The team played its first match against the reserves from Estudiantes de la Plata today. For those of you who don’t follow Argentine professional soccer (there are probably a few of you), Estudiantes is one of the strongest clubs in Argentina. While they don’t garner the same international attention as Boca or River, they are one of the country’s most storied and successful clubs: World Club Champions in 1968, a slew of league championships, a first place finish last year, and a second place finish this year.
Estudiantes fielded a young but very strong reserve side – a combination of their best academy (U-18) players and young professionals, including three players who have played for the professional first team. For a Brown team that has trained together for only a week, and lacks a bit of fitness, the task proved too formidable. They were thoroughly outplayed (and at times run in circles), and lost 3-0. On the plus side, Estudiantes were fun to watch!
Here is your post-game report:
Warm-Ups: The referee asks to speak with the team captains. When he learns that Brown has two captains, he says, “Two?! But why?!?” After a brief explanation, he continues to shake his head, utterly unable to comprehend the concept.
1st minute – Estudiantes immediately finds its rhythm, moving the ball effortlessly from player to player. On the rare instance that Brown intercepts a pass, they maintain possession for only a few passes.
2nd minute – A blatanly offside player is waved on, signaling that it might be a long afternoon for the Brown backline.
15th minute – Estudiantes strike early. A corner kick finds its way through the crowded box, and an open player blasts it home from fifteen yards. 1-0 Estudiantes.
27th minute – After a nifty buildup on the left side, Estudiantes’ mullet-ed left midfielder curls in a perfect ball, which a towering forward clinically heads into the goal. 2-0 Estudiantes.
30th minute – Steve Sawyer takes a shot in the lower stomach and stays down. The Estudiantes trainer appears on the scene and administers a bizarre treatment that cannot be adequately described here—let’s just say it was a combination of groin stretching, Lamaze breathing, and an upper back massage, with whispered Spanish instructions in the ear. Athletic trainer Matt Culp is unclear what to do in this situation, so he remains on the bench, laughing.
33rd minute – A ball over the top is met by Estudiantes’ incredibly quick – but apparently offsides -- right midfielder, who skips toward goal and blasts a shot into the left side of the net. 3-0 Estudiantes.
41st minute – Paul Grandstrand saves a semi-breakaway from the left side, pushing the ball wide of the right post.
50th minute – Estudiantes’ central defender turns to striker Dylan Sheehan, who often appears fatigued, and asks, “You smoke? You no fit!”
58th minute – Another Brown player goes down, and trainer Matt Culp hustles onto the field. Once again, however, he is beaten to the scene by his new arch nemesis, the deceptively quick trainer. He politely asks the man if he can administer care to his player, and the man eventually complies.
60th – 90th minutes – Estudiantes continues to put on a clinic, missing shot after shot by several inches. Brown musters a handful of attacks, but is clearly outmatched. After the game, the players exchange “Good Games” and “Bien Hechos,” and Coach Noonan ceremoniously exchanges gifts with the opposing team’s representative.
After the match: The ever-gracious Estudiantes hosts escort the Brown team to its locker room, asking question after question about the team, the university, and life in the United States. After showering, the team enjoys a wonderful meal in the clubhouse, licks its wounds, and heads back to the hotel.
