VICTORIA - Gagandeep Dosanjh reminded us that big-game players can do great things, as the shifty midfield-forward combo scored once in regulation and hammered home the winner in kicks from the penalty spot as the UBC Thunderbirds edged the Trinity Western Spartans in the first semifinal at the 2011 Canada West Championships Saturday afternoon at Centennial Stadium.
James Farenhorst scored the regulation goal for Trinity Western but was stopped by Thunderbirds goalkeeper Luke O'Shea on the final penalty kick in the shootout.
The teams exchanged a number of good opportunities in the opening half but neither team could find the net.
A Spartans free kick in the 7th minute of play was blasted over top of the net by Spencer Schmidt. About 20 minutes later, UBC had the best opening-half chance on a beautiful give-and-go-and-give-again play between fullback Tyson Keam who joined the rush to play small ball with Sean Haley. Haley's low curler sailed just wide of the far post.
The deadlock was broken in the 49th minute when Dosanjh streaked through, splitting the defence and taking a pass from Haley, driving the ball low to beat Spartans goalkeeper Andrew Fink and give UBC the 1-0 cushion.
"It was a good ball from Sean Haley, he deserves the credit," said Dosanjh. "He flicked the ball onto himself and made a perfect pass to my feet, he made it easy to score."
"Getting that first goal is important it forces the other team to take chances and work harder. It was huge today," he said.
But the Spartans tied the game when Farenhorst converted on a Schmidt corner kick, driving the ball home on a beautiful header in the 63rd minute
Dosanjh, a constant thorn in the side of the Spartans defence, thought he scored UBC's second goal in the 76th minute but the referee ruled he had fouled Trinity Western's goalkeeper Fink and disallowed the goal.
A handball call on Trinity Western at the top of the 18-yard box in the 83rd minute, but Navid Mishinchi's shot sailed over the crossbar and out of play.
O'Shea made two big saves in the final five minutes of regulation, robbing Schmidt inside the box and stopping Liam McAllister's header in the fina minute.
Nothing changed in the two periods of extra time with few chances. UBC lost Miguel Michelena midway through overtime as he was sent off with a red card for a boot to the face of Spartans player Brayden Gant. It was a physical affair with 31 fouls in total.
In the kicks from the penalty spot, Brendan Bonifacio, Marco Visintin, Devin Gunenc and Dosanjh scored for UBC, while Kent O'Connor hit the the joint of the crossbar and goalpost. Gant, going off O'Shea then the post and then in, Shawn Parkes and Goran Vitic scored on penalty kicks for the Spartans, with Schmidt and Farenhorst being stopped by O'Shea.
On his game-winning kick from the penalty spot, Dosanjh said he knew what he wanted to do as he approached the ball.
"I knew I was going to score," he said. "I'm happy, all the boys worked hard today, there were no individuals and this was truly a team win. No matter who we play tomorrow we have to play to our potential, play our own game because I think we're a team capable of beating anyone."
O'Shea, who was the difference in regulation, said he was proud of his team and happy for the win.
UBC advances to the Canada West championship final against the Alberta Golden Bears with the winner going to CIS national tournament.
