VANCOUVER, B.C. – The number one seeded UBC Thunderbirds were made to work hard against the visiting Lethbridge Pronghorns before carving out a 3-0 victory at Thunderbird Stadium on Friday evening in their Canada West men's soccer quarter-final.
UBC were frustrated in the first half by a strong defensive effort from Lethbridge but they finally found a way through thanks to a pair of penalties from
Chris Lee, with
Eric Kim sealing the deal for the Thunderbirds with seven minutes remaining.
A tough outing, but one UBC have come to expect come playoff time.
"I think it kind of went to script," UBC head coach
Mike Mosher mused after the match. "We knew they were going to come in and try and make it difficult for us, and they did. Their defending, if you watch the videos, they're sort of desperate defending, game in and game out.They get so many blocks, they block so many crosses, they deal with crosses well. They make it hard and it is a case of when, and if, can you get that first goal. Then it gets a bit easier from there.
Oliver Herbert came in and made a difference. Right away we had three great chances, probably more chances than we had in the first half alone."
Lethbridge had the first opportunity of the game just four minutes in, with
Bennett McKay forced to tip over Will Hughes' long range dipper.
Brennen Fuerst showed great skill and tenacity before firing inches past the far post for UBC's first chance of the match in the 12th minute.
That was to be as good as it got for either side in the first half, with UBC dominating possession but struggling to break down a resolute Lethbridge backline.
After registering no shots on target in the first half, UBC came out strong to start the second.
Joven Mann saw a fierce strike turned over, before substitute
Oliver Herbert flashed a shot across goal.
The Thunderbirds finally got their breakthrough just before the hour mark, but they needed a penalty to do it after
Henri Godbout was brought down in the box. Lee stepped up, sent Pronghorns keeper Armaan Thawer the wrong way and UBC had the lead.
Lee grabbed a second from the spot eight minutes later, after Ben Gingras was adjudged to have handled in the box and there was no looking back for UBC after that.
Kim removed any question of a Lethbridge comeback when he grabbed a third for the Thunderbirds in the 83rd minute, curling home a Herbert cross.
UBC will now play UFV at Thunderbird Stadium on Sunday afternoon's all-BC semi-final for a place in both next weekend's Canada West final and at this year's U SPORTS nationals.
