Budget Energy SuperCupNI – Premier Section: Group B
County Fermanagh 3 Tigres UANL 3
FERMANAGH Premier manager Marc McCleery ‘always trusted his side’s character’, as his side came from three goals down to secure a famous 3-3 draw against Tigres UNAL at The Heights in Coleraine.
The Mexicans started the half brightly, scoring inside seven minutes from the head of Nicolas Rangel. A dipping effort from Luis Rangel just before the break put Tigres in a commanding position, before Luis Rangel added a third minutes into the second half.
Fermanagh never gave up, with Alfie Jones reducing the deficit 9 minutes later. Oscar Timlin slid home with six minutes remaining, before a deep Tadhg Kernaghan free kick deflected into the net, sending the Fermanagh dugout into raptures.
“I have real pride in the character of every single one of the players” said McCleery afterwards. “It shows the togetherness of this group, who kept battling for each other, summed up by the 2 goals in the final 6 minutes.”
It was a pulsating encounter throughout, with the Mexicans taking an early lead. A cross on the right was met by the towering Rangel, with his downward header just evading the hand of Tadhg Kernaghan. A minute before the interval, Luis Rangel unleashed a dipping effort into the far corner of Kernaghan’s net to double his side’s advantage.
Luis Rangel then curled home a strike from the corner of the box following good work by Karol Martinez on the lead, giving Tigres a third just two minutes into the second half.
The Fermanagh comeback began nine minutes later. A Raphael McCoy throw-in down the left was flicked on by Ollie Taylor into the path of Jones who volleyed the ball into the roof of the Tigres net.
Captain Oscar Timlin then slid in at the back post to turn in a low cross with 6 minutes remaining to set up a grandstand finish. Fermanagh equalised in the most dramatic of fashions in the final minute.
A pinpoint Kernaghan free-kick inside own half was put on top of the Tigres goalkeeper, who clearance was turned into the net to secure the most dramatic of comebacks.
McCleery always believed that his side could take something from the game.
“We always believed we could cause them problems. At half-time the lads felt that they could get back into it and even at 3-nil. When the first goal went in, the belief went up another notch and they just kept building.”