Onyewu Discusses Maryland and Milan

It would have been an almost unbelievable ending--the humble yet powerful hometown hero rising into the air to tie a game scheduled so fans could worship at the altar of Chelsea and AC Milan's big foreign stars.

But it was not to be. Oguchi Onyewu's 92nd-minute header went just wide of the right post, and the English club escaped with a 2-1 win in Friday night's World Football Challenge exhibition at Baltimore's sold out M&T Bank Stadium. About an hour afterward, the U.S. national team's starting center back and new Milan signee spoke with a small group of journalists in the humid tunnels outside the locker rooms, discussing his move to Serie A, his return to play in the state where he grew up and the dramatic goal that almost was.

Onyewu made his Milan debut on Wednesday, entering the match against Club America after halftime but losing his mark on the 56th-minute goal that gave the Mexicans the lead. On Friday night, Milan coach Leonardo let the tension build a bit longer before inserting his new defender. As Onyewu made his way from behind the goal toward the bench in the 65th minute, those fans who knew who he was rose along with him in an almost mini-wave. He came on a couple of minutes later for veteran Alessandro Nesta, and although Chelsea scored the winning goal in the 69th, Onyewu was rather effective in his second appearance for the Rossoneri.

Onyewu was composed in distribution and sound in his marking of Chelsea's Andriy Shevchenko. His moment came two minutes into added time, when he'd already been playing as a quasi-forward as Milan searched for the equalizer. He made good contact on the corner kick, but his seven-yard header missed the mark.

"I thought I had a goal before it came off my head! It's okay. I think you guys know I don't miss those chances often. I've got to just take in stride and hopefully put the next one in," Onyewu said. "These are preseason games. They're used in preparation for the season. That doesn't mean these games aren't important, but perhaps the next time I'll be able to put it in the back of the net."

There were rumors in Baltimore that Onyewu had been offered the opportunity by Milan to address the media in a more formal setting before the game, but that he decided not to. He did, however, stop for a few minutes on the way to the team bus. Here is what the second American to play in Serie A had to say:

On his first few days with the club:

The coaching staff and the team are making me feel very comfortable and making this transition very easy for me. I feel good in the group and all we need to do now is get better results on the field.

On the difference between staying at a smaller club and playing regularly and moving to a club like Milan, knowing he'd have to fight for playing time:

I think fighting for playing time is only going to make a player better. I think throughout the years I've proven myself as a quality defender. I've never questioned my move here. I know they have quality defenders: Nesta, Thiago, everybody else. But I'm willing to put the work in to prove myself and get the playing time I think I deserve.

It's never good to watch from the bench. I'm not used to it. But I understand that I'm a new player and I've got to put my time in to get my opportunity. Players like Ronaldinho, Seedorf, everybody else on the field, they've been proven throughout the years and it's a pleasure to be on the team with them and watch them play.

On playing in Baltimore, just a few miles from where he grew up in Montgomery County, Md:

I always get a warm welcome whenever I play in D.C. or Maryland. Of course today it was sold out, so you couldn't have much better than that aside from missing that opportunity to score. But aside from that, Maryland has been great to me. It's my home town and I love playing here every chance I get.

I could have had well over 300 [friends and family] but I tried to keep it reasonable. I just kept close family and friends on the list today.

On transitioning to Italy:

I've only been to Milan for a day since signing with the team. Obviously this tour of America is going to take precedence over finding a place to live and all of that stuff. But the club is great. I'm sure they're going to give me all the help I need.

On communicating with his new teammates:

On the field football is football. You don't really need to be fluent in any language. But for the most part a lot players speak English, some of them speak French, and I'm picking up Italian as we go. So I'm guessing within four months I'll be able to speak Italian.

On his teammates:

The joke on the team is that I'm a monster in terms of my size. I bully the little guys like this around [he nudged Clarence Seedorf as the Dutchman walked behind him]. Everybody's been very good. They're a great group of guys. I really couldn't ask to be in a better situation than this in terms of the character of the players.

On the significance of his move to Milan:

I don't really think of the significance, but you guys aren't really letting me forget about that. Every time I go on a website or open a newspaper, everybody is saying how this is the most important American transfer. But, I'm not really looking at it like that. I'm looking at this individually as a big step in my career, in bettering myself to become the best player I can, and helping the U.S. national team after that.

But I am aware that this is a big club with a lot of pressure in terms of results and everything, but I'm up to the challenge and I've never backed down.