USL Game Report
Saturday, January 28, 2012
BRADENTON, Fla. – Shawn Guderian earned Team Speciali a 3-3 draw against Team Neo in the second scrimmage of Saturday morning’s session at the USL PRO Combine presented by Umbro. Guderian headed home from Ernesto Marques’ cross from the right in the 66th minute, and Speciali goalkeeper Emmanual Frias made some good saves late on to keep the game tied.
Team Neo opened the game brightly, and had a goal ruled out early for offside. It was Team Speciali that got on the board first, though, as Bryce Taylor rose above his marker to head home for a 1-0 lead in the 19th minute.
Neo continued to press, though, and Brad Rose had a good overhead effort well saved by Frias in the 25th minute. Sean Reynolds went close with a diving header two minutes later, and Eli Garner was played in three minutes after that only to shoot over the crossbar after controlling well.
Garner got his side level in the 37th minute, capitalizing on a Speciali turnover to move in one-on-one and finish well past Frias. Two minutes later he put Neo ahead as Simson Rosembert’s floated free kick found him unmarked for a good header just inside the right post, giving his side a 2-1 halftime lead.
Neo continued to appear the sharper side as the second half began, Lawrence Sobah shooting just wide in the 48th minute. A minute later, Sobah was the provider as he beat his man down the left side and cut back a low cross for Rose to finish from just outside the six-yard area for a 3-1 lead.
Speciali got back into the game in the 53rd minute from a corner from the left, a deep cross finding Ryan Griffin for a header that was blocked on the line, only for Griffin to tap home the rebound. Then on their third consecutive corner following a good spell of pressure, Marquez got the ball short and floated an in-swinging cross that found Guderian 10 yards out for a header inside the right post.
Neo had chances to retake the lead late, Nestor Hernandez and Adrian Avila forcing a great double-save from Frias with six minutes to go. Frias was again on hand to make a pair of saves three minutes later as Sobah and Hernandez were denied, with Avila firing the third opportunity wide of the right post.