Sockers Top Ontario on Late Goal
December 20, 2015 - Major Arena Soccer League (MASL)
San Diego Sockers News Release
San Diego Sockers Celebrate a Goal
(San Diego Sockers)
(San Diego, CA) - Matt Clare scored off an intricate set piece with 4:08 left in the fourth quarter to give the Sockers a 4-3 win over the Ontario Fury at the Valley View Casino Center.
With the score tied at three, the Sockers (5-4) had a free kick at the top of the arc. Enrique Tovar set up in the Fury (4-4) wall, spun off it, received a pass from Kraig Chiles and left it off for Clare to fire the ball into the upper corner.
San Diego outshot the Fury 25-13, but Fury goalkeeper Senaldo was sensational at times with some flying saves, frustrating the Sockers for most of the evening.
Luan Sales Oliveira opened the scoring 2:58 into the game off a quick restart from Andriy Budnyy.
The Sockers answered back midway through the first quarter as Matt Clare sent a perfectly weighted pass over the top for Angel Ruiz to volley home at the back post.
Robert Tornel took advantage of a defensive mistake and put the Fury back in front at the 9:14 mark of the first quarter.
The second quarter belonged to the Sockers as Clare scored the first of his two goals finishing off a counter-attack after a brilliant slide-rule pass from Jeff Hughes.
With the score tied at two, Chiles had a chance to put the Sockers ahead on a shootout attempt with 14 seconds left after Senaldo received a blue-card for handling the ball out of his arc.
The 37-year-old Brazilian foiled Chiles' effort by coming off his line and getting down quickly.
It was the start of three straight penalty kills [in which the] as the Sockers could not take advantage of Renaldo's penalty and further blue cards dished out to Mauricio Salles and Budnyy.
After a scoreless third quarter, Ontario made San Diego pay for its inability to take advantage of the extra-man. A shot rebounded off the boards for an unmarked Salles to smash his point-blank effort beyond Chris Toth 2:34 into the final quarter.
Chiles, Clare and Tovar would take over late on, however, as San Diego drew level through midway through the fourth quarter. First, Senaldo could only parry Chiles' 25 foot drive into the path of Tovar who tucked home the rebound.
The two were involved again as they executed Phil Salvagio's set-piece plan to perfection leaving the ball off for Clare to be the hero.
Ontario put out a sixth attacker in Couch and San Diego went down to four men when Ze Roberto was shown a blue card for tripping at the 14:36 mark. Thanks to feverish defending from Jeff Hughes and Jonatan Santos the Sockers were able to hang on for all three points.
"We know where we're at right now. We know where we need to be, we know where we should be," Clare said after the match. "To come out tonight and get a win is what we really needed to bolster the season."
The Sockers are off for Christmas but will make the short trip over the boarder to face off against Atletico Baja in Tijuana on the 27th.
Images from this story
 San Diego Sockers and Ontario Fury Battle for the Ball |
 Tense Moments between the San Diego Sockers and Ontario Fury |
 San Diego Sockers in Action |
 San Diego Sockers Celebrate a Goal |
Major Arena Soccer League Stories from December 20, 2015
- Fury Can't Stop Sockers in the End, Lose 4-3 - Ontario Fury
- Gjertsen notches a brace, Waltman records 17 saves - Tacoma Stars
- Sockers Top Ontario on Late Goal - San Diego Sockers
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