PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - - Three goals in the final 20 minutes stunned the fourth seeded Wilmington University men's soccer team, as it fell to top seeded Post, 3-2, in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament Semifinal on Friday morning on the campus of Holy Family University.
The Wildcats led the match, 2-0, after two first-half goals by Pol Romero. Post scored their first of the match in the 70th minute, tied the match in the 80th minute, and took the lead in the 86th minute to storm back and steal a victory form the Wildcats.
Wilmington most likely ends their season with a record of 10-5-5 overall. Post moves onto the CACC Tournament Championship on Sunday, looking for their fourth consecutive title, and will play Alliance who advanced via penalty kicks over Holy Family in the other semifinal.
The scoring started early for the Wildcats, setting the tone for the first half. Max Norden headed a ball down off a goalie clearance and right to Yohan Kim. Kim played it out wide to Ryuga Uchigashima on the left wing. He whipped a cross into the box and a charging Pol Romero was first to it, easily beating the goalkeeper and giving the Wildcats a 1-0 lead just 3:19 into the contest.
Max Norden cleared a ball off the line in the 10th minute and Posts' Aritz Uriate Alonso hit the woodwork in the 24th minute, keeping it at a 1-0 game.
Off a free kick in the 28th minute, Max Norden found Richard Thompson in the middle of the field. He played it forward to Yohan Kim who spun over his right shoulder with the ball in the box, but his left footed shot was stopped by the Eagles' netminder. But the rebound popped right to Pol Romero who one-timed it into the back of the net for his second of the game and the 2-0 lead in the 29th minute.
Max Norden had the final chance for the Wildcats in the first half, getting in on the left side after a forwarding pass from Mads-Emil Roestbjaerg. Norden got into the box and turned it back to his right foot, but a kick save kept it at 2-0 before the half.
Post was the aggressor to start the second half, getting the first corner and first two shots off in the first 12 minutes.
Post got on the board in the 70th minute, utilizing an offensive free kick opportunity from just outside the 18-yard box. Sergio Sanchez went around the wall and hit the inside of the right post. The ball deflected off Bas Marcus and into the back of the net to cut it to 2-1 at the 69:16 mark.
The Eagles' eighth corner of the day proved fruitful as well. Omar Florindo was left alone in the box off the corner and he headed home a bouncing ball to tie the game in the 80th minute.
The continued pressure led to another Post goal in the 86th minute, as a second chance cross from the right side found Pablo Tenorio found Andrea Berti. He redirected the cross toward the far post and gave the Eagles the lead with 4:12 showing on the scoreboard.
The Wildcats were not able to get another shot off in the game as the horn sounded and the Eagles scored the comeback victory.
The Eagles outshot the Wildcats, 17-14, including 11-6 in the second half. They also earned more corners, 9-4, than the Wildcats.
