Midfielder Bryan Perez (foreground) tied the game at 1-1 on a penalty kick.

Road-ready Roos battle to stalemate

By: David Cordill

Posted: 9/2/08

The Kangaroos bounded into the Windy City Friday night and all but tempered the vaunted Flames of the University of Illinois-Chicago (UIC) in a 2-2 draw.

The match was UMKC's first ever season opener against a ranked opponent. UIC was ranked 16th in the nation, according to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. In 2007, the Flames made it to the Elite Eight during the 2007 NCAA College Cup tournament. Eight starters from that squad are with the current team.

After the game, UMKC Head Coach Rick Benben said he relished the opportunity of coaching the Roos at Flames Field in Chicago.

"There was a huge crowd and a great atmosphere," Benben said. "It was just a great game. I really like their coach (UIC Head Coach John Trask). He's very smart."

After 110 minutes of hard fought soccer, Benben seemed satisfied with the result as well.

"Hopefully this gives us a good starting point for the rest of the season," he said. "I thought that we would play well. I think we had a really good preseason. We knew how we wanted to play."

The scoring did not begin until the second half. UIC senior midfielder, and Bosniak native, Alen Husidic, put the Flames up 1-0 with an effort from the top of the box.

UMKC got on the board in the 78th minute on junior midfielder Brian Perez's penalty kick after a Flames defender committed a foul in the box. Perez, who led the Roos in 2007 with six goals, put a ball by UIC junior netminder Jovan Bubonja for the equalizer.

Moments later, the Kangaroos struck again. Senior forward Brian Harris blasted another shot past the usually stingy Bubonja, who finished last year with a 0.56 goals against average.

"It was a great goal, shot with the left foot on the run" Benben said. "[Harris] just crushed it into the far post."

The coach said the goal was the result of "a nice combination of passing."

But Harris' tally was not enough to extinguish the Flames. UIC junior forward Baggio Husidic, the younger brother of midfielder, Alen turned the match into a family affair in the 84th minute. Husidic's penalty kick, the result of a UMKC infraction in the box, evened up the match at two goals apiece. Time eventually expired and the contest went into extra periods.

Both squads went scoreless in the two 10 minute overtime frames. Harris had a chance in the 107th minute, but his stab at the net was denied by Bubonja.

With the draw, the Kangaroos open their 2008 season at 0-0-1. Their road-heavy schedule will keep them away from home until Sept. 27, when they take on the University of Indiana Fort Wayne at Bourke Field.

Coach Benben used a basketball comparison when he talked about his team's lopsided away game slate.

"Hopefully we're like the Harlem Globetrotters and not the Washington Generals," he said.

UMKC recorded seven shots on goal in the match. UIC registered three. Kangaroo senior goalkeeper Ken Cooper chalked up one save on the evening. Bubonja finished with five for the Flames. The match is also the first opening-match draw in the history of the UMKC soccer program.

dcordill@unews.com