Three late second-half goals sunk EDC FC Burnaby’s hopes for a first-ever under-21 Provincial Cup.
EDC settled for a disappointing silver medal following a 3-0 loss to league and defending Cup champion Guildford FC at Burnaby Lake Sports Complex-West on Saturday.
The fortune-swinging moment appeared to occur midway through the second half of a scoreless match to that point following a long shot from a Guildford player that had Burnaby keeper Trevor Hughes beaten and clanged off the crossbar for all in attendance to hear.
Moments later, as if buoyed by the against-the-run opportunity, James Najman was taken down from behind in the box and teammate Iwan Jecanski slotted what would prove to be the game-winning goal from the penalty spot low to the left corner of the goal.
Guildford kept pressing, missing with a deflection off a shot on goal that resulted in a corner kick minutes later.
Just six minutes after the successful penalty kick, Jecanski attacked again, this time crossing a ball across the penalty area to teammate Nick Favia who had no trouble directing the pass to the far corner leaving no chance for Hughes.
Guildford’s Andrew Macvey counted a third goal for Guildford after EDC suffered the first of its three laste sending-offs in the contest.
“The game was going nowhere. We were messing around with the ball and we didn’t seem to have much energy or intensity,” said EDC u-21 head coach John Penman. “Normally, we’re good on the counter attack.”
But it was Guildford’s overall aggressiveness on the ball that won the day.
“We just seemed to lose our way,” added Penman.
