October 6, 2024 CPL York United FC vs Atletico Ottawa game report (by Rocket Robin)

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Result and details of the Sunday October 6, 2024 Canadian Premier League game between York United FC and Atletico Ottawa
played at York Lions Stadium in North York at 5:00pm ET.

York United FC (white socks and shorts, green & blue checkered shirts, white names and numbers)

...............................1 Thomas Vincensini
16 Max Ferrari...62 Nyal Higgins...4 Oswaldo Leon...6 Orlando Botello
.........33 Matthew Baldisimo...15 Josue Martinez...8 Elijah Adekugbe
.......37 Trivine Esprit...9 Brian Wright (cpt)...19 Olusola Jimoh

Subs:...18 Eleias Himaras (gk)...11 Dennis Salanovic (mid)...12 Santiago Marquez (mid)...17 Markiyan Voytsekhovskyy (mid)
...23 Noah Abatneh (def)...26 Jjoshua Lopez (fwd)...27 Lukas Pareja Duque
team officials:...head coach Benjamin Mora...assistant coach Mauro Eustaquio and Isidro Sanchez...goalkeeper coach Camilo Benzi
physiotherapist Eric Yoo...doctor Jim Niu...kitman Eduardo Rodas...athletic trainer Furkan Demir

Atletico Ottawa (red socks and backs, navy shorts, red & white striped chests, white names and numbers)

..............................29 Nathan Ingham (cpt)
.........4 Tyr Walker...55 Amer Didic...3 Jesus Del Amo
...............23 Kristopher Twardek...22 Matteo De Brienne
.......6 Liberman Torres...34 Manuel Aparicio...10 Ollie Bassett
...............7 Kevin Santos...19 Ruben Del Campo

Subs:...99 Rayane Yesli (gk)...8 Dani Morer (def)...9 Samuel Salter (fwd)...13 Ballou Tabla (mid)
...15 Maxim Tissot (mid)...33 Aboubacar Sissoko (mid)...96 Ilias Iliadis (mid)
head coach CArlos Gonzalez...assistant coaches Gonzalo Escudero and David Galan...goalkeeper coach Borja Montero
...kitman Bruce Hartill...athletic trainer Drew Clark-Brewin

Game officials:...referee Yusri Rudolf...referee's assistants Marie-Han Gagnon Chretien
...fourth official Fabrizio Stasolla...(all black uniforms)...referee assessor Isaac Raymond

First Half:...game starts 5:07pm...York defends north end.
The weather is cool and mostly overcast with a bright sun in the southwest.
The official start to the game was delayed to allow a boy who needs a kidney transplant from dribbling down the field to score
on the York United net.
1 min...York Jimoh low pass up middle from 50 yards has the AO goalie pick up the ball at 15 yards as two defenders squeeze off
York Wright getting to it.
3 min...York Jimoh has shot blocked on left edge of box when he recovers clearance.
3 min...York YELLOW card...Botello earns it for tackle at AO 35 yard sideline to prevent breakout.
6 min...AO Santos from 35 yards pass spun forward on right has goalie pick up ball at 15 yards.
8 min...Play is whistled down as AO Aparicio and York Wright are injured at the AO 40 yard line as both stretched for ball.
9 min...York Jimoh from 45 yard line passes forward for York Wright who first-touches too far foward from 25 yards so goalie has
easy pick up.
10 min...York Ferrari is hurt at York 28 yard line in collision.
14 min...York Jimoh cornerkick from right is tap to York Baldisimo who sends high cross that goalie catches at 3 yards on left side
of net staring into the sun.
17 min...AO Aparicio long throw-in from 18 yard line on left finds charging AO Del Campo at 7 yards on left side of box.
He survives grab by York Leon at 3 yard line and centers pass. The ball is partially stopped by York Higgins. AO Bassett behind
him gets to ball, turns, and fires 3 yard shot from left that's blocked by York Botello's foot. AO Del Campo recovers at 5 yards
and sends low shot tht goalie swats down on left post and AO Bassett on left end line gets to loose ball but is called offside.
18 min...AO Santos taps centering pass from left along 15 yard line but York player intercepts at 20 yards and clears.
19 min...York Botello is injured in collision at York 25 yard line near right sideline. He needs trainer. AO Twardek was the other player
in the collision.
22 min...Play resumes. AO Bassett freekick cross from 35 yards on right is off York Esprit for cornerkick on deflection.
23 min...AO Liberman Torres receives low pass at top right corner of 18 yard box. He runs out to 22 yards, turns, and passes
down right sideline to AO Bassett at 12 yard line. Bassett turns back to 20 yard line tapping to AO Liberman on 1 v 2. Liberman
rolls ball towards endline and tries to push pass by York Martinez. York Ferrari rescues ball at 3 yard line. AO Liberman has gone
down on sideline with York Martinez standing over him. Referee runs over to check on players and Liberman gets up and head
butts Martinez who goes down injured.
24 min...Atletico Ottawa RED card...Liberman Torres earns it from referee Yusri Rudolf for the head butt. York Martinez
needs the trainer who is still on that side of the field after he'd just finished treating York Botello just two minutes earlier.
30 min...York Ferrari sprints to high pass on left and center ball into AO box that's easily cleared.
31 min...York Jimoh on rush on left rolls pass forward from 25 yards to York Botello who continues forward to 5 yard line
and sends low centering pass that sliding AO Walker from 15 yards on left deflects into left side webbing of net.
32 min...York player's high cornerkick from left is over to York player at 25 yards on slight right. AO goalie fumbles clearance
but defender clears.
35 min...York Ferrari low centering cross off AO De Brienne for cornerkick on right.
36 min...York Jimoh taps cornerkick from right to York Baldisimo who sends high cross over box.
37 min...AO De Brienne sends long throw-in on left at 15 yard line that finds AO Bassett at 25 yard line on slight left. Bassett
sends cross into box and AO Del Campo leaps at 10 yards in center over York Leon and twists header wide right of net.
38 min...AO sub...Iliadis replaces Santos.
41 min...AO Aparicio race to left end line and sends high cross over box.
42 min...York Ferrari cross has ball deflect off defender's shoulder breaking up play in box.
44 min...AO player's throw-in from right has ball knocked ball back to goalie for pick up.
48 min...York Botello cross from less has AO Didic heads away ball in box.
48 min...York Wright gets to long chipped pass. His shot is blocked by AO Walker at 10 yards.
49 min...York Jimoh and Baldisimo short cornerkick again from the right right wins another on deflection off AO Aparicio.
49 min...York Jimoh and Baldisimo take another cornerkick from right but this one is upfield and York Esprit chips cross from 30 yards
on right that defender heads away.
50 min...half ends 5:57pm.

