August 2, 2015 League 1 Ontario--Oakville Blue Devils vs Vaughan Azzurri (by Rocket Robin)

..................................

Result of the Sunday August 2, 2015 League 1 Ontario game between Oakville Blue Devils and Vaughan Azzurri played at Sheridan College in Oakville at 4:00pm.

Oakville Blue Devils (all navy, white numbers)

.....................24 Daniel Voci
20 Hitesh Joshi...5 Nick Muth...3 Adrian Butters...22 Al James
16 Khody Ellis...8 Gary Giffin...14 Taylor (Mikael) McNamara (cpt)...10 Bradon Culver
..............9 Filipe Vilela...11 Tyler Wason

Subs:...1 Karman Saini (gk)...2 Travis Hurtis...7 Macca Wilde...13 Christian Kusiewicz...17 Brandon Duarte
...12 Judah Hernandez...19 Paulo Rogato
team officials:...team head coach Dunca Wilde...assistant coach Billy Steele and Brett Mosen...manager Kim Ashton...equipment manager Glenn McNamara

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

.....................1 Dayne St Clair
5 Daniel Goagarty...7 Matthew Arnone...16 Edward Lay...24 Kamal Miller
9 Dayonn Harris...17 Benjamin Futoriansky...6 Kyle Crichton...3 Joseph Amato
..............25 Mario Kovacevic...11 Joey Cicchillo

Subs:...12 Liam McQueenie (gk)...4 Andre Dyer...8 Adam Lofranco...10 Austin Ricci...21 Stefan Popovic
...19 Darren Gertiesingh...20 Massimo Ferrin
team officials:...head coach Carmen Isacco...team officials Patrice Gheisar, Maria Bianchi, and Tony De Palma

Game officials:...referee Benjamin Jacobs...referee's assistants Marc Henoud and Adam Devenyi...fourth official David Barrie
...(yellow shirts, black shorts and socks)

1st Half:...game starts 4:01pm...OBD defend north end. It starts off hot and sunny but becomes cloudy and windy.
1 min...OBD Ellis rolls ball from left into box from 18 yards but defender clears.
5 min...OBD McNamara cornerkick from right is short and tapped back and McNamara then crosses over players in box.
7 min...VA Amato heads back ball from 30 yards up middle back to goalie to prevent OBD Ellis from getting to through ball pass.
9 min...OBD Culver rolls 12 yard shot from left that deflects for cornerkick.
9 min...OBD McNamara cornerkick from left is over players in box.
11 min...VA Cicchillo rolls cross from 10 yards on left end line that goalie dives to smother.
11 min...VA Harris low cross from 15 yards on left has defender clear from box.
14 min...VA Kovacevic shoulders down ball at 45 yards im midle but on 1 on 3 is checked off ball in box.
15 min...VA Harris low 20 yard shot from right deflects off foot of OBD James and rolls to goalie.
16 min...OBD player's cross from 25 yards on right has OBD Giffin not able to redirect header at 10 yards in middle and ball out for goalkick.
17 min...VA Cicchillo cornerkick from left has VA Futoriansky head 8 yarder up middle and goalie knocks down and picks up.
19 min...VA Amato chips 40 yard kick and VA Kovacevic heads 10 yarder that goalie palms over net.
20 min...VA Cicchillo cornerkick from right has goalie catch.
20 min...OBD Ellis is injured in collision at OBD 40 yard line.
........players take this opportunity for a water break.
25 min...VA Harris low cross from 22 yards on right has sliding OBD Muth not able to stop but deflects wide left for throw-in.
26 min...OBD Giffin shoots low 30 yarder up middle between players but wide left.
28 min...OBD Vilela steals ball at 40 yards on right but VA Arnone forces him wide on run and 15 yard sharp angle shot is caught by goalie on right post.
30 min...VA Cicchillo 40 yard freekick from left has OBD Butters head ball away at 5 yards in crowd of players. The ball is chipped back into box but players offside.
30 min...OBD Vilela rolls 18 yard shot wide left.
31 min...VA Arnone checks OBD player off ball at VA 12 yards on right.
32 min...VA Harris cross from 18 yards along right end line has VA Kovacevic scissor kick from 15 yards sent over net.
33 min...VA Harris cuts into box from right has rolls short pass to VA Cicchillo who jabs 7 yard shot from right that goalie blocks on right post.
35 min...OBD Giffin cornerkick from right is over players in box and VA defender heads away on left.
35 min...OBD McNamara 40 yard freekick on right is forward and OBD Joshi crosses from 20 yards on right and VA Arnone heads away from 6 yards in center of box.
38 min...VA Harris gets away 15 yard shot from right end line but sends it over net.
41 min...VA Crichton chip into box from 20 yards but defenders clear.
43 min...OBD Wason receives long cross from right at 20 yards on left and chests it down then shoots well over net.
43 min...OBD Ellis cross from 20 yards near right end line has goalie make overhead catch.
44 min...VA player can't get away shot in OBD box with VA players making a few tap arounds and OBD defender clears.
46 min...VA Amato blasts partial clearance taking midair shot from 22 yards that goalie catches.
47 min...VA goalie punches ball away in crowd of players as OBD players cross from right near end line hangs up in wind.
48 min...half ends 4:49pm.

