Kansas City
Bradley
Goal By Stephen Mannino Not Enough As Kangaroos Fall 3-1 To Bradley
10/3/2007 6:00:00 PM | Men's Soccer
Kansas City, Mo. -- It took until the 87th minute for a goal to be scored from the run of play, but the contest was decided by that point as UMKC fell 3-1 to Bradley in the final non-conference home match for the Kangaroos on the season. The first three goals - two for Bradley and one for UMKC - were scored off free kicks.
The Kangaroos had a great chance in the second minute as Ali Dorri served a ball from the left wing over the Braves defense. Brian Harris ran on to the ball at the top of the 18-yard box and took a touch before hitting a shot that ricocheted off the underside of the crossbar and back onto the field.
Harris would test the Braves defense again in the fourth minute, turning his defender at the top of the penalty area, but the Bradley keeper was able to make the save.
Against the run of play, Bradley would capitalize on a miscommunication in the Kangaroo backline in the sixth minute. Grant Campbell flighted a free-kick from 30 yards out to find Chris Cutshaw open in the six-yard box. Cutshaw turned and buried the ball in the net.
UMKC stepped up the pressure, looking for the equalizer before half, but couldn't penetrate the Bradley shell, as the Braves dropped nine men behind the ball.
In the 32nd minute, a free-kick from the left wing pulled the Kangaroos back onto level terms. Dorri served a ball into the middle, finding Stephen Mannino in the box for the strike.
At the break, each team had recorded two shots on goal, but the Kangaroos held the edge in corner kicks with five to none for Bradley, while the visitors had been whistled for 13 fouls to just five for the Blue-and-Gold.
Ken Cooper had a spectacular save to keep the game on level terms in the 60th minute, diving back and to his left to get a hand on a shot ripped from just above the penalty spot.
A free kick in the 66th minute would put Bradley back in front, as Campbell and Cutshaw linked up again. This time, the service came from 25 yards out on the left wing, with Cutshaw nodding it into the back of the net.
With the lead, Bradley fell into a defensive shell again, content to milk the clock and press forward only on the counter. The visitors added a third goal as the 87th minute wound down, as Rudy Garcia found himself wide open in the middle of the field and hit a laser to the far post.
With the loss, UMKC drops to 5-4-1 on the season. Cooper recorded four saves in the loss, falling to 2-2-1 on the year. The Kangaroos return to conference action on Saturday, taking on IUPUI in a match set for a noon (CT) kickoff.
