League 1 Ontario 2017--Week 20

[Rocket Robin]

Result of the Friday September 8, 2017 League 1 Ontario game between
Durham United FA and Woodbridge Strikers played at Kinsmen Park at 8:00pm.

44 min...Woodbridge Emmanuel Issac GOAL...WS Joshua Paredes-Procter
cornerkick from right has Issac leap in crowd of players and
head 4 yarder up middle into net past goalie Ben Cowman.

56 min...DUFA RED card...Taylor Lord earns his second Yellow card
for sliding tackle on WS Mikateko Zwane at center line.

89 min...Woodbridge Adrian Gallo GOAL...WS Ronaldo Marshall rescues
ball on DUFA end line and crosses ball from 15 yards and defender
partially clears ball. Gallo blasts shot from 18 yards up middle
that deflects off defender at 6 yards and deflects into right side
of net.

Final Score:...Durham United FA....0...Woodbridge Strikers...2...

Attendance was about 50 on this cool night with the temperature falling
as the night wore on. The mosquitos didn't come out until the
second half. Strikers lost a ball in the swamp during warmups.

Quillan Roberts earned the shutout for Woodbridge. He was back after
serving a one game suspension for Yellow card accumulation.
Otherwise he has played every minute this season. He had a few key
saves to make and was fortunate that a few DUFA shots were off target
in particular after DUFA went down a man.

Taylor Lord had drawn his first Yellow at 32 minutes and I could hear
the Strikers players chatting about how they would now run at his
position—holding central midfielder—as he couldn't risk making
a hard challenge. He took his second at 56 minutes for what looked
like retaliation because WS Oscar Cordon had got away with a tackle
on a DUFA player near the sideline a few seconds earlier.

This was a pretty rough game. Referee John Vlahos gave out seven
Yellow cards (three to DUFA although two were to Lord).
Vlahos even gave out a Yellow to the Woodbridge goalie John Scavone
on the bench when he was called by a referee's asssistant to point
out Scavone. He was 40 yards upfield at the time giving out a Yellow
to WS Joshua Paredes-Procter. The referee let all the swearing
by both teams go unpunished.

DUFA had LeRohne Young injured in the first half and returned to play
about three minutes later but did not return for the second half.
DUFA Stefan Lamanna was injured at 61 minutes and was
replaced immediately.

Best Durham chances were at 26 minutes when DUFA Christian Moncrieffe
takes a 30 yard freekick from the left and DUFA Cameron Brooks headed
a 15 yarder up the middle that hit the bar. The surprises were being
down a man. The DUFA goalie took a goalkick that a WS defender made
a poor headed backpass and DUFA Jumbo Iyowuna was suddenly in alone
and chipped the goalie from 25 yards and the ball rolled just wide
right of the post. The sloppiness of this play enraged the usually
calm WS coach Peter Pinizzotto. 84 minutes had Tyrell Rayne charge
down the right and 18 yard shot had the goalie swat wide left.

Woodbridge had chances to put the game out of reach earlier but they
had some shots blasted well off target. The 'insurance' goal was set
up and scored by two players who had both come into the game less
than 15 minutes earlier.

Michael Krzeminski played a defender but with the freedom to run up
the wing and send in crosses—much the same as some of the MLS
Toronto FC players this season. He was one of the WS players
(as well as some Vaughan Azzurri players) called in by Canadian
National team coach Oscar Zambrano to train with the national team
a week and a half ago. Zambrano at his post game press conference
after the Jamaican game praised the players he invited that he had
first seen at the League 1 Ontario Cup Final between Woodbridge
and Vaughan.

Durham's record falls to a record of 8 wins, 7 losses, 3 ties
for 27 points. That leaves them in fourth place in the eight
team Eastern Conference.

The win improves Woodbridge's record to 12 wins, 2 losses, 4 ties
for 40 points. They are guaranteed to stay in first place in the
East this weekend which is different in that they usually play the
final game of the weekend when they have their games on Sunday nights.
They hold a three point lead of Vaughan Azzurri who play
on Sunday afternoon.

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca
twitter @RocketRobin01

[Rocket Robin]

Result of the Sunday September 10, 2017 League 1 Ontario game between
Toronto FC III and Windsor TFC Stars played at the KIA Training Centre
in Downsview at 1:00pm.

11 min...TFC Matthew Srbely GOAL...Srbely runs into top right corner
of W box and takes low 15 yard shot from left past sliding goalie
Shervin Mollanassani on left post and into right corner of net.

21 min...TFC Luca Uccello GOAL...Uccello is given ball at 30 yards
and runs forward even with right post and his low 15 yard shot
is into left corner of net.

32 min...Windsor RED card...Jamar Kelly earns a direct ejection from
referee Fabrizio Stassolo for pushing down TFC Luca Uccello near
edge of the W box and as he was the last man back, he was sent off.

34 min...TFC Luca Uccello GOAL...Uccello blasts 19 yard freekick
from slight left into top right corner of net.

