FRESNO -- Cal State LA's men's soccer team saved its best for last Thursday in a big season-opening in at Fresno Pacific.

Locked in a 0-0 tie for 83 minutes, the Golden Eagles struck for a pair of goals in the final seven minutes to record a 2-0 win over the Sunbirds at Ramirez Field. No. 5 Cal State LA (1-0), the defending California Collegiate Athletic Association champions, limited Fresno Pacific to just five shots in the game, and none on frame, to post the shutout.

Diego Bravo, in his first career start for Cal State LA, got the win in goal.

The Golden Eagles got goals from newcomers Matteo Costa and Emil Kischka in the victory.

Cal State LA had a 7-5 advantage in shots for the game, including a 6-3 edge in the second half. The Golden Eagles had a 7-2 advantage in corner kicks, including a 6-0 edge in the second half. Two of those corner kicks preceded the foul that resulted in Costa's go-ahead penalty-kick goal.

Cal State LA had five of its seven shots in the final 10 minutes of the game.

Costa and Kischka both re-entered the game in the 79th minute and struck for the Cal State LA goals. Costa broke the scoreless tie with his penalty kick goal in the 84th minute and Kischka made it 2-0 with his goal in the 89th minute.

All-American defender Andrew Portis, sophomore Geovanni Antuna and graduate student Rene Cortez led the defensive effort and played all 90 minutes in the contest. Oscar Warne had a match-high three shots for the Golden Eagles.

Cal State LA will return to action next Thursday, Sept. 12, at Western Washington. The Vikings picked up a 1-0 home victory over Chico State in their season opener on Thursday. The Golden Eagles will play their first three games on the road before their home opener against Colorado School of Mines on Friday, Sept. 20 at 7 p.m.