UA club hopes to come back strong

By Franklin Brown

Arizona Daily Wildcat

If you've still got World Cup fever, your remedy will be at Udall Park Saturday at 6 p.m. and Sunday afternoon at 3.

There, the Arizona men's soccer club will take on the Big Dogs of the Metro League tomorrow and the University of Sinaloa (Mex.) team Sunday.

The UA (4-1-1) is coming off its first loss of the season, falling 4-2 to Northern Arizona University last Saturday. Against the Lumberjacks, Arizona was without defender Todd Fite and Demetry Panayi, both of whom were injured. Panayi, a midfielder, is expect-ed to play this weekend, but Fite remains injured and Paul Casertano will substitute.

Said Coach Ron Fox: "We missed our leadership in the middle of the field. And we need to work on our defense."

Fox hopes to improve his team's defense with new goalkeeper Toby Sanchez, who played in the second half of the NAU game and will practice under the tutelage of goalkeeping coach Martin Gonzalez. Gon-zalez played for Arizona from 1976 to 1983.

"The loss at NAU was good for us," Fox said. "When you win all the time, you don't see your weaknesses. We're trying to teach the players the concepts of the game, the professional psychology they need so they aren't intimidated."

Arizona defeated the Big Dogs in summer league competition.

Of the rematch, Fox said: "We've improved since then. It was a close game, and they have a lot of skilled players. If we put quick, immediate pressure on them and don't allow them to get their heads up, they won't be able to play their game."

As for the absence of Fite, Fox said: "That should not affect us much. Casertano isn't as big and quick as Fite, but he's more skilled, and the Big Dogs don't have a big striker. The Mexicans (Sinaloa) play a shorter, dribble-and-run game that should not be difficult for him to defend either."

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