Controversial Goal Wins for Sockers

Two hours 21 minutes of tension ended in controversy here Friday night when Branko Segota scored just 1:17 into sudden-death overtime to give the Sockers a 2-1 victory over the Wichita Wings.

The closely contested, defensive game ended in screaming and shouting after Segota stole the ball from Wichita’s Erik Rasmussen at the point of a Wings’ power play and scored the game-winner with a heroic effort.

Segota ran the length of the field and, just as he was caught by Wichita’s Chico Borja, got off a shot that was blocked by goalkeeper Ziggy Zigante. But the ball went straight up, and when it came down, Segota beat both Wings to the ball and headed it in.

The game ended with Borja screaming at referee Kelly Mock that the ball did not go into the goal, but the red light came on.

Rasmussen and Wings captain Victor Moreland also claimed the ball was not in the goal. And Rasmussen said Segota fouled both Borja and Zigante on the shot.

Borja, who repeatedly refused to comment after the game, was slapped with a misconduct fine for his outburst.

Segota and Sockers goalkeeper Victor Nogueira said they were surprised to see Wichita play such a controlled, low-scoring game.

“They played great defense,” Nogueira said. “I’m surprised. They’re an offensive team. It was a very defensive game, and I thought my defense was just exceptional.

“Ziggy had to make some incredible saves the whole game. Luckily, I only had to do it for three or four saves.”

Added Segota: “They played very tight and very well against us in the games we have played.”

Segota looked dangerous all night, but the Sockers were thwarted at nearly every turn by Zigante and a Wings game plan of defense and ball control.

It worked until Segota pulled off the big play.

“Both goalkeepers were great,” said Ron Newman, the Sockers coach. “It was a defensive game, but I thought it was an exciting game.

“The fans shouldn’t be turned off because they weren’t seeing a lot of (goals). It was just that nobody wanted to let them in. Everybody was getting that last toe in there.”

The Wings had held the league’s hottest team to a single goal and had a power play and a chance to tie with 45 seconds left in regulation.

But the Wings were facing another red-hot goalkeeper in Nogueira, who is undefeated in his last four games. His 2.19 goals-against average is almost two goals better than his nearest MISL challenger.

He made two sensational saves during the last two minutes, one on Rasmussen and another on Andy Chapman.

“There’s one reason why the Sockers have six championship banners hanging in their building,” Wings Coach Terry Nicholl said. “When it takes precision, they have it.”

It was the fifth consecutive victory for the Sockers (13-9) and left them just 1 1/2 games behind league-leading Baltimore.

Segota said that on the last sequence, he gave Rasmussen some room, then closed it down to steal the ball. He started the run during the Wings’ power play, but it was technically not a shorthanded goal because the penalty expired 2 seconds before the winning shot.

Chapman, who scored Wichita’s game-winner in Baltimore Thursday night, got the Wings on the scoreboard first in the opening period.

It was a power-play goal, set up when the Sockers committed six fouls. Chapman took a pass from Chico Moreira from the corner and whacked home a 15-foot shot.

Zoran Karic got the Sockers even at 1-1 early in the second period with an assist from Segota on a set play from the top of the restraining arc. Karic scored from 30 feet.

Zigante might have stopped that one, too. He had a bead on it, but it was deflected in off Moreland.

It was Segota’s 272nd assist and put him at No. 4 on the all-time MISL assist list.