July 16, 2016 League 1 Ontario--Aurora United FC vs FC London (by Rocket Robin)

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Result and details of the Saturday July 16, 2016 League 1 Ontario game between Aurora United SC and FC London played at Sheppards Bush in Aurora at 7:00pm.

Aurora United SC (yellow socks and numbers, black shorts and shirts)

......................1 Duncan Jobson
7 Jonathan Parolini (cpt)...17 Gianmariano Della Serra...2 Justin Broome...3 Trevon Weatherall
4 Alex Needs...5 Fred Amevaw...9 Ethan Daniella...11 Zakariae Mahrady
.............10 Simon Adiel...8 Christopher Jacavou

Subs:...6 Chris Graham...13 Jamie Wilcock...14 Lucas Azeredo...15 Alan Fischman...16 Niklas Bauer
...19 Tope Makinwa...20 Arman Mohammadi
team officials:...head coach Jimmy Brennan...team officials Marcia Quiroga and David DiPlacido

FC London (all light green, black numbers)

........................1 Anthony Sokalski
........12 Anastasios Makris...55 Parker Seymour...5 Max Marsh
4 Tom Coxon...11 Petar Karan...17 Stephen Al-Sayed...15 Randy Ribeiro (cpt)...7 Daniel Amaya
...............8 Mohammed Reza Nafar...10 Elvir Gigolaj

Subs:...92 Benjamin Vyfschaft...28 Brian Pistor...18 Alex Julia Franco...44 Borna Juracic
...6 Sean Fawsitt...2 Willy Kashindi
team officials:...team head coach Mario Despotovic...assistant coach Philip Millar
manager David DiBenedictis

Game Officials:...referee Braeden Krampert...referee's assistants Melissa Snedden and Filip Dujic
...fourth official Said Zouheiri...(teal shirts, black shorts and socks)

1st Half:...game starts 7:06pm...AU defends south end on this mild evening with the sun in the northwest.
2 min...AU Amevaw 40 yard freekick from left is called offside.
8 min...FCL Coxon taps pass cross box along 15 yards and FCL Gigolaj can't control and is checked off ball.
9 min...AU Mahrady low cross from 15 yards along left end line has defender clear on left post.
12 min...FCL Ribeiro 30 yard freekick up middle is low and blocked in wall of players at 20 yards.
15 min...FCL Ribeiro 25 yard freekick from right has goalie dive forward and knock wide.
15 min...FCL Al-Sayed low cornerkick from left is cleared by nearest defender.
16 min...FCL Amaya gets pass pushed forward and 15 yard shot is stopped point blank by sprawling goalie.
17 min...FCL Coxon is tipped ball and chip from 15 yards has goalie swat away at 10 yards.
18 min...FCL Al-Sayed cornerkick from left has defender head ball out right side of box.
18 min...FCL player blast from 35 yards down middle is well high over fence and out into parking lot.
23 min...FCL goalie runs right to clear bad backpass before AU Mahrady can get to it.
24 min...AU Mahrady rush on left and low cross from 20 yards near end line has AU Adiei turn 5 yard tip with foot and goalie slides to stop.
25 min...AU Jacavou high cross from 22 yards near right ende line is cleared.
26 min...FCL Stephen Al-Sayed run into right side of AU box and sliding AU Gianmariano Della Serra flips him over on tackle. Referee Braeden Krampert awards FCL a Penalty kick.
27 min...FCL Elvir Gigolaj GOAL...Gigolaj blasts Penalty kick into right side of net over flying goalie Duncan Jobson.
28 min...AU Adiei runs forward to get to high cross from right and pops forward header from 12 yards that goalie catches just under bar.
29 min...AU Simon Adiei GOAL...Adiei receives AU Christopher Jacavou pass up middle from 30 yards and blasts 12 yard shot from left into short side of net past flying goalie Anthony Sokalski.
32 min...FCL Gigolaj on right side of AU box is checked off ball.
33 min...FCL Ribeiro 40 yard freekick from right is over charging players and goalie catches on bounce.
34 min...AU Mahrady 35 yard freekick from left has AU Needs whistled down at 10 yards on right for jumping on defender's back.
35 min...FCL Makris is injured at FCL 50 yard line collapsing while waitiring for a throw-in downfield.
39 min...FCL Ribeiro checks AU Della Serra off ball in AU box on left and wins cornerkick.
40 min...FCL Al-Sayed cornerkick from left has AU Weatherall head ball out right side of box. An FCL player's recross from right has FCL Reza Nafar twist 12 yarder header down middle wide left.
41 min...AU Mahrady cross from 20 yards on right has goalie catch.
42 min...AU Weatherall cross from 35 yards on left has AU Adiei twist 15 yard header that flying goalie catches on right post.
42 min...FCL Al-Sayed cornerkick from left has defenders head ball away in middle of box.
45 min...FCL Al-Sayed rush on right from 45 yard line and cuts towards net and 20 yard shot from right is caught by goalie.
46 min...half ends 7:52pm.

halftime:...only the AU substitute players stayed on the field to warm up.

