October 20, 2018 League 1 Ontario--Vaughan Azzurri vs Woodbridge Strikers L1O Championship Final (by Rocket Robin)

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Result and details of the Saturday October 20, 2018 League 1 Ontario Championship game between Vaughan Azzurri
and Woodbridge Strikers played at the Ontario Soccer Centre in Vaughan at 3:00pm.

Vaughan Azzurri (all navy, white numbers, red trim)

...................1 Matt George
4 Devante Walker...5 Justin Springer...25 Daniel Gogarty...20 Daniel Cramarossa
.....................6 Matthew Arnone
2 Jarred Phillips...13 Zachary Drake...8 Dylan Sacramento...15 Austin Ricci
...................19 Mario Kovacevic(cpt)

Subs:...12 Omeed Naeemy (gk)...3 Joseph Amato...7 Jashua Mills...10 Jason Mills
...11 Brandon Mills...23 Shiquan Lowe...24 Dylan Carriero
team officials:...team head coach Carmine Isacco...assistant coaches Francesco Vescio, Patrice Gheisar, and Wayne Mills
...manager Tony De Palma...therapist Estaban Clavijo

Woodbridge Strikers (all white, blue shoulders and numbers)

.......................1 Roberto Stillo
24 Matthew Strangis...4 Francexco Sinopoli...5 Kyle Watson (cpt)...3 Bruce Cullen
.....................6 Joshua Paredes-Proctor
........12 Oscar Cordon...11 Matthew Santos...7 Michael Krzeminski
.................8 Jose De Sousa...9 Stefano Voci

Subs:...69 Tyrone Williams (gk)...2 Quante Smith...10 Jose Melo...14 Ali El Zeir
...16 Tyrell Rayne...18 Federico Leal...20 Isaiah Johnston
team officials:...team head coach Peter Pinizzotto...managers John Scarlato and Johnny Stancati
...equipment manager Amedeo Pellegrino and Lyndon Marshall...therapist David Lisi

suspended player Emmanuel Issac

Game officials:...referee David Barrie...referee's assistants Jason Olinski and Scott Bowman
...fourth official Brian Butler...(watermelon shirts, black shorts and socks)

First Half:...game starts 3:08pm...Vaughan defends north end on this cold afternoon with everything
from pre game raindrops then it stopped by the time I got my umbrella from my car. It was mostly
overcast but there were times when the sun came out.
4 min...WS Watson makes sliding tackle to block VA Phillips rush to edge of WS box.
5 min...VA Ricci receives long upfield pass and turns to control it then rolls 18 yard shot from slight
right wide left of post.
8 min...WS Paredes-Proctor cross from 22 yards on left is headed away by defender.
9 min...VA YELLOW card...Arnone earns it for boddy checke on WS Krzeminski at WS 50 yard line.
12 min...VA Sacramento at 22 yard rolls ball left for VA Cramarossa to cross from left edge of box
and VA Phillips heads 8 yarder from right back across box but doesn't get away shot.
12 min..VA Ricci chips 15 yarder over goalie but wide left for cornerkick as a defender tipped the shot.
13 min...VA player's cornerkick from left results in quick break out but VA goalie is out to 22 yards
to beat WS Voci to boot ball away.
13 min...WS Cullen 25 yard high cross from left is caught by goalie.
14 min...WS Krzeminski makes two crosses from left are cleared by defenders.
15 min...VA Sacramento cornerkick from left has defender on left post head ball through box.
16 min...VA Sacramento cornerkick from right has WS Strangis at 15 yards head away.
16 min...VA Phillips eludes defender on edge of box but second defender makes him flub shot wide right.
17 min...WS Krzeminski rush on left and cuts to middle but rolls 20 yard shot through defender direct to goalie.
19 min...WS Santos pass to WS Krzeminski who runs to left end line and shoots 12 yarder past goalie on tough angle.
VA Gogarty clears ball off the line.
20 min...WS Paredes-Procter from left has defender head ball away in crowd of players for fast break out.
21 min...WS Watson makes sliding tackle to stop VA rush on top left side of WS box.
23 min...WS Cullen throw-in from 20 yard line on left is over end line for goalkick as no WS players run for it.
24 min...WS Watson slides to clear VA Phillips cross from right corner flag.
24 min...VA Sacramento cornerkick from right is cleared in box. Sacramento eventually gets ball back and
chips 25 yarder from right that goalie catches under bar.
25 min...WS Santos shoots 25 yard roller wide left.
27 min...WS Sinopoli clears low cross from left at 10 yards in box.
28 min...VA Sacramento 35 yard freekick from right has charging VA player head 15 yarder in crowd of players that
bounces to goalie.
29 min...VA Sacramento taps pass forward to VA Phillips on right who taps it back to Sacramento who blasts 8 yarder
well over net.
31 min...VA Gogarty rolls through ball on left to VA Cramarossa and 10 yard shot from left is rolled for point blank
save by goalie but deflected for cornerkick.
32 min...VA Sacramento cornerkick from left has WS goalie palm through box and is injured.
32 min...WS YELLOW card...Krzeminski earns it for shoulder grab on VA Walker who was breaking out at VA 40 yard line.
33 min...Vaughan Dylan Sacramento GOAL...VA Daniel Gogarty at VA 50 yard line on left rolls long pass forward that
VA Austin Ricci receives at 28 yard line and shields ball from WS Matthew Strangis as he runs forward even with
left side of box. He cuts towards middle when he gets near end line and rolls pass from end line while even with edge
of 6 yard box out to middle and Sacramento blasts 8 yarder into open top right corner of net as goalie Robert Stillo
was forced to guard the left post.
35 min...WS Paredes-Procter low 30 yard shot up middle is through players and wide right of net.
36 min...VA Ricci low centering pass from right side of box to VA Sacramento just outside box. He sends ball over
to the left and VA Drake straight 20 yard shot has flying goalie push wide left.
37 min...VA Walker low cross from far right is cleared with sliding clearance on right side of box.
39 min...WS Strangis chips 33 yard shot from right is well over net.
43 min...VA Sacramento pass from 50 yards on right eludes defender in box and VA Ricci behind him first touch at 15 yards
is pushed forward to goalie.
46 min...half ends 3:54pm.

