VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds continued their unbeaten start to the 2024 Canada West men's soccer season with a battling 4-2 victory over the visiting Alberta Golden Bears on Saturday evening.
The Thunderbirds took their record to four wins and two draws after a pulsating affair that saw them go up by two in the first 13 minutes through
Max Comsia and
Luke Norman, before being pegged back after an unfortunate
Bennett McKay own goal and a second of the season from last year's co-scoring leader, Marcus Velado-Tsegay.
UBC found their groove again in the second half, and a 55th minute header from
Henri Godbout and a 70th minute clincher from
Joven Mann saw the Thunderbirds come away with all three points, handing the Prairie Division leaders their first loss of the season.
"It wouldn't be us if we didn't make it difficult," UBC head coach
Mike Mosher mused after the match. "We've been harping on about getting good starts, then we get a wonderful start, we get up two, we should have been up three, maybe more. We were in great shape and then we knew they've got some good players going forward and we gave them a little bit too much space in both instances on the goals.
"We gave them too much room and if they've got good players, they hurt you and they carved themselves back in the game. A good response from us in the second half and we have the ability to bring in good quality off the bench. On the back end of a double header, that's always going to make a difference. A good start, then disappointed to let them back in, but a good reaction for the second half."
After a frustrating Friday night, that saw UBC do everything but score in the second half against Lethbridge, the Thunderbirds came out fast for this one, opening the scoring just three minutes in when Comsia rose to head home a
Chris Lee corner from a couple of yards out.
UBC doubled their lead 10 minutes later when
Bennett McKay's quick distribution after collecting an Alberta free kick saw Norman in a one-on-one with Rodane Cato. The Golden Bears midfielder knocked the ball back to his keeper, but his pass was far too short and Norman nipped in, went to goal, and finished with aplomb.
The Thunderbirds were running rampant and Godbout saw an effort saved by Liam Collens at the near post before Norman hit one inches past the far post.
Alberta pulled one back very much against the run of play in the 23rd minute and with an element of fortune thrown in. David Chung's shot was deflected off the left post, with the rebound falling to Habib Assem in front of goal. His shot then cannoned off the right post, coming back to hit off the back of McKay and over the goal line.
The goal lifted the Golden Bears and they enjoyed their best spell of pressure of the match, leveling things up on the half mark when Velado-Tsegay made it two goals in two nights, firing past McKay after some good work in the box by Jake Bosch.
Connor Mrazek's shot three minutes before half time was the only chance either side had to go into the break with the lead, but Collens held on to it well.
UBC came out strong again to start the second half, and got their reward in the 55th minute when Godbout rose superbly to head home a pinpoint Brennan Fuerst cross.
Mann then sealed the deal for UBC with 20 minutes remaining, forcing a turnover 25 yards out, then running in to finish from the edge of the box for his first goal of his college career.
After starting the season with six matches at home, UBC now head on the road for the next three matches, starting with a trip to take on the Saskatchewan Huskies in Saskatoon next Friday, September 20.
"You take what the schedule gives you and last year we were away at the start a bunch and had a good start," Mosher said. "When you go away, and it's still early enough in the school year for these guys before it gets too, too busy. But it's also a good chance for these guys to go away together and you can try and grow the bonds a little bit within the group too, so those are positives."
