2017 League 1 Ontario Week 2

[Rocket Robin]

May 6, 2017 League 1 Ontario--Vaughan Azzurri vs Toronto Skillz game review (by Rocket Robin)

  
Result and details of the League 1 Ontario game of 
Saturday May 6, 2017 between Vaughan Azzurri and 
Toronto Skillz played at McNaughton Turf in Maple 
at 4:00pm.

6 min...VA Mario Kovacevic GOAL...VA Jason Mills rolls 
ball forward from 15 yards in middle and Kovacevic 
has tap-in into center of net.

30 min...Skillz Liam Cox GOAL...VA defender is stripped 
of the ball at 22 yards by TS Mario Ramalno who taps 
pass to Cox who pokes 8 yard shot forward into right 
side of net.

42 min...VA Jarek Whiteman GOAL...VA Devante Walker 
rushes down right wing and crosses from 25 yards near 
end line. Whiteman charges forward to leap over defender 
and head ball from 10 yards that deflects in off 
underside of bar into net.

46 min (first half)...Skillz Mario Ramalno GOAL...Ramalno
and another Skillz player strip VA goalie Daniel 
Gosciniak of ball and Ramalno chips 8 yarder into 
empty net.

78 min...VA Jarek Whiteman GOAL...VA Dena Iezady is 
centered pass from low cross from left and he blasts 
28 yard roller that goalie Lucas Birnstingl dives 
to save but spills rebound and charging Whiteman 
shoots 7 yarder over him into net.

Final Score:...Vaughan Azzurri....3....Toronto Skillz....2..

Attendance was about 30. Vaughan is not known for having 
big crowds but today's weather was brutal. Last weekend 
I said it was very cold and windy so this weekend 
just repeat that weather and add an almost constant drizzle 
for we're in the middle of four days of this weather. 
Parkas were worn by everyone in this second weekend of May. 
The crowd only swelled at halftime when Vaughan 2005 Boys team 
played a mini game between the 40 yard lines and that brought 
them and an entourage of parents. After their demo was over 
they disappeared. I crossed the field to stand under the 
fourth official's canopy for the second half for some shelter. 

Skillz did not have a passable record last year and were 
beaten in their opening game last weekend 5-1 by North 
Toronto Nitros but played well enough today that I thought 
they might hang on for a tie. 

Skillz used a high press which was very successful 
against the 2016 L1O champions. There was a lot of pressure 
placed on the Azzurri defenders. Azzurri head coach 
Carmine Isacco was constantly yelling for his upfield 
players to come back and help out the defence. There were 
a few times when one defender had to make a key block 
or a Skillz forward would be sent in on a breakaway. 
It will be interesting to see if Skillz uses this 
tactic again against a team not as good as Vaughan. 

Skillz switched Liam Cox to a starter on their game sheet 
replacing Nicholas Goddard. Goddard's been followed by me 
for a long time as I searched to find he was with 
Toronto Croatia in 2009 and Milltown FC in 2010. 
In League 1 Ontario he was with Durham United in 2014 
in the league's inaugural year and since 2015 he's been 
with Masters. 

Vaughan has returning all three of the Mills brothers, 
defender/captain Joseph Amato, strikers Mario Kovacevic 
and Jarek Whiteman and now ex-TFC system midfielder 
Christopher Mannella who was the first League 1 Ontario 
'Young Player of the Year' in 2014 when he was with 
TFC Academy and the league mispelled his name when they 
engraved the plaque on the trophy. He was playing 
as a defensive midfielder for this game.

Overall it looks like their roster is now completely 
independent of the York University roster from past years 
where they had some players dividing their time between 
the two squads. 

Referee Scott Bowman gave out only two Yellow cards 
(one was in injury time for the Azzurri goalie for 
time-wasting) in a game that was more wide open then rough.

It was sometime during this game that I found out the new 
cross Canada division 1 soccer league had been approved 
so inside I felt just a little warmer so I could cover 
this game instead of groaning about the never-ending rain 
ruining my notebook. This could turn out to be one of 
those "Where you were when John F Kennedy was shot" 
moments.  (my answer: home after morning kindergarten).

