REDS Drop U SPORTS Quarter-Final
(OSHAWA, ON) The No. 8 seeded UNB REDS pushed the top-ranked UBC Thunderbirds almost to the brink in a 4-2 loss in the quarter-finals at the U SPORTS men's soccer championship, at Ontario Tech University, in Oshawa, on Thursday evening.
UBC's Henri Godbout scored two second half goals to send the T-Birds into the semi-finals.
The game opened with UBC taking an early lead as Joven Mann scored in the 6th minute.
UNB responded in the 39th minute when Stefano D'Ambrogio leveled the score with an unassisted goal.
Just seconds before halftime, Mann struck again for UBC, making it 2-1.
The Thunderbirds maintained momentum early in the second half, with Godbout scoring two consecutive goals, the first in the 51st minute and the second at 57 minutes.
UNB's Hunter Delahunt found the net in the 80th minute, scoring a nice cross from 2nd Team All-Canadian Luke Rosettani, but it wasn't enough to overcome UBC's lead.
"UBC was a hard opponent, their level of experience at the U SPORTS Championship is unmatched," said REDS' head coach Barry Morrison. "They were able to win the first ten minutes of each half and that was the biggest difference today."
Both teams displayed offensive prowess, with UNB registering 19 shots and UBC 17.
UBC goalkeeper Bennett McKay recorded nine saves, while Mahmoud Moustafa had seven in the REDS' net.
UNB will face the host Ontario Tech Ridgebacks in a consolation semi-final on Friday. Game time is scheduled for 2:30pm Atlantic. The Ridgebacks lost to McGil, in a shootout, in their Thursday quarter-final.
RECAP AND PHOTOS BY: U SPORTS