Wave Make Statement at Home, Rout San Diego Sockers 10–5
- Jonathan Turner
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com
MILWAUKEE, WI — The seven-time champion Milwaukee Wave opened their back-to-back home weekend in emphatic fashion, rolling past the San Diego Sockers 10–5 at UW–Milwaukee Panther Arena.
The Wave welcomed the legendary Sockers on Saturday night and delivered a statement victory, closing the season series with a perfect 2–0 record — one win at home and one on the road. With the result, Milwaukee moves into second place in the standings, just two points behind the Kansas City Comets with four games in hand, setting up a pivotal matchup between the two sides on Sunday, December 18.
San Diego responded decisively. Rookie Adrian Reyes scored at 3:06 of the fourth quarter to break the tie, followed by goals from Kraig Chiles and Charlie Gonzalez, who buried a long-range effort into an empty net after intercepting a pass. Defender Mitchell Cardenas capped the scoring with his first goal of the season.
Despite traveling with a depleted roster due to injuries and national team absences, the Sockers controlled the final minutes and secured the comeback victory.
San Diego now heads to upstate New York for a Sunday afternoon matchup against Utica City FC, scheduled for 3:00 p.m. ET / 12:00 p.m. PT. The match will stream live on MASL TV via YouTube. “Tonight, we were very sharp with the chances that we had,” said Head Coach Marcio Leite. “It’s a battle against San Diego, and the game is won in little details.”
Leite’s first professional coaching win came earlier this season on the road against the Sockers, and Saturday night felt like a continuation of that success as the Wave once again imposed their style of play in front of an energized home crowd.
Milwaukee struck early when Max Ludwig blasted a full volley off a perfectly delivered cross from Andre Hayne. Alex Steinwasher doubled the lead shortly after with a goal officially recorded as unassisted, though it was sparked by his brother Javier Steinwasher’s clever pass off the boards. San Diego answered late in the first quarter with a solo effort from Jesus Pacheco, sending the match into the second quarter with Milwaukee leading 2–1.
“I know what Javier is going to do and he knows what I’m going to do,” Alex Steinwasher said. “Sometimes I hate him, sometimes I love him, but at the end of the day, he’s still my brother.”The Steinwasher brothers continue to develop a chemistry that causes problems for opponents on both ends of the field.
Andrew Estrella leveled the score for San Diego early in the second quarter, and Drew Ruggles gave the Sockers their first — and only — lead of the match. Milwaukee responded before halftime when Derek Huffman finished a service from Alex Steinwasher, sending the teams into the break tied.
“It was my first home game of the year. I was super excited to get out here,” Huffman said. “I’m just so happy to get my first goals of the year.” Huffman’s return to Panther Arena provided a spark, as he would go on to score twice on the night.
The Wave took control in the second half. Stuart Grable opened the scoring with his first goal of the season, pushing Milwaukee back in front. Moments later, Alex Steinwasher played the ball forward to Alex Sanchez, who found Hayne for a blistering volley finish. Mario Alvarez followed with a goal of his own and then assisted Huffman, who finished an acrobatic over-the-shoulder volley that immediately entered the MASL Goal of the Week conversation.
“I think we were very good in transition with our counterattacks, and we were very precise,” Leite said, highlighting his team’s growing comfort with the pace and physicality of the indoor game.
Milwaukee closed the night in dominant fashion, adding three more goals in the fourth quarter from Oscar Flores, Cesar Correa, and Alex Sanchez. The only interruption came from Pacheco, who scored while San Diego deployed a sixth attacker.
“We definitely want to create a fortress here with our fans,” Leite said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s Kansas or any other team — every time we play on this field, we’re going for the win.”
The Milwaukee Wave didn’t just defeat the Sockers — they did so in style. Now, they turn their focus to defending their unbeaten home record against the Kansas City Comets as they close out their back-to-back weekend at Panther Arena.
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