July 1, 2018 USL Toronto FC II--Toronto FC II vs Charleston Battery game review (by Rocket Robin)

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Result and details of the Sunday July 1st, 2018 USL game between Toronto FC II and Charleston Battery
played at BMO Field in Toronto at 8:00pm.

Toronto FC II (all red, white names and numbers)

....................30 Borja Angoitia
48 Dante Campbell...52 Julian Dunn-Johnson...49 Robert Boskovic...36 Tim Kubel
45 Luca Uccello (cpt)...59 Noble Okello-Ayo...42 Steffen Yeates...55 Aidan Daniels
...............56 Malik Johnson...64 Shaan Hundal

Subs:...90 Rimi Olatunji (gk)...37 Gideon Waja (mid)...43 Aikim Andrews (fwd)...50 Matthew Srbely (mid)
...57 Terique Mohammed (def)...58 Jordan Faria (mid)...61 Rocco Romeo (def)
team officials:...manager Michael Rabasca

Charleston Battery (white socks and shirts, black shorts, names and numbers)

....................1 Joe Kuzminsky
.........3 Skylar Thomas...4 Taylor Mueller (cpt)...8 Neveal Hackshaw
7 O'Brian Woodbine...22 Tah Anunga...21 Angelo Kelly-Rosales...14 Jarad van Schaik
........25 Kotaro Higashi...10 Ataulla Guerra...13 Nicholas Rittmeyer

Subs:...16 Robert Beebe (gk)...2 Jay Bolt (def)...12 Vincenzo Candela (mid)...15 Gordon Wild (fwd)
...17 Patrick Okonkwo (fwd)...18 Ryan Arambula (mid)
team officials:...manager Michael Anhaeuser

Game Officials:...referee Carol Anne Chenard...referee's assistants Chantal Boudreau and Kathryn Nesbitt
...fourth official Yusri Rudolph...(yellow shirts, black shorts and socks)

First Half:...game starts 8:08pm...TFC II defends south end on this hot and humid evening with the sun covering
and expanding 3/4 of the field.
2 min...CB van Schaik cornerkick is short and worked out and cross into box is cleared on header.
6 min...CB van Schaik low cross from left endline has TFC Dunn-Johnson clear from left post.
9 min...TFC Johnson cross from right ene line has TFC Hundal and Daniels not able to head ball on left post with CB Thomas
also in that spot.
10 min...CB Guerra has shot stopped.
11 min...CB Woodbine has TFC Okello-Ayo clear low cross for cornerkick.
11 min...CB van Schaik cornerkickk from right has charging CB Mueller head ball wide right from 6 yards on right.
14 min...TFC Kubek makes long header in TFC box to clear.
14 min...CB Anunga cross from right is over box.
15 min...CB Hackshaw long run up leftg and low cross from 15 yards near end line is through 6 yard box and CB Guerra
misses tap-in.
16 min...CB Rittmeyer rush up right and centers to CB Guerra but TFC Okello-Ayo blocks his shot from 6 yards.
16 min...CB Guerra lets pass get through him and goalie dives left to smother it.
22 min...TFC Uccello and Daniels line up 35 yard freekick from left is tapped and Uccello sends ball into box but a TFC
player's hand ball stops play.
24 min...TFC Hundal rush on right but CB Hackshaw pokes ball away just inside box.
25 min...CB Thomas kicks away ball as TFC Daniels is pushing on him in right side of box.
29 min...A water break is called a minute after the TFC reserves were sent to warm up.
31 min...play resumes.
33 min...CB Rittmeyer rush up left and taps centering pass and CB Higashi pokes ball through defense but wide left
of net from 10 yards when he pushes it too far.
35 min...CB Woodbine cross from 25 yards on right has goalie reach up to bat ball down and pick up preventing CB Guerra
from tap in on left.
36 min...CB Thomas 55 yard chip up right is over players and bounces out.
36 min...TFC Dunn-Johnson makes big stop to prevent a CB 3 on 1 break set up at TFC 25 yard line.
37 min...CB Rittmeyer runs down right on 2 on 1 rush with CB Guerra and TFC Dunn-Johnson has pass centered to Guerra
but goalie is out to tip ball and bump him from getting shot.
38 min...CB van Schaik cornerkick from left has CB Mueller jab at ball near left post but shot is blocked by defender.
39 min...CB Guerra taps ball to CB Higashi who rolls him back pass in box and Guerra blasts 12 yard shot well over net.
42 min...TFC Kubel cross from 30 yards on left has CB Hackshaw make key header in box to clear ball from potential TFC
player's header.
44 min...TFC Kubel checks CB Rittmeyer injurying him at center line sideline.
46 min...CB Rittmeyer on rush up right rolls ball through box unplayed.
47 min...half ends 8:55pm.

Halftime Entertainment:...There's an Antony's Espresso Machine winner on the east side given away to the loudest TFC II fan.
I spot injured goalie Angelo Cavalluzzo on my side of the stands. He's still wearing a walking cast on his leg. It turns
out it was his father's cousin Dino Cavalluzzo that is the OMNI sportscaster that I'd watch on television to see a glimpse
of Toronto Italia highlights even though I didn't speak a word of Italian...then I'd watch the Portuguese news (which I also
didn't understand) to hear Alexandre Franco show highlights of Toronto Supra/Portuguese on the same channel.

