June 12, 2019 USL League One--Toronto FC II vs North Texas SC game report (by Rocket Robin)

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Result and details of the Wednesday June 12, 2019 USL League One match between Toronto FC II and North Texas SC
played at BMO Training Centre in Downsview at 11:00am.

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

.........................90 Kevin Silva
88 Jesus West...42 Patrick Bunk-Andersen...72 Jelani Peters...57 Terique Mohammed
19 Griffin Dorsey...39 Luca Petrasso...43 Adolfo Ovalle (cpt)...50 Matthew Srbely
.............77 Jordan Perruzza...84 Jacob Shaffelburg

Subs:...30 Yann-Alexandre Fillion (gk)...31 Tsubasa Endoh (mid)...36 Franco Ramos Mingo (def)...37 Gideon Waja (mid)
...48 Dante Campbell (mid)...58 Jordan Faria (mid)...64 Shaan Hundal (fwd)
team officials:...head coach Michael Rabasca

North Texas SC (all white, red names and numbers)

.......................1 Carlos Avilez
37 Jose Kevin Bonilla...4 Brecc Evans (cpt)...25 Callum Montgomery...43 Jonathan Gomez
31 Dante Sealy...6 Alfusainey Jatta...36 Jorge Almaguer...10 Arturo Rodriguez
..............8 David Rodriguez...11 Ronaldo Damus

Subs:...51 Zachary Schawl (gk)...7 Oscar Romero (mid)...44 Johan Gomez (fwd)...45 Tanner Tessmann (mid)
...50 Nicolas Carrera (def)
team officials:...head coach Eric Quill

Game officials:...referee Silviu Petrescu...referee's assistants Melissa Sneddon and Brad Doubrough
...fourth official David Barrie (teal shirts, black shorts and socks)

