Captain my captain! Montelares gets game-winner in OT; Tropics off to UPSL title game

WEATHERFORD, Texas – A goal in the final seconds of overtime – from an unlikely goal scorer at that – has propelled the Tropics SC into the national championship game of the United Premier Soccer League.

With the contests appearing to head to penalty kicks to determine the winner, team captain Lucas Montelares, a defender, scored the game winner in the 120th minute to lift the Tropics SC over Milwaukee Bavarian SC, 2-1, in Saturday's UPSL national semi-final playoff game.

The Tropics will go for the title Sunday at 12 noon Eastern Daylight Time when they meet Utah based Murcielagos SLC. They defeated Southwest FC out of El Paso, 3-2, earlier in the day Saturday. The game will be streamed live at www.mycujoo.tv/upsl.

For the Tropics, it was their 17th consecutive win in the first year in the UPSL. Milwaukee is one of the most storied soccer clubs in the country, first taking the field in 1929, and are the defending UPSL champions. 

Xavier Silva got the winners on the board in the 12th minute, slotting a sharp angled shot to the back post for a 1-0 lead. Milwaukee tied it in the 62nd minute, setting the stage for the late heroics.

Awarded one last corner kick, Victor Parreiras served a perfect ball into the box. Montelares usually comes forward on such set pieces to take advantage of his size, and he found just enough room for the redirect goal.