Halftime Entertainment: The Vaughan Boys U17 team who won the Bronze medal in the Canadian championships and the
Woodbridge Boys U15 team who won the gold medal at the Canadian championships were presented to the fans. They were then
cued to throw prizes to the fans. It was either t-shirts or towels taped up so they would fly further.

Second Half:...starts 4:13pm.
halftime sub:...WS Rayne replaces Cullen.
49 min...WS YELLOW card...Cordon earns it for kick on players at WS 40 yard line.
49 min...VA Sacramento chips 45 yard freekick down middle on VA Springer on right heads 12 yarder across box and defender
blocks shot up middle.
50 min...WS Rayne chips 15 yard cross from right end line that goalie catches.
51 min...VA Springer clears low cross by WS De Sousa from just wide left of box.
53 min...VA Phillips rush to top right of box and shot is blocked.
54 min...WS Watson key check of VA players on top right of box.
56 min...WS sub...Melo replaces Voci.
58 min...WS De Sousa bends 22 yard shot down middle is wide left.
59 min...WS Krzeminski run down left and 15 yard shot on far left has goalie palm over net on near post.
60 min...WS Paredes-Procter cornerkick from right is into crowd of players on right has WS Krzeminski
on left end line pop 8 yard header over to middle of box and VA Sacramento heads ball in crowd of players
at 3 yards. WE Sinopoli is injured on play.
61 min...WS Santos cross from right end line has WS Krzeminski at 12 yards wide left of net head ball across
box but VA Drake heads it away on left side of box.
61 min...WS YELLOW card...Watson earns it after VA are given call for a freekick.
62 min...VA Sacramento 40 yard freekick from right has WS Krzeminski duck and head ball away.
63 min...WS Santos gets by three guys on run into box but finally checked off ball.
65 min...VA Phillips on 3 on 2 rush but shoots 25 yarder over net.
65 min...WS sub...Johnston replaces Cordon.
66 min...WS Johnston can't twist 7 yard header on right and ball wide right for goalkick on high cross from left.
67 min...WS Rayne cross from right end line is cleared.
68 min...VA Phillips given through ball by VA player at 30 yards and low 12 yard shot is stopped point blank
by sliding goalie.
68 min...VA Phillips cross from 22 yards on far left has VA Sacramento on left head 8 yarder wide left.
69 min...VA goalie is out to 12 yards on left to punch away cross from left into crowd in box.
71 min...VA Gogarty makes two key headers within 30 seconds on WS crosses into box.
72 min...VA Ricci is rolled pass and 7 yard shot near end line on left is saved by goalie.
73 min...VA goalie is out to 15 yards to beat WS De Sousa to high downfield cross.
74 min...WS Rayne high cross from 40 yards on right has goalie catch wide left of post.
75 min...WS sub...Leal replaces Strangis.
76 min...WS Leal cornerkick from right is cleared from box.
76 min...VA Phillips short pass to VA Kovacevic at WS 50 yards and chips 35 yard shot that's high wide right of net.
77 min...WS Leal 40 yard shot up middle is caught by goalie.
78 min...VA YELLOW card...Kovacevic for sliding tackle on WS Leal at VA 50 yard line.
79 min...WS Rayne long throw-in from right has WS Melo on right edge of box pop header over to middle of box with
defenders letting ball bounce for goalie to smother as WS Krzeminski almost gets to it.
