July 21, 2018 League 1 Ontario--Toronto FC III vs Sigma FC L1O Cup semi-final (by Rocket Robin)

.......................

Result and details of the Saturday July 21, 2018 League 1 Ontario game between Toronto FC III and Sigma FC
played at the BMO Training Ground in Downsview at 4:00pm. This was the one game semi-final of the L1O Cup.

Toronto FC III (all red uniforms, white numbers)

.....................1 Brogan Engbers
2 Afram Gorgees...17 Luke Singh...4 Mohamed Omar...3 Sal Mazzaferro
6 Mehdi Essoussi...8 Joshua Moreira (cpt)...5 Marko Mandekic...13 Kunle Dada-Luke
..............7 Jayden Nelson...9 Zakaria Abdi

Subs:...12 Sebastian Sgarbossa (gk)...19 Daniel Bilousov...14 Kai Martin...15 Colin Gander
...18 Ralph Priso...10 Ryan Robinson...11 Jacen Russell-Rowe
team officials:...team head coach Danny Dichio...assistant coaches Anthony Capotosto and Gianni Cimini
...manager Daniel Marozzo...equipment manager Spencer Ure...therapist Samra Habtom

Sigma FC (all white uniforms, blue numbers)

......................1 Triston Henry
2 Dionysis Stergiotis...4 Jelani Smith...3 Dominic Samuel...5 Kyle Walton
.........20 Hilli Goldhar...8 Giuliano Frano (cpt)...21 Manssor Alfazy
.........11 Marcel Zajac...10 Justin Stoddart...7 Kadell Thomas

Subs:...31 Corey Marques (gk)...8 Faisal Ghaffur...9 Daniel Jodah...14 Luka Milidragovic
...15 Oluwageun Oyegunle...19 Charlie Anagho-Ntamark...23 David Velastegui
team officials:...team head coaches Bobby Smymiotis and Philip Opassinis...assistant coach David Igreja
...manager Perry Chadjiioannou...equipment manager Joseph Hanley...therapist Kiran Persad

Game officials:...referee John Vlahos...referee's assistants Jason Olinski and Nick Vagenas
...fourth official Karim Bitar...(all black uniforms)

First Half:...game starts 4:32pm...TFC defends north end on mild afternoon with a strong wind from the east.
6 min...TFC player's freekick from 35 yards on the left across to right and TFC Essoussi chips ball too far forward
for TFC Abdi and goalie grabs ball.
6 min...the portable scoreboard on the sideline blows over and is wheeled away and left unplugged the rest of the game.
6 min...Sigma player runs down right and cross near end line blows behind net.
The grounds staff now collapses the announcers tent to stop it blowing away.
10 min...Sigma Goldhar rolls through ball pass from 28 yards too far forward and goalie beats Sigma Zajac at 12 yards
to dive on ball.
12 min...TFC goalie is out to top corner of box on right to block Sigma Goldhar run but not enough to draw a Penalty kick.
13 min...Sigma player's 12 yard shot from right is just right of net.
15 min...TFC Essoussi 30 yard low chip between players from left but wide right of net.
16 min...TFC Mandekic is injured being pushed out of bounds and crashes beside announcers table. His back hits the
concrete sidewalk. The trainer is required.
........Sigma YELLOW card...Alfazy earns it for pushing Mandekic on that play.
19 min...TFC Abdi is checked off ball just inside right side of Sigma box.
.........Sigma Smith was injured on that play in middle of box.
22 min...TFC Kunle Dada-Luke GOAL...TFC Luke Singh taps restart of Sigma offside call at TFC 30 yard line
over to TFC Mohamed Omar. Omar sends low pass forward to TFC Mehdi Essoussi at Sigma 45 yard line and
he dribbles to left and passes forward from 40 yard line. Dada-Luke receives pass at 20 yards on left
as he cuts around Sigma Dionysis Stergiotis to get to ball. Dada-Luke runs forward and to middle and as he's
being bumped by retreating defender Jelani Smith rolls 10 yard shot to right corner of net beyond
goalie Triston Henry.
23 min...TFC Dada-Luke makes key defensive header of Sigma cross from right to send behind own end line.
26 min...Sigma Alfazy cross from 20 yards on left dives in the wind and goalie catches on bounce.
26 min...Sigma goalie picks up a long shot on the bounce.
27 min...TFC Singh clears ball behind own end line on cross from right.
27 min...Sigma Goldhar cornerkick from right has TFC Abdi pop header on right across the box.
30 min...Sigma Alfazy run along left end line and rolls ball into 6 yard box where Sigma Zajac has 5 yard shot
tipped wide right off defender.
30 min...Sigma Stoddart corcnerkick from left is caught by goalie on near post.
32 min...Sigma Mansoor Alfazy GOAL...Sigma Kadell Thomas runs down left wing and at 7 yard line rolls pass
back between two defenders to Alfazy who steps in front of teammate as he runs along edge of box and
shoots 18 yarder down middle beyond flying goalie Brogan Engbers into low right corner of net.
34 min...Sigma Goldhar low 25 yard shot from right is rolled wide left of post.
36 min...Sigma Thomas is injured at Sigma 45 yard sideline and needs trainer.
38 min...TFC Nelson gets to pass on right but low 20 yard shot is wide right.
39 min...Sigma Thomas is injured again.
.........Sigma sub...Anagho-Ntamark replaces Thomas.
41 min...TFC goalie runs out to 25 yards line to clear through ball before Sigma Stoddart can get to it.
42 min...Sigma Anagho-Ntamark bends in pass from 45 yards on left but goalie beats Sigma Stoddart to prevent shot.
42 min...TFC Mazzaferro receives pass up left and has 10 yard shot is stopped point blank by goalie but wins cornerkick.
44 min...Sigma Samuel flicks cross out right side of box for throw-in.
45 min...Sigma Anagho-Ntamark and Goldhar on a give and go play at TFC 35 yard line but Anagho-Ntamark is checked off ball
on left side of box.
46 min...TFC Dada-Luke long run on left and wins cornerkick when Sigma Stergiortis even with him the whole run pokes ball away.
46 min...TFC Essoussi cornerkick from left is over players in box and sliding TFC Nelson on right can't put shot on net
at 12 yards and rolls it over end line.
47 min...half ends 5:19pm.

