April 27, 2010

IU 2, Mexico 0 - Box Score

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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Goals from Tyler McCarroll and Will Bruin put a successful cap on the 2010 Indiana men's soccer spring season as the Hoosiers downed the U-20 Mexican Youth National Team by a 2-0 score in front of a crowd of 4,125 Tuesday night on Jerry Yeagley Field at Armstrong Stadium.

Indiana caps its spring season with a record of 2-0-3. This is just the second victory for IU in five meetings with the Mexican Youth Nationals, and the first since 2006. It is the first time the Hoosiers have held the internationals scoreless.

"We finished the spring on a high note, not only with the result but we also had some very good moments in our performance collectively and individually," said head coach Todd Yeagley. "We are leaving like we want to leave the spring. This is all building upon preparation for next fall. I think we made positive steps.

"I think we are much more organized defensively than we were at the start of the spring. I think we have shown we are tough to play through. Our overall tactical awareness has improved. I think our overall mental and physical toughness has improved."

The Hoosiers put up the first shot of the game when Rich Balchan launched an attempted that sailed just high, forcing Mexico goalkeeper Israel Cano to make a leaping attempt. Less than 10 minutes later McCarroll would give Indiana all the scoring it needed with his first goal of the spring season. The play began when Andy Adlard deftly weaved his way through the Mexico midfield. McCarroll saw the visitors were giving space on the left side and made a run forward, allowing Adlard to dish off the ball for McCarroll's low line drive past Cano at 30:33 in the first half.

"We got a turnover, and that left side was open the whole time," McCarroll said. "Andy played that ball through, it was a great ball, and I knew that goal would be crucial to change the momentum of the game. It was a big goal and I thought we deserved this win with how we were playing."

The team would head to the lockerrom with Indiana holding a 1-0 lead on the scoreboard, and a 5-1 advantage in shot attempts. The Hoosiers did not let up offensively or defensively as the second half began, including an attempt from Bruin at 51:21 that required every inch of Cano's fingertips for the save. Bruin would lead the attack with four shot attempts, three of which were on frame.

Mexico nearly tied things up in the 59th minute as Luis Soffner came off the line to block a ball and it bounced back to Edson Rivera for a shot attempt. Soffner would not be able to scramble back in time, but defender Daniel Kelly was in position on the far post and headed the ball out for the save.

Bruin would seal the win for Indiana in the 69th minute with his fifth goal of the spring season, heading home a cross from McCarroll. The play began back in the Mexican half of the field as Jacob Bushue played the ball up the middle before laying off to McCarroll. McCarroll again took the ball up the left side and sent in a perfect cross where Bruin was able to out-jump the defense and head the ball past sub Francisco Cuadras in the net.

Mexico stepped up its attack late in the game and had a chance to get on the scoreboard when Kelly was called for an infraction in the penalty box with under three minutes remaining. Diego De Buen took the penalty kick for Mexico but Soffner was up to the task, diving to his right for the save. De Buen was able to corral the rebound but was again denied when a Hoosier defender cleared the ball off the line.

"They were working the ball around a lot and they had a lot of possession," Soffner said. "That was fine with us as long as we kept the ball in their half of the field. Once they crossed half field we doubled them in the corners and ran half field on the outside lines, hoping to create turnovers and throw them off their game. That is exactly what we did defensively, then got the ball to our forwards and let them do their thing."