Strykers Kick Off Challenging Stretch Run at San Diego

Fabián: Have “a lot of confidence,” will “try to beat them”

Ontario, Calif. — With their fourth straight victory in the rearview mirror, the Empire Strykers are about to run the gauntlet that could define their 2024-25 Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) season. While the Southern Californians appear likely to reach their first knockout stages following three consecutive absences, they can ill-afford to feel overly secure, with two teams behind them displaying strong form of their own and holding the potential to pull the Strykers back outside the playoff picture by leapfrogging them down the stretch.

For its part, Empire faces the mighty San Diego Sockers three times in its final five matches, with two of the encounters coming on the road. Head coach Onua Obasi’s men first travel south for a midweek meeting with the two-time MASL champions, followed by a trip to Washington state for a clash with one of the two teams that could still spoil the Strykers’ postseason party, the Tacoma Stars.

10-8-1 (wins-losses-overtime/shootout losses) Empire takes on 14-3-0 San Diego this coming Wednesday, March 5, at 7:35 PM PST, with the action streaming live in English on CBS Sports Golazo Network and in Spanish on the MASL’s official YouTube channel (@MASLtv). Outside the U.S., the broadcast will be available on Sportworld.

The Strykers could not be squaring off with their longtime rivals at a better time, given their run of positive results and the fact they most recently shut out the visiting Texas Outlaws 8-0.

“It's a big, big win,” said Mexican star Marco Fabián immediately after the final whistle. “And we talked before, and the most important is, we get a lot of confidence. Every single game is a different game and we have to win. It's really important for all the fans.”

He added, “We keep going and focus because we are so close to play the playoffs. It's what we want, and every single game is really important. Today, the performance is really good, a good defense. It’s not normal to get a zero and no goals, so it's really important.”

Against the Outlaws, a comprehensive team performance, along with netminders Brian Orozco and Brandon Gomez, earned the side the rare indoor accomplishment of keeping an opponent scoreless. Notably, Orozco and Gomez each also bagged an assist in the game, with Justin Stinson and Fabián spearheading the offense at three points apiece. Stinson recorded a hat trick and fellow midfielder Fabián put up a brace and a helper.

Stinson scored two memorable goals in the day, one of them easily ranking as one of the best of the season by any player around the league. Positioned on the left side of the field in the second period, the St. Louis native beat two opposition defenders courtesy of a stunning 360-degree spin move, followed by a right-footed curling effort inside the far post to make it 3-0. He would then expand his side’s advantage to 5-0 in the final quarter, again receiving the ball on the left and firing an unstoppable shot inside the opposite upright, having created space for himself courtesy of some fancy footwork.

“My team is peaking right at the right time,” said Stinson while standing on the turf following the match. We talked about this at the beginning of the year, and we’re seeing our goals right now come alive.”

Former El Tri international Fabián offered a similar assessment. Based on his side’s performance against the Outlaws, the 35-year-old felt excited for the final stretch of matches.

“We keep going and focus because we are so close to play the playoffs,” he said. “It’s what we want, and every single game is really important. Today, the performance is really good, a good defense. It’s not normal to get a zero and no goals, so it's really important.”

Maintaining a firm grip on its postseason spot thanks to the run of four victories, with the thumping of Texas having been preceded by a 10-7 home win over Milwaukee, Empire looks to ride its momentum to an unlikely upset of the Sockers that could set the tone for a finish in the top half of the table. With five fixtures left in their regular season, the Strykers will want to keep pressure not only on the Milwaukee Wave in sixth but on Utica City FC in seventh. While Milwaukee and Utica trail the Southern Californians on account of the head-to head tie breaker and a two-point deficit, respectively, each currently has two games in hand.

While ultimately landing in fifth has become a realistic possibility, by improving to 1-2 in its 2024-25 series with San Diego, Empire at the very least would move much closer to booking its first postseason ticket following three straight absences. Currently enjoying a comfortable cushion between themselves and the non-playoff spots, the 2021 finalists only need to stay somewhat mindful of the Tacoma Stars and the St. Louis Ambush below them, the two teams having displayed strong form of late and together standing and outside chance of dragging Empire back below the line.

