August 12, 2019 League 1 Ontario--Summary of Thursday and Friday Games (from League 1 Ontario website)
Sigma, North Miss, Woodbridge And Darby Find Crucial Wins Ahead Of Playoffs 08/12/2019, 1:00pm EDT By League1 Ontario staff .................................................................................................... It was a massive penultimate weekend in the men's division on Matchweek 14, with results at a greater premium than ever as teams jostle for seeded position or safety within the eight-team playoffs-bound category. Going into the final weekend, Sigma took the fourth and final top seed after beating Toronto Skillz, while Woodbridge, North Mississauga and Darby FC all found important wins to set themselves up for a nail-biting finale to the 2019 season. ............................................................................................... Sigma came away with a convincing 7-0 victory against Toronto Skillz on Friday night, an important win as the side look to lock up the fourth and final seeded position with only one regular season match remaining. Sigma couldn’t have started the match off better when Larin (3') put his side in the lead with a comfortable finish after getting slipped into the box. The opening 20 minutes of the game saw Sigma maintain possession, and multiple shots were attempted from the likes of Triantafillou and Allen, but a second goal didn't materialize. In the 29th minute Allen came very close to doubling the lead for his side when he hit the crossbar from a first time strike from 18 yards out. After 32 minutes, Toronto Skillz managed to get their first shot off, however it did very little to threaten Sigma's keeper, Bimek. After first half domination, Sigma managed to score their second of the match when Allen's close-range shot was put back into the mix and Goldhar (39') had the simple task of tapping the ball into the back of the net. Allen (44') would finally get his goal - after multiple attempts - when he rounded Dhaliwal and slotted the ball into the empty net. The second half started much like the first as Triantafillou (50') made it four by scoring off a corner. Stoddart (58') opened his account, smashing home from a rebound from close range making it 5-0 for his side. Larin (69') saved the nicest goal until a little later in the match when he bent a free -kick around the wall and into the back of the net. Sigma's centre-back Gardner (80') would end this goal-fest off with a smashing header off a corner to make it seven and open his account for the game. Sigma FC will next play North Mississauga on August 16 (7:45 p.m.) at Paramount Fine Foods Centre, Mississauga. Toronto Skillz will next play Darby FC on August 18 (2 p.m.) at Birchmount Stadium, Toronto. (Alex Bizzarri) ............................................................................................. Darby FC defeated Ottawa South United 3-0 in a comfortable performance with a brilliant brace from Sears (12', 37'). The hosts would be in the driver's seat for the entirety of the match as the young OSU team simply could not keep up with the Darby’s speed of play, excellent passing combinations, and stellar defence. Darby's Jack Sears would score the first of the match in the 12 th minute after a brilliant combination with captain defender Joe Zupo and Sears smashed home a fantastic volley. The second goal of the match would come in the 37th minute on a very similar play, except this time Sears connected with midfielder Tre Crosby for Sears' second magnificent volley of the match. Just before the teams went in for halftime, Darby winger Nick Spittle would score the third goal for Darby when he tapped in a cross that came across the 6-yard box from the left flank. In the second half, Darby seemed content to just keep the ball and run out the clock, and that’s exactly what they did, as the game would finish 3-0 to Darby. Ottawa South United will next play Masters FA on August 17 (3:30 p.m.) at L’Amoreaux Sports Centre, Toronto. Darby FC will next play Toronto Skillz on August 18 (2 p.m.) at Birchmount Stadium, Toronto. (Robin Chawla) ..................................................................................................... Cavallini comes up big for Woodbridge Strikers to secure three crucial points on the road against Durham United FA. Coming into the match, Woodbridge Strikers were tied for eighth on the league table with FC London, both totaling 19 points. The Strikers significantly bolstered their playoff chances with a 3 – 0 victory over Durham United FA, who are out of the playoff picture. The Strikers opened the scoring in the 32nd minute when their persistent offensive pressure resulted in an own goal by a Durham defender. Cristian Cavallini (33') immediately doubled his teams lead, tapping in a rebound in the six-yard box. Damion Graham (51') sealed the victory by finishing an intricate set piece. Cristian Cavallini was a standout for the Strikers as the forward was constantly a nuisance for the Durham defenders. It was his offensive pressure that forced a rebound and subsequently the own goal by the Durham player to open the scoring for Woodbridge. He added to his team's tally a minute later on a similar play, this time putting his own foot to the ball. The match was back and forth with neither side being able to sustain immense pressure at any point. The difference in the match was the Strikers’ ability to capitalize on the few dangerous chances that they were able to create. The highlight of the match came in the build-up for the Strikers’ third goal. They played a free kick short before stepping around the Durham wall and making two extra passes to find an open Damion Graham to tap the ball into the open net. The Strikers' substitute Tyrell Rayne also made an immediate impact when he entered the game in the 66th minute. Though he was unable to finish, he outpaced the Durham defenders on multiple occasions to put dangerous strikes towards the net. In the 90th minute, he carried the ball down the right side from half to force Durham’s keeper Kevon Grant to make a tough save in the dying moments of the match. Grant did come up with multiple big saves for Durham, however it was not enough to spark any momentum for his team to sustain pressure on the offensive end. In the 74th minute, he recovered brilliantly to stop a rebound with his feet, after his defenders were unable to clear the ball away from the attacking player. Woodbridge secured a crucial three points in the quest for the playoffs in what is shaping out to be a very tight race. Woodbridge Strikers will next play Unionville Milliken SC on August 18 (5 p.m.) at Vaughan Grove Turf, Woodbridge. Durham United FA will next play Alliance United FC on August 16 (8 p.m.) at Kinsmen Park, Pickering. (Felix Chau) ........................................................................................................ North Mississauga flattened Windsor TFC 5-0 to maintain a spot in the eight-team playoff zone just one week ahead of the end of regular season. North Mississauga had an edge over Windsor TFC in the first half though only could create one real scoring chance, which was the only goal of the first forty-five minutes. Windsor keeper Serge Saba rushed off his line and denied Navid Rahman's attempt on an Adel Rahman pass, but Luca Pacheco (19') sent the ball into the back of the net with a low finish on the follow-up. The visitors started the second half off with two substitutions as Nico Gualtieri and Andrew Ribeiro were replaced by Tyrone Mulder and Christian Mayorga, but the hosts started aggressively, growing the momentum. Windsor keeper Serge Saba saved his side twice; on 49 minutes, he saved a Darren Gertiesingh angled drive, and six minutes later, he finger-tipped Ivica Sunjka's bouncing header from under the crossbar. Gertiesingh (63') doubled North Mississauga's lead with a low strike from ten yards off a Pacheco angled pass. Nicola Russo (71') put his name on the score-sheet with a rocket of a volley from the edge of the box, leaving the keeper with no chance. Rahim Thorpe (79') came off the bench in 76 minutes and made a quick impact, breaking away from the Windsor defenders momentarily before being brought down by Kyle Buren at the edge of the box. The Windsor defender got a straight red card as he denied a clear scoring opportunity. Adel Rahman (80') curled the resulting free kick into the back of the net for his seventh goal of the season. Thorpe (88') completed the rout late on with a precise finish from inside the box on a Sundin Esperance low assist from the left side. North Mississauga will next play Sigma FC on August 16 (7:45 p.m.) at Paramount Fine Foods Centre, Mississauga. Windsor TFC will next play Oakville Blue Devils on August 16 (8 p.m.) at University of Windsor Stadium, Windsor. (Mahdi Ghaffaribarzi)
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