UCONN visits UMD (R)

Discussion in 'College & Amateur Soccer' started by terp fan, Oct 12, 2003.

  1. terp fan

    terp fan New Member

    Nov 21, 2000
    Today the second ranked Maryland Terps will take on UCONN at 1pm. The game will be broadcast live over Comcast Network. In a game note UMD will be without leading scorer Abe Thompson (foot) and their centerback Clarence Goodson out with yellow card points and a sore knee.

    http://umterps.ocsn/sports/m-soccer/spec-ret/101003aaa.html
     
  2. Sandon Mibut

    Sandon Mibut Member+

    Feb 13, 2001
    It was a good win for the Terps against a UConn team that is a shadow of its glory years of the recent past.

    Jason Garey, filling in for Thompson at forward, had two goals and reserves Nino Marcantonio and Erwin Diaz each scored.

    Here's the thing: Maryland wasn't actually that dangerous and their inability to create anything inside the 18 is glaring.

    None of their goals were a direct result of strong play in the 18, which they will need to go far in the tourney.

    Marcantonio got the first goal after taking a nice cross from, I think, Scott Buete on the left flank and getting hacked down in the edge of the penatly box. Marcantonio then stepped up and buried the PK.

    The second goal was a gift from UConn early in the second half, where a poorly cleared header by the Huskies led to a terrible back pass that Garey pounced on and finished nicely.

    The third goal was the only one of the Terps strikes where there was nice combination play though this one was a counter. Buete broke up a UConn attack with a clean tackle and calmly and quickly found Dominic Mediate on the left flank standing near the midfield stripe. Buete launched a long diagonal ball that Garey ran onto and put away to make it 3-0.

    The fourth goal involved no teamwork, but, man!, what a goal. A UConn defender hit an aimless header out of his penalty area that only made it to the edge of the 18. There, Diaz, in a crowd, took the ball down with his chest, turned and blasted a great half-volley that caught the (shooter's) left post and caromed in. That goal was as good as any you'll see in college soccer this year.

    Unfortunately, Diaz was involved in a collision with UConn GK Adam Scherman a few minutes later and hobbled off. I hope he's OK as that's a player I'd like to see Sasho give more minutes to.

    Despite giving up four goals, Schuerman really couldn't be blamed on any of them as his defense basically let him down or he had no chance or both. Offensively, UConn's best players, Fat Caesar Cuellar and U23 player Andres Rota, both left in the first half and, I don't think, ever returned. Cuellar had to be carried off (that was a site!) and his injury looked pretty bad. Rota had some nice combinations early and I'm not sure why we didn't see more of him.

    The man of the match for me was Buete, who clogged up everything in the middle of defense, combined well with the forwards and got into the attack well. He's a good player with a bright future even though he'll be a 24-year old rookie in MLS next year.

    And, while I'm sure spanking UConn on regional TV (local cable showed the match) felt good, realistically the Terps need to play better if they are going to make a return run to the Final Four, or go further.
     

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