In order for Empire to miss out on the elimination rounds, it would have to lose most of its remaining games while Tacoma and St. Louis would each have to win most of theirs.

While sharing second place on the Strykers in assists with Andy Reyes (11 each), Robert Palmer is also his side’s undisputed defensive leader. The 36-year-old is fourth in the league in blocks (38), with Emmanuel Aguirre (13) a distant second on the Empire roster. Meanwhile, 2025 All-Stars Fabián and Stinson form a lethal attacking duo, with Fabián’s powerful right foot and exquisite vision perfectly complementing Stinson’s dazzling technical skills.

Mexican Fabián spearheads the offense, as he ranks third in the MASL in both points (40) and goals (37), fifth in points per game (2.2 in 18), and tied for third in assists (16). In addition to sitting ninth in the league in points (28) and tied for sixth in goals (20), teammate Stinson is second on the Strykers in points per game (1.5 in 19). Fabián and Stinson rank tied with others for seventh MASL-wide in power play goals (2).

Among Empire’s greatest strengths is its unpredictability going forward. Even the side’s three goalkeepers boast significant attacking outputs. While Brian Orozco has bagged three goals and an assist in 16 appearances, sitting tied for seventh in the league in game winners, Claysson De Lima has collected three helpers in eleven, and Brandon Gomez has put up a goal and two assists in ten.

Having already clinched its playoff berth, fourth-place San Diego has its sights set firmly on the top of the table. Nearly two thirds into their regular season, head coach Phil Salvagio’s men trail two points behind Kansas City in second and seven behind Chihuahua in first, with the latter having played three more games than the Sockers. The only threat from below is being presented by fourth-place Baltimore, which has collected six fewer points while having played one fewer game.

“We always think about San Diego, but one game at a time,” offered the Strykers’ Justin Stinson immediately on the heels of the win over Texas. “I think with San Diego, tomorrow, we normally don’t train the day after a game, but Obasi wants us in for film, so [we’re] really dialing into what Obasi wants.”

With the video session having come and gone, the Empire players likely now have a much clearer visualization of their tactics for the clash with the Sockers, whose backline relies heavily on the efforts of Ben Ramin, Cesar Cerda and Kristian Quintana. While Ramin is tied for ninth in the MASL in blocks (27), Cerda and Quintana (25 each) are close joint seconds. Behind the trio of defenders, veteran backstop Pavel Pardo has been his reliable self, ranking runner-up in the league in goals-against average (4.38 in 14).

The San Diego attacking duties are spread out among several players, with Charlie Gonzalez and Tavoy Morgan having led the charge thus far.

While former Ontario Fury (today’s Empire Strykers) standout Gonzalez sits tied for third in the MASL in assists (16) and tied for tenth in points (26), he is also tops on the Sockers in points per game (1.63 in 16). Forward Morgan ranks tied for sixth in the league in goals (20) as well as second on his team in both points (25) and points per game (1.56 in 16). Ex-Empire star Gabriel Costa sits runner-up on San Diego in helpers (12), and Luiz Morales shares second in goals with indoor legend Kraig Chiles (15 each).

Gonzalez, Chiles and Morales are among the group of MASL players tied for seventh in power play goals with Strykers Fabián and Stinson (2 each).

“Every game, we try to think it's the most difficult game,” said two-time FIFA World Cup veteran Fabián in looking ahead to Empire’s stretch run. “That's one of our things. […] It's three times against San Diego. It's a good team, but [we] try to beat them and we try to win. […] You just try to give the best performance to finish the season.”

The Empire Strykers take on the San Diego Sockers this coming Wednesday, March 7, with the rivalry clash kicking off a three-game road swing for Fabián, Stinson and company. The Strykers return to Ontario’s Toyota Arena for their home finale against the Sockers on Sunday, March 23. Tickets are available here.