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Oliviera Leads with Another Hat Trick, Utica City FC Falls to San Diego Sockers in Overtime Thriller

December 15, 2024 - Major Arena Soccer League (MASL)
Utica City FC News Release


OCEANSIDE, CA - In a thrilling matchup at Frontwave Arena, Utica City FC pushed theSan Diego Sockers to the brink but ultimately fell 6-5 in overtime. Utica City's relentless effort was highlighted by a hat trick from Kelvin Oliveira and a gritty all-around performance, but a controversial overturned goal in overtime paved the way for Luiz Morales' game-winning strike.

Utica City entered the game with a 1-0 record after an impressive season-opening win and faced one of the league's toughest opponents in the Sockers. From the opening whistle, the game was a back-and-forth battle filled with dramatic moments and clinical finishes.

The Sockers struck first when Luiz Morales converted a feed from Christian Gutierrez at 13:29 of the first quarter. Just 40 seconds later, Kelvin Oliveira answered for Utica City, continuing his hot streak with a one-touch finish off a perfectly placed pass from Logan Roberts. The first quarter ended in a 1-1 deadlock.

Utica City took the lead midway through the second quarter with a beautifully executed set piece drawn up by head coach Hewerton Moreira. Gordy Gurson found the net with a clean strike, assisted by Vinicius Dantas, giving Utica a 2-1 advantage. San Diego's Morales responded at the 13:02 mark, tying the game 2-2 heading into halftime.

San Diego came out firing in the third quarter. Kraig Chiles scored in the opening minutes, followed by a goal from Luis Ortega to extend the Sockers' lead to 4-2. But Utica City refused to back down. Oliveira added his second goal of the night, taking a feed off the wall from Gurson and burying it to cut the deficit to 4-3.

In the fourth quarter, Utica's Ronaldinho Diniz showcased his determination, battling through traffic to score off his own rebound and tie the game at 4-4. The Sockers regained the lead minutes later through Keko Gontán, but Oliveira's persistence paid off again when an official review overturned a shot initially ruled no goal, tying the game at 5-5.

The intensity carried into overtime, where both teams traded chances. A controversial overturned goal for Utica City left the visitors frustrated, and the Sockers capitalized moments later. Morales completed his hat trick with a strike at 3:38 of overtime, sealing the victory for San Diego.

Utica City FC, now 1-1 on the season, is on the road again next weekend. The team will look to build on its offensive momentum while tightening up defensively to secure another win.

Stay tuned for updates and highlights on UticaCityFC.com and follow the team on social media for the latest news and exclusive content.

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