Strykers Set Attendance Records, Nearly Stun Sockers in OT Loss

by Gunnar Berndt

Despite electrifying comeback, Empire falls 8-9 in Izzy Sesay farewell game

Marco Fabián postgame comments (English)

Ontario, Calif. — Temporarily rebranding as “Empire Fury” in a nod to their past as the Ontario Fury, the Empire Strykers came agonizingly close to completing an electrifying comeback against visiting rivals San Diego Sockers on Sunday evening, falling 8-9 in overtime and dropping to 11-10-2 (wins-losses-overtime/shootout losses) on their campaign. The fiercely contested game, in which Empire bid farewell to retiring club legend Israel Sesay, drew a ruckus crowd of 7,387, shattering records for highest ever home attendance in Fury/Strykers history as well as for highest attendance recorded by any team around the Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) in 2024-25.

While longtime team captain Sesay took a painful knock in the match that limited his time on the turf, attackers Mounir Alami, Justin Stinson and Abdul Mansaray enjoyed standout showings for the 34-year-old’s side. While Alami earned three assists, Stinson and Mansaray had three goals apiece, with the latter bagging his hat trick within a single period. Netminder Claysson De Lima contributed a helper in the game.

For San Diego, defenders Drew Ruggles and Ben Ramin shined along with attackers Leonardo De Oliveira and Kraig Chiles. While Ruggles recorded a brace and three blocks, Ramin got in the way of no fewer than five efforts on target. De Oliveira and Chiles each had three points in the contest.

Empire’s defeat added the final wrinkle to a bizarre weekend which had held several potential playoff berth-clinching scenarios for Empire but ended with all relevant results around the league having gone the wrong way. Head coach Onua Obasi’s men may now need to deliver in their final regular season game at Dallas in order to seal the deal.

The Sockers opened the scoring within the first minute of play, Christian Gutierrez winning possession deep inside enemy territory and slotting home for 0-1. Subsequently, Empire’s familiar strategy of using its goalkeeper as an additional attacker backfired, as Drew Ruggles doubled the visitors’ advantage on a helper by Leonardo De Oliveira. Before the end of the period, indoor legend Kraig Chiles made it 0-3 on a shootout.

Justin Stinson finally pulled one back for the home side in the second quarter, converting from a Robert Palmer restart. However, San Diego reestablished its previous advantage when Luiz Morales tallied from De Oliveira. The away side grabbed two more after the break, Walter Taylor Bond releasing Sebastian Mendez on a breakaway for 1-5 and Chiles finding Morales for the Sockers’ sixth. If any Empire fans in attendance at that point felt there was no way back for their team, they were sorely mistaken, as the hosts went on a 7-1 scoring tear during the remainder of the third and fourth periods.

First, Stinson made it 2-6 by way of a powerful half-volley from the left that whizzed across the frame of the goal and into the upper corner. Then, Marco Fabián found the net on an assist by Mounir Alami, followed by an Alami helper on a tally by Cyro Olivera for 4-6. Both of the goals involving Moroccan Alami came with the rookie’s side fielding six attackers. With Empire continuing to employ the strategy, San Diego briefly interrupted its opponent’s momentum by way of a Chiles shootout netter, but only for the home team to continue its domination in the days’ final quarter and score four straight.

After Abdul Mansaray cleaned up his own effort off the boards by way of an acrobatic scissor kick, with Polo Hernandez recording the helper, Stinson made it 6-7 on an assist by Alami. Back between the sticks for the Strykers, Brazilian netminder De Lima then found Mansaray, who tied the match courtesy of an excellent finish inside the right post.

Englishman Mansaray later sent the increasingly riled up crowd into a complete frenzy when he produced another calm finish to give his side its first lead of the evening at 8-7. However, the Sockers’ defensive duo of Luis Ortega and Ruggles would spoil the party, with Ortega setting up his teammate for an easy tap-in at the far post and helping send the match into overtime.

During the additional period, the Strykers pushed aggressively for the winner that would have earned them a trip to the postseason, only for De Oliveira to win possession for the Sockers and float the ball over the head of backstop Brian Orozco. Positioned outside his penalty area, Orozco was unable to intervene and could only watch as his team conceded the decisive tally.

The Empire Strykers take on hosts Dallas Sidekicks in their potentially crucial regular season finale on Saturday, March 29.