Michigan struggles to connect, causing a 6-3 loss against Ohio State

With ten minutes left the Michigan men’s soccer team found a spark in its game. But it was too late to come out of the large deficit it let Ohio State build. 

On Friday, the Wolverines (5-0-4 overall, 1-0-3 Big Ten) came out physical against the fourth-ranked Buckeyes (8-0-2, 3-0-1) in a sold out Big Ten matchup. However, Michigan’s ensuing lack of cohesion led it to a 6-3 loss. 

Ohio State came out powerful, scoring its first goal not even five minutes into the game from standout midfielder Marko Borkovic. Its approach proved to be successful; quick ball movement kept the Wolverine defense on their back feet. The Buckeyes’ creative plays worked in their favor, overwhelming the previously solid defense.

 “We just didn’t defend them,” Michigan coach Chaka Daley said. “We’ve been defending very well all season. We just didn’t defend well. …And they scored three very good goals, so we have to take it on the chin.”

The shaky defense wasn’t the only area of struggle. The Wolverines weren’t able to take advantage of the opportunities they created for themselves. Throughout the first half, missed passes, lack of communication and loss of possession were common themes. 

Going into half time, Michigan was down 2-0, and it knew something needed to change. The momentum began to shift in its favor at the start of the second half, as players began to move quickly down the field, making strong plays from the wings. With a fast break and no defenders on him, junior forward Oliver Martin put the Wolverines on the scoreboard. 

Even with that surge of momentum in the second half, Michigan wasn’t able to match the Buckeyes’ strength. Ohio State responded quickly to the goal, making the score 3-1. After multiple blocked shots on goal from the Wolverines, the Buckeyes were able to capitalize on the discontinuity and score their fourth and fifth goals. 

“We have to take it as a lesson,” Daley said. “They were more intense for longer periods in the game and they found a way to win.”

Michigan sophomore midfielder Duilio Herrera, along with sophomore goalkeeper Isaiah Goldson, were the backbones of the team. Herrera was everywhere, sliding to block shots and sprinting in between passes. Even when the defense continually failed him, Goldson was often there. In the last ten minutes, graduate forward Beto Soto scored on a fast break, narrowing the gap. The Wolverines then got lucky with an Ohio State own goal as a cluster of players scrambled after a Michigan corner kick. 

Even with an impressive late-game performance, the Wolverines still weren’t fully able to capitalize on their plays. They had multiple chances at goal but struggled to find space from the Buckeye defense. 

“In the end, we’ve played 10 games, and we’ve lost one game,” Daley said. “I mean we can’t be doom and gloom. …You got to learn from it. You got to get better from it, and we have to move on.”

While Michigan’s second half performance showed it can respond to adversity and fight until the end, the Wolverines were still outplayed by their rivals. Their late second half comeback couldn’t translate into a win because there was too big of a hole to crawl out of.

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