September 12, 2024...St Catharines Roma Wolves win promotion to Men's Premier (from League1 Ontario website)

12 September 2024
St Catharines Roma Wolves win promotion to Men’s Premier

The home side beat Guelph United on penalties to win the Pro/Rel Playoff and earn top-flight status in League1 Ontario for 2025.

Sean Darracott saved two penalties to help St Catharines Roma Wolves defeat Guelph United in a shootout, earning promotion to the Men’s Premier Division for the 2025 season.

The match ended 1-1 after a brilliant stoppage time equalizer from Guelph’s Jack Sears sent the game to extra-time and penalties, but successful spot-kicks from Joshua Salonen, Adam Lila and Ronaldo Homenszki alongside Darracott’s heroics saw the Championship team come out on top.

It was the Roma Wolves who took the lead in the first half after Homenszki sprinted onto a long ball that caught the Guelph defence off guard. He drove towards goal, beat a defender, and smashed the ball past the goalkeeper much to the joy of the home crowd.

The hosts held their own against a persistent Guelph attack, including some last-ditch defending, and kept their lead for the majority of the game. But it wasn’t without chances for St Catharines, as Cole Fernandez was forced to block a shot off the line to keep Guelph in the game with 20 minutes remaining.

The breakthrough for Guelph finally came in the sixth minute of stoppage time. After a corner kick, the ball was switched to Sears and he rifled into the bottom corner from 20 yards out, straight through a melee of players in the box.

Neither side could find a winner in extra-time. Substitute Nolan Bosetti had a great chance to win it for Roma Wolves with five minutes to go, but his first-time volley off a corner kick bounced over the bar. Darracott was then forced to make himself big to deny Jared Agyemang from poking home a Guelph goal just moments later.

The Roma Wolves goalkeeper then denied Agyemang again in the first penalty of the shootout, diving to his left to palm the ball away. He then went the opposite way to save Gray Yates’ effort, and St Catharines surged to a two-goal advantage. Aiden Borges then skied the fifth penalty of the shootout, handing St Catharines victory and cueing a fireworks display behind the goal.

St Catharines have become the first team to win promotion to the League1 Ontario Premier Division level via the Pro/Rel Playoffs.

Published On: 12 September 2024
League1 Ontario staff

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