#2 IUMS @ Notre Dame - 8/27/21 @ 7:00

[Class of '66 Old Fart 81,151]

Opening night in South Bend.

Game Stream

Live Stats

https://iuhoosiers.com/news/2021/8/26/mens-soccer-no-2-indiana-opens-at-notre-dame-on-friday-night.aspx?fbclid=IwAR0P_BAOGzfRszU6ob0JOLCgRzNjX_qe3m5Q2PVTeeY1WG9K9VybXygTnWU

[WayneFleekHoosier 46,831]

Nice. Really enjoy IUMS. Let’s rock n roll!


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[Hoosierfan1901 5,797]

Wooooohooooo

[Aaron 4,147]

Couldn't ask for a better test to open season.

Our early season competition is a bit tougher than the back end, but this is best team IU has had since 2018. I don't like all the goals they gave up in exhibition, but I expect that to be corrected fast given how stingy the D was last year and everyone is back. Getting by both our D and Celantano (who is best goalie in country arguably) is a tall feet and we must not allow it (note in 2017 we won 4-3 against Louisville in an exhibition game also, than proceeded to give up 7 goals all year and I expect similar for this season).

Having Bezerra gives us our first true bonafide scorer up front since Zavaleta in 2012 which was the last time IU won National Title. Expect close to 20 goals out of Bezerra just like you got from Zavaleta. 

I kind of like the build of this team better than any since Jerry Yeagley was here, with both an elite D and elite forward for first time since the early-mid 2000's. 2017 and 2018 were stronger in the middle and D was similarly good, but as solid as Justin Rennicks and Mason Toye were they are not on level with Zavaletta or Bezerra. As for 2012, D is far better than back then.

Still some questions in midfield, but really excited to have both an elite D and elite scorer at same time for first time in maybe 15-20 years and both those things are most important when it comes to raising a banner. 

Anything short of Banner 9 will be a disappointment now given team we have. We absolutely deserve the number two ranking we have based on talent and there is zero reason not to live up to it and even get to number one most of season.

As for Notre Dame, they have one elite scorer and player in Jack Lynn who has tormented the Hoosiers for years and we much watch him like a hawk. Outside of that no one else stands out as most of the other elite players have moved on. 

[Aaron 4,147]

IU has done absolutely nothing to correct their preseason defensive woes and ND scores early. Celantano doing everything he can as he made an initial great save but Jack Lynn the ND star is unmarked to put the rebound in. How you let Lynn score easily early who is their version of Bezerra is just not IU like.

This is far and away our hardest game of year to open, much like 2018 when we lost to an elite Wake team in opener, then lost once more all season en-route to College Cup. Could easily happen again, but this unexplainable collapse of the back line early in season (same as last year that was elite) needs to be fixed ASAP. Teams are scoring on very few shots just like exhibition. Took ND two shots to score the goal which is pretty much what happened in exhibition.  

 

[Aaron 4,147]

Also McDonald started for Endeley and not sure what is up there. Glass still nursing an injury and not playing but expected that. Rest of lineup including Sarver and Mihalic what you expect.

[Aaron 4,147]

You would think having Glass back on defense would help a lot soon when he is back in lineup, but he missed second half of last year and D did not miss a beat and these are same guys.

Can't explain why the backline went from looking all world to like Amateur's in a few months.   

 

[Aaron 4,147]

Sarver looks good teaming with Bezerra he has gotten loose in back a few times. That 1-2 punch is going to cause a ton of problems this year. Now just need D to get up to seeed. 1-0 ND with just under 20 min left first half. 

[Aaron 4,147]

Celentano just saved IU another goal as an ND guy was running free behind the D again. We are lucky we have Celentano or we would have no chance this year.

D looking like 2013 right now which was by far worst in Yeagley era. Big difference is Celentano is about one million times better than Souderland our starting goalie that year.

Would be 2 or 3-0 if this was 2013 solely because of who is playing goalie. D looks no better than then. 

FYI that team had a great offense in 2013 but D was so bad they needed to win Big Ten Tourney just to get in NCAA tourney. 

