Sockers Stay Alive, Routing Kansas City in Fifth Game, 7-1

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — After a five-day layoff to ponder blown leads, mistakes, mental lapses and the prospect of being eliminated from the playoffs, the Sockers played with a great deal of emotion, concentration and skill in a 7-1 victory over the Kansas City Comets in Game 5 of the Western Division finals.

The Sockers played like the Sockers Saturday night at Kemper Arena.

“We played with a system,” Socker midfielder Branko Segota said. “We basically knew what was going on.”

The Comets still lead the best-of-seven series, 3-2, but the teams return to San Diego for Game 6 Wednesday night at the Sports Arena. If a seventh game is necessary, it will be played Saturday night at the Sports Arena.

“Everybody knew everyone was hustling out there tonight,” Socker defender Kevin Crow said. “If we play the way the San Diego Sockers can, we’ll be fine.”

The Sockers led, 2-0, after the first quarter, 3-0 at halftime and 4-1 after the third quarter.

And this time, instead of falling apart in the final quarter as they did in the last two games when they were outscored, 8-0, the Sockers put the game away with three empty-net goals after the Comets replaced goalkeeper Alan Mayer with a sixth attacker at the 7:15 mark.

There was a key play in the game which could have shifted momentum in the Comets’ favor, but Kansas City was the team making the mistakes Saturday.

Dale Mitchell scored the lone Comet goal with 47 seconds left in the third quarter to make it 4-1. Then, with just four seconds left, a goal by Tasso Koutsoukos was disallowed because the Comets were called for having too many men on the field.

Entering the fourth quarter, Crow said he didn’t sense any nervousness on the Sockers’ part.

And the Comets did not really feel they were about to pull off another comeback.

“You can only have so many comebacks,” Comet forward Jan Goossens said. “They deserve all the credit. They played their best soccer, and we didn’t have an answer.”

The Sockers sure had their game faces on when they arrived at Kemper Arena Saturday night.

“I’ve never seen this team as quiet before the game,” Socker Coach Ron Newman said. “There was a lot of nervous tension.”

Playing in front of 14,054 fans, the Sockers maintained that edge throughout the game. They continually pressured the high-scoring Comets defensively and they took shorter shifts than usual to guard against fatigue.

“The boys were sweating gobs of water,” Newman said. “Their shirts were soaking wet.”

It was a team effort punctuated by excellent performances from goalkeeper Zoltan Toth, midfielders Juli Veee and Segota, the penalty killing unit--which killed five penalties--and the entire defense.

Toth made 17 saves on 29 shots, including 14 saves on 18 shots in the first half and 6 saves during one Comet power play.

“The ball hit me,” Toth said. “Indoor, the name of the game is to be in the right place. The other night, it doesn’t hit me; tonight, it hits me.”

Veee, who at 38 could have been playing his final game if the Sockers had lost, scored twice and added two assists.

“We kept pushing him and pushing him and the old boy came through,” Newman said.

As for his future with the Sockers, Veee, in the final year of his contract, said, “I’m not looking for another contract. If I get one, I’ll sit down with them. If they feel I can’t help with my expertise in the indoor game, then fine.”

Segota added two goals, Waad Hirmez had a short-handed goal and an assist and Hugo Perez and Fernando Clavijo added goals.

For the Comets, who suffered their worst defeat in playoff history, it was a night to forget.

“We played a pretty awful game,” Comet Coach Dave Clements said. “Obviously, from our point of view, we’re disappointed. But it’s not the end of the world. We’re still up one game.”

What did Goossens have to say? Before Saturday’s game, he said the Comets’ best shot to win the series would be at home Saturday and that it would be difficult to win in San Diego. He remembers the way the Sockers won three in a row after trailing his Minnesota Striker team, 3-1, in the 1986 MISL championship series.

“If this was our best chance, we’re not going to have a chance,” Goossens said with a smile.

Pause.

“I still believe we have a chance,” Goossens said.

The Sockers believe they have a good chance, but they are quite aware that the explosive Comets defeated them in Game 1 in San Diego and lost by only a goal in Game 2.