SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Archie Sugg's golden goal in the 109
th minute pushed the Generals through to the Red River Athletic Conference Championship Final in a 2-1 win over three-seed LSU Shreveport.
Sugg and
Zen Cunningham found themselves nearly inside the six as time waned in the second overtime period.
Juan Buitrago played an aerial ball into the box where Cunningham redirected it towards Sugg, who headed it off the post and in.
Sugg's goal came as the cumulation to a chaotic 109 minutes of play.
The Pilots (12-5-2) had the game's first chance. In the fourth minute, David Vejsmose drove a shot goalward but it was kept off the line by a Generals' (12-3-3) defender. In the 26
th minute, the Generals returned the chance with a headed effort and it was the Pilots defense who turned the ball away from the line.
Jayden Peglar made his first stop of the game in the 37
th minute to keep the score at 0-0.
A red card in the 38
th minute against LSUS put the Pilots shorthanded heading towards the second half.
Ben McCarron broke through in the 62
nd minute, giving LSUA a 1-0 lead. Less than two minutes later, the Pilots won a penalty and Jacob Doehman equalized.
Lucas O'Donnell's effort to put LSUA back on top in the 68
th minute was denied by Sondre Liahagen-Kolnes.
In the 86
th minute, the Pilots dropped to nine players when a Pilot was booked for the second time.
Chances in overtime were few and far between. The Pilots managed the only shot on goal in the first overtime period but Peglar rebuffed the effort.
Sugg's goal sends the Generals to Saturday's RRAC Championship Final against the University of the Southwest (N.M.) at 1:30 PM.
