Evan Conway fired first-year club Union Omaha into the 2020 USL League One Final with a 91st minute goal against Fort Lauderdale CF Saturday night at Werner Park. 

Omaha started the match on the front foot and nearly opened the scoring in the 4th minute when Elvir Ibisevic connected with JP Scearce’s deflected cross, but the forward’s header banged off the post and fell kindly into Daniel Gagliardi’s hands. 

Ibisevic had another chance to get on the scoresheet in the 23rd minute after Evan Conway found him with a clever ball inside the six-yard box, but he didn’t get enough on his back heel flick and Gagliardi scooped it up. 

Eduardo Sosa began to put pressure on the Union Omaha back four in the 26th minute, driving into the penalty area before cutting back onto his right foot and firing a shot just wide of Rashid Nuhu’s left post. 

Sosa forced Nuhu into a save in the 38th minute, striking a shot on the half volley that took a deflection on its way towards goal. Nuhu was quick to it, though, and held the deflected shot. 

Sosa continued to look dangerous in the second half and toe-poked a shot from close range just wide of Nuhu’s near post in the 53rd minute.

Omaha’s Tobias Otieno collected a partial clearance and struck a low, driven shot on frame, but Gagliardi was in good position and had his body behind the shot.

Devin Boyce created Omaha’s best chance of the second half in the 67th minute, threading a clever through ball in behind the Fort Lauderdale back four for Conway to run on to. As Gagliardi rushed towards him Conway poked the ball towards goal, but it rolled narrowly wide of the right post and the score remained at 0-0.

Moments later, Sosa dribbled his way towards the top of the box on a counterattack and struck a dipping shot from 20 yards out that hit the crossbar and bounced out of play for a goal kick. 

Omaha finally found a breakthrough in second-half stoppage time after Elma N’For flicked the ball wide to Boyce on the right flank. Boyce put a looping cross into the penalty area that Fort Lauderdale failed. Conway pounced on the loose ball and found the bottom corner of Gagliardi’s goal with a left-footed strike. 

With the win, Omaha advances to the League One Final to take on Greenville Triumph SC next Friday, October 30 at Legacy Early College. The match is scheduled to kick off at 8 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live on ESPN Deportes in addition to ESPN+.

Scoring summary: 

OMA (90+1'): Conway (sixth), unassisted