Wisconsin Soccer Central

Chances were plentiful for the Madison 56ers in the first half of Sunday's National Premier Soccer League match against the Minnesota Twin Stars.

So were misses.

"We were getting behind them and not scoring," 56ers coach Jim Launder said of his team's performance in the opening 45 minutes at Orono High School in Long Lake, Minn. "We were getting drop backs and not scoring. We were getting crosses and not scoring – we didn't score all different kinds of ways. ... You name a way, and we didn't score like that."

Thankfully for Launder's side, they got one moment of individual brilliance from a player who's scored goals in the NPSL for most of the past decade at the right time.

Jed Hohlbein (Middleton/UW) sent a free kick from 20 yards out up and over the wall and down into the lower corner of the goal in the 86th minute, giving the 56ers their second 1-1 tie in as many Midwest Region Central Conference matches this season.

After the Twin Stars (0-0-2) foiled a Madison attack, the ball found its way to Northern Illinois' Derek Ott (Middleton), who was fouled to set up the free kick converted by fellow second-half sub Hohlbein. The 31-year-old – in his third season as a player-coach – has played for the 56ers in nine of their 10 seasons, and his 60 goals are by far the team record.

"Jed sunk a really good free kick," Launder said. "It took a big dip, (there was) a huge dip on it."

Madison started slowly, with the Twin Stars taking advantage of balls given away and creating three good opportunities in the opening minutes.

"We just didn't look ready to play," said Launder, whose team nonetheless managed to keep Minnesota off the board. "We gave them a lot of chances early in the game, and then we gradually started getting into it. Then we created a ton of chances, but we couldn't finish. In the second half, the whole game kind of tightened up and not much happened."

Until the final 8 minutes, that is.

Minnesota, under new coach Alex Bunbury – the former Canadian national teamer played professionally in England, Portugal and with the Kansas City Wizards in Major League Soccer, and his son is New England Revolution striker Teal Bunbury – dealt with a long ball played by the 56ers and quickly countered.

Martin Browne flicked the ball on to Carlos Boquin, who got in and finished past Madison goalkeeper Ryan Onwukwe to give the Twin Stars the lead in the 82nd.

In its season opener last weekend, the 56ers conceded in the 86th as the Quad City Eagles made Madison pay for squandering earlier chances and savaged a 1-1 tie. This time, though, it was Hohlbein who got the goal 4 minutes from time to share the points.

"We played pretty well, really," Launder said.

The 56ers were without midfielders Keenan Newallo (injury) and Henry Aiyenero (family commitments) – both veterans started against Quad City – and Joe Watt, who suffered a concussion after coming on in the second half of the opener. Forward Carlos McCrary and defender Taylor Diem (Middleton), both coming back from Europe, also weren't available, while midfielder Sean Morgan decided to leave the team last week.

Madison also lost right back Junior Boaventura early in the second half to what Launder thought was a separated shoulder. Dominic O'Connor, who started at left midfield in the 4-2-3-1 formation, dropped back to replace Boaventura, with Ott taking over his midfield spot.

"He's a good player," Launder said of Boaventura, a 20-year-old from Switzerland. "He just doesn't get beat."

From the touchline

Next up for the 56ers is another road match, Saturday against Aris FC (0-1-0) in La Crosse. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. at the Viterbo University field. ... Maranatha Baptist's Wira Wama, a 24-year-old who made several appearances for the Papua New Guinea Under-23 team, made his 56ers debut in the second half. "He came on and he played very well," Launder said. "I've got to find more time for him." ... With Boaventura likely out, Launder said one option would be to shift UW's Carl Schneider (Madison La Follette) from center back to right back and have Diem slot into the middle. Diem, 24, was a regular for Eccleshill United in the Northern Counties East Football League Division One – the 10th division of English soccer – which finished up its season last month. "Taylor would actually help a lot, because it would give us a really experienced guy back there," Launder said. ... McCrary, a Spanish and Iberian Studies major at Creighton, has been in Spain since January and was training with a Fourth Division team, Launder said.

MADISON 56ERS (4-2-3-1): Ryan Onwukwe; Matt Barry, Drew DeLozier, Carl Schneider, Junior Boaventura (Derek Ott); Maclean Johnson, Jack Keeling; Patrick Ruhland (Wira Wama), Kiri Portou (Joe Naughton), Dominic O'Connor; George Gauld (Jed Hohlbein).