July 19, 2015 League 1 Ontario--TFC Academy vs Vaughan Azzurri (by Rocket Robin)

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Results and details of the Sunday July 19, 2015 League 1 Ontario game between Toronto FC Academy and Vaughan Azzurri played at KIA Training Centre in Downsview at 1:45pm.

Toronto FC Academy (all black, gray numbers)

................40 Nikita Degryar
7 Steven Furlano (cpt)...4 Nikola Stakic...14 Robert Boskovic...3 Leonard Sohn
8 Nicholas Osorio...21 Matthew Srbely...11 Richie Ennin...10 Tristan Borges
......24 Reshon Phillip...25 Kevin Timachy

Subs:...30 Brogan Engbers (gk)...5 Jordan Johnson...6 Thomas Mickoski...15 Cyrus Rollocks...16 Klaidi Cela
...18 Alexander Zis...23 Tristan Gayle
team officials:...team head coach Stuart Neely...manager Mairin Scannell

Vaughan Azzurri (white socks and shirts, red shorts, black numbers)

.................12 Andrew D'Souza
5 Daniel Gogarty...7 Matthew Arnone...24 Stefan Popovic...4 Daniel Cramarossa
10 Austin Ricci...17 Benjamin Futoriansky...16 Edward Lay...11 Joey Cicchillo (cpt)
............6 Tyrone Downes...25 Mario Kovacevic

Subs:...1 Mark Rogal (gk)...3 Joseph Amato...8 Domenico Gullo...9 Dena Iezady...14 Chris Turner
...15 Darren Gertiesingh...19 Alon Badat
team officials:...head coach Patric Gheisar...team officials Luca Forno, Jonathan Lao, Maria Bianchi, and Tony De Palma

Game officials:...referee Hassan Rifai...referee's assistants Sharon Welsby and Adam Kanji...fourth official Armando Pereira
...(teal shirts, black shorts and socks)

1st Half:...game starts 1:48pm...TFCA defend south end on this partly cloudy but very hot and humid afternoon but with a breeze though.
All times are converted from my wristwatch.
2 min...VA Cicchillo rushes up middle and passes foward to VA Kovacevic who takes 25 yard shot that goalie bats down on left side and defender clears.
4 min...TFCA players work out short cornerkick from right and ball is crossed over players in box.
5 min...VA Gogarty long run up right from 70 yards and rolls cross from right that has defender concede cornerkick.
5 min...VA Cicchillo cornerkick from right has defender head ball away and VA Lay blasts 25 yarder down middle just over net.
7 min...TFCA Srbely 45 yard shot through players is wide right of net.
8 min...VA Ricci sharp angle 7 yard shot near right end line has goalie save on right post.
10 min...VA Kovacevic turns and fires 20 yard shot from left that goalie palms left of post.
11 min...VA Cicchillo high cornerkick from left is headed away from middle of box.
11 min...VA defenders hold off TFCA players barrage inside and outside box.
16 min...VA Gogarty cross from 22 yards on far right has VA Kovacevic nod 10 yard header down middle but wide left of post.
17 min...TFCA Sohn low cross from 20 yards on left is through 6 yard box unplayed.
18 min...TFCA Stakic and goalie recover ball down field that VA Popovic almost gets to at 20 yard line.
20 min...TFCA Furlano wins cornerkick on right on cross is deflected off defender. Furlano is injured on play and players take a waterbreak.
21 min...TFCA Ennin beats defender and cross from 12 yards on left is over box and right side of box.
22 min...TFCA Timachy tips shot from 7 yards off right post.
23 min...there is now an official water break so the game officials can have one.
26 min...VA goalie catches high tipped ball on edge of box.
28 min...VA Ricci dekes two defenders up middle partly on deflections and 12 yard shot is blocked by sliding goalie at 10 yards. VA Futoriansky takes 20 yard shot up the middle that's caught by the goalie.
29 min...VA Joey Cicchillo GOAL...VA Edward Lay runs up middle to 25 yards and pass eludes sliding defender and Cicchillo on right bends 18 yarder from right to top left corner of net.
31 min...TFCA Ennin gets through defenders but is checked off ball without getting a shot. TFCA Borges blasts 15 yarder wide right of net.
34 min...TFCA Borges cornerkick from right is headed back and Borges recross eventually wins another cornerkick on defender's diving header.
35 min...TFCA Borges cornerkick from right is over players in box. TFCA Srbely cross from left is cleared.
37 min...VA Cicchillo can't win Penalty kick on bump in box on rush with TFCA Furlano.
38 min...VA Cicchillo freekick from 35 yards is upfield to VA Gogarty on right and low cross is cleared.
41 min...VA Matthew Arnone GOAL...VA Joey Cicchillo takes low freekick from 20 yards on left and has Arnone jam ball into short left corner from 3 yards on left past defender and goalie.
43 min...VA Ricci long run up right and cross from 22 yards is over box on left.
44 min...TFC Borges run in middle pushing ball left and his 7 yard shot along left end line is smothered by goalie.
45 min...VA Cicchillo 28 yard freekick from far right is well over players in box and out left side.
45 min...VA Ricci shot from 20 yards down middle is just wide left of net.
48 min...half ends 2:36pm.

