Short manned North Texas SC draws FC Tucson

North Texas Soccer Club returned to Globe Life Park on Saturday night, playing hosts to Tucson FC. After going down a player due to a red card, North Texas SC was able to recover a goal and earn a point from the match.

North Texas SC now sit in 9th place with 11 points through 9 games and are 7 points behind 2nd place.

The Game

Beni Redzic and Edwin Cerrillo returned to the starting lineup after the previous game against Tucson. Bonilla made his first start of the season.

North Texas SC Starting XI vs. FC Tucson

Edwin Cerrillo was sent off for headbutting an FC Tucson player in retaliation in the 21st minute.

FC Tucson’s Elivelton Oliveira opened the scoring off a header from a freekick in the 45’+5′ minute.

Juan Manuel Alvarez and Collin Smith entered for Derek Waldeck and Beni Redzic respectively in the 62nd minute. Thomas Roberts made way for Alisson in the 70th minute.

Nicky Hernandez earned his first goal for North Texas SC after playing a quick “one-two” Ronaldo Damus to bring the game level in the 71st minute.

Gibran Rayo and Alex Bruce came in for Arturo Rodriguez and Ronaldo Damus respectively in the 89th minute.

Thoughts & Takeaways

Build-Up

Since Eric Quill wants his players to be prepared for the jump up to the first-team, he has also emphasized the details of building from the back during the attacking phase.

Brecc Evans and Justin Che more involved in the buildup play than they have been in previous games.

As one center-back moved forward, the other moved into the center of the field which created a V-shape formation up through the attacking third.

“We want Brecc [Evans] and [Justin] Che, who have the ability to break that line on the dribble, to just burst ahead and force somebody to step,” Eric Quill said about his center-back getting forward up the field. “Somebody is going to have to step at some point and force them to make a decision. That is when the imbalance happens and the imbalance is what we want.”

This “funnel” created a numbers advantage with the center-back carrying the ball forward and forcing the Tucson defenders to decide between attacking the advancing center-back or block a passing lane.

Intensity

While North Texas SC did defend in a low-block, defending in a 4-4-1/4-5-0, and counter-attacked in the first half after the red card. Quill had his team maintain the intensity from the first half.

“I’m super proud of our guys because if you just put that game on in the forty-fifth minute, you would’ve known we were down a man,” Eric Quill said about his team’s intensity “The pressure we put on them, the balls we won in the midfield, the chances we got, and the physical exertion and we were organized in the second half.”

The attacking profile was focused through the center and passing combinations, emphasizing the importance of possession with a man down.

North Texas SC second half passing chart (USL League One)

North Texas SC head out on the road against Greenville Triumph SC on Friday, September 25th at 6:00 PM.

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