In a homecoming that was long overdue, the defending Ron Newman Cup champion San Diego Sockers delivered a thrilling 4-1 victory over the Chihuahua Savage, Major Arena Soccer League’s (MASL) newest expansion team. Both defenses held their positions well but it was San Diego that prevailed at the end.

The Savage played an aggressive game, and they paid for it when they received two blue cards which resulted in two power play goals for the Sockers.

At the end of halftime, it was a 1-1 ballgame with goals from San Diego’s midfielder Gerardo Jurado and Chihuahua’s midfielder Enrique Cañez.

After giving up seven goals in the season opener with the Tacoma Stars, goalkeeper Boris Pardo and the Sockers wanted to focus on defense and not give up as many goals. Pardo kept the Savage in check throughout the first half, and was perfect in the final two quarters to finish the night with 12 saves and just the one second-quarter goal allowed.

“That was a point we made during training throughout the week. We keep them at a low score, we’re going to pull out on top with the goal-scoring because we have plenty of firepower,” Pardo said.

Midway through the third quarter, forward Leonardo De Oliveira scored to put San Diego up, a lead that they would not give up. After that forward Kraig Chiles and midfielder Christian Gutierrez each scored power-play goals for insurance against a battling Savage team that gave San Diego trouble all game long.

Up next:

The Sockers return to play Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022, when the Ontario Fury visit San Diego for the first of six matchups in the 2021-22 season. The southern California rivals played an exciting three-game final last season when the Sockers brought home the club’s 15th championship.

The two teams will kick off at 5:05 p.m. after the Fury took their first loss of the year in Florida Sunday. The Sockers will enter the 2022 calendar year a half-game ahead of the (2-1) Ontario for the MASL Western Division lead.