PASL San Diego Sockers

Sockers Game Notes

Published on December 8, 2011 under Professional Arena Soccer League (PASL)
San Diego Sockers News Release


WEST WAS ACTIVE WHILE SOCKERS SAT

After a week off to train and rest the San Diego Sockers return to the pitch on Friday night as they take on Revolucion Tijuana in the back end of a home-and-home series. During their week off the Sockers moved to the top of the PASL Western Division table, as the Turlock Express suffered a pair of losses, including a 15-3 demolition at the hands of Tijuana. Anaheim won their first game while Tacoma swept two from Phoenix, balancing out the middle of the standings with four teams all possessing two losses.

SOCKERS AT TIJUANA: EXPECT A CLOSE ONE

The Sockers have beaten Revolucion Tijuana in six consecutive meetings and have never been threatened in five contests at the Del Mar Arena, but playing south of the border is an entirely different matter. While the Sockers own a 3-1 record at Estadio Furati, two of their three wins came in overtime and all four games were tied in the fourth quarter. Furati's significantly smaller playing surface leads to much different scores. While the Sockers have averaged 13.8 goals per game against Revolucion at home, on the road San Diego has never scored more than six in a game, averaging 5.75 goals per game. The aggregate goals scored between San Diego and Tijuana at Furati stands at 23-21 San Diego.

TWIN MVPs DOMINATE SCORING

The only team in the PASL to boast a pair of league MVPs on their roster, the Sockers have been reaping the dividends so far. Kraig Chiles, the 2010-2011 MVP, is tied for second in the league with 10 goals and 14 points. Brian Farber, the 2008-2009 MVP, ranks second on the Sockers and 15th in the PASL with seven goals and eight points. The Sockers have played one or two fewer games than most of the teams in the PASL.

OPPONENT'S PROFILE: Revolucion Tijuana

SEASON: 2-2

vs. SOCKERS: 0-1 in '11-'12, 1-8 all-time

Last Meeting: SOCKERS 16, TJ 10 (11/26)

After three uninspiring results, Revolucion Tijuana shocked the PASL with their 15-3 thrashing of the Turlock Express last weekend, leveling the team's record at 2-2. Always a different team at home, Tijuana enters the night with a 6-4 record at Estadio Furati against PASL teams since 2009-2010. Three of Revolucion's four home losses have come against the Sockers. Tijuana has a unique home field advantage, an open-air facility (the only of its kind allowed by the PASL) with approximately 2/3's of the playing surface of the Del Mar Arena and smaller goals.

STAR: Gerardo Villa, forward

Two players who had not appeared for Tijuana in their forays to the United States made major impacts in Revolucion's 15-3 win at Furati over the Express. Forward Gerardo Villa had one of the better games in the PASL this year with five goals and two assists (seven points). Midfielder Manuel Rosales added two goals and an assist. Look for both Villa and Rosales to be major players against the Sockers on Friday.

WATCH OUT FOR: Guillermo Rodriguez, forward

Rodriguez displayed an adept ability to finish in the Sockers' 16-10 win over Revolucion on November 26th, finishing the game with a hat trick (three goals) and an assist. The diminutive forward added two goals against Turlock and has seven goals and one assist (eight points) in four games.

Check out the San Diego Sockers Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Professional Arena Soccer League Stories from December 8, 2011


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central