PPM Sidekicks pound Calgary United

Last season, Calgary United FC was eliminated after the first game of the Professional Arena Soccer League’s North American Championships by giving up four goals to the California Cougars in the dying minutes.

This season, the defending Canadian Major Indoor Soccer League champs didn’t leave anyone in suspense. Oswaldo Medina scored just nine seconds after the match kicked off, and the PPM Sidekicks del Estado de Mexico rolled to a 10-2 win, eliminating Calgary from the Cincinnati tournament with ease.

And, 10-2 is actually a scoreline that flatter Calgary. United keeper Marcel Galaszkiewicz made several outstanding first-quarter saves to keep his team in it early — or else things would have got even more out of hand.

Callum Lowther banked a shot in off the post to tie things at 1-1, but the second place team in the Liga Mexicana then scored eight unanswered goals, before Coleman McFarlane notched a consolation marker.

The Sidekicks will now face the No. 1 San Diego Sockers in a semifinal match-up, while United FC will pack its bags for Alberta.

Alberta’s influence on the tournament isn’t done yet, though. The Sockers’ star player — Dan Antoniuk — is scheduled to return from a trial from NASL’s FC Edmonton in time for Friday’s semifinal. But Antoniuk has impressed the FCE brass. He played the full 90 in Thursday’s 1-1 draw with the University of New Mexico. If he returns Friday, he will be fatigued from playing a full outdoor game just 24 hours prior to the indoor match.