First Half:...game starts 11:07am...TFC defends south end on this warm day with the sun in the south and a wind from the east.
2 min...NT Sealy is sent long pass from right at 45 yards on left. He runs down the right but pushes the ball too far forward
running even with defender and goalie picks it up.
4 min...NT Arturo Rodriguez 35 yard freekick from slight left is caught by goalie on left post on one bounce.
5 min...TFC Shaffelburg run down left and low cross meant for TFC Perruzza is cleared by NT Montgomery for throw-in.
6 min...TFC player's cornerkick from left has defender head away in crowd of players.
7 min...TFC Shaffelburg 22 yard shot from left is into outside webbing of net.
9 min...North Texas Ronaldo Damus GOAL...NT Alfusainey Jatta from 65 yards on left chips
pass forward to two NT players, Damus and Dante Sealy between two defenders at TFC 28 yard line.
Sealy gets to ball first and TFC Terique Mohammed bumps him over. Damus continues play
holding off TFC Jelani Peters and shooting a low 12 yarder as he falls backwards over sliding
goalie Kevin Silva at 8 yards into low right corner of net.
10 min...NT YELLOW card...Sealy earns it for dust up after restart.
.........TFC YELLOW card...Mohammed earns it for dust up after restart.
12 min...TFC Mohammed is injured at TFC 35 yard line.
16 min...NT Bonilla 30 yard cross from right is caught by goalie on right post.
20 min...TFC Shaffelburg high cross from 22 yards along left end line drifts behind end line.
21 min...NT Arturo Rodriguez can't win Penalty kick on run into left side of box and leans into TFC Dorsey.
23 min...TFC Dorsey dribbles from right to center but is checked off ball on edge of box.
24 min...NT Arturo Rodriguez rush into box on left and TFC Perruzza bumps him over and goalie picks up ball.
25 min...North Texas Ronaldo Damus GOAL...Damus runs down left wing from TFC 40 yard line
and from just left of top corner of box and looks to cross over to middle for charging
NT Dante Sealy up middle but his cross has goalie trying to anticipate that and instead
it finds way between goalie and near post and ball bounces into right corner of net.
26 min...North Texas Ronald Damus GOAL...NT Alfusainey Jatta at center line on right side
holds off TFC Jacob Shaffelburg to send low pass from 50 yard line forward and centered.
TFC Jelani Peters at TFC 35 yard line gets leg to it and tip it high and forward. Damus
watches it bounce at 20 yards and chests it down and continues forward and to middle
and shoots low 8 yarder that the goalie does the splits and gets a leg to but it pops
the ball up which continues bouncing forward. Retreating TFC Patrick Bunk-Andersen tries
to clear it on the line but shoots it into right corner of net.
29 min...TFC West cross from right near end line has goalie reach forward to punch forward and break up potential tap-in.
31 min...NT defenders able to clear multi-shot chances on left side of box.
34 min...TFC Shaffelburg low cross from left end line has defender clear in 6 yard box.
34 min...TFC Shaffelburg cross from left over goalie and TFC Dorsey shoots 8 yarder that goalie blocks and ball pops up.
A TFC player then sends the rebound over the net.
35 min...TFC Dorsey 22 yard shot/cross from right is well over net.
36 min...TFC Shaffelburg fights off defender to cross from left. The goalie leaps to catch and TFC Perruzza bumps
with a defender at 3 yards right beside him.
38 min...NT Arturo Rodriguez on 2 on 2 rush blasts 25 yarder from slight right well over net.
40 min...TFC Srbely receives long pass at 20 yards on left. He taps ball back to TFC Shaffelburg who shoots 22 yarder
from left when goalie catches under bar.
41 min...TFC Shaffelburg rescues ball on left cornerflag and low cross along line is cleared by defender.
41 min...TFC Petrasso blasts 22 yarder off defender at 12 yards. Petrasso blasts rebound low and wide right.
43 min...TFC Griffin Dorsey GOAL...TFC Terique Mohammed rushing in to top left side of box
on 1 on 3 taps centering pass. TFC Jordan Perruzza twists around defender in middle
and shot from top left of 6 yard box is saved by sliding goalie Carlos Avilez. The ball
pops over to Dorsey holding off NT Callum Montgomery on run to ball and his 3 yard shot
is into center of open net.
45 min...TFC Mohammed weaves in 1 on 3 on left side of box and wins cornerkick on sliding block.
45 min...TFC Perruzza can't turn header at 10 yards after TFC players work out short cornerkick from left.
47 min...half ends 11:54am.

Halftime Entertainment: Probably because of the huge crowd they gave out an espresso machine to the 'loudest fan'.
I expect the winner was a teacher because it was an adult product. There was a 2 on 2 mini game of bubble soccer in the
center circle. There's also a raffle draw for two winners to win a TFC jersey. There's also more mini-balls thrown
to the fans. This was a more appropriate time than during the first half while the game was on. The groundscrew hose
the field down like they did before the game.

