Every time the Maryland men’s soccer team has given up a goal this season, it’s wasted little time responding.
In their season-opener against UCLA on Aug. 26, the Terps scored about three minutes after surrendering a point. Against No. 24 Georgetown on Friday, Maryland scored the game-winning goal six minutes after the Hoyas tied the contest.
It was no different in Maryland’s match against South Florida on Monday at Ludwig Field. The Bulls tied the contest at one in the 49th minute, but the Terps rallied to score twice in the ensuing 16 minutes.
No. 7 Maryland added another goal later on to beat South Florida, 4-1, for its third consecutive victory.
“I was really proud with the way we responded after they got their goal in the second half,” coach Sasho Cirovski said. “South Florida is a very talented team. We needed to make sure we were sharp with the ball and sharp with our discipline. We accomplished both of those feats. We scored some great goals today.”
The Terps (3-0-1) entered Monday coming off a 2-1 win over Georgetown in an up-tempo game. Forward Gordon Wild scored the game-winning goal with 45 seconds remaining.
Monday began at a much slower pace against the Bulls, as each team recorded four shots in the first half. But an injury to midfielder Eryk Williamson put a damper on the beginning of the match for Maryland.
While sprinting for a live ball, South Florida defender Liam McNally ran into Williamson, who fell to the field and sat there for about a minute and a half before walking to the sideline. Williamson stayed on the sideline throughout the game, but he didn’t return to the contest.
After a short team meeting on the field, the Terps broke through the Bulls’ five defenders in the 17th minute to score. Defender Chris Odoi-Atsem passed to Wild in the box. The sophomore had two defenders guarding him from the goal, so he one-touched the ball into the net with his back heel.
“I wasn’t really expecting the ball to come,” Wild said. “I was still running for that ball. I had no other choice but try to get it with the back of my heel.”
A defensive error allowed South Florida (0-2-2) to tie the match in the 49th minute, though.
Goalkeeper Cody Niedermeier dove out of goal to stop a cross into the box. He failed to control the ball, and forward Luis Garza smacked the loose ball into the goal.
After the score, the Terps got together in a team huddle, just as they did after allowing a goal against Georgetown on Friday. The Terps have three seniors on their backline and another in Niedermeier. That senior leadership has helped the Terps stayed poised in pressure situations, Cirovski said, including Monday.
“We didn’t want to let them score that early in the second half,” midfielder Amar Sejdic said. “It was a little unexpected. As soon as we did, we knew we had to up our game. We gathered together and said, ‘We can’t let this happen.’ Everyone pats each other on the back and we say, ‘Go play.'”
Maryland then pushed its tempo, and nine minutes later, Sejdic struck the ball into the top right corner of the goal from outside the box. At halftime, Cirovski challenged Sejdic to release the ball quicker, and that strategy led to the sophomore’s first goal of the year.
And the Terps didn’t let up the rest of the way.
In the 65th minute, Sejdic crossed the ball from midfield to Wild, who smacked the ball into the bottom right corner of the net. It marked Wild’s fifth score of the season, which leads the Big Ten. Then in the 87th minute, freshman midfielder Keegan Kelly hit the top right corner of the goal with a shot from way outside of the box.
Just four games into their season, the Terps have displayed their resilience with the aid of experienced players. Cirovski said that guidance will help Maryland down the stretch as it aims to compete for a national championship.
“All of our senior backs … they raised the level of intensity,” Cirovski said. “It was a team performance. Once we got a little rhythm in our play, which was challenging against a really good team, we were able to open them up a little bit. I was extremely proud of them.”
