USL PRO Combine Recap
Saturday, January 26, 2013
BRADENTON, Fla. – Former Victoria Highlanders forward Sasa Plavsic scored a pair of goals to lead Team 3 to a 3-2 victory against Team 4 in the Saturday morning scrimmages at the 2013 USL PRO Combine presented by Umbro at IMG Academy. All the goals came in the second half, with Plavsic scoring his side’s first two goals before Adrian Pena netted the winner.
Team 4 had the better of the early exchanges, and Eduardo Arroyo had the first good chance of the game, only to see his half-volley from 25 yards go wide of the right post. Team 3 eventually settled into the game, their first glimpse of an opening coming five minutes last as Juan Lozoya’s good run in from the right flank was picked out by Philip Suprise’s pass, only for goalkeeper Bret Mollon to react quickly off his line to block.
Team 4 had the better chances before the halftime break, though, and could have taken the lead seven minutes before halftime. Moses Aduny was able to break into the right side of the penalty area, but instead of shooting, he attempted to cross for Uche Onyeador, and the opportunity went to waste.
Team 3 would take the lead early in the second half when Peter Bow stole possession in the attacking third and played in a good pass for Plavsic to open the scoring. Joseph Toby almost added to the lead with a good volley as he arrived late in the penalty area from left back, but Team 4 was able to get back on level terms as Colby Bauer volleyed in a good finish from the center of the penalty area.
Team 4 then took the lead, Aduny making up for his earlier error when he decided to cut into the penalty area and curled a shot into the back of the net. Plavsic soon got his side back on even terms, however, and then Pena scored what would prove to be the winning goal from close range late on.
TEAM 1 2, TEAM 2 0: Goals in either half by Riley Sumpter and Steven Miller game Team 1 victory in the opening scrimmage of the season, with both players putting in good performances in addition to their goals.
Team 2 had started the brighter of the teams early, Jordan Roylance almost breaking in behind the defense, only to get tracked down before he could get away a shot. Former River City Rovers standout Dillon Tufty had a similar opportunity, but took a little too much time before shooting as the chance went awry.
Team 1’s first chance came to Chris Tsonis, who shot high and wide from the right side of the penalty area on the turn, but things turned around when a group of late first-half substitutes was brought on. One of those, Sumpter, forced a save from Team 2’s Dustin Butcher soon after his arrival, and he opened the scoring three minutes before the halftime break with a good low shot into the left corner.
Miller then added to the lead 10 minutes into the second half, a deflected through-ball coming to the former Cincinnati King before he put away a good finish into the left corner. Team 2 tried to find a way back into the game, but Team 1 defenders Malcolm Calbert and Shawn Ferguson both had solid performances to held their side record a shutout.
TEAM 5 0, TEAM 6 0: Neither side was able to find the back of the net as the final scrimmage of the morning session finished goalless.
Both sides played well in the opening half, but neither side was able to find much in the way of an attacking edge when they got to the final third. Ferretty Sousa had the best chance of the half for Team 5, but his shot from 25 yards went wide of the left post.
The game opened up more in the second half, Team 5’s Leigh Veidman almost getting on the end of a through ball, only to be denied by Corey Whisenhunt coming quickly off his line. Veidmen had the ball in the back of the net a few minutes later, only for the offside flag to be raised.
Team 6’s main threat came from down the right-hand side, where full back Dan Nederoed made some good overlapping runs. Nederoed’s low cross through the penalty area after he had created space for himself was just too far in front of his forwards to finish 20 minutes in, and Nederoed also created a good chance for Rene Garay that forced a good save by Vinny Papageorgiou.
In the end, however, neither side was able to break the deadlock, Team 5’s other good chance being sent over the crossbar by Ryan Asare-Bediako as they were unable to cap a good half with a goal.