Maryland Soccer Improves to 3-0-1 After 4-1 Win Over South Florida

COLLEGE PARK, Maryland, Tuesday, September 6, 2016 - The Holiday Weekend would, sadly, end here.  It was a simply beautiful Monday Night, the first one in September.  The skies were all but completely clear and there was a wonderful breeze blowing.  About 3,000 happy people had gathered in 75 degree weather to watch the 7th-ranked University of Maryland Soccer Team host the University of South Florida in an important early-season match up.  Maryland broke on top 17 minutes after the match started on a 15 foot shot by Gordon Wild, but USF quickly stiffened its defense and the score stayed at 1-0 Maryland for quite some time.  About five minutes before the half, South Florida got control of the ball and kept control of the ball.  They couldn't get a good shot and the scored remained at 1-0 at the half.  When the second half started, USF regained possession and pressed their attack.  A shot came into the box and Cody Niedermeier, Maryland's 5th year Keeper, blocked it.  But control of the ball eluded him, and when it popped from his arms and rolled to his right, South Florida's Luis Garza ran onto it and blasted it home.

Maryland's entire team gathered in front of their goal after Garza tied the score, and when play resumed, Maryland was a new team.  In a little over eight minutes, they regained the lead when the always aggressive Amar Sejdic boomed a shot from beyond the 18 that easily eluded USF Keeper Spasoje Stefanovic. Later, Wild scored again, as did Maryland's Keegan Kelly.  Another goal by George Campbelll was taken away from Maryland on a very questionable off-side call.  Campbell's shot was from well beyond the 18 and was a thing of beauty.  Sebastian Elney also was denied a goal on a very nice save by Stefanovic.  The final score was Maryland 4, South Florida 1.  Maryland's defense was so stingy that Neidermeier had only two saves for the entire game, and one of those was the block that came an instant before the Garza goal.  A red card given to USF's Ricardo Gomez just after Maryland's second goal severely hamstrung the visitors, who played the final 38 minutes a man down.