SPLASH TONIGHT

Opponent--Dallas Sidekicks

Site--The Pond of Anaheim

Time--6

Records--Splash 3-3, Sidekicks 6-3.

Splash update--The Splash put together a modest two-game winning streak before losing to Seattle, 4-2, for the second time this season. The Splash is 3 1/2 games behind the first-place SeaDogs. The two goals they scored, both in the fourth quarter by Bernie Lilavois, are the fewest since losing, 7-1, at Seattle on June 23, 1996. Lilavois continues to be the primary offensive threat; he has scored 10 goals and three assists in six games. This is the first of two games against the Sidekicks; they play Aug. 16 at Dallas. In their last meeting at the Pond, in last year’s season-opener, the Sidekicks won, 14-9.

Sidekicks update--Dallas forward Tatu, indoor soccer’s all-time leading scorer, had his streak of consecutive games with at least a point stopped at 107 games in a 5-2 loss to Sacramento on July 1. This is the Sidekicks’ second game in a 23-hour span; they played Arizona Saturday night in Dallas and won, 9-4. Tatu, who has 14 goals and 14 assists in his last three games, was selected the most recent CISL player of the week; he had five goals and five assists in victories over Portland and Detroit, and a goal and six assists in the victory over Arizona. The Sidekicks shored up one area of weakness with the Sockers’ dispersal draft--they nabbed goalkeeper Antonio Cortes.