Lethbridge, Alta. – The University of Calgary Dinos men's soccer team fell 2-1 on the road to the Lethbridge Pronghorns on Friday night at University of Lethbridge Community Stadium.

In a crucial late season match with playoff positioning hanging in the balance, the Dinos managed to score first before the Pronghorns roared back to secure three points late in the match.

Calgary holds a 6-2-5 record with one game remaining in the regular season, while Lethbridge improves to 3-3-7.

The Dinos took an early lead in just the fifth minute of play. A well-executed corner kick led to a scramble in the box, where Jacob Hunter capitalized on ball delivered by Owen Antoniuk.

The Pronghorns didn't take long to respond. In the 13th minute, Karim Bey found the back of the net for his second goal of the season. Will Hughes chased down a rebound from his own corner kick and set up Bey, allowing him to slot home the equalizer and bring the game level at 1-1.

Calgary created several scoring chances before halftime, with shots from Antoniuk going wide, and Gianmarco Plenzik having multiple attempts blocked by the Horns' defence. Armaan Thawer made a crucial save on a shot from Efe Udolu-Joshua to keep the game tied.

Lethbridge also threatened on their own end, with Damon Field and Tom Denness both sending header attempts wide of the net. 

The Dinos came out aggressively in the second half, continuing to test the Pronghorns' defence. Antoniuk remained a constant threat, but Thawer stood strong in goal, denying any further chances.

A strong opportunity for Lethbridge came in the 61st minute when Bey, after delivering a dangerous corner kick, nearly set up a go-ahead goal. However, the Pronghorns couldn't capitalize on the chance.

Late in the second half, Brandon Francis created a promising chance after slipping past two Dinos defenders. His shot couldn't beat Dinos goalkeeper Hany Shafie and left Lethbridge still searching for a winner.

In the 86th minute, Kai Sakaguchi delivered the decisive blow for the Pronghorns as he skillfully found the back of the net and clinched the game.

The Dinos will look to rebound when they travel to Saskatoon to face the Saskatchewan Huskies, while the Pronghorns will matchup versus the Mount Royal Cougars. Both games will be played on Sunday, Oct. 20.

-UC-