A little over a day after arriving in Pensacola, Fla., New England opened its preseason schedule with a 1-0 victory over Viborg of the Danish Super League on Feb. 22.
Viborg had defeated the Columbus Crew 3-0 the previous evening.
New England controlled much of the match, and outshot the Danes 15-4, despite the absence of U.S. internationals Joe-Max Moore, Mike Burns, and Alexi Lalas, and Canadian internationals Mark Watson, Geoff Aunger, and Iain Fraser. Paul Keegan, and Imad Baba also missed the match due to injuries.
Peter Woodring had the best scoring chance of the first half, whose 20-yard shot sailed just over the crossbar.
Argentine Alberto Naveda and Brazilian Welton wowed the crowd in the second half — at one point each beat three defenders before setting up J.T. Roberts for a shot that went just wide.
In the 81st minute, Roberts fed fellow collegeiate draft pick Steve Klein on the right wing, and Klein crossed the ball into the box for Patrick Olalere, whose 15-yard low header went in at the far post for the game’s only score.
“We were well organized defensively as a unit, but we still need to develop our rhythm offensively and be more comfortable when we have possession,” said New England coach Thomas Rongen. “But having said that, we created several good scoring opportunities. We are pleased that we could represent the league well against a formidable opponent.”
New England is set to scrimmage against the Dallas Burn Feb. 25 before facing Columbus on the 28th.
Feb. 22 in Pensacola, Fla.
New England 1 Viborg (Denmark) 0. Goal: Olalere (Klein, Roberts) 81.
New England — Heaney (Coufal, 46), Chronopoulos, Wylie (G. Lalas, 46), Okaroh, George, DeBrito, Woodring (Klein, 46), Naveda, Sawatzky (Roberts, 46), Kerr (Olalere, 46), Welton.
Viborg — Lowe, Langageraard, Hansen, Henriksen, Stuker, Sorenson, Hindsberg, Glerup (Gronlund, 46), Nielsen (Vukcevic, 46), Ginnerup, Poulsen (Sommer, 46).
Att.: 2,750.