Maryland men’s soccer entered its season opener against UMBC looking to put its woes of last season behind it. While the Terps avoided a loss, uneasiness remains after they drew against the Retrievers Thursday night.
Looking to move on, Maryland will welcome the No. 16 Georgetown Hoyas on Sunday night.
The two programs have met 37 times in their history, with Maryland holding a dominate 30-5-2 record.
Sunday’s game will be Maryland’s home opener and should draw a raucous crowd with students back on campus. It will begin at 7:45 p.m. and air on Big Ten Plus.
Georgetown Hoyas (0-1-0, 0-0-0 Big East)
2023 record: 13-3-3, 6-1-1 Big East
The Hoyas entered 2024 with higher expectations than Maryland as the reigning Big East regular season champions. Their opening contest left them with even more disappointment than the Terps, though, as they went on the road and suffered a 2-0 loss to Pittsburgh.
Led by head coach Brian Wiese in his 18th season, Georgetown was the only Big East team ranked in the top 20 nationally heading into the season.
Players to watch
Marlon Tabora, graduate forward, No. 9 — Tabora is the Big East’s reigning Midfielder of the Year, an award he earned after putting together a stellar senior season. Tabora excelled as a playmaker, tallying eight assists, and came through in the clutch with two of his four goals being game-winners.
Maximus Jennings, senior defender, No. 2 — Jennings was selected in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft by Real Salt Lake, but returned to Georgetown where he captains the team for his senior season. Jennings is one of the team’s center backs, but is a goal threat in the air, scoring five times last season.
Zach Zengue, junior midfielder, No. 19 — Like Jennings, Zengue returns to the Hoyas after being selected in last year’s MLS draft. Zengue, a preseason all Big-East selection, is the general of the Georgetown midfield, scoring five goals and assisting six more in 2023.
Strength
Midfield. Georgetown lined up in a formation resembling a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 with a triangle of Zengue, Blaine Mabie and Joe Buck in the middle. This trio, in addition to Tabora off the wing, allows the Hoyas to hold possession in the middle of the field, as well as generate chances from outside of the box. This could cause problems for Maryland who struggled at times to maintain possession in the middle of the field against UMBC.
Weakness
Forward. While the Hoyas have plenty of players on their roster who have shown goal scoring quality, they lost Jacob Murrell — who scored a team-high seven goals last season — to DC United in the MLS SuperDraft. Their replacement against Pittsburgh was freshman Mitchell Baker, who is unproven thus far.
Three things to watch
1. Cirovski’s tactics. Maryland head coach Sasho Cirovski admitted after the draw at UMBC that the team had more success when it built up play through the midfield rather than attempting long balls over the top. Whether or not the Terps are able to successfully employ this strategy against a strong Georgetown midfield may determine their success Sunday.
2. Masereka’s impact. In the Terps’ season opener, it was clear that their most dangerous player on the ball was NAIA transfer Sadam Masereka, who showcased elite ball control, speed and agility. While he often looked dangerous throughout the contest, he was unable to score or create a chance that led to a goal. The Terps hope he can provide an offensive spark against Georgetown.
3. The back line. Maryland’s defense shuffled around a lot in their game against UMBC. Brian St. Martin, Jace Clark, William Kulvik, Alex Nitzl and Luca Costabile rotated through different spots during the contest. Regular starter Bjarne Thiesen was unavailable due to injury, but Cirovski hinted that Clark, who impressed in his debut, could remain in the back four as a wingback if Thiesen cannot return. The four Cirovski starts is something to monitor heading into Sunday night.