2nd Half:...starts 8:08pm...the temperature is cooling and the sun is casting long shadows.
46 min...FCL Al-Sayed rush on right and taps centering pass to FCL Rezar Nafar who hesitates and is checked off ball at 12 yards on right.
47 min...AU Adiei gets ball on deflection alone at 20 yards and 15 yard shot down middle is saved point blank by goalie. AU Mahrady is injured on play taking brunt of clearance deflection.
49 min...FCL has two guys not able to get away shot on right side of AU box.
50 min...FCL Gigolaj given short pass and shoots 12 yard shot from right high wide left.
52 min...AU Zakariae Mahrady GOAL...AU Ethan Danielli cornerkick from right has charging Mahrady run through crowd of players and head 6 yarder up middle though arms of goalie just under bar in center of net.
54 min...AU Broome makes sliding tackle upending FCL Gigolaj and only gives up cornerkick on left.
55 min...AU YELLOW card...someone earns it for complaining before an FCL cornerkick.
56 min...AU Needs one-touches mid-air centering pass from 22 yards wide left.
The sun is now below the treeline.
57 min...AU Mahrady rush down left and rolls centering pass which FCL Marsh boots out for throw-in.
59 min...FCL Mohammad Reza Nafar GOAL...Nafar is given pass from right and eludes sliding defender at 10 yards to blast 8 yarder from right off underside of bar into middle of net.
59 min...FCL sub...Franco replaces Amaya.
60 min...FCL sub...Juracic replaces Makris.
63 min...AU YELLOW card...Weatherall earns it for tackle on FCL Karan near sideline center line.
63 min...AU RED card...Trevon Weatherall earns his second Yellow card of the game for his tackle on FCL Petar Karan near centerline sideline.
65 min...AU goalie picks up through ball pass beofre FCL Al-Sayed can get to it at 12 yards on right.
67 min...FCL Franco and FCL Ribeiro work give and go on left side of the box and Ribeiro finishes with 6 yard show that goalie deflects wide left from 2 yards on left post.
68 min...FCL sub...Pistor replaces Rez Nafar.
.........AU sub...Graham replaces Jacovou.
69 min...FCL Al-Sayed cornerkick from left is partially cleared. FCL Karan blasts 22 yard shot from right that hits bar in center of goal and deflects out to 8 yards. Al-Sayed recovers but AU defender pokes ball away for another cornerkick.
70 min...FCL Al-Sayed cornerkick from right is into side webbing of net for goalkick.
71 min...FCL player's short cornerkick from the right has FCL Karan blast 20 yard shot just over bar.
72 min...FCL Marsh recives short cornerkick from FCL Al-Sayed on left and cross from 30 yards on left has defender head ball away at 12 yards.
74 min...FCL Al-Sayed bends 40 yard freekick from left wide left of net.
74 min...AU Needs rush on right and low cross has goalie dive forward to smother a split second before AU Adiei can get to ball.
77 min...AU sub...Mohammadi replaces Needs.
78 min...FCL Franco intercepts AU Della Serra clearance and 20 yard shot from left is caught by goalie on left side of box.
79 min...AU Danielli low 30 yard shot down middle between players has goalie catch.
80 min...AU sub...Wilcock replaces Mahrady.
81 min...FCL Franco feeds through ball forward and right and FCL Karan shoots 15 yarder that's saved at 5 yards by sprawling goalie.
82 min...AU Simon Adiei GOAL...AU Ethan Danielli cornerkick from right has charging Adiei head 5 yarder from even with left post into left side of net.
84 min...FCL Ribeiro cornerkick from right is headed out left side of box.
85 min...AU Jonathan Parolini is called on awkward tackle from behind on FCL Randy Ribeiro rushing into left side of box. Referee awards FCL a Penalty kick. Parolini is injured on the tackle and needs the trainer for treatment.
87 min...FCL Elvir Gigolaj GOAL...Gigolaj blasts Penalty kick to right side of net just over sprawling goalie.
88 min...FCL sub...Fawsitt replaces Marsh.
89 min...FCL Gigolaj rush behind goalie on right side of box after beating defender to ball on edge of box and from 12 yards along right end line crosses/shoots that bounces along one yard line unplayed.
89 min...AU sub...Makinwa replaces injured Parolini.
90 min...FCL YELLOW card...Coxon earns it for kicking ball away after AU player earns freekick on tackle at FCL 30 yard line.
90 min...AU Adiei 35 yard freekick from left is blocked in player wall.
91 min...AU Mohammadi runs up left including flicking ball over FCL defender but later slips when taking shot at 22 yard shot after cutting to middle and ball rolls to goalie.
92 min...FCL Elvir Gigolaj GOAL...FCL Borno Juracic sends pass downfield on right from 65 yards that has Gigolaj rush up right wing and crosses from 20 yards behind goalie and although FCL Sean Fawcitt and defender crash into the net from the left post, the ball was already into the left corner of the net before any contact was made.
94 min...AU Broome holds FCL Franco off ball on long run up middle into AU box to enable goalie to smother ball.
96 min...AU Adiei blasts 20 yarder up middle after receiving long pass between four defenders and goalie bats ball wide left of net.
96 min...AU Danielli cornerkick from left has AU Broome head 10 yarder that goalie plams over net.
97 min...AU Danielli cornerkick from right has defender head ball away at 5 yards.
97 min...game ends 9:00pm.

