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 Andreas Davi's team started the match against a strong wind, but the coach never felt like his Milwaukee Bavarians side was up against it in their National Premier Soccer League season opener Sunday afternoon.
"Even against the wind, we were in charge of this game," Davi said.
Having the wind at their backs just added more air to the Bavarians' sails in the second half.
UW-Milwaukee midfielder Robbie Boyd (Milwaukee Marquette) gave them the lead with a splendid goal in the 55th minute, and UW-Parkside forward Cyril Simmons had a goal and an assist off the bench as the Bavarians dispatched the Quad City Eagles 3-0 in a Midwest Region match in Glendale.
Davi only had two moments of concern: First when UWM defender Luke Davey (Whitefish Bay) took a ball off the face from a yard away in the 33rd minute and had to come off with what was believed to be a concussion, then a brief bright patch for the Eagles late in the first half.
"It was never in danger. We had good possession, they had no chances in the first half," Davi said. "Then suddenly in the last 5 minutes of the first half ... we just stopped playing. And in stoppage time, they got a PK."
Marquette goalkeeper David Check (Mequon Homestead) easily saved the spot kick, and in the second half the Bavarians used their speed to wear down the Eagles, who tied the Madison 56ers 2-2 in their NPSL debut the night before.
"I don't know if Quad City was tired because of the game in Madison," said Davi, who started with a 4-2-3-1 after learning of Saturday's result but switched to a more attacking formation as the game went on. "They tried to keep up with us, but we have so much speed on top."
Boyd beat a Quad City player on the right side by chipping the ball past him with his left foot, then fired a right-footed shot into the upper corner on the left side to open the scoring in style.
"An unbelievable goal," Davi said. "A really nice goal."
Davi brought on more speed with Simmons, a change that paid off nicely.
First, Simmons provided a cross that Marquette's Chris Madsen (Brookfield Central) touched in past the Eagles keeper in the 77th. Quad City switched goalkeepers, and a poor goal kick in the 85th bounced right to Simmons, who was 35 yards out. He took a quick look, saw the keeper off his line and chipped in the long shot to make it 3-0.
Davi added two more players to the roster, midfielders Sol Caceres (Glendale Nicolet/UW-Milwaukee) and Marquette's Amilcar Herrera (Milwaukee Riverside), bringing the total to 21.
Herrera had been expected to play with the Chicago Fire's Premier Development League team this summer. Caceres, meanwhile, called Davi on Saturday night to express his interest in playing.
St. Paul Twin Stars 2, Eau Claire Aris FC 0
Karim Darbaki scored in the 31st minute, Hamad Jaman doubled the lead in the 53rd and Jules Alex Nyom made four saves for the clean sheet as the Twin Stars won on a rainy Saturday night in Eau Claire, spoiling Chris Galbraith's debut as Aris coach.
Elek Lane, a senior at Eau Claire Memorial High School, stopped four shots for Aris.
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