T-Birds strike three times against the Golden Bears to return to win column

On Sunday, the UBC Men's Soccer team put up a three-pointer on the University of Alberta Golden Bears in their last game of September. Luke Norman helped to hoist the 'Birds to the 3–0 victory, assisting Max Comsia's game-winning goal before bagging a nifty brace of his own on the stroke of halftime.

The Pacific Division table-toppers flew into their first of three consecutive inter-division matchups, facing off against the Golden Bears in Edmonton.

Previously, the 'Birds travelled to Foote Field to battle the Golden Bears in 2019, winning 5–1.

Last year, UBC beat UAlberta twice at home. During conference play, the 'Birds hosted the Golden Bears at the intimate Ken Woods Field, narrowly winning 1–0. The 'Birds and the Golden Bears met once more in the Canada West quarterfinals, this time at Thunderbird Stadium, where UBC prevailed 2–0, holding UAlberta to just two shots while registering 19 of their own.

The 'Birds entered this match aiming to get back to their winning ways. In their most recent outing, UBC dropped points against the University of Victoria Vikes in a 2–2 draw, mounting a two-goal comeback against a stingy opponent.

After facing the Vikes, the T-Birds had more than a week to rest and recover before travelling to duel the turbulent Golden Bears.

UAlberta entered the match against the 'Birds on the second half of a back-to-back stand. On Saturday, the Bears beat the visiting Trinity Western University Spartans 2–0.

Prior to besting the Spartans, UAlberta had a troublesome weekend away from home. The Golden Bears suffered their first two losses of the season against the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns and the ferocious University of Calgary Dinos, who are currently among the top teams in the Prairie Division, alongside the Mount Royal University Cougars.

Factoring in UBC's readiness and the ambitions of both teams, it came as no surprise when head coach Mike Mosher fielded a lineup featuring the team's minute leaders.

The lone exception to Mosher's regular rotation — in terms of minutes logged on the pitch — was Jack Garner, who made his third consecutive start between the sticks. Garner, who bore the brunt of the workload last season, recently made his return from injury during a midseason rout against the UBCO Heat.

Despite the 'Birds' distance from their nest, the common trope of "travel legs" never materialized. From the jump, the T-Birds seized the initiative, pressing the Golden Bears with little to address in return.

The first shot on target and first corner kick of the match both went the way of UBC, and both through Oliver Herbert, who was instrumental in the T-Birds' triumph over the Golden Bears. He spent plenty of time on the ball and — alongside Norman and Brennen Fuerst — formed a tempo-setting trio that consistently outplayed UAlberta's midfield.

Early in the match, there were glimpses of the Golden Bears taking possession, but instead of turning those opportunities into attacks, they stalled (or misfired) waiting for support. And against a team like the 'Birds — one suited to oscillate between jarring transition attacks and meticulous buildups — a lack of concerted urgency translates to exertion without avail.

As is often the case, the 'Birds' defensive line was everywhere, stepping high to complete interceptions or distributing punchy exit passes. The T-Birds' relentless midfield hounded the Golden Bears for the ball, while their composed forwards provided outlets for recoveries. The result was a UBC team that pressed, possessed, and adjusted their tempo interchangeably — and that combination of factors produced the match's opener.

In the 10th minute, Henri Godbout chested down a ball on the right flank. He nudged the ball inside to a prancing Markus Rukavina. The latter was dispossessed, but before the Golden Bears could react, the ball was won back, thanks to some good positioning by Herbert.

Herbert's touch rolled to an oncoming Norman, who, with his back to the goal, dispatched a blind flick toward Comsia. With room to manoeuvre between defenders, Comsia wrapped himself around the ball and slashed it along the grass. His laser took a touch off the post into the back of the goal, and just like that, UBC took a 1–0 lead.

When play resumed, the 'Birds were steady, knocking the ball around while continuing to defend well.

UBC repeatedly hemmed the Golden Bears into their own half, which led to a few directionless clearances that the T-Birds had no issue turning around.

Again and again, the 'Birds' midfield and backline prevented UAlberta from picking apart the flock. The perfect centre-back pairing of Eric Lajeunesse and Lucas Dasovic looked practically airtight, while their lateral options, Nicolas Nadeau and Eric Kim, were equally up to the task.

