August 6, 2017 League 1 Ontario Cup Final--Woodbridge vs FC London

[Rocket Robin]

Result and details of the Sunday August 6, 2017 League 1 Ontario Women's
Cup Final between Woodbridge Strikers and FC London held at The Ontario
Soccer Centre in Vaughan at 6:00pm.

12 min...FCL Ashley Campbell GOAL...FCL Jade Kovacevic rush on left rolls
ball through box from 20 yards near 6 yard line. An FCL player in the
middle misses but Campbell takes 12 yard shot from a tough angle
on the right into left corner of net.

18 min...FCL Jade Kovacevic GOAL...Kovacevic on run on left cuts into
middle at 18 yards and bends shot inwards into right corner of net.

45 min (2nd half)...FCL Ashley Campbell GOAL...Campbell with ball
at 20 yards lofts shot into top left corner of net over goalie
Alyssa Abernot.

72 min...FCL Marissa Oliviera GOAL...Oliviera recovers partial clearance
at 25 yards in middle and blasts shot through crowd of players into
top right corner of goal.

75 min...FCL sub...Alana Richardson replaces Emily Gillet in goal.

77 min...FCL Kaila Novak GOAL...Novak has shot from 15 yards on left
blocked but recovers and gets rebound from nearly the same spot
and shoots into top right corner.

82 min...WS Lindsay Appleton GOAL...WS Lauren Raimondo rolls 28 yard
freekick from middle over to right. Appleton at 25 yards on right
chips low cross that eludes goalie Alana Richardson and catches
inside of left post on the bounce.

88 min...FCL Marissa Oliviera GOAL...Oliviera takes 50 yard chip
shot that finds WS goalie out at 18 yards and ball bounces into
net while chased by retreating goalie.

Final Score:...FC London........6......Woodbridge Strikers......1.....

Attendance was about 250 on this mild mostly overcast day. The crowd
was about 2 to 1 pro-London fans which was impressive because the
city is about a four hour drive away.

This is the only L1O Women's game I've attended this season. On the
Men's side including later tonight I've been to 33. With TFC and TFC II
games I don't have time to write up anything more.   I did attend
the Canadian Women's National team when they beat Costa Rica back
in June but I can't say I'm an expert on the women's side
of this league.

London dominated possession and the Strikers rarely got
within 30 yards of the FCL goal. Later some league and team
officials were discussing this game as 'Women against Girls'.
Game sheets I was given just give a breakdown of 'U-23'
(i.e. 'Y' or 'N').  London went with a roster of seven starters
Not U-23s with four U-23s and all five on their bench were U-23s
who all got into the action starting at 61 minutes. Woodbridge
only had three players who were not U-23s and two of those
started on the bench.

The MVP for the game was awarded to FCL Denise Fortin for her
strong midfield play.

Referee Kim Lee (a woman) gave out only one Yellow card
(to Woodbridge) that I noticed and that was not until well into
second half injury time. Usually by the third WS pass,
London had regained possession.

I read stories on the L1O website each week about London and
see midfielder Jade Kovacevic mentioned often. No wonder
as she has 20 goals in 11 games! I remember her from going
to Toronto Lady Lynx games in the now defunct W-League. After
this game I asked her if she used to commute all the way from
London for every game. She answered me that she was from
Georgetown and later moved to London to attend Fanshawe College.
She has graduated now in Business Marketing and still lives there.
(Georgetown is about one hour's drive north west of Toronto).

I also kept thinking I knew the name Ashley Campbell from
somewhere. At home I realized I'd followed her three years
of Lady Lynx seasons—2012 to 2014 (Kovacevic was just 2013 that
I could find). Both players played for the Canadian U-20 team
but now at age 23 and 24 are forgotten about. However with the
Canadian Women's team ranked third or fourth in the world,
I'm going to sit back and not make any suggestions.

In regular L1O league play, London has a record of 7 wins,
2 losses, 2 ties for 23 points and second place—actually
in a three way tie but with games in hand on the two other teams.
They are on a seven game unbeaten streak since the middle of June.
Hmm Ashley Campbell's first game was June 23 so I'm sure that's
part of the reason! FCL is tied for best defence only allowing
nine goals.

Woodbridge has a record of 5 wins, 6 losses, 2 ties for 17 points
and are in eighth of the eleven team league.

First place team is North Mississauga Panthers 7 wins, 1 loss,
4 ties for 25 points. NMP is the other team that has only
allowed nine goals.

I got marooned on the east side of the field for the men's
game waiting for game rosters as the L1O Men's Cup Final
started right after the Women's trophy presentation.

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca
Twitter @RocketRobin01