HUNTSVILLE | The University of Alabama in Huntsville men's soccer team pulled off a thrilling victory on Friday night, scoring on a penalty kick with just nine seconds remaining in the second overtime period to secure a 3-2 win over visiting West Florida. The Chargers improve to 8-4-0 (6-1-0 GSC), while UWF slips to 8-3-0 (2-3-0 GSC).
 
With a draw appearing imminent, the visiting Argos committed a foul inside the box, giving Hermann Bjornsson the opportunity to step up to the spot where he buried his penalty attempt for the golden goal.
 
With the three top teams in the GSC all winning on Friday night, UAH continues to sit on top of the league standings.
 
Friday's contest marks the third time in the past four meetings between the two teams in Huntsville to go into double overtime, and each of those three contests have been won by the Chargers as UAH won with one second left in 2013 while also winning on a PK with just over a minute remaining in 2012.
 
The scoring started early for the Chargers in this one as Bjornsson played it forward to Guy Clennett who fired off a rocket of a shot in the 11th minute from about 25 yards out and past the UWF keeper to make it 1-0.
 
The score remained that way through halftime and up until just before the hour mark of the contest.
 
In the 56th minute, a pair of players came together leading to a sending off of a Charger for his second caution, but UAH was not fazed by going down to 10 men, scoring immediately as Leo De Smedt played a perfect free kick into the area where Jordan Wright finished it with a header for his 11th score of the season.
 
The man-advantage for UWF, however, would eventually play into the contest as the Argos scored on a tally by Jorge Chirinos in the 61st to cut their deficit in half, and Chirinos scored again in the 87th minute to force the extra time.
 
UWF controlled the first 10-minute period, firing off three shots while holding UAH to none, but the second overtime was even at one shot per side.
 
For the night, West Florida held a 10-8 advantage in shots – though shots on goal were even at 5-5 – and the visitors also earned an 8-5 edge in corners.
 
The Chargers will look to maintain their position atop the GSC on Sunday when Spring Hill visits at 3 p.m.