PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Portland Pilots scored two goals late in the second half to earn a 2-2 draw with Central Arkansas Bears. Portland moved to 0-0-1 overall with the draw.
How it Happened
- Central Arkansas grabbed a 1-0 lead when Kris Naicker scored in the 16th minute.
- The Sugar Bears grabbed a 2-0 advantage on a goal from Sebastian Andreassen in the 59th minute.
- Portland narrowed the gap to 2-1 on Nicholas Denley's 72nd-minute goal, his first of the season and of his career.
- The Pilots fought back to knot things up at 2-2 with a 78th-minute goal from Nick Fernandez, his first goal of the season. Muslim Umar assisted the goal, earning the first point of his career. The goal finished off the scoring in the match.
Game Notes
- Portland and Central Arkansas each received six yellow cards.
- George Tasouris piled up four saves for the Pilots.
- Portland totaled eight shots on goal.
- Denley's goal was the first of his Pilot career, and Umar's assist was also the first.
Portland Head Coach Nick Carlin-Voigt on the Draw
"Great response from the group tonight being down 2-0. Loved our fight and refuse-to-lose mindset. Obviously not how you draw it up. Our first half wasn't sharp enough. Learned a very hard lesson tonight though about not waiting to play with that energy, fight and tempo until the second half. Proud of our team and their response. Lots of good takeaways as we turn the page to take on Indiana on the road."
Up Next
The Pilots will be on the road for their next match, taking on the No. 13 Indiana Hoosiers on Tuesday, Aug. 30 in Bloomington. Check PortlandPilots.com for live stats and video options.
