October 23, 2024...CPL...York United FC vs Pacific FC playoff game report (by Rocket Robin)

October 23, 2024 CPL York United FC vs Pacific FC playoff game report (by Rocket Robin)

.........................

Result and details of the Wednesday October 23, 2024 Canadian Premier League game between York United FC and Pacific FC
played at York Lions Stadium in North York at 7:30pm ET.

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

...............................1 Thomas Vincensini
........5 Frank Sturling...62 Nyal Higgins...4 Oswaldo Leon
7 Juan Cordova...33 Matthew Baldisimo...8 Elijah Adekugbe...21 Kembo Kibato...6 Orlando Botello
...............10 Molham Babouli (cpt)...11 Dennis Salanovic

Subs:...18 Eleias Himaras (gk)...9 Brian Wright (fwd)...12 Santiago Marquez (mid)...15 Jowue Martinez (mid)
...16 Max Ferrari (mid)...17 Markiyan Voytsekhovskyy (mid)...19 Olusola Jimoh (fwd)
team officials:...head coach Benjamin Mora...assistant coach Isidro Sanchez Macip and Mauro Eustaquio
...goalkeeper coach Camilo Benzi...physiotherapist Eric Yoo...doctor Jim Niu...kitman Eduardo Rodas
...athletic trainer Furkan Demir

Pacific FC (purple socks, white shorts and shirts, purple names and numbers, purple and torquoise details on jerseys)

...............................55 Sean Melvin
13 Kunle Dada-Luke...5 Juan Quintana...26 Thomas Meilleur-Giguere (cpt)...15 Christian Greco-Taylor
..........10 Adonijah Reid...20 Sean Young...7 Steffen Yeates
...............................12 Reon Moore
.......................23 Moses Dyer...9 Dario Zanatta

Subs:...1 Emil Gazdov (gk)...2 Georges Mukumbilwa (def)...4 Paul Amedume (def)...11 Josh Heard
...17 Devin O'Hea (fwd)...18 Zakaria Bahous (mid)...25 Kevin Ceceri (mid)
...head coach James Merriman...assistant coaches Armando Sa and Victor Da Costa Ferreira
...kitman Cliff Glendale...other official Daniel Zadravec...athletic trainer Leo Ilzuka

Game officials:...referee Mathieu Souare...referee's assistants Andre Pickler andd Twayne Anderson
...fourth official Ben Hoskins...(all black uniforms)