Second Half:...starts 9:11pm. It's finally started to cool down and the whole stadium is in shade.
46 min...CB Rittmeyer long run down right and cross into box has TFC Dunn-Johnson head ball away.
47 min...CB van Schaik rush down left to rescue and cross ball and TFC Dunn-Johnson clears away.
50 min...CB van Schaik chips 35 yarder from left through players and ball bounces to goalie.
51 min...TFC Boskovic slides to cencede cornerkick on CB rush down right.
52 min...CB van Schaik cornerkick from right has TFC Kubel head ball away on right side as first defender misses clearance.
53 min...CB YELLOW card...Rittmeyer earns it for tripping TFC Kubel on his run down the left.
54 min...TFC Hundal gets to 35 yard freekickc and wins cornerkick as he curls shot off defender.
54 min...TFC Johnson cornerkick from left has TFC Boskovic in crowd of players head ball down middle from 8 yards wide right
of post.
56 min...CB Anunga low cross after a rfun on the right has CB Guerra unable to turn it.
56 min...CB sub...Wild replaces Rittmeyer.
57 min...CB Thomas recovers and takes ball off TFC Johnson in CB 6 yard box.
57 min...CB Ataulla Guerra GOAL...CB O'Brian Woodbine crosses from near right cornerflag and TFC Robert Boskovic
bends down to chest ball on bounce in front of him at 6 yard line even with right post and the ball goes through his legs
and Guerra standing behind him in center blasts 7 yarder into top right side of net.
59 min...TFC Campbell run down right and cross into box is cleared by defender.
60 min...TFC Kubel run up left eludes sliding defender and has defenders clear ball off him for goalkick.
63 min...CB Hackshaw makes another big stop to hook away ball on edge of CB box.
64 min...CB Kotaro Higashi GOAL...CB O'Brian Woodbine charges up right wing pursued by TFC Tim Kubel and cutting
towards to middle and at 5 yard line on right drops centering pass back to Higashi at 8 yards and he blasts a low shot
between sprawling goalie Borja Angoitia and defender Julian Dunn-Johnson both at 2 yards into center of net.
66 min...TFC sub...Srbely replaces Yeates.
67 min...TFC sub...Faria replaces Daniels who exits on the opposite side of the field.
69 min...CB Wild cuts in from right and rolls 15 yard shot wide right.
69 min...TFC sub...Mohammed replaces Kubel.
70 min...TFC Hundal rush up right and low cross into box has defender clear.
72 min...TFC Faria recovers his own blocked pass and shoots low 22 yarder from middle just wide right of post.
73 min...CB sub...Okonkwo replaces Guerra.
74 min...TFC goalie is out to edge of box to fly and Superman punch clearance of cross.
75 min...CB Wild on give and go has his 15 yard shot over the net but wins cornerkick.
75 min...CB van Schaik cornerkick from left is over box and CB player can't win Penalty kick on defender's push.
76 min...CB Anunga 25 yard shot is over net.
76 min...CB Higashi is given pass from right aand all alone rolls 15 yard shot is wide right of post.
77 min...TFC Mohammed run on left and cross has CB Mueller fly and get foot to and concede cornerkick.
78 min...TFC Uccello cornerkick from left has goalie punch ball away.
80 min...TFC YELLOW card...Campbell earns it for grabbing CB Higashi rushing over center line.
81 min...CB O'Brian Woodbine GOAL...CB Taylor Mueller sends long chipped pass from CB 25 yard line that has Woodbine
recover and charge up right cutting up middle with Terique Mohammed chasing him. With CB teammate charging into middle
of 6 yard box instead of passing he roofs 8 yard shot from right into top right corner over goalie guarding that post.
82 min...CB sub...Arambula replaces Woodbine before restart.
83 min...CB YELLOW card...Thomas earns it for upending TFC Johnson near left just outside box.
84 min...TFC Uccello chips 25 yard freekick from left which falls in box and CB Hackshaw clears away.
85 min...TFC Faria low cross from 25 yards on right has CB Mueller concede cornerkick.
86 min...TFC Uccello cornerkick from right has defender in crowd of players in box head away and CB Mueller skies clearance.
87 min...TFC Uccello cornerkick from left is over players in box and TFC Faria pops header from 12 yards well over bar.
88 min...TFC Srbely dribbles to center at 22 yards and cuts shot that's just over bar.
89 min...TFC Faria sends pass to TFC Hundal who spins and low 15 yard shot up middle is smothered by goalie.
90 min...CB Mueller ducks head and heads cross away from CB box.
91 min...CB Gordon Wild GOAL...Wild on right dribbles along 20 yard line eluding three defenders as he runs over
to middle and shoots between two defenders and the ball hits foot of TFC Julian Dunn-Johnson at 15 yards and pops up over
goalie at 4 yards on left side of goal and drops into net.
92 min...game ends 8:58pm.

