FRISCO, Texas -- Southern Methodist University product Ugo Ihemelu will make his return to the Dallas area Sunday with the Los Angeles Galaxy for MLS Cup 2005.
After being a four-year starter for the Mustangs -- SMU is located in downtown Dallas -- Ihemelu was drafted fifth overall in the 2004 draft, a surprise to some at the time. But he has proven his detractors wrong, playing in 25 games (23 as a starter) in his rookie season.
"Ugo started out on fire, he wasn't a guy that expected to get many minutes as he got this year, having the likes of Pablo Chinchilla and Michael Umaña -- great international players from Costa Rica," said Sampson. "But Ugo with his physical ability has come in and won that position and then had a little bit of a blip in the middle of the season and gave away some unnecessary goals and made some poor decisions and we had to sit him down for a while.
"But I think he matured greatly in that period of time and won back the position. And ever since he hasn't given it up and has been making great decisions on the field," Sampson added. "He's a very, very difficult player to beat one-on-one now, becoming a good covering player, and a player now that we can play through. I think his rookie period is now behind him."
Ihemelu started all four years for SMU and was a first team all-Missouri Valley Conference selection for the Mustangs in 2004, making 14 appearances. The trip home is sweet for him as he played his college home games at SMU's Westcott Field just south of Pizza Hut Park.
"It's an exciting time just by the fact that it's the MLS Cup," said Ihemelu. "But the fact I'm going to get to play in front of my family and friends. It's very, very exciting."
The Galaxy standout calls Cedar Hill, Texas, his home which is just southwest of Dallas, joining Clint Dempsey and Daniel Hernandez of the Revolution as residents of the Lone Star State taking the field Sunday.
To start the season Ihemelu wasn't expected to make much of an immediate impact on his team but he has overcome his rookie jitters and flourished under Sampson.
"I never expected to come in and start because, honestly, the Galaxy have been a great organization -- a great club ever since the beginning of the league," said Ihemelu. "I was just looking at coming in and just doing my best to get into the starting lineup and luckily it worked out for me."
Scott Joiner is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
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