First Half:...game starts 7:36pm...York defends south end. The mild day has turned with the quickly dropping temperature into
a chilly evening with a gusty wind from the east.
2 min...Pac Moore cross from 25 yards on far right has York defender head for cornerkick preventing a Pac player's 3 yard header.
2 min...Pac Reid high cornerkick from left has Pac Dyer just outside right edge of 6 yard box send header along 3 yard line
that goalie flies forward to catch in middle of box.
5 min...Pac goalie fumbles dribble with York Salanovic on right outside box and clears for throw-in.
6 min...Pac Dada-Luke run on sideline has him then sends low pass to Pac Moore who first-touches 25 yarder into box that goalie
picks up.
8 min...Pac Moore receives long cross up right wing and crosses low along 12 yard line where retreating York Higgins concedes cornerkick
to stop charging Pac Dyer from getting to 10 yard shot up the middle.
9 min...Pac Young chips partial clearance after cornerkick is over players wide right from 30 yards on left.
11 min...Pac Dada-Luke long chip from 70 yard line on right finds Pac Dyer charging Pac down middle. He tips ball at 15 yards
that goalie gets hand on to stop at 12 yards and has time to pick up ball as Dyer ran past him.
11 min...York Adekugbe makes good check preventing Pac Zanatta run into left side of box.
15 min...Pac Reid is injured at the Pac 45 yard sideline.
18 min...The referee is injured at the Pac 30 yard line by a cross from York Baldisimo at close range. He needs trainer.
It looks like he will be replaced but after visiting the sidelines, he stays in the game.
21 min...Play resumes.
22 min...Pac Reid long dribble from right sideline to center and his pass is rolled left for Pac Zanatta who first-touches ball over
end line.
24 min...York Salanovic taps pass from neaar right sideline over to York Cordova who sends low 30 yard blast from right that
has ball tip off jumping Pac Young at 25 yards and roll to goalie.
25 min...Pac Moore rolls ball from 22 yards on right across field and out of bounds on left as no Pac player ran forward for
his pass.
25 min...York Cordova wins cornerkick on right on low centering cross along 6 yard line which retreating Pac Quintana prevents
York Salanovic from tap-in up middle.
26 min...York Salanovic short cornerkick from right. York Babouli has cross from near cornerflag blocked by Pac Greco-Taylor
for another cornerkick.
26 min...York players work another short cornerkick around the outside of the box. York Cordorva blast from 30 yards on left
has ball bounce to goalie well wide right of net after deflection pops up off defender at 20 yard line.
28 min...Pac Zanatta 30 yard cross from left has goalie catch wide right of goal.
35 min...Pac Reid 55 yard chip bounces to goalie.
36 min...York Salanovic rolls ball over end line from 20 yards on pass up left.
37 min...Pac Greco-Taylor cornerkick from left is into box and wins another cornerkick on right.
38 min...Pac Reid cornerkick from right has York Leon on right side of box heads away to prevent play in box.
39 min...York YELLOW card...Cordova earns it for knockdown on left.
41 min...York Salanovic high cross from near right cornerflag has goalie catch on left side of 6 yard box.
41 min...York Cordova cross from right has Pac Dada-Luke twist header over end line on left for cornerkick.
42 min...York YELLOW card...Salanovic earns it for shirt grab holding Pac Reid breaking out to Pac 50 yard line.
43 min...York goalie clears back pass at 10 yards a split second before Pac Moore can get to it.
44 min...Pac Greco-Taylor 35 yard freekick from slight left has York defender pop up header in front of goalie and York Kimbato
heads ball out of box.
48 min...York Babouli high freekick chip from Pac 35 yard line near left sideline. York Sturing leaps in crowd of players
and pops up header at 20 yards on slight left. York Higgins heads ball down but play is whistled down for Sturing jumping
on player's back.
48 min...half ends 8:24pm.

Halftime Entertainment: There's a mini game in the south end only. Kids from local clubs Woodbridge SC, North York Academy,
York Jets SC, IFC Academy, Stouffvivlle Mustangs, Toronto High Park FC and Toca FC. Many of these groups had been here
in earlier games. Later there was another game of soccer golf with contestants kicking a soccer ball as close to a cornerflag
placed in the center circle spot as they could. The ball closest to the flag was always kept to where it laid. The winner 'Daniel' had
to take a bocche ball type shot to bump the ball blocking the flag and become the new closest to the hole.