42 min...TFC Cyrus Rollocks GOAL...TFC Matthew Srbely gives short
pass to Rollocks who shoots 12 yarder down middle that banks
in off the right post.

44 min...TFC Daniel DaSilva GOAL...TFC Luca Uccello rolls 22 yarder
through ball pass to DaSilva up middle and he rolls 12 yarder
into right corner of net.

Halftime sub:...TFC makes three changes including switching
starting goalie Gianluca Catalano with Sebastian Sgarbossa.

51 min...TFC Daniel DaSilva GOAL...DaSilva receives chipped cross
and blasts 8 yarder up middle into top left of net.

55 min...TFC Steven Furlano GOAL...Furlano is tapped back-pass
and he blasts 18 yarder into net.

60 min...W replaces starting goalie Shervin Mollahassani
with Markus Aguilar.

62 min...TFC Cyrus Rollocks GOAL...TFC Steven Furlano pass
from 30 yards on right finds TFC Jordan Faria rushing
at 10 yard line on left and his low cross along 6 yard line
has Rollocks charge in for tap-in.

65 min...TFC Daniel DaSilva GOAL...TFC Jordan Faria cross
from 15 yards on left has DaSilva stop ball and
blasts 12 yarder into top center of net.

85 min...TFC Steven Furlano GOAL...TFC Jordan Faria sends
in low cross from 15 yards near left end line has Furlano
put 4 yard tap-in on right post.

91 min...TFC Cyrus Rollocks GOAL...TFC Daniel DaSilva
touches pass to Rollocks and he shoots low from 12 yards
on right to low left corner of net.

91 min...game ends 2:44pm.

Final Score:...Toronto FC III....11...Windsor TFC Stars...0..

Attendance was about 60 on this warm day with a bright sun
from the south. There is hardly any breeze which is a surprise
at this usually gusty venue.

Referee Fab Stassolo gave out only one Yellow card
(to Windsor) besides the Red. The game was a shooting
gallery for TFC right from the beginning. TFC head
coach Danny Dichio even yelled out "Noooo, referee!"
when the Windsor player was Red carded. He answered
me later that it wasn't a reckless challenge and the
visiting team had come five hours to get here. He didn't
blame the referee because those are the rules. I felt
he wanted to play 11 v 11 for a better test for his players.

There were a few injuries. Windsor had to replace
injured Shihab Al-Khulaidy with Lucas Spadafora at only
the 15 minute mark. 74 minutes had TFC replaces
Luca Petrasso wth Olakunie Dada-Luke. Luca Petrasso
is the brother of Canadian national team player
of Michael Petrasso who we saw play last Saturday
against Jamaica. I have a few match reports of Michael
playing in the TFC Academy in 2011. If you read carefully
below you'll see I mention two Osorio brothers who are
with the TFC programs besides national team
player Jonathan.

I have watched Windsor come to the GTA with not enough
players this season. A ten man team is the main reason
Toronto Skillz won their first game of the year
last month. Today they had a starting eleven and listed
five on the bench. (I only counted four). Of course
it's the quality of the players that also has a effect.
W officials said they'd lost 14 players to University
teams. An L1O official said the entire University
of Windsor starting eleven were from the L1O team.

There's been gradual changes in players to the
Toronto FC III team too. This season TFC does not have
a PDL team so they had university players on their
L1O club. Thanks to head coach Danny Dichio for helping
me fill in the blanks for the 'where is...?' questions
I had. Midfielder Kota Sakurai is away at Dartmouth
in New Hampshire. Forward Ethan Beckford has started
at Penn State. Goalie Brogan Engbers is at Libery
University (in Virginia). He said they have more
players at Canadian Universities...Nicholas Osorio,
Nikola Stakic, Marko Mandekic are with University
of Toronto while Andrew Dias, Robert Boskovic [correction], and
Armando Caracciolo (?) are attending Ryerson University
(in downtown Toronto). Also defender Julian Dunn-Johnson
and midfielder Dante Campbell have moved
up to TFC II (USL).

To make up today's numbers, TFC III had two regulars
from TFC II who had 'moved down' to get playing time
while they recover from injury—Luca Uccello (three
goals and he only played the first half!)
and Anthony Osorio.

Uccello's freekick was right out of the Sebastian
Giovinco book. I wonder how close they work with
the first team?

Both Windsor goalies had to make some spectacular
saves or the game could have been doubled. There were
times that the action was so fast I couldn't write
it all down. Official league stats listed TFC
out-shooting Windsor with 'shots on goal' as 15 to 1.

There isn't usually music played during any L1O game
(before the game and during halftime is normal) but
we could hear music from a TFC staff, players and
family picnic. When I got here today, the TFC II squad
(who I watched last night at BMO Field play New York
Red Bulls II) were still practicing two fields over.
Next Saturday I may be here at something similar
(depends on lottery between TFC season seat
holders—I didn't 'win' last year). I wonder if after
the national anthem was played the speakers were
dismantled and carted away to provide the sound
system for the party. Just as well as this would
have been even more humiliating for Windsor. There's
no scoreboard here.

