May 1, 2017 League 1 Ontario Match Recap: Sanjaxx Lions vs Pro Stars FC (from League 1 Ontario website)
Match Recap: Sanjaxx Lions 2 - 2 Pro Stars FC 05/01/2017, 7:30pm EDT By League1 Ontario staff Sanjaxx Lions and Pro Stars essentially played out a classic "game of two halves" on Matchday Three of L1O Kickoff 2017, with the Lions going two ahead in the first hour and Pro Stars returning the favour in the final thirty minutes to create a final scoreline of 2-2. Sanjaxx Lions' and League1 Ontario 2016 All-Star Hilliard Serrao (10', 56') put the home side ahead, but the Lions couldn't maintain the lead to the final whistle. "I think our players need to learn to manage a game properly and connect their passes," said Sanjaxx Lions coach Devon Porter. "They were rushing the game and if you have a lead in the game you can't be rushing the game. You have to make the game come to you. If the other team is pressuring you than you play it past pressure and ask your team to set again. If you have time to receive the ball, then you need to see if you can play, connect passes and stay calm." First Pro Stars' Nathaniel McCauley (76') knocked in the first comeback goal with a well placed header, before Jack Crawford (84') adeptly took the equalizing chance on his head. Set pieces were on the mind of both sets of technical staff in the post-match. "We always work on set pieces," said Pro Stars' coach Gabriel Pop. "The second one was really nice, very good timing and our momentum was so strong there we were actually hoping for a third." "We always work on things that we see in the game that go against us," said Porter. "But yesterday we were working on set plays, crosses, corners, everything - then it came back to haunt us because nobody challenged those two plays today." Pop was proud to see his team demonstrate the resilience and determination to come back in adverse weather conditions, and in their first league outing for 2017. "It takes a huge mental effort to come back like that, I'm very proud of them," he said. "It took us as a team some time to get used to the level over the previous years, he carried on. "Some of the players you could see at the end of last year were really improving and with our winter training it really helped. It's the experienced guys that performed really well for us today." "Our goal is to develop these guys to be the best that they can be and hopefully get a piece of silver out of it." Sanjaxx have similar ambitions for their most talented players, and singled out Hilliard Serrao and Nicholas Charles for special mention. "Charles is a talented, strong player," said Porter. "His experience shows, he's been in this league now for three years I believe. He's a very good player. He's very technical and he's one of those players we're looking to get out of here to play professionally overseas." "And for Serrao, he's a seasoned player," he added. "He played professionally in England and now he's with us. He's the captain of the team, he's a leader, and when you have people like that around you - you get better." "Our goal is to get these and the other players better. If they can go to university, our goal is to get them a scholarship. Whoever has the talent to go abroad we try and get them over there with some of our partners, like Pescara in Italy and others." Sanjaxx Lions will next play FC London on Sunday May 7 at Monarch Park Stadium, Toronto. Pro Stars FC will next play North Mississauga Panthers on Friday May 5 at Terry Fox Stadium, Brampton.
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