Up by a goal late Sunday afternoon, the Michigan men’s soccer team found itself on the ropes as a series of late surges by Oakland threatened its lead.
But gritty play from the back line prevailed, staving off the Golden Grizzlies (0-2-0) and earning the Wolverines (2-0-0) an undefeated start to the 2024 season, 2-1.
Both sides were slow coming out of the gates, combining for just two shots in the first 25 minutes. Oakland attacked directly but struggled to get balls behind a reactive Wolverine line, while Michigan seemed eager to settle into the game before making a push.
Despite an early defensive focus, Michigan junior midfielder Rocky Perez got the offense rolling in the 13th minute, jabbing at the heart of the Oakland defense and setting up graduate forward Beto Soto for a shot toward the left post. Although Grizzlies goalkeeper Alex Flowers snapped up the attempt, the pace and intensity of the game began to pick up.
Play grew increasingly chippy, as Perez limped off after a rough head-on collision and was replaced by freshman midfielder Kamau Brame in the 23rd minute. Just a few minutes later, the enhanced physicality culminated in a yellow card for Oakland midfielder Julian Kanzler.
After 27 minutes of deadlock, Soto finally drew first blood as he sent a looping corner into a crowded box, finding senior defender Jason Bucknor midair for a header to put the Wolverines on top.
Despite the deficit, the Grizzlies pressed forward, attacking the Michigan lines aggressively. This produced a free kick just outside the Wolverines’ box and set up a curling attempt at the left side of the net that Michigan senior keeper Hayden Evans knocked down. When he lost control of the ball, however, Oakland forward Jack Klomparens took advantage, darting to the goal line for the tap-in equalizer.
“Conceding before half is never something you want to do,” Bucknor said. “But it’s always how you respond … we came into the game 0-0, we’re basically starting the second half 0-0, so we got to come out with the same energy.”
While both teams emerged from halftime with renewed energy, the Wolverines came out with extra vigor. Sophomore forward Grayson Elmquist made an immediate impact, ripping a shot just wide of the left post shortly before making an interception deep in the Grizzlies’ half.
Elmquist’s hustle was rewarded in the 55th minute as he found himself on the receiving end of a lofty Bucknor through ball, exploding through the Oakland defense and squeaking the ball past the rushing Grizzlies keeper to make the score 2-1.
As with the Wolverines’ first goal, the second only served to increase the intensity of Oakland’s offensive attack. The Grizzlies threatened late with a pair of 25-yard set pieces, both the result of sloppy play from Michigan.
“We give away too many cheap trials,” Michigan coach Chaka Daley explained. “When you’re tired, a little fatigued, you’re sticking your legs out. You’re on the wrong side of guys. When you go and try to press the ball, you’re guessing, as opposed to being tactical, you’re overrunning things.”
The Wolverines up front allowed a handful of Oakland runs into the Michigan half, but the core defensive unit was rock solid. Although the Grizzlies finished with eight shots to the Wolverine’s seven, Oakland only registered a single shot on goal, while Michigan finished with four shots on goal and two in the back of the net.
Bucknor led the defensive effort but wasn’t without help. Sophomore defender Matt Fisher, a young but impactful component of the Wolverines’ backline, made several hustle plays, including a critical clearance in the final minute.
“From a principal standpoint and the way that we want to build the culture, the hard work, the grit, the grind. The man of the match is Matt Fisher,” Daley said. “He played a full game on Thursday. He played another full game today.”
For a game where chippy play between talented offenses inevitably led to chances for both sides, the robustness of the Wolverines’ backline ultimately proved to be the difference maker. It’s still very early in the season, but if defense wins championships, Michigan is off to a strong start.
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