June 7, 2014 League 1 Ontario--ANB Futbol vs Windsor Stars (from League 1 Ontario website)

  
ANB Futbol 0 - Windsor Stars 1
. Mon Jun 9 
Written By: Cromie, Chris  

Windsor Stars snatched their first win of the season, with a 1-0 victory over ANB Futbol Academy 
at Country Day School in King City. The match may have been decided by Michael Pio's 30th minute 
penalty, but it will be remembered as a bad tempered affair that saw two red cards and a flush 
of yellows. 

From the start, Windsor imposed their physical presence on the game with a number of meaty 
challenges. Midfielders Brydon Caesar and Gabriel Poulino worked together to close down their 
opponent's passing channels early on, frustrating ANB into consistently losing possession 
in their own half.

As a result, ANB were restricted to the occasional counter, utilizing the pace of Jackson Tooke 
and Jason Mills to break past a Stars backline that kept moving forward to flood the midfield. 
In response, Windsor delivered some bone crunching tackles, if only to remind ANB that such 
forays came at a price. 

Gino Berardi offered a particularly thumping challenge that justly earned the Windsor forward 
a booking in the 21st minute. Referee Hassan Rifai perhaps hoped that the caution would settle 
both sides down, but the show was just getting started.

In the 29th minute, ANB goalkeeper Haydon Armstrong left his six yard box for a clearance but 
quickly found himself in no man's land, taking out the player rather than the ball. Windsor had 
cause to feel aggrieved as the immediate scramble resulted with the ball in the back 
of Armstrong's net, but was waved off in favour of a booking for Armstrong and a penalty for 
the Stars. Michael Pio stepped up and coolly stroked the ball to the goalkeeper's right, giving 
Windsor a deserved 1-0 lead. 

As the first half came to a close, the game threatened to boil over following a scything tackle 
from Windsor's Brett Holmberg on ANB's Brandon Mills. Holmberg, who had only been subbed 
on five minutes previous, was summarily cautioned, but the ensuing shoving match between players 
showed the match was getting a little too competitive. 

A goal down, ANB Head Coach Bassam Naim made three changes at half time, including swapping 
out goalkeeper Armstrong for Amir Jomehri. The new keeper was immediately tested by a wave 
of Windsor attacks, but the Stars just couldn't capitalize. Michael Pio shot wide after 
an excellent lay off from Gabriel Poulino, and when Patrick Lepera found himself alone at the 
back post following a 55th minute corner, the centre-half scuffed his chance. 

Fifteen minutes later, Lepera would find himself at the centre of controversy. As both teams 
battled for control of the midfield, the tackles started flying in. Referee Rifai appeared 
content to let the players play it out, until Jason Mills showed his studs and brought Lepera
crashing down to the earth. A 20 man melee erupted in front of a boisterous crowd as the game 
threatened to get irreversibly out of control. 

When the smoke cleared, both Mills and Windsor's Christopher Suta had received their 
marching orders. In the final 15 minutes, ANB pushed for an equalizer and looked good value 
for it after Brandon Mills' dipping shot cracked off the underside of crossbar and 
bounced clear. Safeguarding their lead, Windsor were content to soak up the pressure and with 
the sound of the final whistle, had done just enough to secure their first three points 
of the season.

Unhappy with the poor temperament of the game, Coach Naim called the scuffles "nonsense," 
but was pleased with how his young side kept the tempo up and the ball moving. Windsor Head 
Coach Steve Vagnini called some of the tackles "silly," and left his side with a note 
of caution. "We need to start putting more of our chances away," he noted. "We didn't take 
out chances last week and it cost us two points. Today we were fortunate."

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