Final Score:.....Aurora United........3.........FC London.........4.........

Attendance was about 35 on this mild night with another 8 in the fenced off beer garden enjoying $5.00 beers. Didn't hear anything out of them until the winning goal when one guy yelled "You suck ref" a few times for the rest of the game. (of course that was one of the few times that the referee had no part in the FCL scoring so the crowd in the main stands whether an AU or FCL fan just laughed at the guy.

I have never been to this stadium before. It is near the center of Aurora about 30km north of the Toronto boundary. It looks like new field turf. The dressing rooms are in trailers. The stands are on the west side and are on the outside of the fencing surrounding the field to keep the balls inside so there appears to be no bother to collect admission. The facility has a tiny parking lot for this field anyway. I was able to move my car from a newly constructed semi-vacant industrial mall with 'no parking' signs after the fans of the Aurora vs FC London League 1 Ontario Women's game left. FC London won that game 2-0 and appeared to have a larger crowd.

There was no sound system (although officials say there usually is) so although the opening fanfare and national anthem was played, no call of goals, substitutions, or Yellow cards was given. The league originally tweeted out the wrong scorer of the winning goal.

Elvir Gigolaj eventually was awarded his third goal of the game. That is now his twelfth goal of the season in league play. He had another three goal game on June 24th against Master's FA. He is currently 24 years old and played in the NASL for FC Edmonton in 2012 and was on their roster for 2013. He played at University for St Mary's and made it to the CIS final in 2011. He tried to get into the Hertha Berlin reserve team before returning to his hometown of London. Tonight's game ties him for the league lead with Sigma FC Leaford Allen.

Referee Braeden Krampert gave out three Yellow cards that I counted (two to Aurora and both to Trevon Weatherall) plus awarded the two FCL Penalty kicks.

This game had the best scoring chances and spectacular saves I've seen of any league game this season (my fifteenth game). There was some end-to-end action especially near the end of the game that I couldn't write down fast enough. I expected I'd be able to cheat by watching the game again to fill in some of the scribbled bits but I haven't seen a link yet.

Best non-scoring chances were at 24 minutes when AU Zakariaie Mahrady rushed on the left and his low cross from 20 yards near the end line had AU Simon Adiei turn a 5 yard tip with his foot that the goalie slid to stop. 28 min had AU Simon Adiei ran forward to get to high cross from right and pops forward header from 12 yards that goalie catches just under bar. (one minute later he did score). 42 minutes had AU Trevor Weatherall cross from 35 yards on the left and Mahrady twisted a 15 yard header that the flying goalie caught on the right post. 47 minutes had Mahrady get a deflected clearance bounce to him and he was in alone at 20 yards and his 15 yard shot down the middle was saved point blank by the goalie. 67 minutes had FCL Alex Julio Franco and Elvir Gigolaj work a long give and go on the left and it resulted in a great chance. (this is about where the action got too fast to keep up). 69 minutes had an FCL cornerkick from the left cleared from the box but FCL Petar Karan then blasted a shot that required a huge save. 71 minutes had FCL Stephen Al-Sayed shoot from the right that was deflected into the short side outside webbing of the net fooling most of the crowd. The resulting cornerkick was short and worked over and FCL Karan blasted a 20 yard shot just over the bar. 74 minutes had AU Alex Needs rush on the right and his low cross had the goalie dive forward to smother the ball a split second before Au Adiei could get to it. 81 minutes had FCL Franco fed a through ball pass forward and to the right and Karan shot a 15 yarder that was saved at 5 yards by the sprawling goalie. 89 minutes had FCL Gigolaj rush behind goalie on right side of box after beating a defender to ball on edge of box and from 12 yards along right end line crossed or shot that bounced along the one yard line unplayed. 96 minutes had AU Adiei blast a shot that the goalie pushed wide of the post. The resulting cornerkick by AU Ethan Danielli had an AU Justin Broome head a 10 yarder that the goalie palmed over the net.

Aurora's record falls to 1 win, 9 losses, 2 ties for 5 points with 11 goals for, 37 against--good enough for sixth place in the eight team Eastern Conference. They certainly didn't look like a poor team tonight and it would have been interesting if they hadn't had to play short from 63 minutes if they could have won. Even down a man they still scored what reasonably could have been expected to be a 'winning' goal at 82 minutes but they couldn't hang on. They looked like a better team than the one I saw the first week of the season at the end of April. They are one of the five new teams to League 1 Ontario Men's soccer for 2016.

FC London's record improves to 9 wins, 2 losses, 1 tie for 28 points with 35 goals for and 13 against good for second place in the West, just 3 points behind Sigma FC but with one game in hand. This was the second last team I had not seen so far this year. I have seen them play in PDL over the years but this is their first year in L1O. They seemed to have made the transition quite comfortably. Only three of their players are imports and those players are all under age 23. (their previous PDL team was filled with American NCAA players so I heard at the time).

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca

Aurora United FC starters