March 17, 2011
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The Notre Dame men’s soccer team fell to the Mexico Under-17 National Team, 2-1, on Thursday night in front of 2,324 fans at Alumni Stadium. Junior midfielder Michael Rose (Severna Park, Md./Severna Park) netted the lone goal for the Irish.
“It was a very close game,” said Irish head coach Bobby Clark. “The shots were even and the saves were fairly close. Of course we are a little bit disappointed because this is the first time in six years we have lost to Mexico. There is always disappointment when you lose.”
Similar to last year’s match with the Mexico Under-20 team, it didn’t take long for Notre Dame to jump on the board, scoring in the 11th minute of play. Brendan King (Naperville, Ill./Edison Academic Center (Fla.)) set up the goal as Richard Sanchez saved a shot into open space, where Rose awaited an easy tap in.
Mexico knotted the match up ten minutes later as Daniel Casillas ripped a shot from just inside the end line that moved past goalkeeper Will Walsh (Morristown, N.J./Delbarton) and deflected off of Irish defenseman Michael Knapp (Arlington, Texas/Jesuit), who had come back to help on the play.
Mexico then claimed the lead for good as Eduardo Fierro gathered in a cross from Pablo Tostado at the six-yard box, beating Walsh to the right side of the net.
Neither team was able to establish many threats in the second half, but each did enjoy one strong scoring chance. Mexico took advantage of a breakdown in the Notre Dame box in the 78th minute and Fierro attempted to net his second goal of the match from inside the 18-yard box but Walsh turned it aside.
The Irish had their chance to even the score late in the 89th minute as Kyle Richard (Louisville, Ky./Saint Xavier) gathered in a blocked shot from Dillon Powers (Plano, Texas/Plano Senior) but sailed the shot up and over the crossbar.
The Mexico match marked Notre Dame’s opening contest of the 2011 spring season. Tonight was the sixth time the Fighting Irish have faced a Mexican National Team and marks the first time the Irish have lost to them. Notre Dame defeated the Mexico Under-17 squad twice before tonight’s matchup, winning 1-0 in 2005 and 5-0 in 2006.
“It was a great game because it shows us what we are going to sharpen up on and it gave us a look at a lot of new faces that we hadn’t seen in the fall,” stated Clark. “It was a great opportunity to play a very good team in front of a packed Alumni Stadium and the vuvuzelas made it like a mini-World Cup.”
The Irish return to the pitch Saturday, March 26 starting at 5:00 p.m. (ET) for a pair of contests against Oakland and Michigan in Detroit, Mich.
Alumni Stadium - Notre Dame, Ind.March 17, 2011
Mexico Under-17s 2 0 2Notre Dame 1 0 1
ND: Michael Rose (unassisted) 10:22; MEX: Daniel Casillas (unassisted) 20:58; MEX: Eduardo Fierro (Pablo Tostado) 39:35
–ND–