Men's Soccer

Sergio Camargo returns to form, deepens Syracuse men’s soccer attack

Jonathan Colon | Contributing Photographer

Sergio Camargo is providing a new element to Syracuse's attack since returning from an injury.

The day Sergio Camargo broke into the Syracuse offense, he received a pass on the right side and gave it a short run. Then he felt something pull. He dished the ball away, stopped running and exited the game minutes later.

That was Aug. 26, when Camargo pulled his hamstring in his first game with Syracuse, a 3-0 drubbing of Massachusetts. A week later, he rushed into the St. John’s game a little too quickly. He exited the game two or three minutes after entering.

“It was heartbreaking,” the senior said. “I was healthy throughout the preseason, just starting to get back. I was a little too optimistic at how well I recovered. I wasn’t ready.”

Camargo missed four games due to injury, including that St. John’s game. But in the four games since, the senior is back in full form, deepening the No. 3 Syracuse (8-1, 2-1 Atlantic Coast) offensive attack. As one of the team’s stars in ascension, Camargo adds a dimension to the midfield the Orange previously lacked.

Since returning from his torn hamstring, he’s started once. The 5-foot-6, 163-pound Camargo made his second start of the year in last week’s win at Cornell, marking the best start in program history. He has appeared in six games, including two starts.



MSOC_JonathanColonCP
Jonathan Colon | Contributing Photographer

It’s been a stop-start season for Camargo, who transferred to Syracuse from Coastal Carolina. A strong preseason positioned him well for the start of his senior year. But the injury set him, and the team’s offensive spread, a step back.

“I think something our team has been missing this year is that creative force at midfield that we had the past two seasons with Julian (Buescher),” said senior midfielder Oyvind Alseth, before Camargo had recovered. “We’ve been kind of struggling to replace that. We can’t play the style of soccer that we want to because we’re lacking what Sergio brings to the team.”

What Camargo brings is an ability to get behind defenses and create scoring opportunities. He drags central defenders out wide, opening up the field. Camargo gets Chris Nanco the ball, making “him look even more like a superstar than he already is,” Camargo said.

A quality dribbler, creative playmaker and explosive driver, Camargo provides his teammates another option. He’s added an extra dimension to an already diverse, deep midfield. His fiery play, coupled with his aggressiveness and willingness to pepper the goal, make his presence ubiquitous.

“He’s got some real quality,” said North Carolina State head coach Kelly Findley before the two teams played on Sept. 9. “I just hope he doesn’t get back (on the field) until after we play them.”

Fortunately for Findley, Camargo did not travel with Syracuse to the N.C. State game. Camargo has not yet scored in the games since, but he’s set up his teammates. Against then-No. 15 Boston College, Camargo pounced on a Chris Nanco rebound shot and took a shot of his own. The ball sprayed to Jonathan Hagman near the 18-yard box. Hagman loaded up and drilled the 50th-minute goal, lifting Syracuse to its seventh straight win.

Camargo again helped set up a game-winner three days prior, in a less noticeable situation. In the 88th minute against Hofstra, he dribbled hard toward goal, dodging a defender. His shot ricocheted into the right corner of the field, where Callahan assisted the game-winning score less than a minute later.

“We can be fine without him,” said associate head coach Jukka Masalin. “But with him, we’re going to do some things.”





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