Pumas UNAM 2-2 Peñarol
Pumas 2-2 Peñarol
Olimpico Universitario (66,000)
Goal-scorers:
Vieira Luan (35,59),
Assane Diousse (40)
Cristian Rodriguez(70)
Vieira Luan (Pictured) strikes a double in a man of the match performance in league debut for Pumas UNAM
It was the big kick-off in the New World Order earlier tonight, as the world set in eyes closely on every game through-out all five divisions, and we saw a clash in Division two that took place at the Olympico Universitario as Mexican side Pumas UMAM managed by English gaffer Nick Justice, took on a strong Uruguayan side in Peñarol managed by the experienced fellow English manager James Foster.
It wasn't the first time these two managed faced off, they have previously come to battle several times before. This however was a much anticipated game which put pressure on the shoulders of both prior to kick-off for sure, however it was all set to be a cracking match with both managers having strengthened their line-ups massively prior to the big kick-off.
Let's first of all take a look at how both sides lined-up ahead of the clash in Mexico! We will start with the home side Pumas UNAM of whom went with a 4-4-2 (Diamond formation) A formation used by many in the modern era of football, it has served them relatively well in pre-season so we can only assume that is why Justice opted to stick with it for the seasons opener. So who started and who missed out? Well here was the starting eleven for the UNAM.
----------T.Koubek(85)--------
T.Tche(86)--M.Tisserand(85)--T.Letschert(83)--L.Shaw(88)
--------M.Roca(84)--------
M.Moreno(85)-----------------------------------E.Kachunga(85)
---------B.Henrichs(88)-------
--V.Luan(89)----------N.Castillo(85)
So as we could see from their line-up prior to kick-off there was in fact, ten, yes ten! New players making their Pumas UNAM debuts under new gaffer Nick Justice, with only Nicolas Castillo remaining from before his arrival in the starting eleven.
If we now take a chance to look at the opposition, Peñarol managed by James Foster who himself opted for the formation of, 4-2-3-1, we can see both managers were thinking differently prior to kick-off, so let's see how the Uruguayan side started out.
--------G.Guruceaga(83)--------
W.Barrios(85)--L.Hernandez(87)--R.Arias(83)--A.Ajeti(83)
----
W.Gragano(87)--M.Rodriguez(87)--
D.Jota(87)----------- A. Diousse(85)-----------C.Rodriguez(85)
--D.Ings(87)--
Similar to Pumas UNAM, Peñarol also had a fair few debutants in their ranks with a total of six players making their competitive debuts for James Foster and his side, so it was always going be a bit of a nervous affair with so many players not yet played a competitive game for their respective teams. So we expected a very open affair when the two sides met, so let's see how it do all unfold, shall we?
First Half
The game began very open as expected in front of a crowd of around 66,000 in the packed out Olimpico Universitario; both sides were chomping at the bit, and it was the away side who had the first shot on goal, when a great ball from Jota found Danny Ings in space but Pumas UNAM keeper Tomas Koubek, done enough to prevent his side from going 0-1 down early on.
It was fair end-to- end football in opening 15-minutes of so, the only event to take place in that time was a yellow card given to visiting defender Walter Barrios for descent towards the match official, a silly yellow that we hoped wouldn't come back to bite him later on in proceedings.
It was the 26th minute when the next big chance came and it was for the home side in the form of Chilean striker Nicolas Castillo who saw his effort diverted round the post from Guruceaga between the sticks, not long after that another chance went begging for the home side when Elias Kachunga saw his effort float into hands of the visiting keeper.
However just moments later we saw the first goal of the game in the 35th minute when debutante Vieira Luan made no mistakes with his finish from a free-kick right into the top corner of the net, no keeper in the world could of kept that out! What a finish from the Brazilian striker! Also just 10-minutes prior to half-time, what a great time to grab your first goal for the club. With the score at 1-0 it was then the visitors who decided to bite back with a few chances of their own.
Those chances came good when in the 40th minute of the game, with just five minutes to go till half-time, Penarol themselves had a free-kick in an exciting position and young 20-year-old Assane Diousse made no mistakes when he slotted the set piece into the bottom corner, 1-1! GAME ON!!!
The score-line was to remain at 1-1 as we reached the break of an exciting first half between two brilliant British managers.
H/T: 1-1
The second half kicked-off with the managers voice fresh in the mind of both sets of players, with both managers hoping to go on to an opening day victory in both their first games in charge, it started quick as you could only imagine! A silly foul from German midfielder Benjamin Henrichs sees him cautioned by the match referee, a cynical foul in a good position for the previous goal-scorer Diousse. However this time the keeper was equal to it and it remained at 1-1...for now!
However that wasn't to last long as Pumas UNAM again saw themselves with an exciting free-kick in a great position for Vieira Luan, who just like in the first-half struck a peach of a shot beating the keeper as it rounded the post and hit the inside of the net, what a lovely finish from the Brazilian! 2-1!
Both sides continued to create brilliant chances, with shots going in on both keepers, who kept both teams very much in contention to get something from the game. Pumas UNAM really could've put the game to bed when Nicolas Castillo saw his shot saved by the keeper, in what really should of been 3-1 to the home side. Would that miss come back to haunt them, at the time of year, you'd bet your life it did!
In the 75th minute striker Danny Ings saw his wicked pass fall kindly to Uruguayan midfielder Cristian Rodriguez who struck his shot nicely past the on-looking Tomas Koubek in the UNAM net, 2-2! What a game to open the season with...
Both sides had their chances to take all three points, however on this occasion both would have to share the spoils and take home a point each as it wound up all even at 2-2.
F/T: 2-2
MOTM: Vieira Luan (Pumas UNAM
We caught up with the Pumas UNAM manager Nick Justice just after the game, and also man of the match Vieira Luan... Here is what both had to say on the game.
Here is what the gaffer Nick Justice, had to say after he saw his side draw 2-2 at home to Penarol, "We knew it was going to be a hard fought game with us making so many changes prior to the seasons kick-off, I'm here for the long term project and I knew that the signings we made had one eye on that. However we went into this game on the back of a decent pre-season and some solid training sessions and we felt very much so prepared as a team ahead of kick-off and even more so after the game had finished.
We saw a few chances go begging tonight, that perhaps on another night we may have put into the back of the net, none the less we came away with a great point at this early stage and now we must have one eye on our next opponents LA Galaxy, who themselves won in their opening fixture and have a great manager and friend of mine in charge in Stephen Partington, a top manager who will know exactly where he and the Galaxy should be come the end on season, so we go again against a strong team and again go out for all three points!
All the lads done well out on the pitch tonight, but a big shout out to Luan who struck two beautiful free-kicks, but over all I'm proud of all my lads tonight."
So as you can see it appears the gaffer comes away relatively happy with a point at home and now has one eye on his sides trip to Los Angeles on Thursday against the Galaxy! Also after the game we managed to catch-up with the goalscorer and man of the match and hour, Vieira Luan, here was what the big Brazilian striker had to say on the game...
"I'm delighted with my performance, and how we played as a team tonight, we haven't played much football as an entire eleven, so it was good to come away with a point, I'm delighted to get the man of the match and my two goals...I hope this run continues and we can pick up more points along the way!
That's all from us, enjoy the read...thanks lads
