Sagu once said that allowing a goal feels like a punch in the face.
But the actual punch in the face the Blast goalkeeper took Wednesday could prove more valuable than any goal the Blast will score this postseason.
The Major Indoor Soccer League semifinal series with No. 2 seed Milwaukee got very interesting in the Blast?s 13-8 win Wednesday, when, with 1:24 to play in the fourth quarter, Wave veteran Troy Dusosky sucker-punched Sagu. Dusosky was hit with a red card, ejected and deemed ineligible for at least Sunday?s game at U.S. Cellular Arena.
“Dusosky was coming to me for intimidation. I told him to get out of my face because I can?t [leave the box],” Sagu said. “I pushed him away, and he hit me in the face.”
On top of Dusosky?s absence, the Wave is likely without its second leading scorer, Marcio Leite, who injured his left ankle in Wednesday?s game.
“For us, it?s going to be very good,” Sagu said. “Leite and Duosky are two very good players.”
As the Wave hothead left the field after the shoving match, he continued yelling at the Blast keeper, and punched and kicked doors on his way off the field.
Blast coach Danny Kelly?s first reaction to the ejection: “Good.”
“It?s going to hurt them,” Kelly said. “Anything that hurts them helps us. I don?t think the game is going to be any easier or anything like that. We know he?s a very good player, and a very big part of their team.”
Aside from Dusosky and Leite, the Wave is already without Dusosky?s brother, Todd, who has missed the entire season with an ankle injury.
But the Blast isn?t going to take the series for granted. In a rivalry series, the Blast is looking to finish the job.
“Milwaukee, they didn?t win over 20 games this season because of one player,” Kelly said. “They have a lot of depth, they have some very talented, quality players, and I?m sure they?ll be ready to play on Sunday.”
With a win Sunday, the Blast advance to next Saturday?s MISL Championship, which would be played in Milwaukee against the winner of the Detroit-Monterrey semifinal series. Should the Blast lose Sunday, the series would go to a deciding sudden-death, golden-goal session immediately following Sunday?s game.
Unless the MISL takes further action, Dusosky would be eligible for a possible golden-goal session.
