Two saves by Tucker goalkeeper Hasan Al Naseri in the final 3:06 of overtime sealed a 2-1 victory for the Tigers over the Northgate Vikings in Class 5A boys’ second round state playoffs action at Adams Stadium on Wednesday night.

Leading 2-1 heading into the second 10-minute overtime period, the Tuigers (8-9-2) kept pushing the ball up field in an effort to run time off the clock and add a score. But with 3:06 left in the game, Northgate got the ball in deep, and the shot was gobbled up by Al Naseri to keep the score at 2-1.

As the clock ticked below minute to play, Northgate (7-10-2) got one final opportunity and Al Naseri turned the Vikings away again with 55 seconds to play. The Tigers were able to keep the ball up the field the rest of the way to run out the clock.

Northgate and Tucker were tied 1-1 at the end of regulation sending the teams into the first of two 10-minute overtimes to try to decide a winner.

It was still 1-1 with under a minute to play in the opening overtime period when Tucker’s Joseph Crick ran down a long kick into Northgate’s half of the field, dribbled around a defender from the right side and sent the ball across the face of keeper Zion Stamps into the left corner of the goal. The score gave Tucker its first lead of the match at 2-1 with just 22.8 seconds left in the first overtime period.

Northgate led 1-0 at the half on a Stephen Harlock score just five minutes and 25 seconds into the match.

Tucker had a first half goal nullified by offsides and several other opportunities were negated by offsides to remain trailing 0-1.

The Tigers finally got pressure going midway through the second half and when a shot in the ground deflected off a defender, Laurent Risase managed to gather it in and put it into the goal past the diving Stamps to knot the game at 1-1 with 24:19 remaining.

Stamps made three saves in the overtime period to keep Northgate within striking distance throughout the extra periods.

Tucker advances to the third round for the sixth time as a program and the fourth time under the direction of Head Coach Cameron Heyen (2017-present).

A date with No. 4 ranked Cass (14-3-1) in the quarterfinals will be set for Tuesday, April 30 at Adams Stadium as the Tigers attempt to reach the semifinals for the first time in program history.

In other Class 5A boys’ playoff action, both Chamblee and Cross Keys lost tight matches to get eliminated from the playoffs. Chamblee (8-10-1) fell 3-2 to Eagle’s Landing after tying the game twice in the second half before Eagle’s Landing (8-2-1) scored with six minutes to play to get the win.

Cross Keys (12-3-1) played No. 1 ranked and undefeated McIntosh (20-0-0) in another tight contest before losing 2-1 to end the Indians’ season.

DCSD STATE SOCCER PLAYOFF RESULTS
Wednesday, 4/24
CLASS 5A BOYS
SECOND ROUND
ADAMS STADIUM
Tucker (8-9-2) 2, Northgate (7-10-2) 1 OT
AWAY
McIntosh (20-0-0) 2, Cross Keys (12-3-1) 1
Eagle’s Landing (8-2-1) 3, Chamblee (8-10-1) 2

DCSD STATE SOCCER PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
Friday, 4/26
CLASS 4A BOYS
SECOND ROUND
Druid Hills (12-5-1) at Johnson-Gainesville (15-1-1), 7:30 pm

Tuesday, 4/30
CLASS 5A BOYS
THIRD ROUND
ADAMS STADIUM
Cass (14-3-1) at Tucker (9-9-2), TBA