80 min...VA Ricci rush to left end line and cross/shot from 12 yards is over goalie.
80 min...VA sub...Brandon Mills replaces Phillips.
82 min...VA sub...Jason Mills replaces Sacramento.
83 min...WS Santos cross from left has VA Gogarty head ball through box to clear.
84 min...WS Santos wins cornerkick rescueing ball on left end line.
85 min...WS Santos cornerkick is well over players in box. WS Rayne sends in high cross near right cornerflag
is caught by goalie.
86 min...VA YELLOW card...Jason Mills earns it for tackle at VA 25 yard line as he trips WS Krzeminski after
long run up left.
86 min...WS Leal 22 yard freekick around five man wall has goalie fly to left to push ball wide left of post.
87 min...WS Leal cornerkick from left has WS Melo pop header from 10 yards that lands on top of net.
88 min...Vaughan Austin Ricci GOAL...VA Mario Kovacevic at VA 50 yard line on right rolls short pass to charging
VA Brandon Mills who runs near right sideline and gradually cuts towards middle and rolls pass from WS 35 yard line
between defenders that finds Ricci running up middle at 30 yards. Ricci runs into box on slight right and cuts
outside diving goalie at 8 yards and rolls ball from top right corner of 6 yard box into short side of open net
preventing possible goal line save by retreating defender.
90 min...WS Rayne 45 yard chip cross from right is caught wide left of net.
91 min...VA sub...Amato replaces Ricci.
..........VA YELLOW card...Cramarossa earns it for complaining kicking ball on freekick delayed by the sub.
92 min...VA Brandon Mills 20 yard freekick tap to VA Kovacevic who shoots 20 yarder wide left down middle.
94 min...game ends 5:02pm.

Final Score:...Vaughan Azzurri......2.......Woodbridge Strikers........0........

Attendance was announced as 877 on this cold afternoon with everything from a pregame partial rain to sunny periods
to mostly overcast. New OSA president Peter Augruso supervised the coin toss. The new board of directors from
what I've read is about slashed in half something like premier Doug Ford did to the councillors of the City
of Toronto. I did see the retired OSA president Ron Smale watching the game. There were quite a few people
I recognized including Los Angeles FC MLS player Mark-Anthony Kaye who answered me after the game that he is still
too injured to play but the team gave him a week off to so he got to come home to see his family. I watched him
play in 2014 for TFC Academy in the first year of this league and the next year when all the TFC II USL games
were held at this stadium. Kaye helped present the medals after the game.

The game's MVP was first announced as Dylan Sacramento over the PA system then quickly changed to Daniel Gogarty.
The only reason I can think of is Sacramento 'only' had one goal on his chances while Gogarty had the assist
on his goal but also was rewarded for his plays on the backline. Looking back at 19 minutes WS Michael Krzeminski
was fed a pass by Matthew Santos and ran to the left end line and shot a 12 yarder past the goalie but Gogarty
cleared it off the line. That could have changed the complexion of the game. 71 minutes had Gogarty make two
key headers within 30 seconds on WS crosses into the box. 83 minutes had him head Santos' cross from the left
through a crowd of players in the box and out of trouble. Yeah OK the MVP? Good choice!

