USL Game Report
Saturday, January 28, 2012
BRADENTON, Fla. – A late goal by Travis Wall earned Team Vision a 2-2 draw against Team Speciali in the second scrimmage for both teams at the USL PRO Combine presented by Umbro on Saturday afternoon at IMG Academies. Wall latched onto a good low cross from the left at the near post and finished well.
Vision had to rally from a deficit twice to earn a draw, with Speciali opening well and taking a 10th-minute lead through Bryce Taylor as he finished a good cross by Ernesto Marquez to give his side the lead.
Neither side was able to create too many opportunities following that, with Vision gradually getting into the game after a slow start. Michel Marousek was denied by Speciali goalkeeper Warren Gross on the half-hour mark, the industry of Nicholas Millington paying dividends. A minute later they equalized as Josh Northey took a long pass from midfield in stride down the left flank. His low cross flashed across the top of the six-yard area and was met at the far post by Marousek, who finished decisively.
Vision had other chances to take the lead before the break, but Gross was strong in goal for Speciali, denying Aboucarim Ndaw’s good effort from outside the penalty area just before halftime.
Team Speciali regained the lead early in the second half through a fine piece of individualism by Tyler Reinhart. Picking up the ball in the right channel, Reinhart beat a pair of defenders and cut onto his left foot, shooting low just inside the near post to restore his side’s lead.
Vision pressed for an equalizer, and Aboucarim Ndaw went close as he met Tyler Witmer’s cross with a good header, but Gross was there to make the save. Speciali’s Fabien Vorbe also had a good strike from a free kick that Brandon Heembrook smothered before Matt Friesen could pounce on a rebound.
Witmer then had another pair of chances for Vision, forcing a save from Gross and then shooting over the crossbar, but Wall’s goal allowed his side to make their late pressure tell and earn a draw.