Penalver, Gallardo bring Mexican flair to week four players honors

TAMPA, Florida -- Fernando Penalver of the OKC Certified Lions and Jesus Gallardo of Soles de Sonora have been named as the Major Arena Soccer League 2 Offensive and Goalkeeper of the Week for play concluded this last weekend.

Penalver scored a hat trick as OKC surprised Soles de Sonora, 8-4, in the first-regular season MASL game at Oklahoma's brand new 4,500 seat OG&E Coliseum in downtown Oklahoma City. He was a key cog on the MASL 2 Chihuahua Savage which won the 2024-25 title. In seven games, had 25 points on 19 goals and 8 assists. Also added three goals and one assist in two playoff wins. Also appeared in five MASL games for the Savage, with two goals and one assist. He signed with OKC in the off season.

Gallardo, who did not play in the loss to OKC, helped Sonora earn a weekend split as he was in goal Sunday night when his club earned an 8-2 win against the Texas Spurs, despite being outshot, 24-18. He was credited with 14 saves in getting the win, his first in the MASL since he played for Sonora in the 2019-20 season. That year he appeared in 12 games, winning eight, with  a 6.33 goals against average and .640 saves percentage.

There's plenty of holiday action on tap this weekend between Christmas and New Year's, starting Saturday when the Texas Spurs are at OKC to take on the Certified Lions and the Omaha Kings finish their home-and-home with the Iowa Raptors in Cedar Rapids. Sunday, the iconic Wichita Wings will open their season at home against the improved Minnesota Blizzard, and Monday and Tuesday, Danbury, Conneticut will welcome back Spice City FC for their second season of action with back-to-back games against the Salisbury Steaks.