Victor Nogueira

Midfielder Danny Kelly will represent the Blast at the NPSL All-Star Game in Wichita, Kan., on Jan. 20. It will be Kelly's second appearance in the game.The American Conference, comprising the East and Central Division, will be after its seventh victory over the National Conference in nine years.Named as starters for the Americans are Cleveland's high-scoring duo of Hector Marinaro and Zoran Karic, goalie Victor Nogueira and forward Michael King of the champion Milwaukee Wave, and defenders Andy Schmetzer of Cleveland and Matt Knowles of Philadelphia.

Attached to the Milwaukee Wave are imposing numbers: Two straight championships, three in the previous four years and a first-place finish in the Major Indoor Soccer League this season that included a 22-0 home mark that made league history. No doubt impressive, but here are the only numbers that interest the Blast: one game, 60 minutes. The teams will meet at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee tonight in a one-game semifinal. From there, one team will go home and the other will move on to the MISL best-of-three championship series to face either the Philadelphia KiXX or Kansas City Comets, who play the other semifinal tonight.

Opponent: Milwaukee WaveSite: Baltimore ArenaTime: 7:05Radio: WWLG (1360 AM), WAMD (970 AM)Tickets: Many availableOutlook: In the first meeting, the Spirit fell six points behind but scored four straight goals in the final five minutes to win, 17-14. Milwaukee, 2-5 on the road, has dropped two straight and is fourth in the National Professional Soccer League's National Division. Ex-Spirit Michael King and Michael Richardson lead the Wave in scoring. Milwaukee's defense, No. 3 in the league, is anchored by Victor Nogueira, third in the NPSL with a 12.22 points-against average.

Blast coach Kevin Healey won't say it, instead choosing to have his team treat tonight's game at Milwaukee like any other. But he figures Wave coach Keith Tozer probably will. "Keith will probably say to his team that this could be a preview of the finals -- to get them going. But we won't look at it like that," Healey said. Whether it is a preview of the finals or not, tonight's match at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee shapes up as a good one. The Blast has won eight of its past nine games, and the Wave has won seven of 10. The Blast (14-8)

VS. SAN DIEGO SOCKERS* WHEN: Tomorrow night, 7:35.* WHERE: The Arena.* RADIO: WCAO-AM 600.* OUTLOOK: The Blast should be in an upbeat mood on the way back from Dallas after stopping the Sidekicks, 6-5, to post their fourth win in their last five games.Defending champion San Diego (9-9) also is on a roll, and goes into tonight's game at Cleveland with a four-game winning streak. One reason is Victor Nogueira, the only keeper in the MSL to start every game this season. The Sockers are playing a more high-pressured game, using the speed that carried them through the playoffs last season.

Blast coach Kevin Healey won't say it, instead choosing to have his team treat tonight's game at Milwaukee like any other. But he figures Wave coach Keith Tozer probably will. "Keith will probably say to his team that this could be a preview of the finals -- to get them going. But we won't look at it like that," Healey said. Whether it is a preview of the finals or not, tonight's match at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee shapes up as a good one. The Blast has won eight of its past nine games, and the Wave has won seven of 10. The Blast (14-8)

Defender Iain Fraser was the only Blast player to make the All-Major Soccer League first team, released by the league yesterday.Joining Fraser are two members of the San Diego Sockers championship team, defender Kevin Crow and goalkeeper Victor Nogueira, St. Louis Storm midfielder Preki, and forwards Zoran Karic of the Cleveland Crunch and Tatu of the Dallas Sidekicks."

The San Diego Sockers played like champions last night.With Paul Wright breaking free for two goals and goalkeeper Victor Nogueira playing like Superman, the Sockers beat the Blast, 6-3, before 4,458 at the Baltimore Arena to come within a game of advancing to their fifth straight Major Soccer League championship series."