The win improves TFC III's record to 11 wins,
4 losses, 2 ties for 35 points and a tie for third
in the eight team Western Conference.

They have one more win than Sigma so are listed
first. Oakville holds the West playoff berth for
the championship against the East with 48 points (
late afternoon game update) with only four more
weeks to go.

Windsor's record falls to 5 wins, 9 losses,
4 ties for 19 points and they are sixth in the West.

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca
twitter RocketRobin01
 

[to70]

13 hours ago, Rocket Robin said:

ayers at Canadian Universities...Nicholas Osorio,
Nikola Stakic, Marko Mandekic are with University
of Toronto while Andrew Dias, Marko Mandekic, and
Armando Caracciolo (?) are attending Ryerson Universit

Its Robert Boskovic that's at Ryerson

[Gopherbashi]

One wonders why we bother to continue the season into the fall.

[Rocket Robin]

Results and details of the Sunday September 10, 2017 League 1 Ontario game
between North Toronto Nitros and Aurora FC played at Esther Shiner Stadium
in North York at 7:00pm.

2 min...NTN Kevin DaSilva GOAL...DaSilva bends 25 yard shot from left into
top right corner of net over jumping goalie Matthew Peres.

17 min...NTN Niklas Bauer GOAL...NTN Mirza Custovic cross from 28 yards
on far right is over players in box but Bauer gets to ball on bounce
at 7 yards on left and raises leg to hook it into net on short side.

28 min...NTN Kembo Kibato GOAL...NTN Nkolay Saveliev cross from 25 yards
on left is bent into box and Kibato all alone heads 8 yarder down middle
over goalie into net.

32 min...NTN Christian Westlaken GOAL...NTN Nikolay Saveliev freekick
on right bounces through defenders and Westlaken taps in 5 yarder
on left post.

34 min...NTN Callum Flemng GOAL...Fleming gets to rebound on shot
is stopped by defender at 28 yards and rolls 30 yarder between defenders
into right side of net.

53 min...NTN Niklas Bauer GOAL...AFC Matthew Brown trying to break
up 2 on 1 NTN rush can't head ball far enough wide left and Bauer
gets to ball at 25 yards and fires 18 yarder into right side of net.

79 min...NTN Niklas Bauer GOAL...NTN Nikolay Saveliev rush on left
to 20 yards and taps ball over for Bauer to shoot 18 yard roller
into right corner of net.

80 min...AFC switch goalies with Stefano Spina replacing starter
Matthew Peres.

88 min...NTN Myles Abreo GOAL...Abreo is threaded pass from 45 yards
finding him at 25 yards between defenders in middle and he runs
forward and rolls 15 yarder into left corner of net.

Final Score:...North Toronto Nitros...8...Aurora FC...0...

Attendance was about 40 on this moderate evening with the
temperature cooling dramatically once the sun set.

Nitros built up a big lead—5-0 by halftime—the same as a game
I'd seen earlier today with TFC III vs Windsor (eventually 11-0)
with Windsor having a man red carded at 32 minutes. With two
late scratches on their roster, Nitros only had three subs
so it was important for them to build up a good score early.

Hassane Rifai as referee and gave out three Yellow cards (two
to Aurora). I didn't notice two of them. The one I saw was
a delayed call where advantage was played. It wasn't a rough
game—it was like the NTN players were too fast to catch.

There were maybe two good chances before the game was out
of reach. 7 minutes had AFC Diljodh Singh take a 43 yard
freekick from the right that was over the goalie and dropped
to hit the bar at the top left corner but stayed out.
9 minutes had the AFC goalie beat NTN Niklas Bauer
to a through ball on the end line and rather than waiting
for it to roll out for a goalkick he cleared it over Bauer
but it landed for NTN Kevin DaSilva following up. DaSilva
chipped a 22 yard shot from the left that a retreating
defender cleared with a bicycle kick at 4 yards. 

Stefan Dusciuc earned the shutout for Nitros.  I marked
him as stopping three shots with defenders clearing
everything else or AFC players shooting off target. 

The win improves Nitros record to 10 wins, 5 losses,
3 ties for 33 points. They are in third place in the
eight team Eastern Conference but seven points behind
co-leaders Vaughan Azzurri and Woodbine Strikers with
only four games to go. The conference winner plays the
winner in the west for the league championship.

Aurora's record drops to 2 wins, 14 losses, 1 tie for
7 points. They are in seventh place in the East.

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca
twitter @RocketRobin01
 

[Rocket Robin]

7 hours ago, to70 said:

Its Robert Boskovic that's at Ryerson

Thanks to70! 

[Kent]

4 hours ago, Gopherbashi said:

One wonders why we bother to continue the season into the fall.

I've heard it mentioned that the games can be useful for younger players that will potentially play a bigger role in future L1O seasons.

It would be interesting to see some sort of statistical analysis, but I get the impression that the good teams before the school exodus are still the good teams after the exodus. The one exception that I have noticed anecdotally is that TFC III/academy seems to go from being one of the better teams to being an unbeatable team every year.