MSOC: Shumbusho hat trick powers UBC to Final Four
October 29, 2022
VANCOUVER - UBC capped off a fantastic weekend for the Thunderbirds in the Canada West playoffs with a comprehensive 4-2 win over the Saskatchewan Huskies at Thunderbird Stadium Saturday night to clinch home field advantage as hosts for next week's Final Four.
A first half hat-trick from Victory Shumbusho set them on their way, with Daniel Kaiser also getting on the scoresheet in the first 45 minutes for the home side. The Huskies had initially tied things up through a wonder goal from Ahmed Mohammed, but the Thunderbirds responded with an attacking blitz to get the job done.
They couldn't add to their tally in the second half before a Kuhle Bekwayo goal in the 89th minute and some late Huskies pressure made things interesting, but UBC saw the remaining time out and look forward to welcoming three Prairie Division sides to Vancouver next weekend.
"It was a great response to tie things up after they got their goal," UBC head coach Mike Mosher said after the match. "A wonderful response. We were playing well up to that stage and got the fantastic early goal. It was like we found another gear but we just had to deal with it and we did.
"We were really good in the first half, really good. We by and large managed the game okay in the second, a little bit not the best last 10 minutes. Again, another performance where we've created a lot. Four goals, as was the case, should be enough."
It took only 75 seconds for UBC to get off and running, with Shumbusho finishing a low Mihai Hodut cross from close range.
The Thunderbirds piled on the pressure looking for a second and they came within inches of getting it when Nick Fussell's flicked effort was expertly turned around the post by Huskies keeper Jaron Slopinski from point blank range, the first of four huge saves from the Saskatchewan keeper in the first half.
The home side were shocked by a 13th minute Huskies equaliser when Mohammed powered forward for Saskatchewan and with UBC backing off, the forward unleashed a 30 yard rocket that beat Peter Whyte into the bottom corner to tie things up.
That proved to be a wake up call for the Thunderbirds who immediately found another level and turned up the pressure on the visitors.
Slopinski produced another great stop to deny Tommy Gardner, who had danced through the Huskies defence in the 18th minute, but he couldn't do anything to keep out Kaiser's header six minutes later. Gardner sent in a free kick into the back of the box and it was knocked on by Shumbusho for Kaiser to head home from a few yards out.
Moments later and it was three when Logan Chung was pulled down in the box and Shumbusho stepped up to drill home the subsequent penalty.
Shumbusho nearly grabbed his hat-trick in the 36th minute with a fantastic effort that was denied by an equally great save from Slopinski, but the senior striker was not to be denied and got his third with a tap in after some great work from Markus Kaiser to send the ball in across goal.
UBC kept the pressure on at the start of the second and Shumbusho nearly grabbed a fourth but was denied by the post.
Both teams had half chances as the game flowed from end to end but the clear cut goalscoring opportunities were hard to come by.
UBC substitute Tristan Nkoghe crashed one off the bar in the 88th minute but Saskatchewan immediately went up the pitch and grabbed a late consolation from Bekwayo.
Lighting a fire under the visitors, they nearly reduced the deficit to one in stoppage time with Diego Raveco's dipping long-ranger forcing an acrobatic save from Whyte.
That was to be all the time left and UBC booked another Canada West Final Four berth, where they'll now host the Alberta Golden Bears in their semi-final. With just one team advancing to the U SPORTS nationals from the Canada West this year, there is no room for error, a pressure which Mosher doesn't feel will get to his side.
"We've known all year that we have to go on and win it," Mosher mused. "That's the case, that's very clear, but we're used to it. We've got a lot of guys that have been around playoff battles. There's been some crazy stuff going on around the country and in our conference today. Some big teams have lost and we said whatever's happened out there doesn't come into our locker room. We do have guys that have been in a lot of playoff games and we do have good, intelligent individuals in our squad and they're not going to let the moment get to them."
A first half hat-trick from Victory Shumbusho set them on their way, with Daniel Kaiser also getting on the scoresheet in the first 45 minutes for the home side. The Huskies had initially tied things up through a wonder goal from Ahmed Mohammed, but the Thunderbirds responded with an attacking blitz to get the job done.
They couldn't add to their tally in the second half before a Kuhle Bekwayo goal in the 89th minute and some late Huskies pressure made things interesting, but UBC saw the remaining time out and look forward to welcoming three Prairie Division sides to Vancouver next weekend.
"It was a great response to tie things up after they got their goal," UBC head coach Mike Mosher said after the match. "A wonderful response. We were playing well up to that stage and got the fantastic early goal. It was like we found another gear but we just had to deal with it and we did.
"We were really good in the first half, really good. We by and large managed the game okay in the second, a little bit not the best last 10 minutes. Again, another performance where we've created a lot. Four goals, as was the case, should be enough."
It took only 75 seconds for UBC to get off and running, with Shumbusho finishing a low Mihai Hodut cross from close range.
The Thunderbirds piled on the pressure looking for a second and they came within inches of getting it when Nick Fussell's flicked effort was expertly turned around the post by Huskies keeper Jaron Slopinski from point blank range, the first of four huge saves from the Saskatchewan keeper in the first half.
The home side were shocked by a 13th minute Huskies equaliser when Mohammed powered forward for Saskatchewan and with UBC backing off, the forward unleashed a 30 yard rocket that beat Peter Whyte into the bottom corner to tie things up.
That proved to be a wake up call for the Thunderbirds who immediately found another level and turned up the pressure on the visitors.
Slopinski produced another great stop to deny Tommy Gardner, who had danced through the Huskies defence in the 18th minute, but he couldn't do anything to keep out Kaiser's header six minutes later. Gardner sent in a free kick into the back of the box and it was knocked on by Shumbusho for Kaiser to head home from a few yards out.
Moments later and it was three when Logan Chung was pulled down in the box and Shumbusho stepped up to drill home the subsequent penalty.
Shumbusho nearly grabbed his hat-trick in the 36th minute with a fantastic effort that was denied by an equally great save from Slopinski, but the senior striker was not to be denied and got his third with a tap in after some great work from Markus Kaiser to send the ball in across goal.
UBC kept the pressure on at the start of the second and Shumbusho nearly grabbed a fourth but was denied by the post.
Both teams had half chances as the game flowed from end to end but the clear cut goalscoring opportunities were hard to come by.
UBC substitute Tristan Nkoghe crashed one off the bar in the 88th minute but Saskatchewan immediately went up the pitch and grabbed a late consolation from Bekwayo.
Lighting a fire under the visitors, they nearly reduced the deficit to one in stoppage time with Diego Raveco's dipping long-ranger forcing an acrobatic save from Whyte.
That was to be all the time left and UBC booked another Canada West Final Four berth, where they'll now host the Alberta Golden Bears in their semi-final. With just one team advancing to the U SPORTS nationals from the Canada West this year, there is no room for error, a pressure which Mosher doesn't feel will get to his side.
"We've known all year that we have to go on and win it," Mosher mused. "That's the case, that's very clear, but we're used to it. We've got a lot of guys that have been around playoff battles. There's been some crazy stuff going on around the country and in our conference today. Some big teams have lost and we said whatever's happened out there doesn't come into our locker room. We do have guys that have been in a lot of playoff games and we do have good, intelligent individuals in our squad and they're not going to let the moment get to them."