The Milwaukee Wave defeated the San Diego Sockers 7-2, moving within one win of the MASL championship. Alex Sanchez scored the decisive goal in the third quarter.
Key points
Milwaukee Wave won 7-2 against San Diego Sockers
Wave scored seven unanswered goals
Alex Sanchez scored the winning goal
Victory puts Wave one win away from championship
Game played at Frontwave Arena in California
Mentioned in this story
Frontwave ArenaOceanside, California
Milwaukee WaveSan Diego SockersAlex SanchezMASL
After rallying to win its first two series in the MASL playoffs following losses in Game 1, the Milwaukee Wave will have an opportunity to do it one more time.
This time the championship is on the line.
The Wave scored seven unanswered goals – albeit three of them into an untended net in the final 78 seconds – in beating the short-handed San Diego Sockers 7-2 on April 24 at Frontwave Arena in Oceanside, California.
Midfielder Alex Sanchez scored what proved to be the winning goal midway through the third quarter when he booted the ball over the Sockers wall on a restart from the top of arc.
Milwaukee Wave midfielder Alex Sanchez (80), seen celebrating with defender Mario Alvarez in a previous game, scored what proved to be the winning goal April 24 at San Diego.
Milwaukee Wave midfielder Alex Sanchez (80), seen celebrating with defender Mario Alvarez in a previous game, scored what proved to be the winning goal April 24 at San Diego.
“I think just a change in attitude and mentality,” Wave goalkeeper Jerry Perez said in a television interview regarding the difference in Game 2 compared to the 5-4 loss in the series opener. “Them coming to our home and just taking over at our place, we wanted to do the same coming to theirs.
“The fans also, amazing atmosphere. That’s what a final’s all about.”
In advancing past the Empire Strykers and Baltimore Blast, the Wave had to win a 15-minute knockout game at home, but this time it is on the road and will have to prevail over a full 60 minutes April 27 on San Diego’s blue turf.
For Game 3, San Diego will get back related to incidents two nights earlier in Milwaukee.
Q&A
What was the score of the Wave vs Sockers Game 2?
The Milwaukee Wave won Game 2 against the San Diego Sockers with a score of 7-2.
Who scored the winning goal for the Wave against the Sockers?
Midfielder Alex Sanchez scored the winning goal for the Wave during the third quarter.
How many goals did the Wave score in the final 78 seconds of the game?
The Wave scored three goals into an empty net in the final 78 seconds of the game.
What does the Wave's victory mean for their championship chances?
The Wave's victory puts them one win away from clinching the MASL championship.
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Sockers captain Cesar Cerda was given a red card after the game, resulting in an automatic one-game suspension, for kicking Wave defender Tony Walls in the groin. Midfielder Luiz Morales and forward Jesus Pacheco were suspended for their involvement in a clash with spectators at the UWM Panther Arena that followed Cerda’s kick and subsequent shoving between the teams. Additionally, Stefan Mijatovic was kicked out of the league for his role in the postgame skirmish with specators.
While the Wave escaped Game 1 with no players being punished, it did suffer a significant setback in warmups when Oscar Flores, the league’s newcomer of the year and Milwaukee’s playoff point-scoring leader, went down with a quadriceps injury.
Milwaukee Wave forward Oscar Flores (16) moves the ball past San Diego Sockers defender Cesar Cerda (29) in MASL finals Game 1 on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at the UWM Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. San Diego won, 5-4.
Milwaukee Wave midfielder Alex Steinwascher (44) controls the ball.
Milwaukee Wave forward Andre Hayne (99) plays the ball with his head.
Milwaukee Wave midfielder Alex Sanchez (80) shoots past two San Diego Sockers defenders.
Milwaukee Wave midfielder Shawn Azcueta (6) stretches to block a shot by San Diego Sockers forward Tavoy Martin.
Milwaukee Wave forward Ian Bennett (26) and defender Stuart Grable (12) celebrate with midfielder Cesar Correa after he scored the team’s first goal.
