Amezcua Rescues Warner Pacific With Late Goal
PORTLAND, Ore. -
Ruben Amezcua fired home a goal from eight yards away in the 87th minute to send Warner Pacific past Northwest Christian 2-1 today at Palermini Stadium.
The junior midfielder one-timed a shot after
Evgeny Potanin's effort bounced off the post and back across the front of the goal. The effort finally broke through the wall of defense that the visiting Beacons had been providing in front of goalkeeper Max Torres.
The host Knights (3-4, 2-3 CCC) gained an early advantage with a goal in the 16th minute.
Almir Celebic took a pass from
Jameson Jones and bent a shot around Torres to the far post.
NCU (0-10, 0-7 CCC) answered in the 36th minute, as Isaiah Blake cracked a shot from 18 yards that found the upper right corner.
Warner Pacific outshot the Beacons 11-4 in the second period searching for the game-winning score, but Torres and the NCU defense stood firm until the final moment.
The shot count stood at 23-11 in favor of WPC at the end of the game, and the Knights had nine corner kicks compared to four for NCU. Torres finished with nine saves for the Beacons, while Knight goalkeeper
Dorian Lair made three saves while earning the win.