Maryland men’s soccer’s Max Rogers stood over a free kick deep in the Terps’ attacking third of the pitch against Wisconsin.
The graduate student sent the ball curling in toward the goal. Midfielder Chris Steinleitner won the first header, guiding the ball deeper into the box. Defender Bjarne Thiesen nodded in Maryland’s second goal in its 3-0 win.
Rogers’ dangerous deliveries on set pieces give the Terps a goal-scoring advantage not many teams can replicate. It’s payed off, helping No. 19 Maryland bounce back from a rough 2023 campaign.
“[Set pieces are] critically important,” coach Sasho Cirovski said. “Last year that was a weakness in our team, because we just never had the quality service throughout the year … Max is extremely consistently good at providing good service.”
Rogers, a Yale transfer, routinely took set pieces for the Bulldogs. He joined the Terps hoping to make an impact in attack, and he’s done that with his free kicks and corners.
The Terps’ ability to score on set pieces depends on the creativity and placement of Rogers’ crosses, which has turned into a priority for Maryland when it prepares for opponents.
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Maryland’s second goal against the Badgers was headed over the goal line because of Rogers’ placement.
Thiesen’s score was set-up with an inswinging cross, meaning the ball curled toward the goal line almost as if he took a shot. The Terps send multiple players to the front zone — the area at the nearest post to where Rogers takes the free kick — on those types of crosses to open a space at the back post for players like Thiesen to exploit.
The left-footed forward said he prefers to send the ball into the box with this type of cross. Placing the ball right at the six-yard box as it travels toward the goal lets him put pressure on the opposing goalie and back line.
Maryland’s height inside the box — created by William Kulvik, Thiesen and Steinleitner — leads to havoc for rival defenses. All are at least 6-foot-1, with Thiesen standing at 6-foot-5, which is why Rogers’ placement of inswingers deep into the box is vital.
“I like to sort of picture it being just inside that six-yard line,” Rogers said. “And let the big lads do the rest.”
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Rogers takes set pieces anywhere on the field. He can put in an inswinging ball from the right side, or curl in a cross traveling away from the goal when he’s on the left. The Terps have scored from two corners this year, both from outswinging balls, which curve away from the goal.
Rogers attempts to place his out-swinging crosses around the front post to draw the keeper off his line and open the goal. In Maryland’s 5-2 win over Detroit Mercy, Rogers did just that to set up Kulvik.
Maryland’s threat from set pieces extends to Rogers’ scoring capability directly off free kicks.
Rogers stood behind a free kick in the center of the pitch and placed a shot into the top-right corner to propel the Terps over Brown in their September match.
When the Terps struggle to create chances in open play, they always have a goal-scoring opportunity through set pieces.
“It’s a fantastic get out of jail card for us,” Rogers said. “Goals can be hard to come by. … We can know that we’re going to be dangerous on those set pieces, and trust that we’ll have a few looks a game at least.”
