January 16, 2023 – Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) – San Diego Sockers News Release
The Sockers enter every match with a host of attackers who can beat you from anywhere on the floor, but it’s the club’s defense that defines its dominance.
San Diego (6-0, 17 points) shut out the visiting Kansas City Comets for over 40 minutes, building a four-goal lead they would not relinquish in a 7-3 win, the Sockers’ sixth straight this season and 26th in a row in the MASL regular season. Defending Goalkeeper of the Year Boris Pardo stopped 13-of-16 shots faced to control a physical match from start to finish.
“When we all get together–with the players we have in back-I know they can fill in those (defensive) gaps,” said Pardo, who is leading the league in wins (6) and goals-against average (3.18), “Those guys stood on their head and made a lot of the key blocks we needed.”
The Sockers are streaking in a number of positive directions. They have won ten straight matches in all competitions, dating back to last season’s Ron Newman Cup playoffs. At home, the club has won 14 straight. Overall, 26 in a row in the regular season. Dating back to 2021, the club has not lost in regulation in 47 straight matches (43-0-4).
Brandon Escoto netted a pair of goals for the San Diego attack, while Leonardo de Oliveira battled through injury to post three assists. Cesar Cerda, Kraig Chiles, Charlie Gonzalez, Juan Manuel Rojo, and Tavoy Morgan all scored single goals for the Sockers.
A scoreless first quarter wasn’t for lack of trying, as both the Sockers and Comets put on an entertaining show with action at both ends and even better defense. Both clubs hit the crossbar, with Lucas Souza doing the honors for Kansas City (4-4-2, 12 points) and Felipe Gonzalez for San Diego. Both Pardo and the Comets’ Nicolau Neto (16-of-21 saves) were put to the test at point-blank range and stood up to the test.
The scoreless tie was finally broken in the 24th minute on a play of artistry out of nowhere. Leo, dealing with a lower-body injury that was limiting his explosive burst, orchestrated a perfect give-and-go with Cesar Cerda from just outside the crease. Cerda let the ball hop once before getting his laces through a left-footed smash at 8:09 for a 1-0 lead.
The physical nature of the match continued to ramp up as the Sockers worked up the floor a minute later, with Luis “Peewee” Ortega taking the first of two card-worthy hard fouls in the frame. As Peewee crumbled, head official Shane Butler…