Box Score
Game Highlights
Detroit didn't get the win on Wednesday night, but they were able to take Michigan down to the wire and into overtime despite having to play with 10 players for nearly 60 minutes of action. Detroit was defeated by the final score of 2-1.
Soony and Hamoody Saad scored the goals for Michigan. Soony gave the Wolverines the lead off a free kick, and Hamoody scored the game-winner in overtime off an assist by Latif Alashe. Pat Lepera (Windsor, ON/St. Joseph's Catholic) scored Detroit's goal off a throw in from Adam Bedell (Livonia, MI/Churchill).
The Titans opened up the 2010 season is a positive way. They controlled the action early, and forced Michigan's defense to kick the ball out of play just over two minutes into the game to reset.
Freshman Adam Bedell came to the sideline for the throw in, and delivered a ball that near the net. A scramble took place in front of the goal, and Ken Simon (Brighton, MI/Brighton) got a deflection to go out off the keeper giving Detroit a corner kick.
Nate Robinson (Novi, MI/Novi) launched the corner kick to the far side of the field where Simon was waiting for the header. Simon made good contact, but Michigan keeper Chris Blais was in position to make the save.
Detroit kept the pressure on Michigan and ended up with another great scoring chance. Newcomer Ya Ya Toure (Ypsilanti, MI/Willow Run) was able to break down some Michigan defenders and as others approached he hit Lepera with a nice touch pass down the left side of the field. Lepera got the ball with room and took an open shot, but Blais was once again there for the save keeping the game deadlocked at 0-0
The Wolverine offense got things together near the 30 minute mark. They had back-to-back scoring opportunities, but the Detroit defense stood up to the challenge and did not allow Michigan to take the lead.
Detroit nearly regained momentum just over 20 minutes into the game. Simon found the back of the net, but the goal would not count as the referee called Detroit offsides just before the kick.
Soony Saad scored the first goal of the game for the Wolverines with 16:56 remaining in the opening half. Saad went to the top left corner of the net off the free kick, which was just out of Martin Robertson's (Newmarket, ON/St. Andrew's College) reach giving the Wolverines the lead.
Detroit played a very physical first half and it showed up in the box score as the Titans were whistled for 12 fouls compared to just five for Michigan. UDM was forced to play a man down when Otieno Victor (Kisumu Nyanza, Kenya / Kakamega) picked up his second yellow card of the game late in the first half.
Despite being a player down, Detroit came out strong in the second half and tied the game in the 52nd minute of action. Bedell took the throw in from the right side of the field and connected with Lepera to tie the game at 1-1. Lepera scored on a header that just cleared the right post.
Soony Saad came back to give the Titans another scare in the 67th minute of action. Saad had the ball on a breakaway and Robertson came at him to make a play. Saad got the shot past the keeper, but the ball hit the left post keeping the game tied.
Michigan kept the pressure on Detroit as the Titans were forced to play a man down. Robertson was under fire for a majority of the second half. He made six saves on the night including a great stop to keep Detroit alive with less than five minutes remaining in the game.
“I thought the boys were resilient, they battled the entire game, and took them [Michigan] to the limit,” said head coach Nicholas Deren. “Playing a full hour with 10 men is difficult against any team in the country. Factor in that Michigan was playing on their home field, in their home opener and it makes it that much more difficult of a task.”
Detroit was awarded a throw in with 15 seconds remaining in the game. Bedell hustled to the sideline to take the throw. He tried the same strategy, and tried to find Lepera but they couldn't connect forcing the game into overtime.
Overtime was a battle, but Detroit eventually wore down and the Wolverines scored the game winner in the 98th minute of action. This time Hamoody Saad was the one to connect giving Michigan the 2-1 victory.
The Titans will return to action this Sunday, Sept. 5 with a game against Cincinnati.
