Milwaukee Goes Unbeaten Versus OstravaJune 2, 2004 OSTRAVA, CZECH REPUBLIC - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's soccer team enjoyed its finest day of its current 18-day European Trip thanks to a win and a draw versus Ostrava here Wednesday (June 2). UWM's Under 19 squad posted a 2-1 victory over the Ostrava U-19 squad while the Panther regulars played Ostrava's U-23 team to a 1-1 draw at the team's training grounds. Ostrava's main club won a Championship in Czech Republic's first division and will play in the Champions League Cup. "We played four games in two days and everyone thought we were crazy but our lads played really, reall well," UWM head coach Louis Bennett said. "We played smart, tactical soccer and we got a lot of compliments from the Ostrava people. It was just a very good day of soccer for the UWM program." UWM jumped ahead 2-0 in the U-19 game as a pair of freshman found the back of the net. Craig Mallace scored the first goal of the game after stealing a pass, and shooting three times at the Ostrava net. The home keeper stopped the first two shots but couldn't corral the third from the defender. Steve Sperl scored the eventual game-winner when he collected a Dan Horst pass and slipped it past the keeper for the 2-0 lead. Ostrava cut the lead in half with a late marker but the Panthers held on for the win. The two teams played to a first half tie in the U-23 contest before the hosts took a 1-0 lead in the 52nd minute. Milwaukee continued to battle and eventually tied the game on an Antou Jallow penalty kick midway through the second half. Cliff Ellsworth started the play when he intercepted a ball and fed a streaking Jallow. The junior had the Ostrava keeper beat, which led to a tackle and foul by the netminder. Both teams traded opportunities late in the half but could not find the net.
Milwaukee finished the Czech Republic portion of the tour on Wednesday with a 2-4-1 record. The Panthers will now enjoy three days off before a contest versus FC Feucht in Feucht, Germany on Sunday (June 6).
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