Best other scoring chances were at 5 minutes when VA Austin Ricci received a long upfield pass and turned
to control it and then rolled an 18 yard shot from the slight right just wide left of the post. 28 minutes
had VA Sacramento take a 35 yard freekick from the right that had a charging VA player head a 15 yarder
in a crowd of players that bounced to the goalie. Next minute had Sacramento tap a pass forward to
VA Jarred Phillips who tapped it back and Sacramento blasted an 8 yarder well over the net. 31 minutes
had VA Daniel Cramarossa take a 10 yard shot from the left that the goalie made a point blank save deflecting
the ball for a cornerkick. 36 minutes had VA Zachary Drake take a 20 yard shot up the middle that the flying
goalie pushed wide left of the post. 59 minutes had WS Michael Krzeminski run down the left and his 15 yard
shot on the far left had the goalie palm the ball over the net on the near post. 68 minutes had VA Phillips
given a through ball at 30 yards and his low 12 yard shot was stopped point blank by the sliding goalie.
The same minute Phillips crossed from 22 yards on the far left and Sacramento on the left headed an 8 yarder
wide left. 72 minutes had Ricci rolled a pass and his 7 yard shot near the left end line was saved by the goalie.
86 minutes had WS Federico Leal take a 22 yard freekick around a five man wall and the goalie flew to the left
post to push the ball wide.

Sacramento was giving an interview after the game and I waited to remind him that he scored the first ever
L1O goal in the league's first game back in 2014. He said it was against Vaughan! Yep that was while
he played for TFC Academy and (OK had to look it up) his teammate that day was Mark-Anthony Kaye!

Halftime entertainment had two teams from the Canadian National Championships brought onto the field.
The Vaughan U-17 Boys had gone out to British Columbia and won a bronze medal. The Woodbridge U-15 Boys
had gone to Quebec and won a gold medal. From the announcement it made it seem like both teams had 4-1
records but then of course in makes a difference in which game your loss occurred what colour your medal
will be. (ie Woodbridge lost their opening group game before the medal round) The boys then threw what
were either bundled up t-shirts or towels into the crowd.

Referee David Barrie gave out seven Yellow cards (four to Vaughan) in a game that had some close checking
in some parts and some professional fouls to prevent breakouts.

Vaughan were missing some key players. Jarrek Whiteman came over in street clothes after the game to get
his medal after an injury knocked him out of action nearly two months ago. Usual starting defender
Shiquan Lowe was on the bench today as he was out in Winnipeg on Thursday and Friday and successfully
passed the two day tryouts of the Canadian Premier League. He did answer my suggestion that he went out
there because it was the only time he could get time off. (Yeah that was the reason why at least one L1O
player who made it went all the way to Halifax for his tryout). Please new league, let's have a living
wage so these guys can just concentrate on soccer! Also the goalposts for the tryouts have been moved
in that not 20+ plus guys from EACH of the trials of 200 in each city would be given a tryout but now
it's at least 20 guys from ALL of the trials will get a tryout...that's maybe only three per city and
brings it into Toronto FC 2006 publicity seeking tryout territory!

Woodbridge was getting by without the suspended Emmnuel Issac who I would suggest would really have helped
their offence in today's game.

Matt George earned the shutout for Vaughan with some key saves. Everyone of them was crucial as Vaughan
couldn't score an insurance goal until the very end and Woodbridge was pressuring the last 15 minutes
of the game. Vaughan didn't make their first substitution until 80 minutes and used only three (five
maximum in this league). Two out of the three Mills brothers were brought on and they kept Vaughan
dangerous with counterattacks even with Woodbridge pressure.

Vaughan wins the 'double' in L1O this year as they won the League Cup at this stadium on August 5 when
they beat TFC III 2-1 with Jace Dayton Kotsoupoulos scoring both their goals. The Ontario Soccer Centre
has become Vaughan's home stadium since after Labour Day. I asked an Azzurri official after the trophy
presentation and was assured their new home at North Maple will be ready for their season opener
next Spring. There is no trophy I've heard of (so far) for finishing first in the now single table
league so it looks like FC London will just have that knowledge unless the league surprises them
at the banquet.

York 9 FC had a booth just inside the gate today! They also had their staff car and jeep easy to see.
Yes souvenirs and I'm sure a sign up desk to take new memberships. Both Woodbridge and Vaughan are
in their target audience area. I could see Jim Brennan at the other end of the field near the gate
and he had some congratulation tweets issued right after the game. Then he dropped a hint that there
may be some players here today on his roster next Spring. The 'Degeneration IX' was set up today near
the south end seats. It must have been tough on their fans as both teams are from the same region
so they wouldn't have a clear favourite to chear for.

So that's the end of the season. I did a recount of my records and found that I've attended 55 Men's
and 1 Women's L1O game this season! No wonder I'm 'marking out' that some of the L1O guys will be
in the CPL next year. I may know a fair chunk of the roster already.

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca
twitter @RocketRobin01

Vaughan Azzurri starters