As Korab Syla streaked down the field next to forward Chris Nanco, he pushed the ball to the right and Nanco kicked the game-winning goal past the outstretched arms of Rutgers goalie David Greczek. Two days prior, Liam Callahan cracked a shot from near the top left side of the box to open up the scoring against UC Riverside.

Syla and Callahan both play the wing, outside midfielders in the Orange’s 3-5-2 formation, and have combined to tally two goals and three assists in four games.

Syracuse’s (3-1) wings are expected to be offensive catalysts and to rotate in as a back on defense. SU plays its first Atlantic Coast Conference game against No. 23 Louisville (3-1) at 7 p.m. on Friday at SU Soccer Stadium.

The wing position is a niche role because few NCAA teams play a 3-5-2 formation or a formation similar, Syracuse head coach Ian McIntyre said. Neither Syla nor Callahan played wingback in high school or at either of their previous colleges — Syla and Callahan transferred from Herkimer and Villanova, respectively — but with one year of experience at the position, they’re starting to settle in.

“It takes a special individual,” McIntyre said. “You have to have the physical tools for that, the aerobic capacity as well as the technique to deal with the ball.”

For SU, wings run the length of the field and often control the ball between the box and sideline. The wing on the opposite end of the field usually runs into the box looking to make a play on a cross.

Callahan and Syla are naturally outside defenders, so the offensive role is new for both. It took Callahan three seasons to get his first collegiate goal, which he scored against UC Riverside.

“At this wingback position you go into the box, you try and beat players, you have to score goals,” Callahan said of the difference. “So they ask a little more out of you.”

But one strength of Callahan’s game is his crossing ability, which meshes with the wing position and controlling the ball on the edge of the box. SU has produced 75 shots, with some of its chances coming off of services the wings play into the box.

So far SU has been able to feed crosses into the box, but against Rutgers, McIntyre also nagged Syla to get into the box rather than to send crosses. Sometimes McIntrye yelled “Make a move” or “Beat him,” referring to the Syla’s defender and Syla would drop the ball back to a teammate instead. When he did make a move, running past the Rutgers defender, Syla floated a shot right to the goalie.

“There’s always going to be chances if you get into the box,” Syla said of what he could improve on, “So definitely in practice to just get the mindset of getting in the box and get goals in.”

Pushing their play into the box means both Callahan and Syla will have a bit longer of a run to get back on defense. Wings have to get back the fastest defensively, McIntyre said, because when the ball comes back into SU’s defensive zone, one of the wings also sets up as an outside back.

In the last two seasons, SU has had a consistent but small crew of players on the wing, with Callahan, Syla and Oyvind Alseth filling the role. With Syracuse losing so much of its offense after last season, it’s getting offense from a group of players it hadn’t been.

“We’re looking for them to provide a little bit more of a scoring punch to our team this year as well as not just goals but assists,” McIntyre said.

Published on September 9, 2015 at 9:25 pm

Contact Chris: cjlibona@syr.edu | @ChrisLibonati