Furious Finish For Men's Soccer To Tie Saddleback

The Pasadena City College men's soccer team fought back from three deficits, including the most important one in extra time for a wild 3-3, home tie v. Saddleback on Friday, keeping the team's undefeated season going at 3-0-2.

Five of the game's goals came in the last 11 official minutes of play, including all three PCC scores. After the Bobcats took their third lead, 3-2, on a nifty header on a bouncing ball by Braeden Collins in the 90th minute, the Lancers were in desperation mode facing only a few minutes to play.

Junior Martinez Cortes dribbled along the sideline before lobbing a high ball toward the Saddleback net, Josiah Lucio used his 6-foot-4 frame to his advantage as he headed in the tying goal as the PCC bench erupted in celebration. 

Trailing 1-0 on a Jeffryen Contreras goal in the 53rd minute, Ronaldo Garcia headed in Julian Zuniga's corner kick with 11 minutes remaining.  rifled in an upper corner penalty kick goal with 11 minute remaining. A Collins' deflection off a corner kick regained the Saddleback lead at 2-1 in the 85th minute, but PCC responded as Zuniga rifled in an upper corner penalty kick goal with 11 minutes remaining. 

"We refused to give up and every time Saddleback scored, we got the big response," said PCC head coach Francisco Cantero. "Certainly those last minutes were as entertaining for fans as it was exciting to see the two teams go at it. We knew we had very little time left but Josiah made the truly heads up play."

Pasadena matches its best start since the 2016 season, also 3-0-2 to begin that year. 

In the 84th minute, PCC goalie Matthew Gilmore (six saves) made a diving stop on a penalty kick by Contreras.

Zuniga has three goals and two assists to pace the PCC offense in the first five games. 

PCC next plays at Orange Coast College on Friday, Sept. 12 in a 3 p.m. non-conference match.