While asking Jarek Whiteman to help me fill in an assist 
on one of his goals I said I'd just heard about the CanPL 
and asked if he would consider playing for them. Yes was 
his response to that and my follow up question 'even if 
it was anywhere?'  I asked and I added if it was for 
a living wage. I always think of him when I think 
of the players for this league.  He is either 26 or will 
just be turning 26 this year.  A scoring day like today 
should see him go high in the draft (if there is one) 
or be invited to tryouts if that's the way they fill up 
their rosters. I've watched him play since the first year 
of TFC Academy in 2008 followed by years on other CSL teams 
and the PDL with K-W United and the most recent years 
of League 1 Ontario. 

OK now pack up, with a detour home to pick up a new dry 
notebook and off to Scarborough to see the 9:00pm starting 
Masters FA Saints vs Ottawa South United Force game. 

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca
twitter @RocketRobin01

 

 

[yellowsweatygorilla]

2 hours ago, Rocket Robin said:

May 6, 2017 League 1 Ontario--Vaughan Azzurri vs Toronto Skillz game review (by Rocket Robin)

  
and my follow up question 'even if 
it was anywhere?'  I asked and I added if it was for 
a living wage. I always think of him when I think 
of the players for this league. 

 

 

What was his answer?

[Rocket Robin]

1 hour ago, yellowsweatygorilla said:

What was his answer?

It was 'Yes'.   I thought it might be conditional depending on his family situation etc so his fast reply was unexpected--I hadn't even said "living wage" yet. (I don't ask them about players personal lives).   I suppose athletes grow up expecting to relocate.  How many hockey playing kids even five years ago ever said "Yeah I want to grow up and be drafted by Las Vegas".  

[Rocket Robin]

Result and details from the Saturday May 6, 2017 League 1 Ontario game
between Masters FA Saints and Ottawa South United Force played
at L'Amoreaux Park in Scarborough at 9:00pm.

23 min...OSUF Gabriel Bittar GOAL...Bittar rushes along left end line
towards goal and instead of passing puts it into net between near
post and goalie.

38 min...Masters Maleik DeFreitas GOAL...DeFreitas blasts low freekick
from left past wall and ball bounces over sprawling goalie
Dylan Roosign on left post.

50 min...OSUF Stefan Angelic GOAL...OSUF player's cornerkick from
right is cleared from box but Angelic rolls 25 yard shot through
players and goalie Danny Grant squatting to make pick up has it slip
though his hands and deflect into left corner of the net.

61 min...OSUF Marco Natoli GOAL...Natoli shoots 15 yarder that goalie
slides to save and Natoli gets to rebound to shoot over him.

63 min...OSUF Marco Natoli GOAL...Natoli gets pass from right and
blasts 15 yarder from left into roof of center of net. No defenders
were close to him on the left side.

72 min...OSUF Jereny Aweya GOAL...Aweya receives a cross from the right
and takes low blaster from 18 yards up middle and goalie stops but
momentum rolls it over him from 7 yards and it trickles into the net.

Final Score:...Masters FA Saints......1......Ottawa South United Force......5.......

Attendance was about 80 which was only slightly less than last week.
Last week it was brutally cold and windy. Now take that same weather
(this first weekend in May) and add a constant drizzle and it's
understandable. Before the game the grounds crew (made up of teenagers
from what I saw) were told to anchor the tent canopies over the player
benches and they first secured the visitors bench but disbursed to get
more rope to tie between the feet and the chain link fence. They didn't
come back for more than half an hour. In the meantime on the fourth
official's table, the table top scoreboard blew over. I'd say it weighed
at least 20 pounds—smash!--although when it was set back up it did run
without a problem. Next the canopy got caught in the wind and popped its
pegs and started to skid downfield. There's now something I can add
to my league resume—human tent peg—I held on until there was a break
in the wind. The other canopies were finally secured with extra pinnies
and covers.

The most popular tune on the PA turned out to be Bob Marley's tune
'Three Little Birds' with the song being cued to the part "Don't worry
about a thing, every little thing's going to be alright" played every
time the visitors scored. If last week wasn't bad at only two plays
against Woodbridge, this was worse at five times.

I thought Masters had a chance at halftime because now it would be
OSUF running into the wind and having the rain in their face but
instead they kept the ball mostly on the ground and had the Masters'
goalie fumble some of their shots.