[Aaron 4,147]

Endeley in.

[Aaron 4,147]

There it is! Mihalic ran free and evened it up. Bezerra, Sarver and Mihalic up front are going to make it absolutely impossible to stop us from scoring. 

Just need D to play along. 1-1 10 min left first half.

[Aaron 4,147]

Glass makes an appearence!

[Aaron 4,147]

IU tied 1-1 at half. Quite frankly Hoosiers lucky it is even as ND was far and away better team. IU was outshot 10-4 and this time that discrepancy tells story. With that said Bezerra and Sarver got behind D a couple other times and probably would of scored or at least put shot on lesser D.

Problem is this defense looks absolutely awful with multiple bad turnovers and unmarked players. Celentano will certainly bail us out at times in way goalies not named him or Trey Muse could not and can save the D at times.

With that said this D has got to be fixed as it is capable of much better and Celentano can only do so much. 

[Aaron 4,147]

ND goes back ahead as IU's D continues to look like ameteurs. IU had multiple opportunities to clear that ball and did not. 

ND leads 2-1 and it should be more. Can't go forward this year with D playing this way no matter how threatening your offense is or elite goalie you have. 

This D is just not arrived this season.

[Brass Cannon 24,068]

So far it looks like our offense and defense have both taken a step back.  

[Aaron 4,147]

4 minutes ago, Brass Cannon said:

So far it looks like our offense and defense have both taken a step back.  

Disagree. Offense is more dangerous having Bezerra, Mihalic and Sarver up top and are getting more one on one opportunities. When not playing a defense as good as ND's you are going to score plenty.

D I can't explain and it's looked like this for three games now. Not sure how same D has taken 10 steps back but it better get solved or IU won't get where they are capable. Offense and Goalie are absolutely there to be best we have had in many years. D though could be worst I have seen save 2013.

Going to be a lot of 3-2 and 5-4 type games for Indiana which is very dangerous. 

[Brass Cannon 24,068]

4 minutes ago, Aaron said:

Disagree. Offense is more dangerous having Bezerra, Mihalic and Sarver up top and are getting more one on one opportunities. When not playing a defense as good as ND's you are going to score plenty.

D I can't explain and it's looked like this for three games now. Not sure how same D has taken 10 steps back but it better get solved or IU won't get where they are capable. Offense and Goalie are absolutely there to be best we have had in many years. D though could be worst I have seen save 2013.

Going to be a lot of 3-2 and 5-4 type games for Indiana which is very dangerous. 

I get what you are saying but we’ve got one shot on goal.  Even against a good defense I feel like last years team was doing better. 

[Aaron 4,147]

Just now, Brass Cannon said:

I get what you are saying but we’ve got one shot on goal.  Even against a good defense I feel like last years team was doing better. 

Thats more the competition then the offense. ND is the best and most talented team you will play this year. You are getting behind their D fine and against difference defenses you would have plenty of shots on goal and probably even another goal if not 2.

Not worried about offense.

This defense is very worrisome and unexplainable.

[Brass Cannon 24,068]

7 minutes ago, Aaron said:

Thats more the competition then the offense. ND is the best and most talented team you will play this year. You are getting behind their D fine and against difference defenses you would have plenty of shots on goal and probably even another goal if not 2.

Not worried about offense.

This defense is very worrisome and unexplainable.

We will see. Like I said I get that ND has a good D. But 1 shot on goal to me is drifting.  We only even have 5 shots so it’s not like we are taking bad shots.  We aren’t getting them.  We also only have one corner. 

[Aaron 4,147]

Just now, Brass Cannon said:

We will see. Like I said I get that ND has a good D. But 1 shot on goal to me is drifting.  We only even have 5 shots so it’s not like we are taking bad shots.  We aren’t getting them.  

I think that is more on ND's talent. I can see what the guys are doing on the frontline and they are getting free against a better team then we will see this year. You could be right but based on preseason this offense looks ready to role against most other teams.

D looks pathetic against any competition and no clue why.