Jurado: “We Have a Good Chance of Beating San Diego”

February 15, 2024 – Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) – Empire Strykers News Release

Ontario, Calif. – The Empire Strykers are far from your typical team on the verge of elimination from playoff contention. Despite their 3-12-0 record (wins-losses-overtime/shootout losses) in Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) play, the Empire players and coaches remain strikingly upbeat these days, even when asked about their recent back-to-back away defeats to the Baltimore Blast and the Kansas City Comets. In looking ahead to another clash with the mighty San Diego Sockers on Sunday, former Sockers member Gerardo Jurado offered some crucial context to go with his club’s current three-game losing streak.

Jurado and company host long-time rival San Diego this coming Sunday, February 18, at 4:05 p.m. PT. Tickets to the match at Toyota Arena in Ontario are available here and are “Buy One, Get One 50% Off” with code “BOGO18” at checkout. All the action will be streamed live in English on Twitch and in Spanish on Canela, with the broadcasts accessible via the two platforms’ respective apps and websites (www.twitch.tv and www.canela.tv). A complete channel guide for upcoming MASL games is here.

In their February 9 meeting with Baltimore, the Strykers fell 7-9 after nearly completing an impressive rally, having battled back from a 1-6 halftime deficit. While Marco Fabián enjoyed yet another standout shift, bagging two goals and an assist, his attacking output was matched by Blast forward Juan Pereira.

Before the break, Empire looked uncomfortable with its surroundings and the opposition. Although Head Coach Paul Wright’s squad trains on a field that features similar dimensions as the field at Townson’s SECU Arena, Baltimore appeared expert at gaining a competitive edge from its unusually short home turf.

“It’s fairly obvious we went into the first half lacking concentration,” offered Mexican Jurado, whose comments in Spanish were graciously translated by Strykers netminder Brian Orozco. “We’re not used to playing league games on such a small field. It doesn’t suit our style of play. But going into halftime, we talked as a team and strategized, and as a result we looked a lot better in the second half and almost managed a comeback. That was encouraging.”

Playing on very little rest, Juardo and company then took on the Comets the very next day, suffering a 2-7 defeat as the home side snapped its eight-game losing streak courtesy of a comprehensive team performance and…