OSUF ended up playing short from 84 minutes because Justin Earle was
ordered to leave the field to treat his bloody nose and OSUF had used
their five subs (also the number of extra players they'd brought anyway).
OK the Master's trainer patched him up quickly but the fourth made him
change his bloody #4 jersey. They found him the #12 of Alex Nzarga who'd
already been subbed off (ewwww note to team 1. print more game rosters
for the 'media' 2. bring a few extra unused jerseys) only thing is he
bloodied up the #12 too from blood on his hands so he couldn't get on
the field with that neither so the coach decided to play short.

Referee David Barrie who didn't give out any Yellow cards and signaled
for no extra time...yeah we crowded under under the fourth official's
canopy agreed, a 5-1 lead, let's get out of the wind and rain and go home!

The players from Masters' new official Rick Titus haven't joined yet
but if it's the four to six guys I think that made North Mississauga
so good last year, I can see them fitting in well and upgrading this team.
Right now Masters are better than at this time last year although tonight's
score line happened too frequently early last season.

Masters have always mostly played Saturday night at 9:00pm but this was
pretty brutal for the team from Ottawa because not ending until 11:00pm
and the league not having a hotel sponsor it would now be a five hour
drive back to their home city. I didn't get home until almost midnight
and I'm in the suburb beside this one. They do get a break in a weekend
in July when they play an 'away' game against Windsor (across the river
from Detroit) and at least five hours West of Toronto in Woodbridge part
of the GTA! Lucky me. I'll try to catch this game. Saves OSU a ten hour
drive for a two hour game then a ten hour return drive. An uneven
east-west schedule ensures there won't be a return game. I'll assume
the bingo balls will be weighted so they won't Cup draw against each other.

OSUF are off to a flying start with two wins in two games in two road
games this season. However Aurora and Masters are not close to
representing the best in Toronto area teams based on last year's records.
I will assume OSUF will have a great home record because GTA teams
will not adapt to the long trip only once a season.

Before the game I was talking to the OSUF coach Traian Mateas to tell
him that Clint Irwin earned a shutout for Toronto FC in a road game
against Seattle this afternoon. He played for the one-season
of Capital Cities FC existance in 2011 in the CSL. We also talked
about Ottawa Wizards years before that playing in 'Carp' a
suburb far away from the city (have to find an atlas for me).

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca
twitter @RocketRobin01

[Rocket Robin]

ooh nice cut and paste format for that last story.  Let's hope I can remember tomorrow how I did that when I will try to post Sunday afternoon's TFC III vs Sigma FC game. 

[Rocket Robin]

Result and details of the Sunday May 7, 2018 League 1 Ontario game between
Toronto FC III and Sigma FC played at KIA Training Centre in Downsview
at 1:00pm.

13 min...Sigma Duran Lee GOAL...Sigma Justin Stoddart cornerkick from right
is high and Lee leaps above defenders and heads 5 yarder forward into top
left corner of net.

31 min...Sigma Johnny Grant GOAL...Sigma player racing in on left cutting
in and passes to Sigma Mansoor Allazy who gives pass in clear and Grant
shoots 15 yarder down middle over sliding goalie Brogan Engbers.

36 min...TFC Malik Johnson GOAL...TFC Steven Furlano cross from 22 yards
on far right has Johnson in crowd of players shoot in low 10 yarder over
diving goalie Triston Henry.

49 min...Sigma Jordan Kalonji GOAL...Kalonji is given short low pass upfield
by Sigma Mansoor Allazy and his low 15 yard shot from right is into low
left corner of net.

83 min...Sigma Johnny Grant sends low cross from 15 yards near right end
line has Sigma Dominic Samuel upended by fallen goalie in box at 5 yards
while rushing forward for ball. Referee Timothy Wong calls a Penalty kick
and gives TFC goalie Brogen Engbers a Yellow card.

84 min...Sigma Johnny Grant blasts low Penalty kick has diving goalie save
on right post by pushing ball wide. The referee's assistant put his flag
up as the goalie had taken a step forward before the shot was taken.

85 min...Sigma Johnny Grant GOAL...Grant blasts retaken Penalty kick low
to right side of net with goalie diving left.

93 min...TFC Red card...Dante Campbell is given a straight Red on a delayed
call for flattening a Sigma player in the center circle as play moved
upfield. When the advantage ended after Sigma Arlick Nibana rolled a 20 yard
shot through a crowd of players that the goalie picked up, a multi player
dust-up broke out in the TFC box.

95 min...game ends.

Final Score:......Toronto FC III.......1.........Sigma FC......4......

