Sockers Have Good Time, Rout Sidekicks

There was a buzz in the Sports Arena throughout the Sockers’ 8-2 victory over the Dallas Sidekicks Friday night.

Maybe it was because of Waad Hirmez, who returned to town and kissed the floor when he was introduced before the game, then helped floor Dallas with a third-quarter goal that made it 4-0.

Or maybe it was because of Victor Nogueira, who returned to the lineup after his wife gave birth to a girl Thursday and made three of the better saves of the year, robbing Richard Chinapoo late in the third quarter and stopping Mark Karpun on two breakaways in the fourth.

Probably though, it was just the appearance of the Sidekicks that had everybody feeling good. The Sockers always seem to play their best when Dallas is in town, and on this night it was no different as the Sockers dominated every phase in front of 8,845 fans.

Hirmez, who spent the first half of the season with the Los Angeles Lazers, sparked an evening’s worth of home-town entertainment when he knelt on his knees and kissed the floor during the pregame introductions.

“That’s how much I missed San Diego,” Hirmez said. “I was so happy to be back.”

The crowd, which seemed happy to have him back, went wild and then never really had a chance to settle down after that.

Branko Segota scored just 5:45 into the first quarter when he surprised Sidekicks’ goalkeeper Krys Sobieski by directing a re-start kick on goal.

Sobieski was screened when Segota’s shot arrived and had no chance to prevent the Sockers from taking a 1-0 lead.

Segota scored again 6 minutes later when he collected Ralph Black’s shot off the boards and drilled home a rebound.

Segota, who now has 23 goals--only one fewer than Zoran Karic, the team leader--didn’t play in the second half because of a bruised right thigh. It’s unclear whether he will be able to play Sunday night against Los Angeles.

It was clear that the Sockers’ didn’t really need him in the second half anyway.

Chris Chueden scored to make it 3-0, and then Hirmez struck a shot from the right boards that banked in off the far post.

Hirmez, who scored three goals in first game back in a Socker uniform Thursday night in Los Angeles, ran to the boards and slapped high-fives with some fans after this one, his 15th of the season.

In the fourth quarter, Alan Willey scored twice and even Paul Dougherty--shut out at home since Jan. 2--scored once as the Sockers continued to have a good time.

With eight goals as a backup, Nogueira did not need to be at his best Friday, but he was anyway.

Every chance Dallas had of catching up were snuffed out. The Sidekicks, who failed to get a shot in the second quarter, put together some good second-half efforts but rarely produced.

Socker Notes

Cacho suffered a pulled left hamstring in the Sockers’ 10-9 loss to Los Angeles Thursday night and is expected to be out two to four weeks. . . . Midfielder Brian Quinn, who suffered a strained left arch more than a month ago, said he’ll be back this season, but he doesn’t know exactly when. “It’s just hard to say,” Quinn said. “It doesn’t feel to bad, but I just can’t play yet.” . . . Tatu, the Dallas’ Sidekicks’ leading scorer, missed Friday night’s game with a sprained right shoulder. . . . Gordon Jago, the only coach the Sidekicks have had since the franchise was formed in 1984, also missed the game, but that’s because it has been reported he will soon become the team’s new president, replacing David Shutte. Sidekick assistant Billy Phillips, who is rumored to be Jago’s replacement, coached the Sidekicks’ in Jago’s absence Friday night. . . . The Sockers will play the Los Angeles Lazers Sunday at 6:05 in the Sports Arena, then won’t return home until March 10 to meet league-leading Baltimore.