Brauner, Buffalo Grove edge Mundelein
Senior Drew Brauner was on target again as Buffalo Grove's boys soccer team secured its fifth consecutive win by defeating visiting Mundelein 1-0 at Grant Blaney Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Coach Brad Abel's team didn't quite reach the attacking heights of its 4-0 triumph against Rolling Meadows on Thursday, which helped keep the Bison 3 points clear of Wheeling in the Mid-Suburban East race. But he was still pleased to come away with a good result against a quality opponent.
"Ernie (Billittier) has a terrific team, and they put us under for entire first half until we took the break to regroup - challenge the guys to tidy things up in the midfield, and try to force (Mundelein) to be more predictable in the second half," said Abel.
It's been a much easier BG team to watch lately, after the Bison started the season with 3 losses and a draw.
"In that second half, we got back to playing much better, especially in the midfield where Mundelein just dominated in the first half," Abel said.
Brauner, who bagged 2 goals against Rolling Meadows, was on the end of a well-played counter orchestrated by teammates Colin Doyle and Alex Alfaro. Brauner struck his angled shot from the right side into the far left corner at 63 minutes, much to the chagrin of Billittier.
"We played about as well as we could in the first half, and actually pretty good in the second half as well, but it was one breakdown which cost us, as we continue to have a tough time breaking through our MSL opponents," said Billittier, whose club lost to Wheeling two weeks ago in the final of the Titan Invite and will later travel to Barrington on Sept. 26. "If we got points for possession, creativity, midfield play and pace, we would have been up 3-0 at the half.
"But you don't, and in this game you have to finish your chances. Although we did so well getting into their end time after time, we just were not dynamic enough in the final third and didn't really put anything very dangerous at their keeper."
The Mustangs (6-4-1) never looked short of ideas in the attack, and with Edson Suaste and Jose Ortega at the controls, the middle of the park was owned by the visitors via quick passes, with plenty of width and pace.
"When we play like we did in the first half, we have shown we can play with the best," said Suaste. "But as good as we can possess, and move the ball, we still have some trouble in the final third, and today was a perfect example of that. Maybe if we put one in early, things open up for us and it's a different game and result. But Buffalo Grove defended well when they needed to, so they did what they had to also."
The visitors enjoyed plenty of success with their short possession game, particularly later in the first half, with Suaste and Ortega connecting with each other mostly at the near touchline while Yann Nsoga and Kenny Adiyah partnered wonderfully.
Ortega forced Bison keeper Daniel Sempoch to save his attempt at 22 minutes. Then after a nice build-up, Suaste went wide just before intermission.
With much more urgency now evident and an obvious higher work rate, the Bison opened the second period on the move. After Alfaro battered the football crossbar with a shot and Ryan Drum's free kick was parried off the line, the Bison went ahead on Brauners' eighth goal of the season.
"This was the third time we were shut out this season, but all of them were against quality opponents so I still feel very good about the way we've been playing, and especially today," said Billittier.
"You have to credit Buffalo Grove also. They defended well and kept us from testing their keeper with anything very dangerous."