Dramatic end to Oldtimers’season

Penalty kicks decide playoff title as Kelowna edges visiting Penticton

It was a wild and woolly ending to the Capri Okanagan Oldtimers’ 45-and-over men’s soccer league season.

Regular season champs Brown Benefits from Kelowna completed the “double” by outlasting Penticton Dental Centre FC 3-2 (12-11 in penalty kicks) on Sunday afternoon at Kettle Valley Sports Fields in Kelowna.

Neither goalkeeper was able to make a stop in the penalty kicks until the 12th round when Penticton missed and Brown scored to avenge a loss to Penticton in last year’s final.

After a scoreless first half, Mauricio Cepeda and Zico Pescada twice rallied nine-man Penticton from one-goal deficits to force extra time.

After a mostly uneventful first 30 minutes, Brown had Steve Fagan sent off, then 10 minutes later Penticton’s Mike Beliveau was also shown a red card leaving both teams with 10 men.

Early in the second half, Penticton goalkeeper Norm Peters got a yellow card for clipping Brown’s Tony Gonzales in the penalty area. Peters stopped the ensuing spot kick, but the assistant referee ruled the keeper had moved forward off his line, resulting in another yellow card and a dismissal for Peters.

Peters was sent off leaving Penticton with nine men and Gonzales beat new keeper Adrian McCluskey on his second attempt from the spot.

Cepeda tied the game, but Kelly Sherman put Brown back on top 2-1.

But Penticton wouldn’t quit and Pescada scored on a terrific individual effort to tie the game again and force a pair of fiveminute extra time periods.

The game went to penalties and Brown was able to pull it off despite Pescada and Cepeda each converting two kicks for the shorthanded Penticton squad.

In the 55-and-over final on Thursday, it was also a double triumph for Lake Country, as they defeated the Raiders 2-0.