Second Half:...starts 8:41pm.
45 min...York Kibato is tripped up at Pac 35 yard line and awarded freekick.
46 min...York Oswaldo Leon GOAL...York Mo Babouli chips 40 yard freekick from slight left into middle of box where
Pac Thomas Meilleur-Giguere pops up header at 10 yards in crowd of players in center of box. Two Pac players try
to clear and York Matthew Baldisimo rolls ball from 15 yards on right side of box out for York Juan Cordova at 22 yards
on right who chips cross forward and left. Leon who is behind jumping Pac Kunle Dada-Luke has him leap higher
and head 6 yarder from 6 yard line to short left side of net beyond flying goalie.
48 min...Pac Dada-Luke cross from 25 yard right sideline has Pac Zanatta header from 15 yards on slight right caught by goalie
on bounce to left post.
49 min...Pac Zanatta cross along 7 yard line from far left has defenders clear.
50 min...York Babouli near left sideline sends cross from 22 yard line that finds York Cordova at 13 yard line on slight right
who settles ball down, steps around sliding defender, and shoots 13 yard bender down middle that hits left post and rebound
on bounce is out of box for Pac player to clear downfield.
51 min...York Reid cornerkick from left has York Leon pop up header has goalie catch overhead in 6 yard box.
51 min...Pac Zanatta low cross from left has defender clear.
52 min...York Higgins bumps Pac Zanatta forcing him to pussh ball over end line for goalkick.
55 min...Pac Dada-Luke pass up right for Pac Moore who crosses over box.
55 min...Pac Reid can't get away kick at center edge of 18 yard box.
58 min...Pac Dada-Luke at 40 yard line on right rolls pass forward for Pac Moore at right edge of top corner of 18 yard box
who holds up rolling forward for Moore at right edge of top corner of 18 yard box who holds up and rolls ball forward
for Dada-Luke who sends low cross from end line and York Cordova dives and heads away ball from 2 yards out of box preventing
a tap-in. Pac Young blasts ball on edge of 18 yard box that York Baldisimo is injured blocking shot.
59 min...York sub...Martinez replaces Baldisimo.
60 min...Pac Zanatta 45 yard cross has goalie drift right to catch.
61 min...Pac sub...Heard replaces Reid.
62 min...Pac Dada-Luke checks York Salanovic off ball on Pac left end line.
63 min...Pac YELLOW card...Zanatta earns it for sliding tackle on York Cordoba injurying him at York 22 yard line on right.
63 min...Pac Greco-Taylor 35 yard cross from left is bounced into box and Pac Dyer rescues on right end line and backheels
to Pac Zanatta who shoots 8 yarder from right that York Leon blocks with foot on edge of 6 yard box.
66 min...Pac Dada-Luke cross from 25 yards on right has goalie punch out in crowd of players.
67 min...Pac Young tapped pass from right by Pac Yeates and 20 yard low shot down middle between players is wide left.
69 min...Pac Greco-Taylor chips pass downfield on left. Pac Moore tips header from 10 yards over to goalie.
71 min...Pac Greco-Taylor two to cross attempts on left dealt with.
71 min...York Babouli race on right off balance 25 yard shot is well off target.
71 min...York sub...Jimoh replaces Salanovic.
...........York sub...Marquez replaces Kibato.
75 min...York Cordova dribbles from right to center and takes low 22 yard shot up middle that goalie dives at 5 yards to push ball
wide left for cornerkick.
76 min...York Babouli cornerkick from left has Pac Yeates head ball away on near post.
77 min...Pac Greco-Taylor cross from left has York Cordoba on right side of box head ball out of box.
78 min...York Babouli on a 2 on 1 break lets retreating defenders catch up to him at Pac 28 yard line and he rolls ball back
to York Martinez who rolls pass forward and left from 25 yard line for York Jimoh who blasts shot from top left side of box
that's caught by goalie overhead on near post.
80 min...Pac Yeates with ball on left rolls short centering pass to Pac Moore on edge of 18 yard box who cuts to middle and steps
back and his 20 yard shot deflects off defender and rolls between two more defenders and Pac Zanatta standing behind them
on 8 yard line on slight left rolls low shot that diving goalie gets a hand to at 4 yards but it rolls into inside of right post
but Zanatta was called offside.
82 min...Pac sub...Bahous replaces Yeates.
82 min...Pac Greco-Taylor long chip downfield down left is over to right. York Leon heads ball back to goalie wide right
of net and goalie slides to smother. York Botello is injured on the play.
85 min...A Pac player is called on another offside after a freekick is sent into the York box from York 53 yard line up the middle.
87 min...Pac Greco-Taylor 30 yard freekick from slight left is into box between players' heads and York Botello kicks ball
out of box as he's plowed into and injured.
89 min...York Martinez is knocked over and injured at center line.
90 min...Pac Greco-Taylor 45 yard chip cross from near left sideline has York Higgins leap to head ball down at 12 yard
line. Ball then deflects off Pac Dyer at 7 yards and deflects forward for goalie to catch on the bounce at 3 yards
in center of net.
91 min...York Mo Babouli GOAL...York Santiago Marquez is trying to pass from Pac 50 yard line back to teammate but
it deflects off Pac player and bounces forward so Marquez pokes ball from 45 yard line up middle past two defenders
finding Babouli at 35 yard line who is suddenly on a 2 on 1 with York Olusola Jimoh on far left. Babouli gets to ball
at 28 yard line pushing with Pac Juan Quintana as he steps to right and from 18 yard line shoots ball forward into
right side of net past diving goalie Sean Melvin at 7 yard line.
95 min...game ends 9:31pm.

