April 30, 2016 League 1 Ontario--Vaughan Azzurri vs North Toronto Nitros (from League 1 Ontario website)

Vaughan Survive Late Nitros Onslaught To Win Home Opener
05/01/2016, 12:00am EDT
By League1 Ontario staff

Vaughan Azzurri started their 2016 men's home opener on the front foot at McNaughton Park with a 30 yard wonder 
yard strike from new recruit Brandon Mills (25'), but after North Toronto Nitros began to take late momentum 
it was ultimately forward Jarek Whiteman's (68') strike that put the game to bed with a final of 2-1.

"We didn't deserve to concede but then we tried to press high," said North Toronto Nitros head coach, 
Hermann Kingue. "We got a penalty, we hit a post. The guys did very well and I'm proud of them."

Vaughan's short possessive game was on display from the opening whistle, while the Nitros conceded possession 
in the Azzurri half and tried to launch counterattacks into lone forward Felix Ngah. 

Increasingly, the Azzurri began to dominate the contest, and Brandon Mills mid-half strike had an air 
of inevitability.

"I saw the keeper was off his line and figured I  would try a shot," explained Mills. "I like to shoot 
from a long way out. It was nice to see it go in." 

However, Brandon Mills' brothers and teammates Jahsua Mills and Jason Mills could not add to their sibling's 
early goal, despite several chances falling to their feet to increase the lead. A 1-0 half-time score left 
room for the visitors to create second half momentum, and Nitros took the opportunity.

Left forward Nikolay Saveliev showed the Nitros resolve just after the restart, dropping a dangerous cross 
over Vaughan keeper Andrew D'Souza that rebounded agonizingly off the crossbar. Under ten minutes later left 
back Jayden Doyle made a darting run into the box before being brought down, giving Nitros their chance 
to level the scoreline with a penalty.  Abdallah Elchanti stepped up, but his bending effort to D'Souza's 
right was parried away. 

Vaughan immediately went back up the other end, creating another golden chance for Jason Mills, but Nitros 
keeper Mark Rogal removed the angles and sent the central forward's effort out for a corner. The ensuing play 
would not be stopped however, with Whiteman expertly glancing a finish off the outside of his foot at near 
post to make it 2-0 at sixty-eight minutes.

But Nitros would not be deterred, and substitute Anthony Sousa pulled one back only two minutes later. 
Fellow sub Harry Michelis then hit the post dead centre with a solid effort within minutes. Vaughan was 
suddenly defending for their lives.

Nitros centre-back Niba MacDonald was moved up the pitch in the latter stages to push for the equalizer, 
and turned his defender to hit a great effort just wide in the dying minutes. Sousa caused D'Souza to make 
a flying last-ditch save in the final stages as well, but Nitros were unable to find the crucial finish 
before the whistle.

"First half we were efficient, could have been better in the final third, when you leave an organized team 
in it it's dangerous," said Vaughan head coach, Carmine Isacco.

"We're not in mid-season form yet but we'll get there. There's a lot if positives and a lot of negatives 
that we have to work on but that's a good thing." 

back to 2016 League 1 Ontario Men's index

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