Sun August 21, 2016 League 1 Ontario--Woodbridge Strikers vs Vaughan Azzurri (from League 1 Ontario website)
Vaughan Takes Five Point Lead In East After 2-1 Defeat Of Woodbridge 08/22/2016, 6:30pm EDT By League1 Ontario staff Vaughan Azzurri increased their lead at the top of the east division standings after a crucial 2-1 win over Woodbridge Strikers on Sunday. "I think the whole game was a little bit lackadaisical," said Vaughan head coach, Carmine Isacco. "The intensity wasn't there, the pace of the game wasn't there. I think the surface did a lot of that but that's not an excuse." "There were a lot of giveaways and errors, which is inexcusable for my group. We should be operating at a higher pace and a better level, but the whole game was pretty much uneventful I thought, which is unfortunate because for a game of this magnitude you should have a great atmosphere and a great game. We didn't do it and I don't think they did much different." The match was a tight one, with penalties deciding the first chances. Woodbridge's Nicholas Chiarot was through in on the Vaughan goal before defender Daniel Gogarty brought him down, earning a yellow card. Strikers' forward Emmanuel Issac stepped up to dead ball, and although he left the keeper rooted to the spot his effort just whizzed low and wide of the post. Vaughan would duplicate the situation before half-time, this time with their forward Jashua Mills being brought down by Woodbridge defender Francesco Sinopoli. Sinopoli was dismissed and Massimo Mirabelli (36') made no mistake, burying the chance. "I thought the penalties were very similar situations but I thought it could have maybe been more fair," said Isacco. "If he was going to give them a red, I thought he should have given us a red, or gone yellow yellow." "I don't understand that," said Woodbridge head coach, Peter Pinizzotto. "The ref has tried to explain the reasoning but I thought they were the same situation." Minutes later though, it would be Woodbridge's Chiarot and Issac combining again, this time with Issac setting up Chiarot (41') to tie the match. Agonizingly, for Strikers supporters, Vaughan replied almost immediately, with forward Jason Mills intercepting an errant pass and neatly setting up his brother Brandon Mills for the go-ahead goal. "I think the boys worked hard, but they made a couple mental mistakes," said Pinizzotto. "After we tied the game we gave the ball back to them and they took advantage of our mistake." "I thought we played well for being a man down for 65 minutes," he added. "We knew the situation that we needed to win to get into first, and at the end we were trying to get a draw at least, but when you spend so much energy you don't have the legs then." "Basically we brought in some fresh legs but it's kind of difficult at that point. You're playing against a good team and that's how it goes." With the win, Vaughan moved to 37 points from 16 matches and claimed the first position in the east conference with only six matches remaining. Woodbridge has 32 points from 16 matches and dropped to third position in the table as Durham United FA overhauled them into second position. Although Durham is tied on points with Woodbridge, the head to head record grants the east Toronto team advantage. Durham also holds a crucial game in hand on both Woodbridge and Vaughan. In fourth is North Toronto Nitros. With 30 points from 16 matches, the Nitros are also within striking distance of top spot in the east and the ensuing birth in the 2016 League1 Ontario playoff final with the winner of the west division.
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