May 8, 2017 League 1 Ontario Match Recap: Masters FA Saints vs Ottawa South United Force (from League 1 Ontario website)

Match Recap: Masters FA 1 - 5 OSU
05/08/2017, 2:45pm EDT
By League1 Ontario staff

OSU Force continued their early season unbeaten streak with a 5-1 away victory over 
Masters FA Saints at L'Amoreaux on Saturday night.

Force striker Gabriel Bitar (23') got the visitors off to a great start, but Masters 
Maleik De Freitas (38') levelled it up before half-time.

The second half was all OSU, however, with Stefan Andjelic (52') tallying just after 
the restart and Marco Natoli (61', 63') bagging a brace inside two minutes.

Jeremy Aweya (72') heaped on the misery for Masters with a fifth goal less than 
ten minutes later.

In spite of long road trips from Ottawa, OSU have won their first two League1 matches 
on the trot. Head coach Traian Matheas was happy with both the performance and mentality 
of his squad in the opening weeks.

"Well they are motivated and passionate about the game," he said. "They can overcome 
obstacles and distractions like that. They will be dealing with that all year and 
it has to come from them."

"We still have a few things to sort out, but so far so good. I'm happy with their 
cohesiveness, considering they are coming from different parts and teams in the 
Ottawa area. It's good all around, I'm very pleased with them."

On the Masters bench, new head coach Rick Titus was present for his first official 
match in charge of the Saints. Titus was forthright about the challenges in the match, 
and the job he has come in to do.

"I would say that the confidence dropped after 2-1, after their second goal," he said. 

"I'll tell you what, this is my first game as the coach of this team and there 
are a lot of changes that need to be made, tactics, organization - things of that 
nature. I think we're going to have to take the next two or three weeks to work 
on that."

"There are areas that the team needs to tighten up of course. Defensively 
we absolutely need to tighten up and there needs to be an attitude change as well, 
a change in energy. That is what I've come in to do, so tonight was a bit 
of an assessment to see where the gaps are, where the holes are, and then 
to fill them." 

Despite strong performances in certain matches, Masters has struggled to put together 
consistent form in recent seasons. Titus clearly identified psychological challenges 
that come with a patchy winning record, and a recipe to solve it.  

"Anytime you have a team that is not doing well, coming last or second last, then 
there is a certain attitude that comes with that," he said. 

"You go down 2-1 and the shoulders drop and heads drop and the playing stops. You'll 
find that in teams that are not achieving a lot year after year."

"Basically what it is now is just to reorganize, bring in some new players, maybe 
some that have experience in the league, and who understand what winning 
is to change the economy of the team."

Masters will next play Vaughan Azzurri on Saturday May 13 at McNaughton Turf, Vaughan.

OSU Force will next play Toronto Skillz on Saturday May 13 at Ottawa U, 
Matt Anthony Turf, Ottawa.

back to 2017 League 1 Ontario Men's index

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