San Diego Sockers Match Preview v Utica City FC
January 29, 2022 - Major Arena Soccer League (MASL)
San Diego Sockers News Release
The San Diego Sockers-presented by Kaiser Permanente San Diego-continue their three-match homestand when they play host to Utica City FC on First Responders Night Sunday evening at Pechanga Arena San Diego. The match is set for a 5:05pm kickoff, and will be broadcast for free live on MASL TV on YouTube.
This is the first-ever meeting between the Sockers and Utica City FC, who joined the MASL in 2018-19 after the Syracuse Silver Knights relocated their franchise. Syracuse and San Diego met in the 2017-18 MASL campaign at Pechanga Arena, with the Sockers winning 6-5.
San Diego (8-0-1, 22 points) has won five consecutive matches, including a 9-3 victory over Tacoma on Friday night to open the homestand. Sunday's match concludes a surge of five matches in ten days for the Sockers, and will be their third match in five days. By contrast, Utica has not played since last Sunday, January 23 (losing at home to Ontario 4-3).
Barreling through a road trip that took them to Ontario, Chihuahua, and back over eleven days, the Sockers danced on the high wire to post a 4-0 record. San Diego won 7-2 over Ontario on January 16, then survived back-to-back overtime thrillers in Mexico, prevailing over the Chihuahua Savage by golden goal scores of 6-5 and 11-10. Back in Ontario on Wednesday, the Sockers needed the overtime shootout to escape with a comeback 8-7 victory.
The Sockers' most recent match was a milestone for two players at opposite ends of their indoor soccer careers. Club captain Kraig Chiles, the 37-year-old veteran in his 13th season with San Diego, scored a first-quarter shootout goal for his 600th career point (combined PASL and MASL), part of a 5-1 quarter for the Sockers. In net, 22-year-old rookie Xavier Snaer-Williams made his pro starting debut, stopping 16 of 19 shots faced to post the win. Tavoy Morgan had a goal and three assists and Juan Manuel Rojo netted two more, as San Diego cruised to a 9-3 victory on Star Wars Night.
San Diego is navigating the weekend without their steady hand in the back, as veteran goalkeeper Boris Pardo serves a two-match suspension, handed down by the Major Arena Soccer League front office on Thursday afternoon. Pardo was given the penalty for a challenge in the crease against Ontario's Willie Spurr in the fourth quarter. He is eligible to return to action on February 6 against Tacoma. Xavier Snaer-Williams will start once more in net on Sunday.
Utica City FC (2-7, 6 points, 1-3 road) made multiple roster changes prior to last weekend, and the club responded with much more competitive efforts, nonetheless succumbing twice in heartbreaking one-goal fashion to Milwaukee and Ontario. Pablo de Silva, fired as the head coach of Dallas earlier this season, has joined the club as a player, as has 42-year-old Hewerton Moreira, who had been the St. Louis Ambush head coach prior to this season. Moises Gonzalez powers the UCFC attack with (7-3=10) points in nine matches. Andrew Coughlin (0-4, 7.49 GAA, .667 SV%) and Brian Wilkin (2-3, 4.69 GAA, .732 SV%) have split goalkeeping duties.
Major Arena Soccer League Stories from January 29, 2022
- Wave Get Bit by Chihuahua Saturday Night in Mexico; Split Weekend Series. - Milwaukee Wave
- Sidekicks Fall to the Comets 9-4 - Dallas Sidekicks
- Comets Open up in Second Half and Top Dallas 9-4 - Kansas City Comets
- San Diego Sockers Match Preview v Utica City FC - San Diego Sockers
- Central Division Clash as Comets Host Sidekicks Tonight - Kansas City Comets
- Tropics Look to Stay Hot Seeking 7th Straight Win as Rival St. Louis Ambush Come to Town - Florida Tropics SC
- Heat Take Down Ambush 7-6 - Harrisburg Heat
- Snaer-Williams Helps Sockers Cruise over Tacoma - San Diego Sockers
- Wave Fend off Chihuahua Friday Night in Mexico - Milwaukee Wave
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