Sockers Rout Dallas – OurSports Central

February 3, 2024 – Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) – San Diego Sockers News Release

San Diego Sockers battle the Dallas Sidekicks
(San Diego Sockers)

ALLEN, TX – Tavoy Morgan netted two goals with two assists and Kraig Chiles had a first-half hat trick, as the San Diego Sockers breezed past the Dallas Sidekicks 10-3 on Saturday night at the Credit Union of Texas Event Center in Allen, Texas. The Sockers (11-1, 32 points) won their fifth in a row and completed a perfect weekend in the Lone Star State, scoring the final seven goals unanswered against Dallas (1-12, 2 points) from the second quarter to the finish.

“Coach (Phil Salvagio) told us to take care of business this weekend and it was a good match for us,” said Morgan.

Charlie Gonzalez added a goal with a team-high four assists, while Brandon Escoto, Drew Ruggles, and Leonardo de Oliveira also scored even-strength goals for San Diego. Cesar Cerda contributed a pair of helpers, including the setup on the Sockers’ third short-handed goal of the season, a Christian Gutierrez goal at 5:39 of the third quarter. Starting for the second time this weekend in place of the suspended Boris Pardo, goalkeeper Xavier Snaer-Williams improved to 4-0 on the season, stopping six-of-nine shots.

A spirited Dallas side lost its eleventh in a row, but gave the Sockers a bit of a push in the opening 22 minutes. The Sidekicks took a 1-0 lead 8:12 into the first quarter on a low-left corner wall pass off the goal wall from Jamie Lovegrove to Ahmed Zaky, who finished point-blank five feet from the goal line.

The Sockers answered with two goals in the final four minutes of the quarter. On a left wall restart, Charlie Gonzalez threaded a pass to Ruggles in the middle, who took one step to his favored left foot before smashing in the equalizer at 11:13, his fifth goal of the season. Two minutes later, it was de Oliveira with a beautiful no-look backheel pass from the wall to Cesar Cerda, creating a 2-v-1 on the right side. Cerda took the defender out of the play with a perfect pass to Chiles, who left-footed in a simple goal at 13:38 for a 2-1 Sockers lead.

Dallas took advantage of a good bench change and a long throw from their starting keeper Juan Gamboa, who spotted an open Oscar Romero and sent him in 1-v-1 on goal for a score and a 2-2 tie 47 seconds into the second quarter. San Diego answered back with Zaky in the penalty box for a tripping blue card, clinically putting together a power play goal at 5:52 when Escoto,…