Site: Baltimore Arena, 8:05 tonightRadio: WCAO (600 AM)Outlook: This is the 13th annual MSL All-Star Game, the first played in Baltimore. Despite its one-division format, the MSL has retained its tradition of East vs. West by splitting the seven clubs into two teams. Baltimore, Cleveland and Dallas players will make up the East squad. Cleveland F Zoran Karic, the leading MSL scorer with 30 goals and 37 assists, was the top vote-getter in the East in the balloting by the players. Dallas F Tatu (33-30--63)

When Milwaukee scored a three-pointer last night with just 16 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to take a 11-8 lead, the outlook for the Blast appeared worse than hopeless.Then Franklin "The Magician" McIntosh dug into his bag of tricks and, on a restart, chipped a three-pointer over the head of the league's best goalie, Victor Nogueira.McIntosh wasn't done. Lining up at the Baltimore Arena for another restart after Milwaukee had dominated the first minute of overtime, Franklin ricocheted a shot off a Wave defender from far outside for a 14-11 triumph.

When Milwaukee scored a three-pointer last night with just 16 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to take a 11-8 lead, the outlook for the Blast appeared worse than hopeless.Then Franklin "The Magician" McIntosh dug into his bag of tricks and, on a restart, chipped a three-pointer over the head of the league's best goalie, Victor Nogueira.McIntosh wasn't done. Lining up at the Baltimore Arena for another restart after Milwaukee had dominated the first minute of overtime, Franklin ricocheted a shot off a Wave defender from far outside for a 14-11 triumph.

Midfielder Danny Kelly will represent the Blast at the NPSL All-Star Game in Wichita, Kan., on Jan. 20. It will be Kelly's second appearance in the game.The American Conference, comprising the East and Central Division, will be after its seventh victory over the National Conference in nine years.Named as starters for the Americans are Cleveland's high-scoring duo of Hector Marinaro and Zoran Karic, goalie Victor Nogueira and forward Michael King of the champion Milwaukee Wave, and defenders Andy Schmetzer of Cleveland and Matt Knowles of Philadelphia.

Opponent: Milwaukee WaveSite: Baltimore ArenaTime: 7:05Radio: WWLG (1360 AM), WAMD (970 AM)Tickets: Many availableOutlook: In the first meeting, the Spirit fell six points behind but scored four straight goals in the final five minutes to win, 17-14. Milwaukee, 2-5 on the road, has dropped two straight and is fourth in the National Professional Soccer League's National Division. Ex-Spirit Michael King and Michael Richardson lead the Wave in scoring. Milwaukee's defense, No. 3 in the league, is anchored by Victor Nogueira, third in the NPSL with a 12.22 points-against average.

The scene was the Spirit's locker room, and Cris Vaccaro was in tears. The date was last April 9, the night the Spirit's season dissolved with yet another loss to the Harrisburg Heat."

It's Cris Vaccaro vs. Victor Nogueira. No. 1 vs. No. 2. A clash of goalies who once were traded for each other.When the Spirit visits the Milwaukee Wave tonight, Vaccaro and Nogueira again will be at opposite ends of the floor.How many times has it been? They have lost count.Vaccaro, 35, has been in pro soccer since 1980, when he came out of the University of Baltimore. Nogueira, 34, born in Africa and now a U.S. citizen, entered pro soccer in this country in 1982.Back in the summer of 1987, it wasn't Vaccaro against Nogueira but Vaccaro for Nogueira.

Defender Iain Fraser was the only Blast player to make the All-Major Soccer League first team, released by the league yesterday.Joining Fraser are two members of the San Diego Sockers championship team, defender Kevin Crow and goalkeeper Victor Nogueira, St. Louis Storm midfielder Preki, and forwards Zoran Karic of the Cleveland Crunch and Tatu of the Dallas Sidekicks."

The San Diego Sockers played like champions last night.With Paul Wright breaking free for two goals and goalkeeper Victor Nogueira playing like Superman, the Sockers beat the Blast, 6-3, before 4,458 at the Baltimore Arena to come within a game of advancing to their fifth straight Major Soccer League championship series."