Halftime Entertainment: There are mini games in the north and south ends. The group 'Downtown Soccer Toronto' were presented with an oversized $5000 cheque. There was a t-shirt toss for the fans but no on-field contests for this game.

Second Half:...starts 6:14pm.
Halftime sub:...AO Sissoko replaces Walker.
47 min...York Baldisimo runs to left end line and cuts back but doesn't get away shot.
47 min...AO Sissoko takes ball off York Jimoh cutting in along left end line and dribbles away.
48 min...York Wright foot-flick to stop pass to him at 20 yards but rolls ball to goalie.
49 min...AO De Brienne low cross has sliding York Leon stop preventing AO player from getting to ball.
49 min...AO De Brienne throw-in from 20 yard line on left has AO Bassett receive at 18 yard line and dribbles over to left end line.
He flicks ball up and over defender for AO Aparicio who heads forward from 16 yards just outside left edge of box for AO Tissot
charging along 12 yard line into box and shoots along 6 yard line past York Higgins but along face of goal and ball rolls well wide right.
56 min...York Botello bends 22 yard shot from slight left that's wide right for goalkick.
57 min...AO Twardek long throw-in from right has defender head away from right side of box.
58 min...York Martinez cross from right has AO Del Amo header prevent ball to York Wright at AO 15 yard line in middle of box.
59 min...York sub...Salanovic replaces Esprit.
64 min...York Jimoh 30 yard chip from left has defender head away from box.
65 min...AO Aparicio cross from left between defenders legs but York Leon.
66 min...AO Bassett high cornerkick from left is over box has ball bounce wide right for goalkick.
67 min...AO Bassett at center line on right sideline sends cross over to charging AO Aparicio 40 yard line. He stops and rolls
ball forward to charging AO Del Campo who gets to ball at 22 yards on left. Del Campo dribbles ball to 15 yard line and chips
shot over goalie at 6 yard line and ball bounces wide right of net.
68 min...York Olusola Jimoh GOAL...AO Ilias Iliadis gets to loose ball at 20 yards on right side of AO box. He dribbles
forward to 28 yard line then turns back when defender challenges him and sends a crossfield pass over to center.
Jimoh steps in front of AO Kristopher Twardek at 20 yard line to intercept and dribbles into box and steps to center
around lunging AO Jesus Del Amo and shoots 13 yarder over sliding AO Amer Didic and over diving goalie Nathan Ingham
at 4 yard line into right corner of net.
73 min...AO Twardek cross from right end line has defender lean forward to head away.
74 min...AO Iliadis long chip from 55 yards on left bounces to goalie wide left of net.
75 min...York Ferrari can't win Penalty kick call on run for long pass on right side of box.
75 min...York Botello makes big clearance retreating at 12 yards to break up play.
76 min...AO sub...Tabla replaces De Brienne.
76 min...York goalie gathers up bouncer from distance.
77 min...York sub...Marquez replaces Martinez.
............York sub...Abatneh replaces Botello.
78 min...AO Didic flick header of long throw-in but defender clears in 6 yard box.
79 min...AO Twardek cross deflects off York Jimoh for cornerkick on right.
80 min...AO Iliadis high cornerkick from right is over box and York Higgins heads ball wide left to almost start fast break out.
83 min...York Salanovic 30 yard freekick tap to York Wright from right is broken up.
85 min...AO Twardek run down right sideline to 10 yard line. He cuts back to try to elude York Jimoh and taps ball back
to AO Bassett. Bassett chips ball from 25 yard line sideline and ball bounces into box where charging AO Tabla almost overruns
ball at 6 yard line just outside right side of 6 yard box. He turns back and flicks ball upward over York Higgins and bumps
