With time ticking down in the Heartland Conference semifinal at War Memorial Stadium Wednesday night, Little Rock Rangers winger Daishi Uekuri fed a long pass to striker Donald Benamna on the far side of the pitch.
Despite plenty of chances by both the Rangers (8-3) and the Tulsa Athletic (6-5), the score remained tied at 0-0 after 88 minutes of play. Athletic doubled-up on the University of Central Arkansas rising senior, trapping him in the far corner, but Benamna drew the defenders back about 10 yards off the end line before back-passing to himself between the pair.
Benamna cut the corner, driving toward the end line before passing to Alex Guadron about 13 yards off the goal. Guadron, the Hot Springs product who recently completed his freshman year at Yavapai College in Prescott, Ariz., gave a touch-pass up the middle as Benamna's outstretched leg sent the ball past the diving Athletic goalkeeper to put the Rangers on the board in the 89th minute.
Tulsa had multiple tries during stoppage times, but the Rangers finished on top for the second time in less than a week to advance to the Heartland Conference finals. It was also the club's first playoff victory in franchise history.
Little Rock defeated the Athletic, 2-0, just Saturday to close the regular season ranked second behind FC Wichita (8-2-1), which defeated Saint Louis Club Atletico, 4-0, Wednesday in the other semifinal at Trinity Academy Stadium in Wichita, Kan.
Tulsa started out strong as forward Joseph Ruiz powered a shot toward the goal from less than 10 yards out, but it slid left of the net. Ten minutes later, Athletic's Aaron Ugbah drove down the far side, but Rangers keeper Walid Birrou Essafi managed to knock the ball free after flying outside the box for the counter.
Essafi had another big save in the 38th minute as Ugbah got behind Little Rock's defense, taking a shot from about 30 yards out that Essafi blocked before it was cleared by the Rangers' back line.
Tulsa pressured hard early in the second half, but the only real pressure came on a header from Ugbah that was disallowed after the striker pushed off a Rangers' defender.
Both teams finished with 14 shots, but Tulsa had more shots on goal with eight while the Rangers, in their third season in the National Premier Soccer League, had just six on target.
The Athletic struggled with fouls all night, committing eight of its 16 in the first half, including two offsides calls, but the home club had just seven fouls all night, including an offside call late in the second half. Little Rock also got the only card of the night as Jaden Hoth received a yellow in the 63rd minute on a sliding tackle.
Essafi, who recently committed to Okland City University, kept the goal empty for the Rangers for his fifth straight clean sheet. He tallied nine saves and three blocks.
Tulsa's keeper, Bryson Reed, who signed to play at the University of Tulsa in February after two years at Northern Oklahoma College, finished the night with five saves and a pair of blocks.
Wichita will host Little Rock in the final on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Trinity Academy Stadium.
Sports on 07/13/2018