Second Half:...starts 12:09pm.
halftime subs:...TFC Endoh replaces Peters.
................TFC Mingo replaces Petrasso.
46 min...TFC Perruzza has shot blocked at 10 yards.
47 min...NT Arturo Rodriguez rush down middle and 20 yard shot is caught overhead by goalie.
48 min...TFC Dorsey and TFC Endoh both have crosses from the right outside the box blocked.
49 min...TFC Shaffelburg low cross from 15 yards along line on left to TFC Endoh in middle who whiffs on shot.
51 min...NT David Rodriguez recovers partial clearance and shotts low 25 yarder wide right of net.
53 min...NT defender is able to chest ball down in NT box and clear.
53 min...TFC Dorsey cross from 20 yards on far right has goalie palm ball through box. TFC Mohammed has defender tip shot
for cornerkick.
54 min...TFC Mohammed cornerkick from left has defender head ball away in middle of box and start a fast break out.
TFC Bunk-Andersen makes sliding stop on cross on NT 3 on 2 rush at 8 yards in middle of box.
55 min...TFC Mingo leaps to flick NT Arturo Rodriguez cornerkick with header in middle of box to clear.
58 min...NT Arturo Rodriguez high 35 yard freekick from left is well wide right of net.
60 min...TFC Dorsey cross from right is over goalie and TFC Mohammed heads ball down at 5 yards but NT Bonilla
guarding left post heads ball down and clears.
60 min...NT Sealy on breakaway with TFC Mingo after him has low 15 yard shot is saved point blank by sliding goalie
at 10 yards.
61 min...NT sub...Johan Gomez replaces Sealy.
63 min...NT David Rodriguez scoops ball over defender at 20 yards but goalie steps forward to gather up.
64 min...TFC Shaffelburg 55 yard cross from left is caught by goalie.
65 min...NT Damus wins cornerkick on TFC Mohammed leaning on him after Damus beat him.
66 min...NT David Rodriguez second cornerkick from right has ball cleared in box. His first won another cornerkick.
67 min...NT sub...Carrera replaces Evans.
67 min...NT Jatta chips into TFC box and NT Johan Gomez lefts 10 yarder over net.
68 min...TFC Shaffelburg runs up left and low cross is along 10 yard line in box unplayed.
69 min...TFC Shaffelburg cross from left end line is cleared.
70 min...TFC goalie runs to 15 yards to clear away ball before NT Damus can get to it.
71 min...NT goalie beats TFC Shaffelburg to smother ball tipped over to left side of 6 yard box.
72 min...TFC YELLOW card...West earns it on delayed call 60 yards away from play.
72 min...TFC Matthew Srbely GOAL...TFC Griffin Dorsey rushes down right wing from 50 yard
line gradually cutting to middle. At 22 yard line he rolls centering cross
to TFC Jordan Perruzza who has defender in his way to box so he rolls pass to left
for open Srbely who steps into box and is almost overwhelmed by two defenders but
takes step towards middle and gets open 12 yard shot to left side of net past goalie
at 7 yards and NT Callum Montgomery protecting center and right side of net.
74 min...TFC Dorsey can't win Penalty kick on run into right side of box with an easy push making him fall.
75 min...TFC Mohammed bends 30 yard shot from left between players and goalie catches.
76 min...TFC Shaffelburg cross after collision with teammate TFC Srbely and run up left is cleared.
77 min...NT sub...Tessmann replaces David Rodriguez.
77 min...TFC Endoh low cornerkick from left is headed away in box.
77 min...NT Arturo Rodriguez is squeezed in 1 on 2 rush for high ball down middle to 20 yards injurying him.
78 min...TFC Shaffelburg rolls ball forward to TFC Srbely on left who wins cornerkick on tip off defender.
79 min...TFC Endoh high cornerkick from left has defender head away on right.
80 min...TFC Mohammed 30 yard freekick from right has defender head away.
82 min...TFC YELLOW card...Srbely earns it for pull down of NT Damus at TFC 35 yard line on 2 on 2 rush.
83 min...NT Johan Gomez rolls cross from right edge of box and goalie smothers ball in front of Damus.
84 min...TFC Perruzza is injured on tackle at TFC 50 yard line. He first signals for a sub, then limps off
to closer spectators' sideline then runs across field to player's bench.
85 min...TFC Hundal replaces Ovalle.
86 min...Referee waves for TFC Hundal to get up with no freekick call at NT 25 yard line.
86 min...TFC Shaffelburg cross from left corner has defender pop away ball on header.
87 min...TFC Shaffelburg run down left and crosses around NT Bonilla when near end line.
An NT defender just outside the left edge of 6 yard box leaps and pops header. TFC Perruzza with back to goal
connects on 18 yard bicycle kick which goalie runs across box to catch at 5 yards then falls down injured.
89 min...TFC Shaffelburg low cross hits NT Bonilla and deflects for cornerkick.
90 min...TFC player's cornerkick from left has TFC Endoh head ball backwards at 18 yards away from play!
91 min...TFC Endoh chips 28 yard freekick that pops up off head of TFC Perruzza and goalie palms over bar.
91 min...TFC Franco Ramos Mingo GOAL...TFC Griffin Dorsey cuts over from right sideline
at 30 yard line to elude NT Jorge Almaguer and rolls pass forward and to right where
TFC Tsubasa Endoh sends low cross into box along 10 yard line. TFC Jordan Perruzza
with back to goal and NT Callum Montgomery behind him lets ball roll by. Mingo runs
over from left and shoots low 10 yarder forward into left side of net just inside post
beyond reach of diving goalie.
93 min...NT Johan Gomez rolls 25 yard shot under defender but goalie picks up.
94 min...NT Jatta blasts 35 yard from slight right well over net.
95 min...NT Arturo Rodriguez cornerkick from left is caught by goalie on left post.
96 min...game ends 1:00pm.

