WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Jon Bakero scored a penalty kick in the 89th minute to give top-seeded Wake Forest University a 1-0 victory over unseeded Columbia University in a second-round match of the NCAA Division I men’s soccer tournament at Spry Stadium Sunday night.

The Lions finished their season at 12-3-2 while Wake improved to 18-1-2 and will meet Butler University in the Sweet 16.

Bakero converted his penalty with 1:44 remaining in regulation on his only shot of the match.

“It’s a group that’s shown resilience and character the whole time and I don’t think that changed for us today,” Columbia head coach Kevin Anderson said. “I’m proud of our group, we didn’t come here to participate we came to win, so we walk away with a bitter taste.”

The Lions placed two shots on goal.

In the seventh minute, Arthur Bosua’s header was saved by Wake Forest’s Andreu Cases Mundet. Seven minutes later, the Demon Deacons had their best look of the match as Brandon Servania ripped a shot to the left of goalkeeper Dylan Castanheira as he made his first save.

Columbia then had two attempts in the closing minute as Zach Morant had a flick saved by Andreu Cases Mundet with 37 seconds remaining. The Lions gained possession as Mott streaked to his right and sent a cross into the box with four seconds left but Bosua’s header went just right of the post.

Castanheira made two saves, while Cases Mundet also had two stops.

 

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.