Halftime Entertainment. A raffle draw was held for tickets for the Toronto FC vs Orlando City MLS game.

2nd Half:...starts 2:54pm.
45 min...TFC goalie smothers shot from 20 yards on right.
46 min...VA Downes cross from 25 yards on left is cleared.
47 min...VA Cramarossa 30 yard shot from left is throukgh players and goalie dives to push wide right of post.
48 min...VA player's shot from 12 yards on right wins Penalty kick call from referee Hassane Rifai when ball deflects off defender's arm in box.
49 min...VA Joey Cicchillo GOAL...Cicchillo shoots Penalty kick to top left corner well out of reach of goalie Nikita Degtyar.
50 min...VA Ricci wins cornerkick on left on 7 yard shot is deflected by sliding defender.
51 min...VA Downes cornerkick from left bounces through 6 yard box unplayed.
53 min...TFCA Ennin blasts 25 yard shot that goalie catches on left side of net.
54 min...VA Ricci low 15 yard shot from right is smothered by goalie.
55 min...VA Tyrone Downes GOAL...Downes on rush up left shoulder to shoulder with TFCA Steven Furlano but gets away shot from 28 yards that bends into top right corner of net.
55 min...VA sub...Badat replaces Downes.
56 min...VA Badat rush to 25 yards and chip attempt from left has ogalie catch at 6 yards.
57 min...TFCA sub...Johnson replaces Furlano. Boskovic becomes captain.
59 min...TFCA Borges 30 yard freekick up middle has goalie catch ball on bounce.
61 min...TFCA sub...Zis replaces Osorio.
.........TFCA sub...Rollocks replaces Ennin.
.........TFCA sub...Cela replaces Stakic.
.........TFCA sub...Mickoski replaces Srbely.
61 min...TFCA Borges 28 yard freekick from right is bounced wide left of net.
62 min...VA Cicchillo cross from right is over to left. VA Ricci shot along 3 yard line but thorugh and out of box.
62 min...VA Kovacevic shot from 15 yards just off target.
64 min...VA sub...Iezady replaces Ricci.
65 min...TFCA player's cornerkick from left has VA Iezady head ball away.
68 min...VA Gogarty cross from left has TFCA Johnson fly back and hit bar with 8 yarder that he was trying to head over bar.
69 min...referee calls a water break.
72 min...VA Kovacevic 40 yard low bouncer down middle rolls to goalie.
72 min...TFCA Borges shoots low 22 yarder from left wide right of net.
73 min...VA sub...Turner replaces Arnone.
74 min...TFCA Phillip is given long pass down right and he crosses low from 25 yards on extreme angle and TFCA Timachy shoots 8 yarder off underside of bar. The bar is popped up and the goalie hangs after outjumping TFCA Rollocks to catch.
76 min...VA Chcchillo solo run up middle and 12 yard low shot has goalie slide to stop.
77 min...VA sub...Gertiesingh replaces Futoriansky.
78 min...TFCA Phillip gets through ball on extreme right near end line but low cross has defender clear at 6 yards.
79 min...VA sub...Gullo replaces Lay.
80 min...TFCA Borges rush to 12 yards and low shot from right has sliding goalie get hand to at 6 yards to block shot and defender clears.
81 min...VA Cramarossa taps pass to VA Badat who eludes defender to shoot 22 yarder just over net.
83 min...VA Cramarossa 25 yards freekick is tapped forward on left nad VA Gullo wins cornerkick on deflected cross on defender on end line.
84 min...VA Cramarossa cornerkick from left has VA Kovacevic head 10 yarder from left post to right and defender on right post kicks ball away.
87 min...VA Cramarossa pushes freekick forward on left from 35 yards and VA Gullo trying to elude defender pushes ball over end line.
89 min...TFCA Phillip cross from 25 yards on right is wide left for goalkick.
91 min...TFCA Johnson long run on right while cutting into middle but last defender gets foot in at 8 yards to tap ball away.
92 min...TFCA Borges 22 yard freekick from right is blasted into player wall and cleared.
93 min...TFCA Timachy turns and fires 22 yarder from right well wide left of net.
93 min...VA goalie beats charging TFCA Rollocks to low through ball.
94 min...game ends 3:43pm.