Final Score:...Toronto FC II.......3........North Texas SC........3......

Attendance wasn't announced but the USL site listed it as 525. I had heard from some
stadium staff there'd be 500 school children here today. They all seemed to be
'middle school' age which would put them at between 11 to 14. Many didn't know much
about what was going on. “Let's Go Raptors” was a common cheer until some stadium staff
got them to chant “Tee Eff Cee” like they do at BMO Field in downtown Toronto. There was
no school buses allowed onto their private driveway so all kids had to walk the 500 yards
downhill to the grounds. After about 30 minutes of game time many of the kids couldn't
keep still so they trumped down the stairs to the port-a-potties or their teacher's
secret stash of Freezees or pop. (No snack bars here nor ice cream trucks allowed down
their own road). The kids would cheer every goal...maybe because TFC often wears all
white for some of their games. They sang along to 'O Canada' and the D-Js playing
'Old Town Road' by Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus--#1 for like 10 weeks.
That's Miley's father!

Groundscrew hosed down the field before the game and at halftime. Although it's
field turf, I'm sure it helps keep the field cool as the temperatures are on the rise.
Halftime also had a game of 2 on 2 bubble soccer with game day staff as players—I couldn't
see any students being allowed to play that and the lawsuits if any of them got hurt.

The TFC MLS team was at the field besides this one on the 'real' grass for a practice.
I had a faint idea that some might come over at halftime for some hero worship by the
kids (they need it after not winning in their last seven games). Now that field has
stadium lights but no stands.

North Texas opened with a quick three goals by Ronald Damus in the first 26 minutes
for an early lead. It wasn't as if they then sat on it as they looked likely to score
more especially on counterattacks as TFC had to press to get back in the game.
If NT could get by the high press they'd often end up on 3 on 3 or more rushes
up the field.

Damus had also scored in their game here two weeks ago. The other scorer in that
game was Ricardo Pepi who I thought was the best player in that game but today
he wasn't even on the bench.

[Late news: A reader pointed out to me on a message board that Pepi was called
up to the parent club FC Dallas of MLS for their US Open Cup game that night. Yes,
the linescore indicate he played all 90 minutes against OKC Energy and had an
assist in their 4-0 win] Other late news is that Arturo Rodriguez was just named
the league's Player of the Month for May.

North Texas were called offside 16 times last visit but today only 5 displaying
better timing of when to make a break.

Forward Shaan Hundal came on at the 85th minute for a few minutes of uneventful
action replacing captain/midfielder Adolfo Ovalle. He was a starter last game
but missing a Penalty kick and whiffing on a clear shot on the box even though
he scored earlier in that game tends to do that on a deep team.

TFC manager shook things up at halftime bringing in midfielders Tsubasa Endoh
and Franco Ramos Mingo for defender Jelani Peters and midfielder Luca Petrasso.
Endoh even got to take some freekicks and corner kicks but they were hardly
memorable. At 49 minutes he was sent in a perfect low cross from Shaffelburg
and he whiffed a 15 yard shot inside the box.