2nd Half:...starts 5:06pm...there's now a strong wind from the north with gusts from the west.
47 min...OBD Vilela on run into VA box trips over ball when he tries to cut around defender.
49 min...Vaughan Mario Kovacevic GOAL...VA Joey Cicchillo takes 30 yard freekick from right that drops and hits the bar and is cleared from box by defender's header on left. VA Kamal Miller recovers ball at 30 yards on left and rolls ball from 25 yards to Kovacevic waiting even with defenders at 15 yards in line with left post. He rolls shot forward into left corner of net past diving goalie Daniel Voci.
50 min...OBD Butters prevents VA Cicchillo from getting 8 yard shot by jabbing ball over end line.
51 min...VA Cicchillo short cornerkick from right is tapped back to him and he crosses over players in box.
53 min...VA Lay 28 yard freekick is over net.
55 min...OBD Ellis cross from 28 yards on far right is over net.
56 min...OBD sub...Hernandez replaces Culver.
58 min...VA Cicchillo run to middle from center line on right and blasts 40 yarder that's just wide left of post.
59 min...VA Lay chips ball from 40 yards that VA Cicchillo gets at 20 yards just behind defenders turns and fires ball over net.
60 min...OBD Ellis cross from 20 yards on right end line is over players to left and eventually cleared.
61 min...VA Cicchillo 35 yard freekick to VA Miller who holds off defenders at 8 yards to turn and fire shot just wide left.
62 min...VA Lay tapped back pass but blasts 30 yarder well over net.
63 min...VA Harris runs from left to middle along 25 yard line and cuts shot high wide left.
64 min...VA Harris low cross from 25 yards on left has VA Cicchillo tap back pass and VA Futoriansky blasts shot high of net.
66 min...OBD Hernandez 35 yard freekick down middle has VA Arnone concede cornerkick rather than left OBD Vilela play ball at 4 yards on left.
67 min...OBD player's cornerkick from left has VA Arnone fly to head ball out of box and 8 yards on post.
67 min...OBD McNamara cornerkick from left has OBD player head ball down at 8 yards and goalie steps forward to grab at 6 yards then hold on as he's bashed by another player needing trainer.
69 min...OBD McNamara is injured on sliding tackle at VA 30 yard line and needs trainer. Referee has to whistle to prevent OBD players take quick freekick.
71 min...OBD Giffin 35 yard freekick chip down middle is wide left of net.
74 min...OBD YELLOW card...McNamara earns it for sliding tackle on VA Cicchillo who recovers first at 25 yards on left.
74 min...OBD Wason 25 yard freekick from far left has defender head away.
78 min...VA sub...Dyer replaces injured Miller.
80 min...VA sub...LoFranco replaces Harris.
80 min...VA players cornerkick from right has VA player head bouncer wide left.
81 min...OBD Giffin 30 yard freekick up middle taps to OBD Hernandez and Giffin blasts 28 yarder that goalie catches on right side of net.
82 min...VA sub...Gertiesingh replaces Futoriansky.
82 min...OBD McNamara throw-in from left has defenders block two shots on edge of box.
83 min...VA Cicchillo holds off defenders on left end line not losing possession.
84 min...OBD Ellis is injured at VA 40 yard line and needs to be carried off.
.........OBD sub...Duarte replaces injured Ellis.
87 min...VA Amato throw-in from left cornerflag has defenders clear.
88 min...OBD Joshi shot hits chest of defender at 12 yards and then OBD Joshi crosses behind end line.
It sky has suddenly become quite gray and windy with lightning in the north.
90 min...OBD Duarte 60 yard freekck from left has goalie leap to punch out ball at 12 yards in crowd of player.
91 min...OBD McNamara cornerkick from right has OBD Muth head down at 7 yards then fire ball over net.
92 min...VA sub...Ferrin replaces Crichton.
93 min...OBD Wason shoots midair shot from 10 yards over net when VA Amato heads ball up.
94 min...OBD Duarte low shot from 15 yards from far left that the goalie stopped on the left post popping it away from OBD Vilela at 2 yards then Vilela kicking the ball up at 5 yards near the left end line and OBD McNamara shooting a low 8 yarder that the goalie caught on his knees on the left post.
95 min...game ends 5:56pm.