with him but chips ball from right end line over goalie guarding right post but York Ferrari guarding left post chests ball over
end line to keep ball away from AO Iliadis.
85 min...AO Bassett cornerkick from left is low and York Salanovic as nearest defender on left end line clears out of box.
86 min...AO Bassett low freekick from 25 yards on far left is stopped by York Adekugbe in 6 yard box.
87 min...AO Tabla has shot from right side of box blocked that AO Del Campo passed to him.
87 min...York YELLOW card...Baldisimo earns it for trip on AO Del Campo at 35 yard line on right.
87 min...AO sub...Morer replaces Aparicio.
...........AO sub...Salter replaces Bassett.
88 min...AO Iliadis 40 yard freekick from right has goalie catch on left post.
89 min...AO Salter receives short pass forward on left and he dribbles to 3 yard line and cuts back and into left side of box to try
to elude York Baldisimo and blasts shot from 6 yard line just inside box well over net.
92 min...AO Iliadis high cross from 30 yards on left has York Jimoh one touch ball back to goalie from 12 yard line on right side of box.
92 min...AO YELLOW card...Salter earns it for delaying York throw-in at York 50 yard line.
93 min...AO Twardek long throw-in from right. AO Didic pops up header at 15 yards that goalie catches.
93 min...AO De Brienne cornerkick from left has York Wright pop up header on left across box that York goalie catches.
Wright is injured on the play when he lands. The AO goalie had come upfield into the box to help crowd the box.
95 min...game ends 7:04pm.

Final Score:...York United FC.........1............Atletico Ottawa..........0......

Attendance wasn't announced (that I heard although some message board posters says it was) but message boards and the league site listed it at 2114. I thought the crowd looked as large as it has for any game this year since the home opener. The weather forecast had been calling for severe thunderstorms at gametime for days and we received nothing but a bit of sun between the clouds. The temperature was much higher than what we should expect for this time of year. I also expected a large contingient of travelling Atletico fans but didn't see any. A game time of 5:00pm running to just after 7:00pm would give time for them to get back in about five hours. There were a few Atletico jerseys but only about as many as any travelling CPL team except Forge and explained by them being friends and relatives of the many CPL players from the Southern Ontario region scattered around the league.

There was a Parent v Child game held after today's game which ended at 7:04pm. Only 15 minutes was promised but tomorrow is a school night.

I wonder if any fans here today were those disappointed by not being able to squeeze into the Toronto FC vs CF Miami game yesterday afternoon in the hopes of seeing Lionel Messi. TFC longshot MLS playoff chances were squeezed out with their last minute loss. Next week they have a 'bye' on Decision Day.

The Red card against Ottawa at 24 minutes didn't change the game as much as I thought. York still finished the game with only two shots on net. They had more ball possession but it looked like they were waiting for the perfect shot. The goal by Olusola Jimoh at 68 minutes meant it was Ottawa who had to push but York kept more than enough guys back to prevent any Atleti break-ins. AO goalie Nate Ingham came into the York 18 yard box to be another body on a last minute Ottawa cornerkick.

It was young Jimoh's third goal of the season and another start for him. A front three of Trivine Esprit, Brian Wright, and Jimoh without Mo Babouli and Jorge Guzman feeding them the ball, limited their chances. Jimoh got to take many of the cornerkicks but they were mostly tap overs to Matthew Baldisimo who then crossed them into the box.