San Diego Sockers goalkeeper Chris Toth (1) pulls the ball out of the air in front of teammate Drew Ruggles and Milwaukee Wave forward Max Ferdinand.
San Diego Sockers defender Cesar Cerda (29) talks with Milwaukee Wave forward Ian Bennett during the game, suggesting Wave players were flopping at the hint of a foul.
Milwaukee Wave forward Ian Bennett kisses the ball after scoring.
Milwaukee Wave forward Oscar Flores (16) heads the ball to forward Ian Bennett (26) who scored past San Diego Sockers goalkeeper Chris Toth (1), pulling the Wave within 4-3.
Milwaukee Wave forward Oscar Flores (16) celebrates after his header to forward Ian Bennett scored a goal.
Milwaukee Wave midfielder Javier Steinwascher (97) works against San Diego Sockers midfielders Sebastian Mendez (fallen) and Jesus Pacheco.
Milwaukee Wave midfielder Tanner Hodgson (76) and San Diego Sockers defender Cesar Cerda tangle at the ball.
Milwaukee Wave defender Tony Walls (20) heads the ball in front of San Diego Sockers forward Nick Perera.
Milwaukee Wave goalkeeper Gerardo Perez (30) works with the ball against San Diego Sockers.
Milwaukee Wave goalkeeper Gerardo Perez (30) celebrates his goal late in the fourth quarter.
Milwaukee Wave midfielder Cesar Correa (15) heads the ball in front of San Diego Sockers midfielder Leonardo De Oliveira.
San Diego Sockers forward Tavoy Martin (9) walks away angrily and Milwaukee Wave forward Ian Bennett (26) is restrained by goalkeeper William Banahene as tempers flare after the game.
Milwaukee Wave forward Andre Hayne (99) holds back San Diego Sockers midfielder Sebastian Mendez (13) in the tussle after the game.
San Diego Sockers and Milwaukee Wave players exchange words.
1 / 20
Milwaukee Wave hosts San Diego Sockers in MASL championship series Game 1
Milwaukee Wave forward Oscar Flores (16) moves the ball past San Diego Sockers defender Cesar Cerda (29) in MASL finals Game 1 on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at the UWM Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. San Diego won, 5-4.
1 / 20
Milwaukee Wave hosts San Diego Sockers in MASL championship series Game 1
Milwaukee Wave forward Oscar Flores (16) moves the ball past San Diego Sockers defender Cesar Cerda (29) in MASL finals Game 1 on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at the UWM Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. San Diego won, 5-4.
2 / 20
Milwaukee Wave hosts San Diego Sockers in MASL championship series Game 1
Milwaukee Wave midfielder Alex Steinwascher (44) controls the ball.
3 / 20
Milwaukee Wave hosts San Diego Sockers in MASL championship series Game 1
Milwaukee Wave forward Andre Hayne (99) plays the ball with his head.
4 / 20
Milwaukee Wave hosts San Diego Sockers in MASL championship series Game 1
Milwaukee Wave midfielder Alex Sanchez (80) shoots past two San Diego Sockers defenders.
5 / 20
Milwaukee Wave hosts San Diego Sockers in MASL championship series Game 1
Milwaukee Wave midfielder Shawn Azcueta (6) stretches to block a shot by San Diego Sockers forward Tavoy Martin.
6 / 20
Milwaukee Wave hosts San Diego Sockers in MASL championship series Game 1
Milwaukee Wave forward Ian Bennett (26) and defender Stuart Grable (12) celebrate with midfielder Cesar Correa after he scored the team’s first goal.
7 / 20
Milwaukee Wave hosts San Diego Sockers in MASL championship series Game 1
San Diego Sockers goalkeeper Chris Toth (1) pulls the ball out of the air in front of teammate Drew Ruggles and Milwaukee Wave forward Max Ferdinand.
8 / 20
Milwaukee Wave hosts San Diego Sockers in MASL championship series Game 1
San Diego Sockers defender Cesar Cerda (29) talks with Milwaukee Wave forward Ian Bennett during the game, suggesting Wave players were flopping at the hint of a foul.
