UCSB’s 2010 soccer schedule is a challenging one, with the Gauchos taking on five teams ranked among the top 35 in the country.
The opponent for their final exhibition match on Friday, however, might be their toughest one of the year.
The No. 4-ranked Gauchos battle Mexico’s Under-20 national team at 7:30 p.m. at Harder Stadium in the nightcap of a doubleheader with the UCSB women’s team. The women play St. Joseph’s at 5 p.m.
Mexico is on a four-game tour of California as part of its preparation for the CONCACAF Under-20 Championship, the qualifying tournament for next year’s U20 World Cup in Colombia.
Mexico on Monday beat Cal State Bakersfield 4-2 on penalty kicks and routed Cal Poly 5-1 on Wednesday night. It concludes the tour against the Ventura County Fusion on Sunday.
After missing on several scoring chances during regulation and overtime against Bakersfield, the Mexicans caught fire in the Cal Poly match, scoring five unanswered goals after falling behind 1-0.
“Their ball possession, skill and technical speed is very good,” said Santa Barbara’s Rudy Ybarra, who helped coordinate the tour. “I think the people who come out to this game are going to see a very good soccer match. They will see two different styles of play.”
UCSB defeated Westmont 3-1 in its debut last week and Gaucho fans got a chance to see exciting new striker Sam Garza. He had a goal and an assist in a dazzling debut.
Sophomore returnee Michael Nonni also scored and looked strong out of the gate.
Coach Tim Vom Steeg hopes to get more out of athletic freshman David Opoku from Ghana.
Friday’s match will be a stern test for the Gaucho defense. Senior center back and captain Michael Boxall and new backline mates Chris Hunter and Evan McNeil figure to have their hands full scraping with quick, skillful Mexican forwards like Edson Vargas and Alan Izaguirre and midfielders Luis Alanis and Saul Gutierrez.
The Mexican players all play professionally in their country’s first division. Guadalajara clubs Chivas and Atlas have the most players on the squad with five each. Pumas is next with four.
“They train with the first team of their club and then play with the Under-20 team for their club on the weekend,” said Santa Barbara’s Marco Ybarra, a liaison with the team. “This would be like training with varsity all week and then playing in the JV game at the end of the week. The point being is that the coaching staffs know these kids are on the doorstep and they are prepping them so that they develop faster.”
Marco Ybarra noted that the players are fighting to gain roster spots for the U20 World Cup qualifying tournament. They’re also being looked at possible candidates for the Olympic team in 2012.
“These young men are not here on a picnic and enjoying a few days of vacation in southern California,” he said. “They know that these games are very important and that they have to continue to perform to show their coaching staff that they are developing and growing as young players. They know that these games represent their ticket to Colombia 2011 and London 2012.”
Last year, UCSB and Mexico’s U17 team went at each other at Harder Stadium before more than 8,000 fans. Some of the current U20 players were on that team. It was an intense game, with Mexico getting a player ejected in the first overtime period. The Gauchos won 2-1.
