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Flyer Own-Goal the Difference in 1-0 loss to Billikens
Flyer Own-Goal the Difference in 1-0 loss to Billikens
Christopher M Rieman
Published by Chris R
10-07-2012
Flyer Own-Goal the Difference in 1-0 loss to Billikens

DAYTON (OH) -- A Dayton own-goal in the second half was all St. Louis needed to up-end the Flyers 1-0 Sunday afternoon at Baujan Field. Controlling the entire match from start to finish, the possession-oriented Billikens proved why they are a league contender -- while the Flyers struggled in all phases. SLU improves to 7-3 (1-1), while UD falls to 7-3 (1-1).

The opening moments of the match were probably UD's best possession of the afternoon, but it didn't last long and once it was gone, it by and large never returned. St. Louis, fresh off a loss to nationally-ranked Xavier on Friday evening but not too far distant from wins over Top-25 Louisville and Creighton, showcased how dominating they can be as the first half continued. Controlling approximately 90% of the first half possession, SLU knocked the ball around like they had extra players on the pitch. The ball control was gained mostly from a textbook display of weak-side service. The Billikens swung the ball from touch line to touch line with repeated success, inching their way upfield as Dayton struggled to maintain their defensive shape.

Fortunately, St. Louis chose not to test UD goalkeeper Chris Froschauer from long distance. The Bills played almost too perfect at times, insisting on walking the ball into the net rather than capitalizing on the field position already gained and ripping a shot on frame. Dayton's back line did well to keep the Billikens off the scoreboard, but the consistent pressure prevented UD from clearing balls to teammates. One by one, the clears found SLU players and another Billiken attack commenced.

Offensively, UD's tactics played squarely into SLU's strengths. Too many long balls from the back line to players lacking size up top allowed St. Louis to pick off the high stuff without any trouble. Effectively turnovers, UD played in the air when they should have been playing balls on the turf to negate SLU's height advantage.

On the run of play alone, the Bills were at least a couple goals better in the first half. Dayton did extremely well to keep the match scoreless as halftime approached. First half shots favored SLU 4-2 while Dayton earned the only corner kick of the first 45 minutes of play.

The second half was no better unfortunately as Dayton continued to ignore the obvious tactical limitations of serving long, high balls to undersized Flyer forwards. The work ethic in the midfield was also lacking. Unable to win loose balls or unwilling to go hard into tackles, St. Louis cleaned up all of the loose bounces and quickly turned the possession into movement going forward.

One of the lone bright spots was once again junior Andres Acevedo. His first half hustle repeated itself in the second half and at times became Dayton's only real threat to attack with danger. He had little help however and overall the Flyers remained largely unfocused, dis-interested, and sloppy in most areas of the game.

Froschauer did well on a couple second half saves to keep Dayton hanging on, including a one vs. one stoning of a Billiken attacking player that got behind the last Dayton defender. Another St. Louis shot hit the crossbar however, and fans could see SLU slowing but surely suffocating the Flyers with their relentless ball possession and pressure.

An unlucky ricochet in front of the box bounced into the Flyer goal for the 1-0 Billiken lead in the 74th minute. The baseline cross hit a Flyer defender and caromed past a helpless Froschauer. The Flyers couldn't afford to fall behind considering the lack of possession. Over the next 15 minutes they threatened only once or twice.

Overall, Dayton was out-shot 16-7 in the match and out-cornered 3-2. It was 90 minutes of uncompetitive apathy in many respects -- Dayton never put a solid shot on frame all day. The Billikens were far more technically gifted and played better as a unit, but the Flyers lacked fire in the belly to even make an honest game of it. It was total domination from start to finish and based on the run of play, St. Louis was three or four goals better.

UD became their own worst enemy in many respects. The tactics were ripe for disaster by playing high balls rather than working the ball on the ground and creating diagonals. Too many players stood around or ran away from teammates with possession, rather than filling into free space and running to the ball for service. With few passing lanes, Dayton had no other option but to blast a ball upfield -- balls they rarely won.

Second, Dayton's throw-ins were atrocious. Half the time they found the feet of opposing players. The other half? They were 5yd dinks to players standing on the touch line, crowded, with nowhere to go. When Dayton needed a 25-30yd change in field position by chucking a man-sized throw-in into the midfield where all the space was, no one was there to provide it.

UD also suffered from poor pressure up top by attacking players that never forced the St. Louis goalkeeper into precarious situations. On nearly every goal kick, SLU played the ball out of the back with wide open defenders standing just outside the box awaiting service. On the few times UD did pressure, they forced errant clears or bad passes that went out of bounds. But the obvious gains from those tactics were largely abandoned.

Acevedo and Froschauer were once again standouts, and did all they could given the influence they had. Against a team as talented as St. Louis however, they needed help and did not get it. Credit is due to the Flyer back line however for performing damage control on a 90-minute onslaught that could have yielded several goals. The Dayton midfield never provided the support they needed to play balls out of the back when Christopher Lemming, Maik Schoonderwoerd, and Jonathan Nelson managed to win possession in the defensive third. In some respects, the UD back line was left out to dry.

Dayton takes on nationally-ranked Xavier next Saturday in Cincinnati.
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