Gomes Scores 2, E.P. Advances to Cup Final

FALL RIVER, Mass. – Armando Gomes scored twice as East Providence Sports edged Lincoln Club 3-2 in Wednesday’s second round, second leg tie, and advanced to the LUSA Cup Final  7-3 on aggregate.

Gomes grabbed his first goal in the 41st minute, then added a second in the 70th minute. Kyle Teixeira struck via the penalty in the 29th minute. Vinicius Belicio bookended the scoring with strikes in the 3rd and 70th minute for Lincoln Club.

East Providence will play the winner of the Taunton Sports vs. Taunton Eagles/Cranston PC matchup at a date and time to be determined.

East Providence’s John Fidalgo picked up a straight red card in the 90th minute and, as a result, will not be eligible to play in the Cup final.

Lincoln Club entered the match staring at a three-goal deficit on aggregate after East Providence secured a 4-1 win during Sunday’s first leg at Guiterras School Field. With goals needed early and often, Lincoln Club went to work almost immediately.

Three minutes after the whistle, Wasley Lima cut into the area and slid it through to Belicio, who easily tapped it through to grab the lead and narrow the aggregate deficit to two.

But Belicio’s opening goal was the closest Lincoln Club would come to closing the gap. Although they pressed the East Providence defense, the designated hosts leveled it with a little help from their guests.

In the 29th minute, Tristan Lewis was brought down just inside the box, and the referee pointed to the spot. Teixiera proceeded to pound it inside the left post to make it one apiece, and more importantly, reclaimed the three-goal aggregate advantage.

With the interval approaching, East Providence grabbed the lead when Teixiera played it ahead to Gomes, who ripped a shot that escaped Sydney Boaventura in the 41st minute.

Keeper Mike Maciel preserved the margin in the 49th minute when Walmir Arteaga attempted to sneak inside at the near post. But Maciel raced off his line and ripped it away on a bold tackle that prompted a vociferous protest from the Lincoln Club bench.

Gomes scored his second in the 70th minute after Lewis played a dangerous ball that fell toward the top of the box, and forced Boaventura to come out and attempt to clear it. But the East Providence striker quickly converged, stole it, then lined up his shot before taking aim at an empty net to make it 3-1.

Belicio made it a brace six minutes later when he guided a laser under the bar to bring one back. But needing four goals to force penalties, there simply wasn’t enough time to climb out of the deficit.

That wouldn’t stop them from trying, even at the death. With another strike in mind, Belicio tried to corral a long ball on a breakaway near the area before Fidalgo fouled him. With Fidalgo the lone defender in the area at the time, the referee issued him a straight red card.

Jason Medeiros tried to sneak the subsequent free kick through, but his effort failed to find the back of the net in the 91st minute.