Victory Over Sockers Puts the Crunch Back Into Playoff Picture

There is only one team in the MSL that the Sockers hope they will not have to face in the playoffs, and that team, the Cleveland Crunch, took a big step toward re-entering the playoff picture by delivering a 5-4 defeat to the Sockers on Sunday night in front of 8,877 at the Coliseum.

With the victory, the Crunch (15-18) moved into a three-way tie with Tacoma (16-19) and Wichita (15-18) for fourth place, 8 1/2 games behind the front-running Sockers (24-10). The top four teams enter the postseason.

The Sockers’ magic number to clinch the first place and the home-field advantage throughout the playoffs remained three.

Cleveland is the only Major Soccer League team with a winning record (3-2) against the Sockers this season, and the reason is simple--the Crunch can counterattack and pass just as well as the Sockers.

While the Sockers are usually wary of Zoran Karic and Hector Marinaro, this time the Crunch attacked with Michael King (two goals, two assists) and Rudy Pikuzinski (two goals). Chico Moreira also scored a goal.

Pikuzinski got the game-winner with 4:20 remaining, heading in a pass from Karic.

The goal ruined two comebacks by the Sockers, who had closed a two-goal deficit, and later a one-goal margin.

The Sockers, however, consider their short road trip a success, having come back from three goals to beat Baltimore Saturday, and on Sunday staying close to Cleveland with a rookie goalie, Curtis McAlister. McAlister came in for starter Victor Nogueira 10 minutes into the first quarter.

By starting, Nogueira extended his consecutive games-started streak to 48.

“I had intended to rest Victor in the match,” Coach Ron Newman said. “And we did it. Curtis came along quite well and played a lot more confident than I expected he would.”

McAlister is a local product who played three years at San Diego State through 1990. He was drafted by the Detroit Rockers of the National Professional Soccer League before the current season, signed with the team, but was cut before the first game because the Rockers experienced salary cap difficulties. He came back to San Diego and has been playing with the Sockers’ Auto Trader reserves since November.

Besides allowing the last four Cleveland goals, he was credited with 12 saves.

“We really couldn’t blame him for any of the goals,” Newman said. “If we missed Victor at all, it was in his distribution more than his goal keeping. Curtis did really well.”

The Sockers goals came from Paul Dougherty (two), Terry Woodberry and Wes Wade.

Dougherty now has scored 11 goals in his past six games. Woodberry extended his point streak to 14 games.

Dougherty’s second goal came four minutes into the third quarter and Wade scored three minutes later to tie the game at 3. The tie was short-lived--King scored his second of the game 16 seconds later.

“In the second half we were in the game the whole time,” Newman said. “And the fact that we could stay in the game, in Cleveland, with a novice goalkeeper and with their offensive firepower was quite remarkable.”

Sockers defender Ben Collins left the game in the second half with a knee injury.

“That slowed us down,” Newman said. “Especially with having suited up two goalkeepers. By the end of the game, the players were looking around for help and we couldn’t give them any.”

Collins is questionable for Tuesday’s game at the Sports Arena against St. Louis (7:35).