Griffins drop another game of inches, falling 3-1 to Lethbridge in physical affair

EDMONTON – Taking advantage of a 43^rd-minute go-ahead goal off a corner kick, the visiting Lethbridge Pronghorns held off a late-charging Griffins men's soccer team to win 3-1 in an extremely physical Canada West contest.

The match was far closer than the score indicates as MacEwan was pressing for the equalizer in eight minutes of extra time with almost everyone forward when they got caught on a 3-on-2 against giving the Horns the insurance marker they needed to close it out.

It's the first win of the season for Lethbridge, who improve to 1-1-2, while the Griffins drop back to 0-3-2.

"The league is so tight," said Griffins head coach Adam Loga of another game of inches that could have been a win, loss or draw for either team. "Anyone who comes out and watches or follows on the broadcast, every single game we've played can go either way. 

"You're just trying to find that way to create that luck for yourself. You create it through compete, hard work and togetherness, so hopefully we can continue to grow in those areas."

Lethbridge opened the scoring in just the seventh minute on a play that began off a challenge won deep in their own end. The defender wired it up the right sideline to Simon Rolfson, who sent Kai Sakaguchi in alone where he made no mistake.

It could have thrown the Griffins off, especially after they allowed a late goal a day earlier that cost them a victory against the Saskatchewan Huskies. But they instead showed remarkable resilience, equalizing just over three minutes later.

Nicolas Luczkiewicz won a battle in the box and chipped the ball back to Abhiroop Sandhu, who wired a laser through a seam of bodies that curled inside the right post. 

"It's interesting because his maturity over the last two-and-a-half years has been immense," said Loga of the third-year midfielder. "He came into the program as an 05, but late December birthday, and just seeing his growth as a person, learning a new position this year, playing two games this weekend – both in different positions – just shows his value to us. To get rewarded today was awesome."

Griffins goalkeeper Oleksandr Popravka made a highlight-reel save in the 34^th minute when he leapt to parry away Karim Bey's 40-yard cannon destined to be a bar down beauty.

But the Pronghorns gained the lead in the 43^rd when Will Hughes' corner kick to the back post was headed back into the fray by Micaiah Leach and slammed home by Simon Rolfson.

MacEwan carried more of the play in the second half but couldn't find a way to break down a tough Pronghorns back line, finishing with just three shots on goal.

Lethbridge had a couple great chances to take a 3-1 lead, but Popravka was equal to the task again making two more of his seven saves on dangerous point-blank chances by Sakaguchi in the 49^th and 66^th minutes.

Both teams complained of hand balls in the box in the second half, but both went uncalled; however, a total of nine yellow cards were assessed – two to assistant coaches – in the physical chippy affair.

Lethbridge finally salted it away in extra time on a 3-on-2 against the run of play finished off by Ziad El Hasumi.

Both teams are back in action next weekend as Lethbridge visits Thompson Rivers on Sept. 12 and UBC Okanagan Sept. 13, while MacEwan travels to play UFV and Trinity Western on the same dates, respectively.

"The boys are obviously growing and they're starting to build some resilience to them," said Loga. "Obviously, those types of intangible pieces that aren't really measurables on the scoresheet, you want them to be expedited as fast as they can, but it's new to a lot of guys. 

"The benefit is it's going in the right direction."