(FREDERICTON, NB) The UNB REDS and U SPORTS No. 2 ranked Cape Breton Capers played to a 3-3 draw Friday night, at UNB's BMO Centre.
The Capers rallied from down 3-1 with goals in the 77th minute and in added time to salvage the tie.
Keji Adeniyi (London, UK) scored two of the REDS goals and was named Tim Horton's Player of the Game.
"It's a tough draw because we fought so hard in the first half," said Adeniyi. "Obviously, CBU is a terrific team. It's hard to block against them. They were coming at us constantly. It's disappointing that we didn't get the result, but it is what it is."
It was Adeniyi who opened the scoring, just seven minutes in.
He headed a cross in front of the Capers' net that sailed past Cape Breton keeper Daniel Clarke (Milton Keynes, UK).
Play was suspended in the 12th minute following a multi-player collision in front of the REDS net. The delay lasted more than 40 minutes.
When action resumed, Adeniyi and the REDS went back to work.
He scored his second of the game in the 42nd minute after some impressive work by Lars Gierull (Ottawa, ON) to get him the ball.
Jamie Nicholson (North Petheton, UK) put the Capers on the board in the 65th minute before Luke Rosettani (Ottawa, ON) restored UNB's two-goal lead in the 75th minute, a rocket of a shot over Clarke.
But just two minutes later, Ze Riberio da Cunha (Cascais, Portugal) scored to make it a 3-2 game.
In the 84th minute a red card put the REDS down a man.
The relentless Capers attack paid off in added time when Andre Beecher (Brampton, ON) drew the visitors even just moments before the final whistle.
"The second half is a win, the first half is a loss," said da Cunha. "I think the way we turned things around in terms of our attitude and our character is promising for the future. UNB was fantastic. It was a very good game for our league, one of the best we've played, both teams, but we were fortunate, and we fought hard to get those goals in the second half."
UNB is now 6-2-3 while the Capers, having already clinched first place in the Atlantic University Sport standings, are 9-0-2.
"We knew what we were coming out against and tried to do our best, defend against them and go at them," said Adeniyi. "But it wasn't enough, and it is what it is."
The Capers travel to Moncton for a Saturday contest against the Aigles Bleus. Game time is 4:15pm. The REDS play host to the STFX X-Men. Kick-off is scheduled for 5:15pm.
RECAP BY: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics
PHOTOS BY: James West/for UNB Athletics