July 16, 2024...Weekly Rewind: League1 Ontario (from League1 Ontario website)
WEEKLY REWIND Lots of change in the Men’s Premier Division, with plenty of late drama making for another exciting weekend across League1 Ontario. Friday fireworks Friday night saw Simcoe County Rovers bag their second win on the bounce as they came from behind in the second half to beat Sigma in the Men’s Premier Division, with Milton Joseph scoring a late winner. There was more drama in the Men’s Championship as St Catharines Roma Wolves won 3-2 at Windsor City. Matthew Andres had scored for the hosts to halve their deficit with 10 minutes to go, but St Catharines held on for all the spoils. Pickering also picked up three points with Noah Carew scoring late in their 2-0 win against BVB IA Waterloo. This important victory lifted them off the bottom of the second-tier standings. Darby and Pickering tied 1-1 in the Women’s Championship, with Darby one of three sides who are undefeated in their last three games. BVB IA Waterloo and Hamilton United are the others. Leading the way NDC Ontario made further headway in their title pursuit with two victories last week, firstly over Guelph United in midweek and then against Alliance United, who themselves had won a crucial Wednesday-night game in their battle to avoid a relegation playoff. FC London also managed two victories last week, edging rivals Woodbridge Strikers 2-1 after a 6-0 win against Blue Devils in midweek. Second-placed North Toronto, however, could only follow up their 3-2 win over Woodbridge with a goalless tie against Simcoe County Rovers at the weekend. The results mean that NDC Ontario would win the Women’s Premier Division if they avoid defeat against title-rivals North Toronto on Friday. Relegated Blue Devils put up a close fight against Guelph United but narrowly lost out 1-0. There was another tight affair between Vaughan Azzurri and North Mississauga as that game finished 2-2, with Vaughan tying through two dramatic injury-time goals courtesy of Saleena Banga and Kathleen Kimens. Burlington followed up a midweek tie against ProStars with a 2-0 victory against Tecumseh United in the Women’s Championship. ProStars also registered three points at the weekend but in more dramatic fashion; Teagan Handley netting an 85th-minute penalty to help her team win 3-2. Hamilton United won 2-0 against Scrosoppi and made their mark in their opponents’ title pursuit. Hamilton moved up to third in the standings, four points from Scrosoppi who are in second. Championship leaders BVB IA Waterloo also dropped points as they fell to a 1-1 tie against Rush Canada, for whom this result will be a huge psychological boost in their fight for survival in the division. St Catharines Roma Wolves fell to Scrosoppi B last week, but despite their mid-table position, they are just two points away from a Women’s League2 playoff spot which shows just how tight the Southwest Conference really is. Wide-open race Last season’s Men’s Premier Division champions, Scrosoppi, have strengthened their bid to top the standings for the second year running after a 3-0 victory against an in-form Blue Devils side. Meanwhile, former league leaders Burlington continue to suffer on the field having now lost three in a row; ProStars’ 2-0 victory the latest game in a difficult run for the Bayhawks. There was also a bitter result for Woodbridge Strikers who led the standings going into the weekend. Their 3-2 defeat to North Toronto was their third game without victory and it has seen them drop to third. Alliance United are outsiders in the race for the crown, and they also dropped crucial points against Guelph United who held their hosts to a 0-0 tie. Flying to the top of the standings for the first time this season, however, are Vaughan Azzurri. Vaughan’s 5-0 win against Hamilton United, who are seven points adrift at the bottom of the table, will see them enter Matchweek 13 with a two-point cushion between them and second-placed Scrosoppi. There’s also a close title fight in the Men’s Championship, with TFC Academy and FC London both winning at the weekend and remaining a point apart at the top of the standings. TFC defeated Master’s FA 5-0, while London squeezed past North Mississauga 3-2 despite blowing a two-goal lead. The division’s third-placed team, Unionville Milliken, also won to keep the pressure on the top two as we head towards the final month of the season. Rush Canada won 3-0 in Men’s League2 to put them in greater contention for a place in the third-tier playoffs. Sudbury Cyclones were also victorious by the same scoreline against Master’s FA B, keeping them on level points with Alliance United B at the top of the Northeast Conference. PUBLISHED ON: 16 JULY 2024back to 2024 League1 Ontario menu
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