Final Score:...Toronto FC Academy......0.......Vaughan Azzurri......4.......

Attendance was about 60 on this very hot and humid afternoon but a breeze provided some relief. Some cloud cover would appear to provide a few minutes relief from the burning sun.

Andrew D'Souza earned the shutout for the Azzurri by making a few key saves and being in the right place especially at 74 minutes when TFCA Reshon Phillip was given a long pass down the right and he crossed low from about 25 yards on the extreme right and TFCA Kevin Timachy shot an 8 yarder off the underside of the bar. The ball hit the ground and popped up and D'Souza was able to outjump TFCA Cyrus Rollocks at 3 yards and hang on as he was bumped coming down to land. At 80 minutes he made a sliding save at 6 yards to stop TFCA Tristan Borges low 12 yard shot.

Referee Hassane Rifai called two water breaks in the game. Players took on water at 20 minutes when TFCA Steven Furlano was being treated for an injury but Rifai called another one two minutes later. When the TFCA bench raised concern "we just had one", Rifai replied "well we (officials) need one". The fourth official recommended that Vaughan players go back to the dressing room at halftime to rest and rehydrate so only the subs stayed on to kick the ball around. 69 minutes had the second half water break and Rifai drew the biggest laugh of the day when he took a drink and threw the plastic bottle to the sidelines but was at least 7 yards short. I've been to a many games over the years where the officials are always telling players not to throw their bottles (and falling short where if play restarts someone could trip on one is one of the reasons) . Rifai gave out no Yellow cards during the game to either team in a game that wasn't rough.

Vaughan fielded a considerably older team than usual (most times they are university age) but today they had 33 or 34 year old Chris Turner come in as a sub. Later a tweet I read announced that the Vaughan U-21 men's team today had just won the Ontario Cup for that age group and then it made sense why the team had few teenagers playing today.

TFCA had two players who got in as subs in last night's TFC II (USL Pro) game back starting in today's game. Midfielder Nicholas Osorio had subbed in at 79 minutes last night and played the first 61 minutes today. Forward Kevin Timachy had come in at 68 minutes yesterday and played the whole 90 minutes of today's game.

I saw Vaughan's midfielder/freekick/cornerkick specialist Jonathan Lao on the bench but as a team official. He answered me after the game that he'd picked up a knock playing for Canada at the University games in South Korea and didn't play today although the team had him carry two Gatorade tubs back to the dressing room after the game. [I only looked up the results after I got home but it looked like Canada went 0-3 in their Group and then lost their Classification game].

The win helps Vaughan keep pace with Oakville Blue Devils who won later that evening. Vaughan's record climbs to 7 wins, 5 draws, 0 losses good for second place with 26 points. Oakville is now 11 wins, 1 draw, 0 losses. TFCA's record falls to 3 wins, 1 draw, 7 losses for a share of eighth place with Kingston Clippers although they have two games in hand on them.

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca

Toronto FC Academy starters