January 13, 2023 – Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) – San Diego Sockers News Release
The San Diego Sockers-presented by Kaiser Permanente San Diego-welcome the Kansas City Comets to Pechanga Arena San Diego for an interconference MASL contest on Sunday night. The 5:05pm kickoff (PST) will be streamed live on Twitch (channel @masl_soccer).
This is the only meeting of the season between the Sockers (5-0, 14 points) and the Comets (4-3-2, 12 points). San Diego begins a stretch of three consecutive matches against the Eastern Conference, as the Sockers will travel to Pennsylvania next weekend for back-to-back matches against the Harrisburg Heat. Kansas City is playing its fourth and final match against the West. In the 2022-23 MASL schedule, clubs are separated into two conferences, playing twenty match-es within the conference and four matches without.
These two franchises have locked boots dating back to 1982-83 in the MISL, and continuing since the formation of the MASL in 2014. The all-time series record favors San Diego 36-21, including a 4-0 all-time playoff series record. In the MASL, Kansas City is 3-1 against the Sockers, with San Diego earning their first win over the Comets last year by an 8-3 score.
Last weekend, the Sockers returned from three weeks away from the MASL floor, jumping in with two feet for an interstate back-to-back battle against the Dallas Sidekicks. On Saturday night in Texas, the Sidekicks rode the momentum of Retro Night to grab a 3-0 first-quarter lead against the visitors from California, only to see San Diego strike back with seven straight goals, eventually wrapping up a 9-4 victory. Tavoy Morgan led the way with a hat trick and assist, while Leonardo de Oliveira added a goal and two assists. The following night, the two clubs reconvened in California after a rough morning of interstate commercial travel, facing one another at Pechanga Arena. A sluggish first half saw the Sockers and Sidekicks tied 2-2, but San Diego erupted for six unanswered goals after halftime, rolling to an 8-2 victory. Christian Gutierrez paced the Sockers with two goals and an assist, with Gerardo Jurado adding his first two goals of the season.
San Diego is building off the success of a 23-0-1 regular season in 2021-22, as well as a 6-0-1 playoff run. The club has nine straight wins in all competitions leading back to the semifinal Match 1 playoff overtime loss to Chihuahua last season. The Sockers have not lost a match in regulation since a 6-4…