Referee Silviu Petrescu gave out four Yellow cards (three to TFC) including one
to both NT Dante Sealy and TFC Terique Mohammed for a pushing match soon after
the restart after the opening goal. Best part was his waving his hands to signal
'get up' after both teams tried some pretty lame dives to try to win Penalty
kicks and freekicks.

Man of the Match (who is always a TFC player) was named as captain and midfield
general Adolfo Ovalle. Today I would have given it to right winger Griffin Dorsey
who scored their first goal and was heavily involved in their other two.
I hadn't realized that until I reread my notes. At the post match meet
and greet (ie fans stand on the other side of the barrier similar to hockey
boards without the glass) I said to Ovalle I hoped he enjoys his coffee maker.
They also gave out a coffee maker at halftime and had two lucky draws for
a TFC jersey. Good luck that any kid was even listening.

Best non-scoring chances were at 34 minutes when Shaffelburg crossed from the
left over the goalie and Dorsey shot an 8 yarder that the goalie blocked and
the ball popped up. A TFC player shot the rebound over the net. 36 minutes
had Shaffelburg fight off a defender to cross from the left and the goalie leapt
to catch it and Perruzza and a defender crashed in beside him at 3 yards.
54 minutes had TFC Patrick Bunk-Andersen make a sliding stop on an NT cross
on a 3 on 2 rush at 8 yards to break up a play. 60 minutes had Dorsey cross
from the right over the goalie and Mohammed headed down at 5 yards but
NT Jose Kevin Bonilla guarding the left post cleared. Same minute and NT Sealy
on a breakaway with TFC Mingo after him got away a 15 yard shot that was saved
point blank by the sliding goalie at 10 yards. 87 minutes had Shaffelburg run
down the left and crossed around NT Bonilla when near the end line. A defender
just outside the left edge of the 6 yard box leapt and popped out a header.
Perruzza with his back to goal connected on an 18 yard bicycle kick which the
goalie ran across the box to catch at 5 yards then fell down injured.

The TFC players were good sports to the school children staying quite awhile
to sign autographs. I didn't know Jordan Perruzza was left handed. He only
had trouble when he was asked to sign a black baseball cap with a black marker.
Some of the players were signing human skin for the kids that didn't have
a note pad or ticket stub or that weren't able to catch a mini-ball that
some of the game day staff through into the stands. Now the mini-ball throws
got the kids standing and rocking the aluminum stands. I'm not an autograph
collector but was down at field level to say 'Hello' to a photographer who
also doubles as an L1O league player and scored twice on the weekend. I found
out I was pulling back on the sideline fencing as the kids were crushing against
it to ask for autographs and a lone grounds crew member could see that it would
soon give way. The teachers moved in to get their kids away from the side.

Jacob Shaffelburg played another strong game on the left wing. He is so much
faster than the other players in any game I've seen. He will still be only 19
at the end of the season but I can see him being one of the few that will make
the MLS club in a few years. He answered me after the game that his family
who was here for Saturday's game had returned to Nova Scotia.

These two teams met only two weeks ago right here on a Wednesday afternoon.
TFC II spoiled the undefeated record of North Texas on that day with a 3-2 win.
Today North Texas returned the favour by spoiling TFC's perfect home record
after three games with today's tie.

Late news was that four TFC II players made the eleven player USL League One
Team of the Week. Matthew Srbely, Patrick Bunk-Andersen, Jordan Perruzza,
and Terique Mohammed.

TFC II now travels to Lansing Michigan for their next game against the Ignite
Wednesday the 19th. Then on Saturday they continue on to Frisco Texas for
a road game against North Texas. OK there's only ten teams so a lot
of repetition almost as bad as the new seven team CPL. TFC's next home game
is Friday June 28 at 4:00pm against Forward Madison. There's never a night
game because this field doesn't have stadium lights.

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca
twitter @RocketRobin01

Toronto FC II starters