Michigan
2-0-0, 2-0-0
Michigan State
0-2-0, 0-2-0
Michigan Shuts Down Rival Spartans
2/23/2021 10:43:00 PM | Men's Soccer
» Junior Kevin Buca scored his first collegiate goal in the 34th minute, providing the difference in a 1-0 win over rival Michigan State.
» The Wolverines played the entire second half down a man after a second yellow card was shown, but the 10-man squad held Michigan State to just two shots on goal.
» Michigan improves to 2-0-0 on the season.
Site: Brighton, Mich. (Legacy Center Sports Complex)
Score: Michigan 1, Michigan State 0
Records: U-M (2-0-0, 2-0-0 B1G), MSU (0-2-0, 0-2-0 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Wed., March 3 -- vs. Penn State (Brighton, Mich.), 11 a.m.
BRIGHTON, Mich. -- A first-half goal from junior Kevin Buca combined with a commanding defensive performance from a 10-man squad led the University of Michigan men's soccer team to a hard-fought 1-0 win over rival Michigan State on Tuesday (Feb. 23) inside the Legacy Center Sports Complex.
Buca scored the lone goal of the match in the 34th minute -- his first career goal -- but a second yellow card was shown to senior Umar Farouk Osman in the 43rd minute, putting Michigan (2-0-0, 2-0-0 Big Ten) down a man for the remainder of the match. The Wolverines answered the call furiously and put on a defensive masterclass, holding the visitors to just two shots on goal.
"We were a bit unfortunate to go down a man after scoring a goal, but we had to hunker down and focus on our team defending," said head coach Chaka Daley. "We talked to them at halftime about dealing with adversity and how we were going to organize, what our sub pattern was going to be. They followed the blueprint. It took every man on the field to commit to that plan, and they did just that. All credit to them."
The first chance of the match fell to sophomore Harry Pithers, who was strong on the ball all night along the flank. His right-footed chance was headed for the top corner, but Michigan State goalkeeper Hunter Morse did well to make the diving save. Two minutes later on a set piece just outside the box, Morse again denied a scoring chance, stopping a free kick from senior Marc Ybarra.
Buca broke open the scoring in the 34th minute. Receiving a long downfield pass from Ybarra, he juked two Michigan State defenders, switched the ball over to his left foot and slotted it into the lower corner past Morse. It was his first career goal.
The Wolverines came out of halftime with the one-goal lead, but had to defend the entirety of the second half after Osman was sent off. The Spartans' best chance came in the 66th minute off the head of Jack Beck, but sophomore Owen Finnerty dove to his right to make the save. The visitors also had a chance on the break 10 minutes later, but Finnerty aggressively came off his line to steer the ball away from Michigan State's Farai Mutatu.
Michigan kept it compact at the back, rotated in fresh bodies and played the counter. Its best chance was from freshman Quin Rogers in the 81st minute, but his shot was high of the frame. The last opportunity for Michigan State (0-2-0, 0-2-0 Big Ten) came on a free kick in the 88th minute from just outside the box, but the attempt from Alex Shterenberg missed the target. The Wolverines saw out the remainder of the match to secure the clean sheet and the three points.
The Wolverines head into the first of their two byes this season, returning to the field on Wednesday, March 3 vs. Penn State at Legacy. First touch is at 11 a.m.
Team Stats
Kevin Buca (1)
Assisted By: Marc Ybarra
GOAL by MICH Buca, Kevin Assist by Ybarra, Marc.
33:49
