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Syracuse head coach Ian McIntyre wouldn’t let his players slow up. Even with five minutes remaining and a 2-0 lead, McIntyre demanded high pressure. Syracuse shifted forward as Drexel switched the ball from the right to the left side of its backline, and McIntyre began to single out one of the fastest players, Francesco Pagano, to continue to chase the ball.

“Cheech, c’mon Cheech,” McIntyre shouted to midfield.

Pagano played 35 minutes off the bench and was often the focal point of the team’s attack in his collegiate debut.

“We weren’t dropping the intensity,” McIntyre said. “If anything, we kind of lifted and went to another gear.”

During the preseason, McIntyre admitted to unfairly throwing then-freshman DeAndre Kerr “in the deep end” a season ago, but a gritty player like Pagano could easily take the pressure off SU’s leading goal scorer. McIntyre’s five forwards all played together on Thursday, proving very early on that they can run his system effectively.

McIntyre’s two striker system ignited a high-pressing Syracuse (1-0) attack that led to a 2-0 victory over Drexel (0-1) in its season opener. The Orange recorded seven shots on goal and 13 total shots in the second half.

Pagano was first paired with Kerr after being subbed into the game with just over 15 minutes remaining in the first half. The duo, both tall and quick, became very reliable targets to either win aerial challenges or run onto a ball down the line.

After a quick throw in his own half along the right touchline, Noah Singelmann sent a driven ball toward Kerr, which he chested down. Through a scramble of Drexel defenders, Kerr found an opening, splitting the gap to create a give-and-go sequence with Pagano. Kerr sent the speedy freshman down the right touchline to get a touch on the ball before it sailed out for a Drexel throw.

“Having Cheech is a real asset because he is obviously very physical and athletic and he can also play when we’re missing the ball,” said SU forward Colin Biros about Pagano. “When Cheech is in there I have to pick my head up a lot more because he’s fast.”

Biros played a shift with freshman Julius Rauch in the second half, allowing him to slow down heading into the final third and play the ball more centrally as opposed to Pagano, whose attack was focused out wide.

Early in the second half, Biros received the ball roughly 30 yards away from the goal. Uncontested, Biros took his space and dribbled closer to the Drexel defenders, who forced him to his left. But behind those two Drexel defenders came the diagonal run of Rauch. The timing of Biros’ pass came off too early, and the ball trickled into the gloves of Dragons goalkeeper Cameron Sanders.

Syracuse increased its high pressure in the second half, when 31% of its possessions came in the final third, as opposed to just 11% in the first half. A big part of this increase in pressure was the Orange’s ability to take advantage of its width to deliver and connect on its crosses.

Giona Leibold had beaten his defender 1-on-1 near the left corner flag. He cut in, picked his head up and found Biros near the top of the penalty area. Biros curled an inside left-footed shot that sailed just over the crossbar.

Those services are what also made the difference in Syracuse’s 2-0 win. A set play from a Singelmann free kick found the head of Buster Sjoberg, who redirected it toward Biros for a no-look heel flick tucked in the near post. On the second, Singelmann slotted home a low shot off a corner kick from the top of the right side of the box.

“A big thing about how we play is keeping ourselves unpredictable and not making the same run whenever someone has the ball,” said Biros. “I think we have established a pretty good connection early.”

After three preseason games, McIntyre implemented the forward rotation as a trial run toward establishing the best forward duo. With each forward bringing a unique aspect to his system, it’s all about familiarity and chemistry as the season takes shape, said McIntyre.

“We started with four guys that played for us before,” McIntyre said. “There’s a lot of new faces and a lot of guys coming off the bench … and that was a great introduction.”

Published on August 27, 2021 at 12:45 am

Contact Alex: ahcirino@syr.edu