Santa Clara pulled out a win despite playing a man down after 30 minutes in and with Ryan Cochrane off the field injured in the first half. http://santaclarabroncos.ocsn.com/sports/m-soccer/recaps/101803aaa.html Santa Clara had the run of play in the early going and scored in the 12th minute with a solid counter-attack engineered and finished by Will Weatherly (5g 1a). He received the ball just past mid-field, dribbled to the top of the box and went right to escape the impending defensive pressure. He then made a quick u-turn and played the ball to Igwe at the center of the box and made a run back to the left to receive Igwe's quick return pass and drill a left-footed shot from just inside the 18. Despite little offensive activity up to that point, Gonzaga answered back 5 minutes later when a SCU defender made a bad pass directly to a Gonzaga player to start a quick counter that resulted in a goal after two quick, well-executed passes. Things really started looking bad for SCU when Cashman drew a straight red for a rash challenge (in Gonzaga's half of the field) in the 32 minute. Shortly thereafter, Cochrane was on the ground inside Gonzaga's box clutching his ankle after being kicked in a scramble following a SCU corner. Cochrane was helped off the field, but managed to return in the second half, albeit not 100%. Surprisingly, the man dis-advantage didn't make a big difference in the game with SCU continuing to hold the run of play advantage. Frosh Eric Ustruck struck in the 64the minute with his second goal in two games. Thereafter SCU played more conservatively and finished out the game for the win. Players: Soph Kelechi Igwe may be the key to the fortunes of SCU. He's a fast, physical target forward type of player and SCU needs him to produce for the team to score goals and he did so in the first half of this game. He then sat on the bench for most of the 2nd. I'm hoping conditioning isn't an issue. Junior Will Weatherly is their leading goal-scorer and paired effectively with Igwe on their first goal. He looks like the most effective striker on the team. Freshman Eric Ustruck has become a key player, moving from spot duty at the start of the season, to starting and playing the entire game last night. With two goals in two games, that's a trend not likely to end soon. Cochrane's class, of course, is evident even when playing with a damaged ankle.
You are right. Santa Clara managed to pull a rabbit out of a hat. They controlled the game for the first 15-20 minutes. After their first goal, the game got very physical and threw them off their pace. Gonzaga goal definitely started as a defensive passing error. Fortunately Santa Clara held on throught the first half with Cochrane out and only 10 men. Looks like they were able to reorganize in the second half and win the game. With regards to Igwe, fitness not an issue. This is the coaches style of play. He pulls all his starting forwards out at the end of the first half and then puts them back in at the end of the second half whether they are playing good or not. Weatherly also subbed out in that game at the end of the half. I think this is one of the reasons they don't have high scoring games. Just when the team starts getting a rythym going the forward line is subbed out.
I don't expect that it is too serious. He came back in for the 2nd half and played conservatively (didn't go forward, even on set pieces), but he looked like he was able to move ok when he needed to.
I can see giving them a bit of a rest, but Igwe was out for *most* of the 2nd half. His replacement wasn't nearly as effective. And this was when they were tied and needed goals! I didn't notice when Weatherly went back in. Hopefully, when it's crunch time in the playoffs, Rast will re-think that approach. I mean, I can see spreading out the playing time during the year. I guess we have yet to see how Rast coaches in playoff games.
Weatherly back in with 15 minutes to play in second half, Igwe back in with 10 minutes to play. In the second half it appeared as if Coach Rast was subbing his forwards every 10 minutes to get fresh legs in the game, not necessarily to score, but to run the Gonzaga defense. I was puzzled as well by this strategy considering they needed a goal. Fortunately Ulstruck was able to capitalize on a cross from a teammate and score the winning goal.
Well, yes. Jason Cunliffe got the assist. I thought he was playing more of an mid or attacking mid position, maybe Weatherly's replacement, and I thought he did well. Zach Knight was more the direct replacement for Igwe in my mind, if not officially, and the attack didn't look as efficient going thru him. If you are suggesting that the coaching decision to sit out Igwe was justified by the result, I don't know if that the logic holds. That's correlation, not cause & effect.