Final Score:.......Oakville Blue Devils........0.........Vaughan Azzurri........1......

Attendance was about 120 on this hot and sunny day that changed to overcast and blustery by the time the game ended with a thunderstorm closing in from the north. There was no worry for fans because all but the first ten rows of the stands are covered and I'm sure those in the first rows would have just moved back. There are no stadium lights though and it was strange to see the north end with a huge dark cloud over it and the south clear. The contrast made it practically dark with Vaughan defending their lead the last few minutes.

I usually don't drive this far for League 1 games but this was the only game on the schedule and it gave me a chance to see the two best teams.

Dayne St Clair earned the shutout for Vaughan with a few good saves but it was their defence that held the Blue Devils back with last man checks everywhere including most importantly, in the box. Daniel Gogarty, Matthew Arnone, Edward Lay, and Joseph Amato were a virtual wall. I counted Arnone with at least four clearing headers to stop Blue Devils chances.

Referee Ben Jacobs waited until 74 minutes before giving out the only Yellow card of the day—to OBD Taylor McNamara on a sliding tackle. The game was close checking though and both teams were annoyed by the number of whistles rather than 'play on' calls. They were trying to get away quick freekicks before their opponent was ready. This reached its extreme at 69 minutes with OBD taking a quick freekick while their own captain Taylor McNamara was down injured and the referee had already signalled for the trainer. That play was obviously called back.

Best non-scoring chances were at 17 minutes when VA Joey Cicchione took a cornerkick from the left that VA Benjamin Futoriansky headed an 8 yarder up the middle that the goalie smothered on the right post. Two minutes later VA Joseph Amato chipped a 40 yard kick and VA Mario Kovacevic headed a 10 yarder that the goalie palmed over the bar. 32 minutes had VA Dayonne Harris cross from 18 yards along the right end line and Kovacevic scissor kicked from 15 yards a shot that when over the net. 61 minutes had VA Cicchillo take a 35 yard freekick that VA Kamal Miller with his back to net held off defenders at 8 yards, turned and fired a shot from 8 yards just wide left of the post. 67 minute had OBD Taylor McNamara take a cornerkick from the left that an OBD player headed down at 8 yards and the goalie stepped forward to grab at 6 yards and hold on as he was bashed by another OBD player. Injury time had McNamara take a cornerkick from the right that had OBD Adrian Butters head the ball down at 7 yards then fire the ball over the net. Last play was OBD Brandon Duarte shooting low from 15 yards from the far left that the sprawling goalie stopped on the left post popping it away from OBD Filipe Vilela at 2 yards then Vilela kicking the ball up at 5 yards near the left end line and McNamara shooting a low 8 yarder that the goalie caught on his knees on the left post.

Oakville loses for only the second time this year. Their previous loss was just last Sunday when Woodbridge Strikers came to town and won 1-0 with a goal at 48 minutes—deja-vu? That game featured two Blue Devil players being ejected in injury time—Max Hathoway and Eric Crawford so they couldn't play this game.

Oakville's record falls to 11 wins, 1 tie, 2 losses for 34 points and still in first place while Vaughan improves to 8 wins, 6 ties, 0 losses for 30 points. Both teams have played 14 games but the Azzurri fall behind by tieing too often. I made sure to welcome back Joey Cicchione (the league's leading scorer going into this weekend with 13 goals) who was sorely missed when last Sunday I watched Vaughan tie a twelve man Windsor team (that was their full bench). Some of his cornerkicks and freekicks might have won them that game.

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca

Oakville Blue Devils starters