Huskies Fall To Talented Chinese Team, 1-0, In German Trip Finale
 BAS KISSINGEN, Germany --- The University of
Connecticut men’s soccer team dropped a 1-0 decision on Sunday to the
Chinese National Under-20 team. The game concluded UConn’s tour of
Germany that saw the Huskies post a 2-1 record.
UConn took a four-hour bus ride south into the country side
to find some competition that would test them. The Chinese team is in Germany
preparing for the Under-20 World Cup in Holland later this summer.
 The China team had the better of play in the first half
testing goalkeeper Adam Schuerman five or six times. Schuerman proved up to the
task with several diving saves to stop goal scoring opportunities. It wasn’t
until the 43rd minute that China would put one behind Schuerman. A
China corner kick, their fifth of the half, was initially cleared by Kevin
Burns. China in their typical style picked up the loose ball and quickly
counterattacked down the left side into the penalty area. Mpho Moloi got beaten
on the dribble and tripped the Chinese player in the box. The penalty kick was
sent to Schuerman’s right where the outstretched keeper got a hand on it but
could not keep it out of the net.
The second half UConn started in the same 4-4-2, but picked
up the tempo. Shortly into the half they brought Will Osorio into the midfield
and took off Bonginkosi Macala. However they adjusted to have the two flank
midfielders play like wide wings chasing chipped balls into the corners and
looking for crosses into the box. Ryan Cordeiro and David Fromayan performed
well at this task and ran themselves into exhaustion. At the 60h minute UConn
made a further offensive adjustment replacing the midfielders with Stanley Ford
and Drew Brown. UConn exerted more pressure on the Chinese.
 During the final 10 minutes of play UConn gave a valiant
effort to try to equalize. The Chinese desperate to hang on to the slim lead
gave up several careless corner kicks and throw-ins deep. Julius James moved
forward to receive these but was unable to convert. |