However, in the 35th minute, the T-Birds almost let one slip through when Frankroy Cain overlapped Prince Amanda down the left flank. Cain made a tidy feint to elude Dasovic and swiped the ball across the goalmouth, but not a single target was there to meet it. UBC remained ahead, but the Golden Bears demonstrated their capacity to inflict damage.

Fewer than 10 minutes later, the Golden Bears drew even nearer. After an inswinging corner kick by Amanda eventually reached the opposite corner, the ball was recrossed by Patrick Kondraciuk. His tempting delivery was directed toward goal by an eager Justin George, but a sprawling Dasovic mustered a touch to deflect the ball wide.

The 'Birds had a few more fine chances but could not convert, and so it appeared surefire they would go into the break with a one-goal lead and plenty to build on. UBC were the higher-quality team, no question, but one ill-timed lunge or one clued-in runner could have allowed UAlberta to draw even.

Alas, with two minutes of added time displayed on the fourth official's substitution board, the 'Birds were awarded a corner kick. Nadeau took it short to Godbout, who returned it back to Nadeau in anticipation of an inswinging cross. While the corner kick routine unfolded, Norman left from his spot at the front post and crept toward the edge of the goal area. As the ball approached with pace, Norman ascended to deflect it past goalkeeper Trystan Read, doubling UBC's lead.

Before anyone could catch their breath, Norman fancied another one. From a long feed by Garner, Norman combined with Rukavina in the centre circle and slipped a lofted pass for Comsia to tear onto. Once adjacent to the penalty area, Comsia reversed course and found Rukavina near the penalty arc. Rukavina turned and set the table for Norman, whose side-footed effort took an outrageous arc-shaped deflection over a scampering Read.

3–0 UBC.

In under two minutes, the 'Birds tripled their lead, completely altering the complexion of the match to the profound dismay of the Golden Bears.

Back from the break, the T-Birds did their part to ensure the Golden Bears yielded the same shortcomings they had in the first half. UBC remained stalwart at the back, and going forward, they controlled the pace of their buildup.

In the 55th minute, Norman and Rukavina connected for a strung-out give-and-go down the left flank. Norman's return pass found Rukavina, who had taken up his usual position at the top of the penalty area, where he laid the ball off to Godbout. Godbout rushed onto the ball and uncorked, but Golden Bears forward Amanda covered a heap of ground to slide and guide the shot astray.

As the second half chugged along, some T-Birds, most notably Dasovic, began prompting their feathered comrades to make more frequent negative passes. By slowing the game down in spurts, the 'Birds allowed the Golden Bears to create viable openings in their shape, retaining possession while remaining poised to quickly break through defensive lines.

UBC also made a slew of substitutions within the span of 10 minutes, several of which bolstered the 'Birds' already soaring defensive acumen. Namely, Yuan Yu-Hsuan arrived to torment the Golden Bears in the midfield, and defender Joshua Tomé replaced Nadeau on the left flank.

Despite the outcome appearing a foregone conclusion, a few of the Golden Bears kept poking at the T-Birds. UAlberta did eventually get the ball up the flanks, as they had done all match, but they were unable to bridge the terminal ends of their attack.

With help from their substitutes, UBC did their part to contain the flanks. The 'Birds did not hunker down, nor did they dial back their exertions, but instead they focused their potency on responsible ball management and stout defence.

Norman was subbed off in the 73rd minute, but the size of his dent on the match was not surpassed in the time left on the clock.

The final 20 minutes of the match were a grind. There were only three shot attempts, all courtesy of the Golden Bears, none of which reached Garner, who was not tested in the second half.

As the three minutes of added time in the second half ran off, the Golden Bears made a final attempt to bag one. After Nicholas Lechelt's shallow cross was steered away from the goal area, the ensuing blast from range rolled comfortably wide of Garner, prompting the referee to sound the full-time whistle.

At times, UAlberta were inspiring, but mostly unremarkable. Like UBC, the Golden Bears are riddled with skill, but they lacked the sort of link-up play that defines the success of the T-Birds. Each player trusts one another with the ball, allowing them to play quickly in tight spaces with whoever they see. The ball is made to move faster than the T-Birds themselves.

In blanking the Golden Bears, UBC made yet another emphatic return to the outright victory column this season.

Looking ahead to this weekend, the 'Birds will return home as they plunge into their second of three homestands featuring back-to-back matches against the MacEwan University Griffins and the Dinos.

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