OCEANSIDE — Mounir Alami scored his second goal of the match with 28 seconds left in golden-goal overtime to lift the visiting Empire Strykers to a 5-4 win over the San Diego Sockers on Sunday night at Frontwave Arena.
A crowd of 4,375 watched the Sockers (9-4-2, 27 points) rally from a two-goal deficit in the fourth quarter to force overtime, but Empire (6-9, 16 points) improved to 3-2 against San Diego this season.
The Feb. 15 loss was overshadowed by a serious injury to Sockers midfielder Charlie Gonzalez. With 7:04 remaining in overtime, Gonzalez became tangled with a defender in the right corner and suffered a leg injury.
Medical personnel immobilized his leg and transported him from the field in a wheelchair. The team said it would provide an update on his condition.
San Diego forced overtime with a late surge. Trailing 4-3, Leonardo de Oliveira intercepted a pass near midfield and launched a long, arcing shot that found the net with 3:52 remaining to tie the match. Nick Perera earlier converted a power-play goal during a two-goals-in-17-seconds stretch that erased a 4-2 deficit.
Empire built a 2-0 halftime lead on goals by Dayerson Graterol and Justin Stinson, then extended it to 3-0 early in the third quarter before the Sockers responded.
Alami appeared to seal the win with 6:26 left in regulation, pushing the lead to 4-2, but San Diego rallied to earn a point. In overtime, Dayerson Graterol intercepted a pass and set up Isaak Somow along the right wall. Somow’s return pass found Alami, who slipped free and tapped in the winner.
The Sockers were playing their second match in less than 24 hours after a shootout win in Kansas City on Saturday night.
San Diego travels to face the Tacoma Stars on Saturday before returning home Feb. 27.
