May 31, 2014 League 1 Ontario--Internacional de Toronto vs Windsor Stars (from League 1 Ontario website)

  
Internacional de Toronto 2 - Windsor Stars 2
. Mon Jun 2 
Written By: Meertins, Tyrrell  
 
Judging from the contest between Internacional de Toronto and Windsor Stars, many League1 Ontario matches 
this season may shape up as a battle between style, physicality, and technical ability, as the two clubs 
fought to a scrappy 2-2 draw Saturday afternoon at the Ontario Soccer Centre.

Neither side was exceptional over the course of 90 minutes. Possession was easily conceded, defensive 
errors were made, and several goal-scoring opportunities were squandered by both squads. 

Initially, Windsor attempted to play long diagonal balls over a nervy Internacional defence, but their 
strikers failed to get on the end of these chances. Apart from a few individual surges from deep positions, 
Windsor failed to impose their authority early in the match.

The most interesting aspect of the opening period was Internacional’s attacking shape. While it was nominally 
a standard 4-3-3, the deepest midfielder – Felipe Nunez – sat ahead of the back four and was essentially 
an extra centre back. Though Nunez wasn't overly proficient in his passing, the defensive midfielder did provide 
welcome break-up play in Internacional’s defensive third. Yet it would be Nunez who was responsible for Windsor’s 
opening goal, as the Star’s press enabled Michael Pio to dispossess Nunez at the halfway line, and drive towards 
goal before firing his shot off the post. The well-positioned Stars' striker, Gino Berardi, tapped the welcome 
rebound into an open net.

This was Windsor’s most effective route of attack in the early phase, as Pio and Berardi constantly tormented 
Internacional’s defence on the break. Pio received – and won – countless chances after isolating defenders during 
the opening hour, but goalkeeper Kyle Vrbec kept the 20-year-old striker off the score sheet. Windsor’s strikers 
worked the channels well and used their pace and strength to exploit Internacional’s fullbacks, but great goalkeeping 
from Vrbec proved pivotal.

Internacional struggled to settle into the match in the opening half, but Manuel Ramos’ unpredictably lofted ball 
from the left flank settled under the crossbar into the top left corner of the Stars' net to level the score-line. 
Windsor would quickly regain the lead, as an unmarked Patrick Lepera took advantage of his height advantage over 
a diminutive Internacional side towards the end of the first half, nodding home a powerful header past Vrbec.

Throughout the match, Internacional would struggle to attack and defend as a cohesive unit, but Raheen Edwards was 
the driving force in their attack. Edwards constantly ran past his direct marker, Jamar Kelly, on the left flank, 
and he was equally industrious in tracking back to protect his leftback, Diego Rodrigues. In the second half, 
Edwards slipped past the Windsor midfield and defence, before being taken down in dangerous position. Internacional's 
bench was adamant that a penalty should be awarded; referee Carol-Anne Chenard was equally sure of her call to give 
a direct kick from 19 yards.

The match would later take an unpredictable turn as Internacional came from behind for the second time in the match. 
Despite Windsor’s aerial advantage, Victor Gallo equalized from a late-stage set-piece at the far post, knocking 
an angled ball in off the diving goalkeeper, Kyle Vizirakis. Internacional improved markedly in the final phase 
of the match, with more attack-minded substitutions also leaving more space for Windsor to exploit on the break; 
pacy Stars' substitutes Gabriel Poulino and Brett Holmberg often broke free of their markers, but couldn’t direct 
shots on target.

Windsor will rue their missed opportunities – and poor finishing when in alone on the keeper – but Internacional’s 
unstructured shape and intent to push forward forced their goalkeeper, Vrbec, to be man of the match after making 
multiple top-class saves.

Both managers will feel bittersweet about a draw, considering neither team controlled the match outright, but for 
the neutral this was an entertaining collision of two very different philosophies in the game.

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