Final Score:...York United FC.........2...........Pacific FC..........0......
York United win the '4th vs 5th' match and advance to the quarterfinal

Attendance wasn't announced but it was said in the press conference room that it was 2203. That is one of the best crowds of the season at York Lions Stadium. The stadium had looked near empty with half hour to go despite the gates opening by 6:00pm to allow a full ninety minutes before game time but it filled in nicely during the team warm ups and into the start of the first half.

We had heard weather reports earlier in the week that it was going to rain today but that amounted to nothing. The team knew they were going to host a playoff game for the first time but couldn't sell a specific game day nor the team they were going to play when announced two weeks beforehand. At that time there was a chance they might finish third which would mean they'd host on the weekend, Saturday or Sunday. This midweek game as the fourth place team was a harder sell with a time announcement of 7:30pm. That was halfway between the 7:00pm starts of the first half of the season and the 8:00pm starts to finish which actually boosted attendance, giving time to come after the rush hour traffic had died down. Also 8:00pm meant the temperature would drop as the night wore on and get uncomfortable for the fans, it is a schoolnight tomorrow, and if the game was tied after 90 minutes there would be two 15 minute halfs and possible Penalty kicks which brought the possibility of the stadium lights cutting out because of city/school bylaws.

Referee Mathieu Souare gave out only three Yellow cards (two to York) which were for kicking the ball away after a whistle and the other was professional for a shirt grab preventing a Pacific player from breaking out over the center line. The ref was a headlinerfor a few minutes himself when he was hit in the head by a ball from York Matthew Baldisimo who turned a cross from close range. There was a signal for the fourth official to take his place but after a visit to the sideline he eventually stayed in the game...all done in three minutes.

No one was expecting this starting lineup for York. There were officially no forwards but usual midfielders Mo Babouli and Dennis Salanovic were playing upfront. The only two forwards on the gamesheet were the club's leading scorer Brian Wright and young Olusola Jimoh. Only Jimoh was brought into the game at 71 minutes. After the game head coach Mora answered that he wanted to keep Wright out of the game when he saw the team was hanging on with a precarious lead until Babouli's late goal. I can understand that conservatism. Saving him for the game in Ottawa!

Thomas Vincensini earned the shutout for York. The stats show Pacific only had one shot on target. In a matter of 'What ifs', he made a crucial save at 11 minutes when Pac Moses Dyer was sent a long ball up the middle and when he got to it at 15 yards he tried to tip it around Vincensini but the goalie reached out a hand to stop the balls progress at 12 yards and Dyer ran past him.

A sweet revenge game for their last home result on October 10th when they played Pacific and had substitute Reon Moore come into the game and score two goals in the last ten minutes for a 2-1 win. Last week York travelled to Halifax to play the Wanderers and beaten 2-1 so they were coming in cold. York had not scored at least two goals in a game in their last thirteen games. That was a 4-1 home game against Atletico Ottawa that started a head coaching war of words when I asked the Atletico coach is there was any team he was hoping to avoid in the playoffs and he answered with 'I believe York is the weakest (playoff) team' despite York beating Ottawa in their last three meetings.

