Buffs get Tatu-ed in exhibition

By JOHN KALTEFLEITER
The Amarillo Globe-News
Publication Date: 09/10/03

Reprinted with Permission on September 13, 2003

Tatu is perhaps a dozen years past his prime as a soccer player. Still, great things seem to happen when the 41-year-old legendary Brazilian is on the pitch with 10 other comrades.

The player/coach of the Dallas Sidekicks indoor professional soccer team scored 584 goals during his 21-year professional career and became worldly famous for shedding his shirt each time he scored.

Tuesday night, he notched an impressive assist during his team's 4-0 exhibition victory against the West Texas A&M men's soccer team at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium.

Tatu's helper was one of many highlights the crowd of 1,000 saw. WT also welcomed back three former players now with the Sidekicks, including rookie Vassar Cates, Beau Brown and Eric Flores, who scored the game-clinching goal at the 79-minute mark.

"I didn't score too many (goals) during my career here so it was good to get on the score sheet," said Flores, who played at WT from 1995-99. "It was good to come back and hook up with these guys. We're used to playing indoor, so our guys adjusted pretty well. There was a great turnout tonight."

Although the Buffs threatened but never scored, WT's defense produced a rigid effort in the first half, staving off four-of-five Sidekick shots thanks to three saves by backup goaltender Andy Young.

The Sidekicks' only goal before intermission came by way of Nick Stavrou and Patrick Shamu almost 13 minutes into the contest.

From the right side, Stavrou dumped a pass into the front of the goal where Shamu was there to receive it. The Frenchman corralled the ball, juked two WT defenders and planted it into the upper right-hand corner of the net to give the Sidekicks the early lead.

WT's Collin Mabry had an opportunity to tie it with less than 10 minutes left in the first half when he dribbled his way to within 5 yards of the Sidekicks' goal. But as Mabry was about to take the shot, he lost control of the ball, and it was cleared out to the center.

"It was great to see those guys and see that they're doing well," said WT head coach Butch Lauffer of his former players and who gave a lot of minutes to his younger players during the contest. "We had a great crowd.

"We didn't have our strongest 11 out there, but that's OK. We wanted to give some of the other guys a chance to get the experience."

Clinging to a 1-0 lead, Dallas midfielder Kenny Bundy gave the Sidekicks some breathing room when he made his way across the box just after the second half commenced.

As he trolled in front of the net, he fired a left-footed shot that struck the portion of the goal where the vertical post connects to the crossbar.

The ball ricocheted downward and Laurenco Andrade was there to tap in the rebound, upping the Sidekicks' lead to 2-0.

Then it was Tatu time.

Less than seven minutes later, Tatu skipped an impressive pass upfield to a streaking Andrade. Locked in a one-on-one, Andrade blasted the ball past Young for his second score of the night.

"He (Tatu) can still do it - he can still get around the park," said Lauffer, whose Buffs (2-0-2) return to their regular schedule at 2:30 p.m. Friday when they play Midwest Regional foe Metro State in Denver.

"He and I did a course together back in January and you could still see his intelligence," Lauffer said. "He's a true ambassador of this game."

Sidekicks 4, West Texas A&M 0

Dallas 1 3 - 4

West Texas A&M 0 0 - 0

First half-Dallas: Patrick Shamu (Nick Stavrou), 12:46.

Second half-Dallas: Laurenco Andrade (Kenny Bundy), 49:54. Andrade (Tatu), 56:13. Eric Flores (Stavrou), 79:14.

Shots-D: Juan Sastoque 2, Tatu 2, Laurenco Andrade 2, Kenny Bundy 2, Michael Curtis 2, Patrick Shamu 2, Sinisa Alebic 1, Nick Stavrou 1. WT: Joseph Alvarez 2, Collin Mabry 2, Sean Saunders 2, John Cybulski 2, Andy Cremer 1, Josh Fender 1.

Shots by period-D: 5-12-7. WT: 7-3-10.

Saves-D: Sagu 2-1-3. WT: Andy Young 3-2-5.

Corner kicks-D: 5-3-8. WT: 1-3-4.

Fouls-D: 7-4-11. WT: 2-1-3.

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