August 16, 2018 USL Toronto FC II--Toronto FC II vs Bethlehem Steel FC game review (from bethlehemsteelfc.com)
Bethlehem Steel FC Shuts Out Toronto FC II By Bethlehem Steel FC Communications, 08/16/18, 10:15PM EDT Michee Ngalina and Aidan Apodaca propel Steel FC to fourth victory in five matches Bethlehem Steel FC scored twice in the final 20 minutes to take a 2-0 victory against Toronto FC II on Thursday night at Marina Auto Stadium. Michee Ngalina and Aidan Apodaca both found the net as Steel FC moved into fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings after taking its fourth victory in the past five games. Bethlehem opened on the front foot as midfielder James Chambers forced a save from Toronto FC II goalkeeper Caleb Patterson-Sewell with a curling shot from distance in the fifth minute. Another chance arrived three minutes later as Ngalina also tested the TFC II shot-stopper. Toronto’s first good chance came in the 19th minute when Kyle Bjornethun found Tsubasa Endoh in the penalty area, only for the attacking midfielder to fail to control the cross, allowing Steel FC’s defense to clear. Three minutes later Bethlehem’s Matt Real threatened from the right side of the penalty area, but TFC II defender Lars Eckenrode closed down the effort and blocked the shot to safety. Patterson-Sewell had to come up big again in the 27th minute with a low save from a Steel FC corner kick to keep the game scoreless. Five minutes later Toronto had its own chance from a corner, but Eckenrode’s overhead finish went off the top of the crossbar and behind for a goal kick as the game remained scoreless at halftime. Bethlehem threatened again six minutes into the second half when Drew Skundrich’s shot from just inside the penalty area was saved by Patterson-Sewell, while Toronto’s Shaan Hundal had a chance in the 58th minute that was kept out by a diving save by Steel FC goalkeeper Jake McGuire. Patterson-Sewell then came up big again in the 67th minute as Faris had a point-blank chance for Steel FC. Steel FC broke through with 20 minutes to go, however, as a breakaway chance for Ngalina off a through-ball by Skundrich allowed the Congolese forward to slide home his finish past the advancing goalkeeper. Faris almost added a second six minutes later only for his curled finish to carom off the left post, but Bethlehem wrapped up the victory in the 82nd minute as second-half substitute Apodaca was played in by Brenden Aaronson and finished. Bethlehem Steel FC continues its quest for a second-consecutive USL Cup Playoff appearance next week against Ottawa Fury FC on Wednesday, August 22. The match could prove pivotal for both sides as they look to solidify their playoff position in the Eastern Conference. Kick off from Goodman Stadium on the campus of Lehigh University is scheduled for 5 p.m. and will be broadcast live on Service Electric and ESPN+. MATCH RECAP Bethlehem Steel FC 2, Toronto FC II 0 Marina Auto Stadium Rochester, NY. MATCH STATS Shots: 14-6 (Bethlehem) Shots on goal: 7-1 (Bethlehem) Corners: 6-6 Saves: 5-1 (Toronto) SCORING SUMMARY BST – 70’ Michee Ngalina (Drew Skundrich) BST – 82’ Aidan Apodaca (Brenden Aaronson) DISCIPLINE SUMMARY BST – 18’ Chris Nanco (Yellow Card) TOR – 38’ Shaan Hundal (Yellow Card) TOR – 61’ Gideon Waja (Yellow Card) TOR – 65’ Matt Srbely (Yellow Card) BETHLEHEM STEEL FC STARTING XI Jake McGuire; Matt Real, Brandon Aubrey, Matt Mahoney, Olivier Mbaizo; James Chambers, Drew Skundrich; Chris Nanco (Santi Moar 62’) Omar Holness (Brenden Aaronson 45’), Michee Ngalina; Faris (Aidan Apodaca 79’). Substitutes not used: Tomas Romero, Ben Ofeimu, Prosper Chiluya, AJ Paterson. TORONTO FC II STARTING XI Caleb Patterson-Sewell; Tim Kubel, Lars Eckenrode, Robert Boskovic, Kyle Bjornethun (Terique Mohammed 77’); Gideon Waja, Dante Campbell (Noble Okello 63’), Tsubasa Endoh; Matt Srbely, Aidan Daniels, Shaan Hundal (Malik Johnson 63’) Substitutes not used: Borja Angoitia, Jordan Faria, Olakunle Dada-Luke MATCH OFFICIALS Officials: Matt Franz (Referee), Gregory Irwin (Assistant Referee 1), Josh Bovet (Assistant Referee 2), Ryan Trombetta (Fourth Official) LVHN TEAM NOTES Bethlehem Steel FC picked up its fifth road victory of the 2018 season and 10th overall. With the win, Steel FC pushes up the USL’s Eastern Conference Table to the fifth position entering the weekend. Michee Ngalina scored his fourth goal of 2018 in the second half. It’s the 18-year-old third game-winning strike this season. On Ngalina’s goal, fellow rookie midfielder Drew Skundrich earned his third assist of the year. Skundrich now leads Steel FC rookies in assists. Aidan Apodaca added put the match out of reach with his second goal of the season. Philadelphia Union Academy midfielder Brenden Aaronson picked up his second assist of the season on Apodaca’s goal. Philadelphia Union goalkeeper Jake McGuire racked up his third clean sheet of the season. McGuire’s shutout is his eighth with Steel FC, tying Union teammate John McCarthy for the most clean sheets in franchise history.
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