Sockers, on the Mend, Lose at End : Comets Win, 5-4, as Injuries Begin to Take Their Toll
The all-star game couldn’t be coming at a better time for the Sockers.
Suffering a rash of injuries, losing three of their last four games at home, and blowing leads in the second half suddenly brings back bad memories of last year for the Sockers.
On Sunday night at the San Diego Sports Arena, the Sockers gave up a two-goal lead in the fourth quarter, allowed the tying goal with 1:40 to play in regulation, and lost in overtime, 5-4, to the Kansas City Comets.
The Sockers are 23-9 and lead the Western Division by 6 1/2 games over the Comets, but injuries are a problem.
Midfielders Branko Segota and Brian Quinn will probably miss the Major Indoor Soccer League All-Star game in Tacoma Wednesday, according to Socker trainer Bill Taylor and Coach Ron Newman.
Segota sat out the final 19 minutes Sunday after spraining his left ankle battling for the ball with Jan Goossens. He is expected to be out 10 days to two weeks, Taylor said.
“I was shielding the ball and all my weight was on this foot when he (Goossens) kicked me over the ankle and he knocked my foot,” said Segota, whose ankle was swollen following the game.
“I twisted my ankle and fell down. Maybe he (Goossens) didn’t mean to do it, but it was a stupid play on his part. He didn’t play the ball at all.”
No penalty or foul was called on the play.
Said Goossens: “We both were going for the tackle. I guess he twisted his ankle. I went in strong on the tackle. It was a 50-50 ball. I didn’t kick him high.”
Quinn missed his first game of the season Sunday after straining his right arch against St. Louis Friday. Quinn is expected to be out at least one to three weeks, Taylor said.
“It’s pretty sore,” Quinn said. “If it’s at all possible to play in the all-star game, I’m going to play.”
Midfielder Hugo Perez has missed the past nine games with a stress fracture on his left shin. Perez is out indefinitely, Taylor said.
Forward Zoran Karic has missed the last four games with a groin strain, and he’s expected to miss two to three more weeks, Taylor said.
That’s it for the major injuries, but it’s not the entire report.
Goalkeeper Jim Gorsek, whose 10-game winning streak was snapped Sunday, suffered bruised left ribs. Juli Veee has a sprained left ankle and Keder has a sprained neck, left ankle and bruised ribs. All are probable when the Sockers return to action against the Blast in Baltimore Friday.
Without Segota, Quinn, Perez and Karic, the Socker lineup in the final quarter and overtime Sunday certainly lacked firepower.
“Who was going to get the goal for us (in overtime)?, Newman asked. “All our lines were mixed up. We were putting different players in different positions.”
Comet forward Kia scored from inside the box to end the game at 2:14 of overtime. The Comets reached overtime on goals by forward Damir Haramina at 8:35 and 13:20 of the final quarter. Haramina’s second goal came while the Comets were playing with a sixth attacker instead of goalkeeper Alan Mayer.
“How on earth do we lose a game like that?,” Newman said.
Newman proceeded to answer his own question, citing a lack of discipline, lack of effort at times and players taking longer shifts than they should.
Socker defender Kevin Crow had his opinion:
“If guys don’t want to play 60 minutes, they should let us know. You can’t relax on the field.”
Veee said the Sockers are continually looking to score rather than pass to the open man. He said they’re suffering from a case of “The Greed Bug.”
And the injury bug.
