Coach for the U.S. Men's National Soccer Team, Bob Bradley Chats with Matt Schumacher

Soccer News:  Soccer Dreams ... and meeting the Man

Carey Schumacher and her son Matt Schumacher traveled to see the UCLA team play over Thanksgiving weekend.  An amazing meeting took place.  A young soccer player was able to meet one of his heros; the great soccer coach Bob Bradley. Here is her story:

If you were a little dude with the #1 dream of playing for the USA in a World Cup, and if you could choose anyone to meet for your birthday, who would you choose?

When Matt and I went to watch the UCLA soccer team play Dartmouth in their NCAA Sweet 16 playoff game on Sunday night, Matt wasn’t expecting that impossible wish to come true. He was just looking forward to seeing his Bruin buddies play a soccer game on the UCLA campus.  When we sat down on the cold bleachers at Drake Stadium, we glanced behind us, and there was Bob Bradley — US Men’s National Team head coach!

Matt introduced himself, shook his hand, tried (almost successfully) to get over his extreme nerves & shyness in the presence of such a soccer legend.  It turns out that Bob Bradley is friends with Matt’s coach, Roy Lassiter. Coach Bradley told Matt to say hi to Roy for him.

The game started, and our buddy Eder Arreola scored the first goal.  Chandler Hoffman and Reed Williams assisted Eder on the goal --  his first home goal for UCLA. Dartmouth equalized in the 2nd half, and the game went to a Golden Goal overtime. Neither team scored in the first overtime period, then with ten seconds left in the last overtime period, UCLA’s Joe Sofia sent in a missile of a throw-in that landed in the heart of the Dartmouth box. A Dartmouth player tried to clear it, but the header fell to the feet of Eder, and he slammed it into the net with seven seconds left.

The crowd (Matt included) went CRAZY and stormed onto the field for a well-deserved celebration. Matt found his best bud Matt Wiet (“Big Matt”), who gave “Little Matt” a HUGE Bruin Bear hug.

Next stop for the Bruins: Louisville on Saturday, December 4th.  Yes, we will be watching!