Final Score:....Toronto FC II......0.......Charleston Battery.......4.........

Attendance wasn't announced but was published on the USL website at 422. This was quite a fall from the 26,363 at the
MLS game before this but that was delayed from the time on the tickets because of TSN broadcasting the World Cup Round
of 16 games and were committed to a 5:00pm sign off time.

The USL game started just after 8:00pm. It was the hottest day on record in Toronto with a 43C temperature when the
humidity was accounted for. I sit on the west side for the MLS game but an usherette invited fans to sit on the shady
East side. I certainly took up that offer but appeared to be one of the few takers. I was somewhat surprised that
the crowd didn't desert until the end—better than the MLS game emptying out at 80 minutes with TFC behind by only
a 1-0 score.

Referee Carol Anne Chenard called a water break at 30 minutes...almost unheard of as the actual time was 8:30pm but
that's how hot it still was.

Antony's Espresso Man of the Match (who is always a TFC II player) was announced as midfielder Aiden Daniels.
Yikes with a score like that, no-one should be awarded a coffee machine, or for once give it to someone on the
visiting team. Obvious star of the game was O'Brian Woodbine who set up the first two goals and scored the third
all from near the same place. As if he knew he would be subbed out within the next minute, after his goal
the Jamaican international did a backflip and drew a big round of applause.

I had come away from Wednesday's game against first place FC Cincinnati where TFC II came from behind to score
two goals and tie 3-3 and were pressing on to win with optimism. I had my doubts when I saw the MLS roster today.
Hero's of the Wednesday game Jordan Hamilton, Ryan Telfer, and Liam Fraser were all back with the big club.
There's a huge skill difference between these players and the teenagers that make up the rest of their offence.

After the game captain Luca Uccello answered a question about sending the three players back that “Everyone wants
to play for the main team...and train with them that's everyone's goal. The three guys against Cincinnati did
a great job and the guys who fill in for them have to do as good a job if not better”. I asked “Someday your
day will come?” he answered “I hope so”.

Head coach Michael Rabasca answered my question about the changing lineup being frustrating by saying
“...not a frustration at all, kudos to our group. They played well enough against Cincinnati that Greg (Vanney)
and the first team felt they could fit in with the group here...(we have) no trouble with that at all”.

TFC's best chance was actually at 9 minutes when Malik Johnson ran to the left CB end line but had enough room
to send a high cross over the goalie on the right post and Shaan Hundal couldn't redirect in a one yard header
from the left post with teammate Aidan Daniels and defender Skylar Thomas also piling in to that confined space.

The Battery had more chances and their #10 Ataulla Guerra was being set up much like we'd just seen Giovinco
in the TFC game. 15 minutes had him miss a 6 yard tap-in, then he had a Noble Okell-Ayo block his 6 yard shot
in the same minute and the next minute he let a pass get through him and the TFC goalie dove out to smother
the ball.

That all changed when after a long spell after being invisible, he scored in the second half pouncing on an error
by defender Robert Boskovic for the first goal. Boskovic tried to chest the ball down by ducking and it went
through his legs and he jabbed out his leg as Guerra got to it so in effect he did the splits while already
down then faceplanted when he saw the Trinidadian score. Might as well have him faceplant in a birthday cake
because this was his special day. Canada Day too! I saw that the USL website had updated his country
to CANADA from the US within two days of sending them an e-mail and the Wikipedia bio link. I graduated from
his school Ryerson before he was born.

The Battery had come into today's game winless in their last six games although five of them were ties.

They were strong defensively with a former TFC II player Skylar Thomas clearing the left side, captain
Taylor Mueller plugging up the middle including some takeaways from behind in the box, and Neveal Hackshaw
with stops on the right followed by long runs up the wing. Thomas was named to the USL Team of the Week
the week before for their scoreless tie against Pittsburgh.

Joe Kuzminsky earned the shutout for the visitors. He didn't have many shots but his positioning was perfect
and he barely had to move. Even these saves were more about preserving the shutout then saving the game.

TFC II's record falls to 0 wins, 13 losses, 3 ties for 3 points and they are all alone in sixteenth place.
Charleston improves to 6 wins, 3 losses, 7 ties for 25 points and because yesterday was the only game
in the Eastern Conference game scheduled, they slingshot from a tie for eighth (last playoff spot)
to a tie for fifth.

TFC II now go on an extended road trip with a 'home game' not until July 28th and that is in Rochester.
Next game actually in Toronto will be Saturday August 12th at 7:30pm at BMO Field an hour after the end
of the New York City FC MLS game.

Late breaking news: A July 2nd news release from the USL announce the rumour was true...TFC II will drop
to the USL Division 3 next season. While other MLS '2' and 'II' teams are expected to join them, right
now the hardly glamorous teams are Statesboro Georgia, Tucson Arizona, Greenville South Carolina,
and Madison Wisconsin. Well attendance can hardly drop any more than it is now. This gives the standalone
teams a chance to impress. The excellent attendance of Cincinnati got them fast tracked to an MLS start
next season before previously awarded franchises.

Toronto FC II starters