March 20, 2023 – Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) News Release
SAN DIEGO, CA-With six unanswered goals and a dogged defensive effort, the San Diego Sockers beat the Empire Strykers 7-3 on Sunday night at Pechanga Arena San Diego. Kraig Chiles netted the match-winning goal and added three assists as San Diego (18-2, 52 points) clinched their second straight MASL Supporters Shield, awarded to the regular season champion. The Sockers will have home-field advantage throughout the Ron Newman Cup playoffs.
“We really want home field advantage in the playoffs, we want to win the Cup,” said Chiles, “We’re here to have the first seed in playoffs and we solidified that. Winning (the Shield) with four matches left is a real kudos for the organization and a very positive thing for us all.”
The victory on Sunday was far from assured against an Empire Strykers side that came to Pechanga Arena with focus, physicality and intensity. Empire (12-7-2, 36 points) took leads of 1-0 and 3-1 before being shut out for the final 37:07 by the Sockers defense. MASL leading goal scorer Franck Tayou was held off the board for the second straight match by San Diego, as defenders Mitchell Cardenas and Guerrero Pino stayed in his pocket all night.
“Pino and myself make a point before the match to try and keep that zero next to (Franck) on the stat sheet,” said Cardenas, who added an assist on the match-winning goal, “We know that we give our team a good chance to win if we do that.”
Tavoy Morgan and Christian Gutierrez each scored a pair of goals for the Sockers, with Felipe Gonzalez and Leonardo de Oliveira adding single tallies. Boris Pardo shined once again in net with nine saves on twelve chances, lowering his goals-against average to 3.95, the only keeper below four in the MASL. Empire keeper Chris Toth was at times spectacular in trying to hold the line, stopping 17-of-22 shots.
The Sockers took the lead on a play that developed out of an intense fourth quarter sequence which saw both teams tantalizing goal. Leonardo de Oliveira threaded a perfect midfield through-ball to Cardenas, who charged in on right wing and fired. Toth was able to deflect and then nudge the ball toward the top of the crease, but Chiles ran on the loose ball and blasted a volley toward net, off the block attempt of Empire’s Maicon de Abreu and into the top of the goal for a 4-3 lead at 7:45 of the fourth quarter.
Matches between Empire and San Diego have taken on the tenor of playoff battles, and Sunday’s…