Box Score

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Top-seed Fresno Pacific got two goals from Renato Bustamante, tying #6 Lee 2-2 in the final match of pool play which proved to be enough to advance the team to the NCCAA national semifinals.

"We were able to respond to adverse situations against a very good team today," said head coach Jaime Ramirez. "They did some very good things and they surprised us on the goal."
 
The Sunbirds (16-4-2) went down 1-0 in the 58th minute but battled back to take a 2-1 lead after Bustamante scored twice, the second one coming with the team playing a man down. Alvaro Nogales and Jorge Chedraui provided the assists. The Flames (12-4-6) knocked in the match's final goal with 50 seconds remaining to salvage the game and their season.
 
Both teams finished atop the Pool A standings, but the Flames, by virtue of goal differential over the first two games, took the top spot in the pool. The Sunbirds, with four points, still advanced as the wild card team having a higher point total than any of the other second-place finishers in the tournament's other pools.
 
Fresno Pacific came out much more aggressive in their second match of the tournament creating two clear opportunities in the first 10 minutes. Neither team was able to break through in the first half, though the Sunbirds had the majority of the play.

"I thought we had the better of the play in the first half," said Ramirez. "We had some opportunities to score and we just didn't put it in the back of the net."
 
After surrendering the first goal in the second half, FPU regained their rhythm putting Lee under almost immediately. Alvaro Nogales made a play towards goal in the box before being taken down by a Lee defender. Gustavo Silva and Adrian Arias both forced saves within five minutes. Bustamante finally broke through for the Sunbirds in the 76th minute off a ball from Nogales. Two minutes later in the 78th he struck again after Chedraui played the ball from the ground to Bustamante for his second goal of the day.
 
FPU controlled the majority of possession throughout the match, and out-shot the Flames 11-4 in shots on goal and 16-8 overall.
 
"We wanted to win the group out right and we did it for a little while when we were up," said Ramirez. "But they were able to get the equalizer on us and that was unfortunate."

With the tournament re-seeding for the next round, FPU will face Lee again on Friday in the semifinal match at 11:30 am PST, 2:30 pm EST.