June 18, 2017 League 1 Ontario--Match Recap: Sigma FC vs Masters FA Saints (from League 1 Ontario)

Match Recap: Sigma FC 3 - 2 Masters FA Saints
06/18/2017, 9:30pm EDT
By League1 Ontario staff

Sigma FC remains the only undefeated side in League1 men's play after a 3-2 home result 
over Masters FA, but it was tough going for the hosts after Jose De Sousa (2') opened 
the scoring for Masters within minutes of kickoff. 

"We wanted to be aggressive from the start and obviously that mentality changed a bit 
because they scored in the second minute," said Sigma head coach, Bobby Smyrniotis. 

"The good thing is the guys responded well and stuck to a game plan that we had, 
so it wasn't anymore than a 5-15 minute shock that sometimes you have from an early 
goal," he added. 

"I am very happy with the guys in that respect and what I told them is you really have 
to put your foot to the pedal from the beginning because this team Masters have been 
playing good soccer in the last few weeks."

"But they are also a team that if  you can put them on their backfoot, you can score 
and score often."

Sigma hit back quickly and did score often after the early set-back, the first and 
third goals coming from Marcel Zajac (6', 38') before team goal-scoring leader 
Kadell Thomas (42') added an insurance marker just before the interval. 

"The only thing I can say is we didn't really play up to out potential for the full 
ninety minutes," said Masters head coach, Rick Titus. 

"And I'm a little disappointed in our overall play as a team," he added. 

"When we play to our potential we are actually very dangerous and we look like 
a good team. But we tend to do that in spells. We do it for ten minutes and we take 
our foot off the pedal for fifteen minutes. Its not a consistent effort."

"Something else I found that the flow of the game today was very poor," he added.  
"A very, very, poor flowing game."

"Because of that its very difficult to maintain a rhythm and I'm sure people 
watching in the crowd were probably pretty bored by watching it because it was 
a lot of stop and starts and not enough creative flow in the game."

Jose Melo (55') hit back for the Panthers with a well-taken penalty just before 
the hour mark, but it would be too little too late for the visitors at the 
final whistle.

"We got called on a penalty, they scored it  and made it 3-2, and its how you 
handle that mentally and I don't think we did a good job of that in the last 
twenty minutes," said Sigma's Smyrniotis. 

"The guys have to do a better job of getting through that and not sitting back 
but rather maintaining pressure," he added. 

"That is not our mentality, so based on those circumstances and not playing 
very well in those last twenty minutes we are still happy with those three points."

Sigma FC will next play Toronto Skillz on June 25 
at Birchmount Stadium, Scarborough.

Masters FA Saints will next play Sanjaxx Lions on June 24 
at L'Amoreaux, Scarborough.

back to 2017 League 1 Ontario Men's index

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