Attendance was about 30. It was parka weather again but the sun came out
in the second half for the first time in about five days. We're not used
to this weather dragging on into May. The wind is exaggerated at this
location, the remnants of the old military Downsview Airport now down
to one runway which is still being used for commercial freight flights.
I wonder if the Avro Arrow reached Mach 1.9 at the end of the 1950s
because of the wind? Whichever team was playing in the south end found
it very hard to cross the center line. That was TFC in the first and
Sigma for the second half. There was no rain and the grounds crew did
set up a canopy for the scorers table and sound system. I think this
was partially for show as they were committed to Livestream the game
for internet watchers.

Sigma's goal at 49 minutes proved to be crucial as it was one of the
few times they were able to get out of their own end in the second half.

The injury time brawl was partially to do with the 'advantage' playing on.
I suspect that Sigma players thought that Aidan Daniels was going to get
away with the knockdown upfield. I saw a Sigma player down in the center
circle but at the time I moved my eyes away to see the Sigma rush. I looked
at the Livestream recording of that moment after I got home and the
commentator mentioned there was a man down at the time but the camera
had already moved downfield to follow the action. Referee Timothy Wong
gave out six Yellow cards (two to Sigma) plus the Red. Between 53 and
58 minutes he gave out four Yellow cards on four separate plays
(two to each team) and that mostly curbed the rough stuff until
the end of the game.

Ethan Beckford (three goals last game vs FC London) and Nicholas Osorio
(two goals last game) were kept off the score-sheet this week.

Both Triston Henry for Sigma and Brogan Engbers for TFC played well
in goal. I've been marking my notes for decades 'dive for save'
or 'flew for save' when the goalie leaves his feet depending on where
on net the shot is going. Today the word was 'flew for save' as there
were a lot of top corner shots by each team.

This was the time of year over the last few seasons of this league
when Sigma is at their best. Last season Sigma blasted off with a 9 win,
0 loss start by the end of June. They ended up fizzling out later in the
season when many of their players returned to NCAA schools before the
middle of summer. By the end of the season they are playing with their
high-schoolers. This is what I worry about with the League 1 Ontario
champions next year getting an entry into the Voyageurs Cup. Other L1O
teams have the same problem but not so heavily as Sigma. What time of year
would their qualifier be? Late Spring vs Fall will make a huge difference
in the caliber of competition the L1O teams can put out.

I'd still say Toronto FC III has a better chance of finishing the season
higher up the table based on past seasons when they grow in experience
and have other teams lose players to schools. Also this year the squad
is considered U19 or U20 rather than U17 and they won't burn out players
on the TFC PDL team which their organization folded the end of last year.

Johnny Grant is the veteran of Sigma. He played four years with them
in his development then went to play in Europe and with
MLS Montreal Impact. It's not unusual for a player to return to Sigma
for a brief stay. I saw Emery Welshman after his Toronto FC days come
back to stay sharp then move on to USL Real Monarchs and this season
NASL Puerto Rico. Leaford Allen had the Grant role last year although
he told me he didn't come through the Sigma system. I received a tweet
that Sigma grad and MLS 2017 SuperDraft first round selection
Kwame Awuah played his first game for MLS New York City FC today.
Details reveal he was an injury time sub but it's a 'start' to his
MLS career. Awuah also went to U of Connecticut as did Sigma's
most famous player, Cyle Larin!

Anthony Totera was here as a game production director for the league
to make sure things ran smoothly. I got to congratulate him on the
CanPL league launch announcement as he's been taking a lot of grief
over the last two years as the story moved from rumours to reality.
I did much the same last night when I saw Duane Rollins as game
director at the Masters vs OSUF game.

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca
twitter @RocketRobin01

[Gopherbashi]

3 hours ago, Rocket Robin said:

What time of year
would their qualifier be? Late Spring vs Fall will make a huge difference
in the caliber of competition the L1O teams can put out.

I was reading some info on the L1O website, and the final roster declarations for the Voyageurs Cup have to be submitted to the CSA by May 1st of next year.  Even if we assume their qualifiers take place during the timeframe when OFFC & FCE currently have their matches, most of their NCAA players should be back with them by then.

Sigma's real problem will be winning the league championship if they prevail in the Western Conference - crushing the field this early in the season will mean nothing unless you can win the final game with your fall team.