Referee Yusri Rudolf gave out four Yellow cards (three to York players) and the one Red card. I could only see the commotion from where I was but someone with access to the OneSoccer broadcast said it was a head butt. Message boards later didn't deny it but only how much York player Josue Martinez 'sold' the contact. I thought all the cards were deserved although the second half injury time one to AO Samuel Salter was foolish for the reasoning why would you want to delay a York throw-in when you desperately want the ball in play to regain possession? No fake falls trying to get a Penalty kick call was fine with me.

York was missing seven regulars with captain Mo Babouli out with a back injury sustained in last week's road game. Newly traded for midfielder Kembo Kibato was out with a calf strain. Juan Cordova and Jorge Guzman were out today due to serving accumulated card suspensions.

Finally some good news was that midfielder Dennis Salanovic was on the bench today and did enter the game at 59 minutes. The last time he played was before Benjamin Mora had even taken over as coach of the team. At the press conference after the game Mora said his team is strong and to watch as the injured and suspended players return.

This was a huge win for York. Their last home win was back on July 26th against Ottawa the last time they were here. York had two wins on the road since then but had been 0 wins, 2 ties, 2 losses in home games. Only lingering problem is it's been since that July 26 4-1 win that they have scored more than one goal.

The win improves York's record through 26 games to 11 wins, 6 ties, 9 losses for 39 points and they stay in fourth place. There is now an insurmountable gap between fourth and fifth place. Because the fifth to eighth place teams have been tieing and losing, it was known last week that York had clinched a playoff spot even with last week's loss away loss against first place Forge. Before today's game it was known that York would host a playoff game for the first time in their history although last year was the first time that five teams made the playoffs. I expect the game will be on Wednesday October 23rd if York stays in fourth or sometime on the next weekend if they finish third.

Atletico had four draws in a row their last four games so their momentum continues to falter after dueling with York for first place two months ago. Ottawa's decline started just after York's and both teams have been passed by league champ veterans Forge FC and Cavalry FC.

Forge FC won the CPL Shield for their win earlier this afternoon against Valour FC to guarantee they will finish in first place in the regular season.

At the post game press conference I asked Atletico head coach Carlos Gonzalez if because of York's record against them this season (three out of four wins but the three Benjamin Mora coached games were all York wins) if he hoped to avoid York in the playoffs (much the same as York has only one tie against Forge) but he said no and said the York were the weakest of the playoff teams. Hey there are four teams fumbling their chances at the fifth playoff spot but OK. Wow fighting words! When it was Mora's turn later, reporter Thomas Hewitt told him Gonzalez's insult and Mora fake answered as if he didn't know who Gonzalez was. Their answers were spliced together onto the league's website and fueled a panel discussion. Strange that a question later for Mora about whether he had good 'wrestling' skills went over my head but now the next day it makes sense as it does make it sound like a WWE promotion set up.

Next game for York is a home game this Thursday at 8:00pm against Pacific FC which is a team in the fight for fifth place. All four teams below York are within one point of each other dueling for the final playoff spot.

Rocket Robin
robin.glover.1958@gmail.com
X @RocketRobin01


York United FC starters


Atletico Ottawa starters


York Brian Wright (9) takes opening kickoff.


York Max Ferrari (16) takes throw-in.


Atletico Ottawa Jesus Del Amo (3) dribbles out of own end.


Players await an Atletico Ottawa freekick.


York Max Ferrari (16) cuts in to Atletico Ottawa box.


Atletico Ottawa Ruben Del Campo (19) takes second half kickoff.


This Atletico Ottawa high cornerkick was sent in from the right.


Atletico Ottawa Ruben Del Campo (19) check attempt on York Elijah Adekugbe (8).


Atletico Ottawa Dani Morer (8) takes last minute cornerkick with even AO goalie Nate Ingham in the York box.


York supporters let off some victory smoke. The large crowd stretched right into their section. 

Game stats (from canpl.ca)
 
                      York United FC               Atletico Ottawa
Possession                    62.0%                      38.0%
Duels success rate            45.7%                      54.3%
Aerial duels won              26.7%                      73.3%
Interceptions                  7                          4
Offsides                       0                          3
Corners won                    5                          5
Passes                       588                        352
Long passes                   49                         32
Passing accuracy              87.2%                      83.2%
Passing acc in opp half       79.9%                      61.2%
Crosses                       14                         13
Crossing accuracy              7.1%                      23.1%
Goals                          1                          0      
Shots                          2                         10
Shots on target                1                          1
Blocked shots                  1                          4   
Shots outside the box          0                          2   
Shots inside the box           2                          8    
Shooting accuracy             50.0%                      10.0%
Tackles                       15                         17
Tackles success rate          86.7%                      70.6%
Clearances                    16                         17
Fouls conceded                 9                         14   
Yellow cards                   3                          1
Red cards                      0                          1

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