Thoughout the evening there were announcements that the '2025 Memberships' are now available. I will have to look that over in the e-mail that will certainly arrive with details of next year's season ticket package. Good selling job! Hit the fans up when they are in a good mood. They also plugged the Canadian Men's National team game at BMO Field next month in their CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal game (second leg) against Suriname on Tuesday November 19th. Brrr!...and if you thought tonight was cold!.......

Someone in the supporters' section got into a spot of trouble with security for lighting a firework (appeared to be from something left over from the consumer backyard packs for families that are sold for Victoria Day and Canada Day weekends) and holding it sideways so the stars popping out would land on the field. Later things were worked out by their second goal when the next firework was held at a 45 degree angle and the star burned up before hitting the ground.

York now moves on to play on the road against the third place team Atletico Ottawa this Sunday.

I felt tonight's win was their most important of the season. Before tonight they finished with their most points ever in the league's six year history with a rather modest 11 wins, 6 ties, 11 losses record for 39 points. It was their first time hosting a playoff game. Their home record is a best ever 7 wins, 3 ties, 4 losses.

Still I felt that they needed a playoff win to advance the needle from its snail like pace of improvement year after year. Now any result this weekend won't bother me as I felt the team advanced with it's early season head coaching change and players returning from injuries at just the right time shows a progression for next year.

I never usually get in on the giveaways as I come so early and disappear into the press box but when I signed out tonight I got to grab a team picture poster for 'York United 2024'. That took me back to when I'd get a centerfold team picture of clubs in the English league in the weekly magazines 'Shoot' and 'Match' imported about a month late and sold at Lichtman's News and Books. The beginning of the season they'd have a team picture of a first division team (before the Premiership/Championship/First/Second divisions of today) like Liverpool and the back of that two page pullout was two one page posters of some lower division teams like Hartlepool or Peterborough. Nice! I scored a '2024 Copa America' Canada Men's National team poster just a week earlier down at BMO Field.

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

York United FC starters

Pacific FC starters

Hey a York United FC team picture with starters and the bench tonight.

York Dennis Salanovic (11) has just taken the opening kickoff.

Pacific Kunle Dada-Luke (13) moves up right side.

Action near the center line.

A York cornerkick is rolled upfield to York Juan Cordova (7).

York Orlando Botello (6) chips ball into Pacific box.

York Orlando Botello (6) takes throw-in.

Soccer golf contest at halftime.

Pacific Juan Quintana (5) takes second half kickoff.

York players rush up sideline.

Pacific Christian Greco-Taylor (15) is ready to pass.

Pacific Moses Dyer (23) holds up ball during break out.

Pacific Christian Greco-Taylor (15) sends freekick into box.

York players show relief after Mo Babouli (10) scores their second goal.

York coach Ben Mora holds back his guys from getting involved in a post match brawl.

York players salute the supporters' group.

Game stats (from canpl.ca)
 
                      York United FC                Pacific FC  
Possession                    46.5%                     53.5%
Duels success rate            51.0%                     49.0%
Aerial duels won              48.1%                     51.9%
Interceptions                  9                        12
Offsides                       0                         2    
Corners won                    5                         5
Passes                       371                       415
Long passes                   66                        51   
Passing accuracy              75.5%                     81.4%
Passing acc in opp half       66.7%                     64.6%
Crosses                       13                        30   
Crossing accuracy             38.5%                     20.0%
Goals                          2                         0
Shots                          8                         6  
Shots on target                4                         1
Blocked shots                  2                         3
Shots outside the box          4                         3  
Shots inside the box           4                         3  
Shooting accuracy             50.0%                     16.7%
Tackles                       15                        14
Tackles success rate          66.7%                     57.1%
Clearances                    29                        12
Fouls conceded                15                        15
Yellow cards                   2                         1
Red cards                      0                         0

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