The UBC Thunderbirds saved their best for last, scoring twice in the second half to defeat the host Toronto Varsity Blues 2-1 in the fifth-place match of the 2025 U SPORTS Men’s Soccer Championship on Saturday at Varsity Stadium.
The Canada West finalists finish their season with a remarkable 19-2-0 record, while the OUA champion and host Blues cap their campaign at 13-3-1.
After a scoreless first half that saw UBC control possession and generate 10 shots, the breakthrough finally came in the 57th minute. Following a corner kick, Nicolas Nadeau found Kyle Dent, who buried his first of the tournament to give the Thunderbirds a 1-0 lead.
UBC doubled its advantage just over six minutes later when striker Henri Godbout netted his first of the championship, putting the visitors firmly in control.
The Blues pushed hard in the final minutes and were rewarded in the 90th minute when Michael Osorio scored his second of the tournament, converting a pass from Mehdi Essoussi. The goal came with just 13 seconds remaining in the 90 minutes, but Toronto couldn’t find an equalizer before the referee’s final whistle.
UBC’s two goalkeepers, Roko Vukic and Hayden Franks, combined for the win, with Franks making a key save in the second half to preserve the lead at the time. Blues’ keeper Charles Donvito was stellar in the first half, making three saves to keep the game scoreless, before Alex Lin took over for the second frame.
The physical match saw three yellow cards issued, two to UBC and one to Toronto.
The U SPORTS Men’s Soccer Championship concludes Sunday at Varsity Stadium. The bronze medal match between the UQTR Patriotes and Montreal Carabins kicks off at 11:00 a.m., followed by the national championship final between the York Lions and Mount Royal Cougars at 2:00 p.m.