August 21, 2017 League 1 Ontario--Match Recap: North Toronto Nitros vs Toronto Skillz (from League 1 Ontario)

Match Recap: North Toronto Nitros 3 - 1 Toronto Skillz 
08/21/2017, 6:00pm EDT
By League1 Ontario staff

Niklas Bauer (21', 51') led the way again for North Toronto Nitros, grabbing a brace against Toronto Skillz 
to go with his hat-trick the week before against Toronto FC III, as the home side claimed all three points 
following a 3-1 victory.

"We have added some new players, including one that scored three last week and two goals this week - 
Nik [Bauer]," said North Toronto assistant coach, Ilya Orlov. 

"He played well when he came to us but didn't score, but now he is scoring so obviously he is making 
a big difference for us. Also the team played very well for us, they played particularly well on the 
counter-attack. Kevin Da Silva - also a new player - played very well today too." 

Player coach Leslie Fitzpatrick (32') scored the lone marker for Toronto Skillz, taking on leadership 
duties on the field as well as off. 

"We have been doing that for the last couple of games because we have lost a lot of players to university, 
to injuries etc., and with the younger players we are bringing into the fold they need a little bit 
of experience on the field to guide them along," he explained. 

"The last three or four games I have been trying to bring that on the field instead of the sideline. 
It can help them through certain situations."

Kinlay Shulman (7') opened the scoring for North Toronto early in the match, setting the attacking tone 
that the Nitros have become used to. North Toronto have the fourth best goals for column in the league, 
scoring in every match (except one versus Sigma FC) and maintaining a third place standing in the men's 
east division. The Nitros currently sit on 29 points - two points behind second-place Vaughan Azzurri 
and four points behind first-place Woodbridge Strikers. 

"Our team plays defensively very well, we have good defensive structure, but we also play very well 
on the counter and in transition," said Orlov. 

"Because we train a lot on counters and transition, we get a lot of chances. That is something that 
is contributing to us scoring goals last season and this year. Our transition and counters are very good 
and as you have seen in the last few games our striker has scored in transition." 

Toronto Skillz held their own in the match but began to wilt around the hour mark, and after keeper 
Lucas Birstingl was dismissed.

"I think it was a combination of our academy players having played a number of games already this 
weekend and the opponent using some direct play as they had a lot of speed up top," commented Fitzpatrick. 

"We took a little too long to adjust to that and by then we were two goals behind. They scored the goal 
in the first half and then we settled down and started playing." 

"Once we got the red card to our keeper it was ten against eleven, but kudos to the guys - they never 
gave up and did not give up another goal after that point. We battled and although we couldn't really 
play our style we created chances and kept the game honest." 

North Toronto Nitros will next play Woodbridge Strikers on August 27 at Vaughan Grove, Woodbridge.

Toronto Skillz will next play OSU Force on August 27 at L'Amoreux, Scarborough.

back to 2017 League 1 Ontario Men's index

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