9 / 20
Milwaukee Wave hosts San Diego Sockers in MASL championship series Game 1
Milwaukee Wave forward Ian Bennett kisses the ball after scoring.
10 / 20
Milwaukee Wave hosts San Diego Sockers in MASL championship series Game 1
Milwaukee Wave forward Oscar Flores (16) heads the ball to forward Ian Bennett (26) who scored past San Diego Sockers goalkeeper Chris Toth (1), pulling the Wave within 4-3.
11 / 20
Milwaukee Wave hosts San Diego Sockers in MASL championship series Game 1
Milwaukee Wave forward Oscar Flores (16) celebrates after his header to forward Ian Bennett scored a goal.
12 / 20
Milwaukee Wave hosts San Diego Sockers in MASL championship series Game 1
Milwaukee Wave midfielder Javier Steinwascher (97) works against San Diego Sockers midfielders Sebastian Mendez (fallen) and Jesus Pacheco.
13 / 20
Milwaukee Wave hosts San Diego Sockers in MASL championship series Game 1
Milwaukee Wave midfielder Tanner Hodgson (76) and San Diego Sockers defender Cesar Cerda tangle at the ball.
14 / 20
Milwaukee Wave hosts San Diego Sockers in MASL championship series Game 1
Milwaukee Wave defender Tony Walls (20) heads the ball in front of San Diego Sockers forward Nick Perera.
15 / 20
Milwaukee Wave hosts San Diego Sockers in MASL championship series Game 1
Milwaukee Wave goalkeeper Gerardo Perez (30) works with the ball against San Diego Sockers.
16 / 20
Milwaukee Wave hosts San Diego Sockers in MASL championship series Game 1
Milwaukee Wave goalkeeper Gerardo Perez (30) celebrates his goal late in the fourth quarter.
17 / 20
Milwaukee Wave hosts San Diego Sockers in MASL championship series Game 1
Milwaukee Wave midfielder Cesar Correa (15) heads the ball in front of San Diego Sockers midfielder Leonardo De Oliveira.
18 / 20
Milwaukee Wave hosts San Diego Sockers in MASL championship series Game 1
San Diego Sockers forward Tavoy Martin (9) walks away angrily and Milwaukee Wave forward Ian Bennett (26) is restrained by goalkeeper William Banahene as tempers flare after the game.
19 / 20
Milwaukee Wave hosts San Diego Sockers in MASL championship series Game 1
Milwaukee Wave forward Andre Hayne (99) holds back San Diego Sockers midfielder Sebastian Mendez (13) in the tussle after the game.
20 / 20
Milwaukee Wave hosts San Diego Sockers in MASL championship series Game 1
San Diego Sockers and Milwaukee Wave players exchange words.
The Sockers got goals from two unlikely sources, defenders Ben Ramin and Sean Callahan, in the second quarter. Ramin’s goal was his first of the season and Callahan’s his fifth.
But two of the Wave’s most familiar names knotted the score in a span of 30 seconds straddling halftime. Forty-two-year-old forward Ian Bennett took a cross off the wall and buried it with 20 seconds left in the first half, and 39-year-old Max Ferdinand scored a run down the right side just 10 seconds after the second-half kickoff.
Sanchez’s winner came 9:34 into the third quarter on a ball neatly tucked into the upper right corner. Wave rookie forward Lucas Nesthaus, a Pewaukee native who played for Marquette University in the fall, added insurance at 6:17 of the fourth on a breakaway with a bicycle kick assist from Cesar Correa.
Perez got plenty of help from the posts and crossbar in keeping San Diego off the board.
Then Javier Steinwascher scored a long roller after the Sockers had pulled Chris Toth for a sixth attacker, and Correa connected twice into the empty net.
The Wave will be chasing its eight title after most recently winning the MASL’s Ron Newman Cup in 2019. San Diego is trying to win it 17th championship across various indoor leagues, its third in the MASL and its first since 2022.
