UTICA CITY TIES GAME LATE, FALLS IN OVERTIME 5-4

Utica, NY – Utica City FC hosted the Harrisburg Heat in front of the largest crowd of the season. A game tying goal for Utica City with 14 seconds by Darren Toby set up overtime, and Harrisburg was victorious 5-4. UCFC earned a point in the loss, and has two regular season games left to battle for playoff seeding.

Taylor Bond opened the scoring for Utica City, as he worked down the right wing and beat Chase Vosvick far side. He waved to the crowd in celebration, and Utica City led 1-0. Aljeandro Chavez answered 5 minutes later to tie the game at one for Harrisburg.

A third chance effort from Nilton De Andrade helped create Utica’s second goal. He started with his feet, and then a header, and finally finished on a jumping kick to bury a goal in the final seconds of the quarter. It was 2-1 UCFC after one.

Lesia Thetsane got the only goal of the second quarter for Harrisburg. UCFC responded with a heavy push, and Rafa Godoi’s sliding tackle at the end of the quarter keep the game tied as the half came to a close.

UCFC quickly gained the lead in the second half. Bo Jelovac slid the ball over to a cutting Dylan Hundelt who finished it easily. Harrisburg squared things up again, as Thetsane came sprinting up the middle. He got a pass off the wall from Roshawn Panton and rifled it through to tie the game. Towards the end of the frame, Francis got a long pass from midfield, came down the left side of the field and snuck it in the near post. Utica City trailed by 1 at the end of the third.

With 8 minutes left, Rafa Godoi and Ronaldinho Diniz both had stellar chances, but neither could bury and knot up the game. It took until 14 seconds remaining to get the equalizer. Stefan Mijatovic slotted one through to Darren Toby who sent the Adirondack Bank Center to its feet.

In overtime, Harrisburg’s Dominic Francis scored the overtime winner. He halted UCFC’s hope of clinching a playoff spot today, but two more games ahead give them a chance at playing for the Ron Neuman Cup.

Utica City’s final regular season home game will be April 1^st against Baltimore. Their only other regular season game is next Sunday, March 26^th at Florida.