Second Half:...starts 5:36pm.
Halftime sub:...Sigma Ghaffur replaces Alfazy.
46 min...Sigma Goldhar bends cross from 35 yards on left has goalie catch ahead of Sigma Stoddart at 15 yards.
47 min...Sigma Zajac shot hits TFC Omar in the back inside the box.
49 min...Sigma Zajac pass to Sigma Stoddart slides at 8 yards but gets no power on shot.
49 min...Sigma Walton blasts partial clearance from 25 yards on left that flying goalie pushes wide right of post.
50 min...Sigma Stoddart cornerkick from right has goalie fly over players to punch ball away and win freekick call.
53 min...TFC Nelson is jostled on right side of box starting dust up when cornerkick is not given.
55 min...Sigma YELLOW card...Walton earns it for tackle on TFC Nelson rushing down right.
55 min...TFC Essoussi 40 yard freekick from right is over players in box and bounces for goalkick.
56 min...Sigma Stergiotis and TFC Dada-Luke are injured in collision at Sigma 45 yard line. Dada-Luke needs the trainer.
58 min...TFC Singh clears ball off Sigma Zajac rushing into left side of TFC box.
59 min...Sigma Zajac 35 yard freekick from right has Sigma Goldhar head 15 yarder down middle wide right of goal.
61 min...Sigma Frano flicks up through ball pass but goalie is up to 15 yards to beat Sigma Zajac to ball.
62 min...Sigma Walton 40 yard cross from left has goalie catch behind crowd of players in the box.
63 min...Sigma YELLOW card...Anagho-Ntamark earns it for sliding tackle from behind near center line.
63 min...TFC sub...Priso replaces Essoussi.
64 min...Sigma Frano 30 yard freekick from right has TFC Abdi kick ball away for cornerkick.
65 min...Sigma players work out short cornerkick from right is crossed from right and Sigma Anagho-Ntamark blasts 20 yard shot
from sharp left wide right of net.
67 min...TFC sub...Robinson replaces Nelson.
68 min...Sigma Ghaffur cross from right has defender clear for throw-in.
68 min...Sigma Stoddart cornerkick cross from right has goalie catch but drop ball into net but referee rules he was pushed
so a freekick is given freekick.
69 min...Sigma Goldhar cross from right drifts behind net.
69 min...Sigma sub...Velastegui replaces Stoddart.
70 min...Sigma Zajac kicks midair 12 yard shot wide right when he receives a cross from right.
72 min...TFC Abdi rebound shot from 12 yards is over net as goalie upends him but no Penalty kick is awarded.
74 min...TFC YELLOW card...Singh earns it for shirt grab on charging Sigma Anagho-Ntamark on left wing rush at TFC 40 yard line.
75 min...Sigma sub...Milidragovic replaces Smith.
77 min...TFC YELLOW card...Dada-Luke earns it for bumping Sigma Milidragovic who kicked ball out of bounds at Sigma 45 yard line
to prevent TFC Dad-Luke further rush up sideline.
79 min...TFC Robinson blasts partial clearance from 15 yards on right wide left of net.
80 min...TFC Moreira shot is through crowd of players at 20 yards has defender stop in 6 yard box.
81 min...Sigma Zajac is upended by TFC Gorgees body check on top left of box.
82 min...Sigma Walton clears ball to prevent TFC shot at 12 yards on right.
84 min...Sigma Velastegui 25 yard freekick from sharp left is out to Sigma Walton who blasts 25 yard shot high and wide right
actually over the back netting/fencing.
86 min...TFC Mazzaferro wins cornerkick on long run down left when checked off ball. TFC Moreira is injured up field earlier in play.
88 min...TFC sub...Martin replaces Moreira. Gorgees now becomes captain.
89 min...TFC Gorgees cornerkick from left is caught by goalie when hung up in wind.
90 min...Sigma Walton 50 yard pass forward up left has goalie slide to left to beat Sigma Zajac to through ball at 10 yard line.
94 min...Sigma Anagho-Ntamark is knocked over cutting around defender at 25 yards and ball rolls to goalie.
94 min...regulation time ends 6:25pm.

