early in the fourth quarter.
According to Socker trainer Bill Taylor, Perez will miss at least six weeks and could miss the remainder of the season. Perez will undergo an arthrogram and a stress ligament test this afternoon.
Taylor said the injury is similar to the one that is expected to sideline Socker midfielder Brian Quinn for six to eight more weeks.
The Sockers were upset after Sunday’s game.
“I hate playing against L.A.,” said Ron Newman, Socker coach. “The game was ours. Then we let in three of the stupidest goals I’ve seen. It’s a sickening game, that one.”
Said Socker defender Kevin Crow: “When you’re leading, 5-3, with four minutes left and don’t win, you don’t deserve it. People made critical mistakes at critical times.”
Sitting a few stalls away from Crow in the locker room, captain Jean Willrich shook his head and said: “We beat ourselves. We’ve blown several games like that this season. You can’t say we’re unlucky. That was our game. We’re playing too hard to lose.”
On Sunday, the Sockers were playing without Branko Segota (right strained right quad), Juli Veee (22 penalty minutes on the season) and Quinn (strained right knee). Then Perez left the game early in the final quarter.
Despite lacking most of its offensive firepower, San Diego led, 5-3, on two goals by Perez and goals by defenders Fernando Clavijo, Brian Schmetzer and midfielder Tim Bartro.
With the Lazers trailing, 5-3, going into the fourth quarter, Los Angeles Coach Keith Tozer replaced newly acquired veteran goalkeeper Hubert Birkenmeier with Tim Harris.
“We needed a big spark,” said Tozer, who has brought in seven new players since he was hired Feb. 9. “Tim made two or three big saves, got the ball out quicker and all of a sudden it started working.”
Midfielder Michael Collins scored the second of his two goals at 11:31 of the final quarter to make it 5-4. Just 12 seconds later, Mokalis tied the score on another ball that was misplayed by Toth.
“Late in the game, I was getting worried that everything would go in,” Newman said.
In the overtime period, Kaz Deyna, who had two assists in his first game since Jan. 10, had a breakaway. But the 39-year-old veteran was caught from behind by Chueden, and Deyna’s shot was wide right.
Then came Chueden’s game-winner. The Sockers are 5-7 in overtime this season, 8-11 in one-goal games. And 2-3 against the Lazers.
Socker Notes
Newly acquired forward Njego Pesa, playing in his first game with the Sockers Sunday, suffered a bruise above his left knee. Trainer Bill Taylor said Pesa and Branko Segota are expected back for the Sockers’ next game against Kansas City at home Saturday night.
