Segota Scores Three Goals, Lifts Sockers

SAN DIEGO — Branko Segota was about as much of a pest for the Dallas Sidekicks Sunday night as Tatu was for the Sockers two weeks ago in Dallas. Not quite, but almost.

Segota scored three goals to lead the Sockers (2-2) to a 6-2 victory over the Sidekicks (3-1) in front of 6,772 at the San Diego Sports Arena. Then he sat in the locker room and showed his seventh championship ring to a bunch of reporters. The ring was presented in a halftime ceremony honoring the Sockers’ latest Major Indoor Soccer League conquest, over Baltimore this past June.

Naturally, the topic of discussion turned to his hat trick. And, of course, he was asked if it meant something special to him after Tatu had done such a number on the Sockers in Dallas two weeks ago, scoring five goals in a 9-3 Sidekick victory in the season opener. Tatu scored just once Sunday.

“No, I don’t worry about statistics,” Segota said. “Scoring means nothing if you don’t win (a championship ring). He’s got one, and I have seven.”

In the visitors’ locker room, Tatu explained that the Sidekicks were tired following their 5-4 overtime victory Saturday night over Kansas City.

“Tonight, I couldn’t get my rhythm going,” Tatu said. “Some nights it works well. Tonight, I couldn’t get involved.”

Segota’s third goal, with 8:19 remaining in the third quarter, gave the Sockers a 4-2 lead and the cushion they needed to win easily. They added subsequent goals by rookie midfielder Rod Castro and defender Cacho.

Socker Coach Ron Newman has been waiting for Segota to have a game like this since the beginning of the season. Segota had scored just two goals entering Sunday’s game, but Newman said he has been sharp in practice.

“He’s looked absolutely incredible,” Newman said. “And he’s never managed to do it on the field. This will do his confidence a world of good.”

“Sometimes, I think Branko feels if he doesn’t contribute every time, he’s not doing his job. He’s part of a team. I think he’ll really start taking off now.”

If his confidence isn’t boosted, midfielder Brian Quinn may have given his ego a lift by shouting repeatedly after the game’ “Branko knows soccer.”

San Diego hasn’t been the friendliest place for the Sidekicks, who have managed to win just one regular-season game in 13 tries in the Sports Arena.

“We made some mistakes,” Tatu said. “When you’re tired, that happens.”

That the Sockers led just 3-2 at halftime was thanks largely to defender Mike Powers, who spent almost as much time saving goals as goalie Krys Sobieski. Early in the first quarter, Powers deflected successive shots from midfielder Brian Quinn and forward Zoran Karic when Sobieski was pulled out of position by the Sockers’ attack. Powers did it again midway through the second quarter, blocking a close-range shot by Castro.

The Sockers scored their first two goals in similar fashion. First, Segota took a corner kick from veteran Steve Zungul with 9:06 remaining in the first quarter and sent it whistling by Sobieski with the outside of his right foot. Then, after Sidekick defender Doc Lawson scored off an assist from Mark Karpun, Segota scored again, taking another corner kick from Zungul to give the Sockers a 2-1 lead.

Tatu’s only goal came with 1:30 remaining in the half. He ran on from the bench to take a pass from midfielder Kevin Smith, raced by an out-of-position Sockers defense and sent the ball into the left corner, his eighth goal of the season. Sidekicks 2, Sockers 2.

From then on, the Sockers played as if they remembered vividly the drubbing they took in Dallas.

Newman said he assigned defender George Fernandez to mark Tatu and keep him away from the Socker goal. Fernandez met the challenge. Tatu’s goal came when Fernandez was on the bench.

“He made me look silly (in Dallas),” Fernandez said. “I wanted Tatu. I wanted to take the best forward and mark him. It proves to me where I’m at in the league.”

Said Newman: “It’s a challenge. I thought I’d give him that special challenge.”

Now, the biggest question is whether the Sockers have turned themselves around from a rocky start, or whether they are headed for another season of digging themselves from the depths after the 11th game. One thing is certain, they know to prepare diligently for the Sidekicks.

“We probably treated them with more respect (Sunday) than we did in the playoffs last year,” Newman said.