End of regulation time the score is 1-1 and the game goes straight to Penalties taken at the south end
(the side away from the clubhouse). TFC III had a lineup with five corrected player numbers but a late
correction that the announcer on Livestream didn't get had four more changed numbers. Here's how the
shootout went down:

Shootout:

1. Sigma Kyle Walton blasts his shot off the top of the bar on right side of goal as goalie Brogan Engbers
dove right.

1. TFC Marko Mandekic takes shot low to right and goalie Triston Henry dives right and makes save with
outstretched hand.

2. Sigma Giuliano Frano GOAL...Frano blasts to left side over goalie who dives right.

2. TFC Zakaria Abdi GOAL...Abdi banks roller off inside of left post as goalie dives right.

3. Sigma Hilli Goldhar GOAL...Goldhar shoots low to right beyond diving goalie who dove correctly.

3. TFC Afram Gorgees GOAL...Gorgees shoots to top right corner of net as goalie slumps in middle.

4. SigmaMarcel Zajac GOAL...Zajac shoots to left side as goalie dives right.

4. TFC Kunle Dada-Luke GOAL...Dada-Luke shoots down middle just over crumpled goalie.

5. Sigma David Velastegui GOAL...Velastegui shoots low to left as goalie dove to right.

5. TFC Luke Singh GOAL...Singh stagger steps run up then shoots to left even with goalie getting
a hand to but ball deflects in.

6. Sigma Dionysis Stergiotis GOAL...Stergiotis shoots low to left and ball is under flying goalie.

Sigma YELLOW card...Goalie Triston Henry earns it for intimidating TFC Ralph Priso by not
letting go of the ball.

6. TFC Ralph Priso GOAL...Priso shoots to top left corner with goalie diving right.

7. Sigma Charlie Anagho-Ntamark blasts shot off outside of right post as goalie dives left.
The ball is hit so hard it deflects into the other field delaying the next kick.

7. TFC Sal Mazzaferro GOAL...Mazzaferro shoots low to left corner with goalie diving right.

Final Score:...Toronto FC III.....1......Sigma FC......1......TFC III wins game 6-5 after seven rounds
of Penalty kicks.

Attendance was about 120 on this hot mostly overcast afternoon with a strong crossfield wind from the east.  
It caused ball struck into the air on crosses and cornerkicks to either hang or sent them right out 
of bounds depending if they were kicked in or against the wind.  The portable scoreboard which is somewhat 
of a cross between a trailer and a wheelbarrow blew over and crashed onto the concrete at the 6 minute mark.  
The PA announcer/fourth officials tent was taken down as it was starting to vibrate across the sidewalk 
despite it being sandbagged down and their was a risk that it would fly away.  More than once announcers 
opened their briefcases and their notes blew into two fields over before they could be chased down.  
Their troubles didn't stop as TFC Marko Mandekic was pushed out of bounds at 16 minutes and crashed into 
the announcer's table drawing Sigma's first Yellow card of the game.  His head just missed hitting 
the concrete sidewalk.  

Sigma had most of the possession in the last half hour of the game with much of that time spent in the TFC 
end but TFC had two good chances in that time when at 72 minutes Zakaria Abdi took a rebound shot 
from 12 yards that was over the net as the goalie upended him but no Penalty kick was called and 
at 79 minutes Ryan Robinson blasted a partial clearance from 15 yards on the right wide left of the net.  

TFC now moves into the final of the L1O Cup competition against the winner of tomorrow's Oakville Blue Devils 
and Vaughan Azzurri game held in Oakville.  

This might be one of the last trophy's TFC III can win as they won't be playing in the L1O playoffs as they 
will be joining the USSDA and L1O doesn't have a 'shield' for the first place finisher at the end of regular 
season play.  It's the L1O playoff winner that gets the berth in the Canadian Championships.  TFC III would 
never have taken part as the cap tie problems with maybe having to play their MLS team.  The L1O Cup final 
is supposed to be two weekends from now.  

These two teams today also meet Sunday August 12th here at BMO Training Field for a regular season game 
which may well determine who wins the regular season as these two teams have duelled the whole season 
in the 1-2 spots in the 17 team league.   

Head coach Danny Dichio talked to me after the game.  He said it was a great opportunity for the boys who 
had been watching the World Cup and thinking they could score Penalty kicks.  With TFC and TFC II both 
playing tonight the lineup was extremely young.  He had three 2002s.  I said there were only three 1999s 
and everyone else was born in this century.  He said the team only has two weeks off between the end 
of the L1O season (they actually are playing some midweek games to finish their schedule a month early 
to join the other league).  With the long USSDA season and the point that their U-19 classification 
is right now their L1O team, Dichio said it's doubtful that TFC III will return to L1O next year.  I'd 
heard only the end of a joke a few months ago with the punchline being “....and we're on the bus 
to Minnesota”.  Dichio said he's not looking forward to the long travel involved in the USSDA.  

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca
twitter @RocketRobin01

Toronto FC III starters