If there is a team that knows how to react when its back is against the wall it is the 15-time champion San Diego Sockers. That is exactly the scenario the team finds itself in entering its second semifinal match against the Chihuahua Savage this Sunday at Pechanga Arena San Diego after losing the first one in overtime 7-6 at Arena Corner Sport on April 18.
The defending Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) champions also saw their 22-game winning streak snapped in the loss to the Savage and must now win the next two matches in order to make it to the final and defend their crown against the winner of the Kansas City Comets versus Florida Tropics semifinal.
“We will be ready,” said San Diego Sockers general manager Sean Bowers. “Guys are coming home with a little chip on their shoulder and we need to play with a little bit of attitude. When we’re ready to go we’re a hard team to beat.”
The Sockers were definitely a hard team to beat this regular-season winning every single game except for the one against Ontario Fury on Jan. 9 when the team fell on the road 8-7. San Diego followed up its impressive regular season with a drubbing of the Milwaukee Wave in the quarterfinal round winning 9-2 in game one and 9-3 in game two.
“When you’re playing really good opposition like Chihuahua everybody has got to perform and bring it,” said San Diego Sockers captain Kraig Chiles. “We feel good about the second leg, we’re down but we’re definitely not out and are ready to put up a big fight back home.”
In order for San Diego to pull off the comeback and make it to the championship round, they will need the entire team to step up including Chiles, goalkeeper Boris Pardo, and forward Leonardo De Oliveira who was recently awarded the MASL Pass Master Award for his league-leading 33 assists during the season.
In the 2021 finals, San Diego had to play a must-win match against the Ontario Fury after their victory in game one but lost the second game being able to come out on top in the rubber match courtesy of defender César Cerda’s goal with 56 seconds left to clinch the Ron Newman Cup.
Photo Courtesy: San Diego Sockers
