July 30, 2016 League 1 Ontario--Vaughan Azzurri vs Woodbridge Strikers--Women's League Cup Final (by Rocket Robin)

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Result and details of the Saturday July 30, 2016 League 1 Ontario game between Vaughan Azzurri and Woodbridge Strikers
played at the Ontario Soccer Centre in Vaughan at 3:30pm. This was considered the L1O Women's Cup Final.

Vaughan Azzurri (white socks and socks, red shorts, black numbers)

..................12 Stephanie Bukovec
14 Courtney Douglas...23 Olivia Lukasewich...6 Mika Richards...7 Peyton Lozzi
8 Ashley Nator...20 Sarah Wong (cpt)...21 Claudia Piazza...3 Sydeny Hoareaux
..............17 Danya Fenech...10 Nour Ghoneim (cpt)

Subs:...1 Tamara Orlando (gk)...2 Dina Ricco...9 Kiyani Johnson...11 Colleen Beesley...16 Aisha Lewis
...15 Farkhunda Muhtaj...19 Francesca Pedulla
team officials:...head coach Carmine Isacco...other officials Alex Foglin, Annamarie Carnavale, Tony De Palma, and Frank Fellin

Woodbridge Strikers (all blue, white numbers)

......................1 Juliana Haifawi
24 Malikae Dayes...19 Vladanka Gurovski...8 Diamond Simpson...23 Taylor Thalheimer
9 Jayda Hylton-Pelaia...11 Alyscha Mottershead...18 Jalana Ellis...5 April Syme (cpt)
.................6 Jessica Lisi...10 Christabel Oduro

Subs:...01 Michaela Hawthorn (gk)...7 Brooke Miura...14 Mikayla Dayes...15 Taylor Johnston...16 Sara Owusu
...20 Natalie Bukovec...22 Sofia Borea
team officials:...head coach Joe Parolini...other officials Vince Figliomeni and Casare Tripodo

Game officials:...referee Jessica Patton...referee's assistants Sean Simpson and Dennis Sima
...fourth official Kevni Kim...(teal shirts, black shorts and socks)

1st Half:...game starts 3:35pm...WS defends north end on this hot and humid afternoon with a bright sun in the west. It was actually cooler than in the last few days.
2 min...WS Oduro dribbles upfield until surrounded then passes right for WS Mottershead who shoots 18 yarder just wide left of post.
9 min...WS Lisi long cross from right finds charging WS Gurovski at 35 yards she runs towards goalie and gets 10 yard shot that goalie pushes wide left.
10 min...WS Lisi cornerkick from left has VA Douglas head ball away. Lisi gets ball back and low 22 yard shot is smothered by goalie on left post.
12 min...VA Piazza 30 yard freekick is rolled forward on right to VA Wong who crosses into box and WS Syme at 8 yards and boots ball behind end line on shanked kick.
12 min...VA player's cornerkick from right has VA Douglas not able to twist header at 10 yards and ball out left side of box.
13 min...VA Piazza 30 yard freekick from left has defender head ball away on edge of box. VA Douglas crosses into box and VA Fenech eventually has 15 yard roller from right shot wide left.
16 min...WS Ellis 22 yard shot from right is caught by goalie on bounce.
20 min...WS Mottershead rolls pass from 30 yards up middle too far for two WS players.
21 min...WS Mottershead cross from 22 yards near right end line is over players and cleared from box.
21 min...WS Alyschia Mottershead GOAL...WS Mikayla Dayes at 40 yard line in middle passes across to WS Jayda Hylton-Pelaia on right and she passes forward to Mottershead who rushes in from 30 yards on right and cuts towards middle around defender and shoots low 15 yard shot off inside of right post beyond diving goalie Stephanie Bukovic.
24 min...WS Gurovski and Oduro work and give and go play but Gurovski can't keep ball rolling over right end line.
25 min...a water break is called.
27 min...play resumes.
27 min...WS Hylton-Pelaia is knocked over by VA Lozzi on run into right side of box and wins cornerkick.
28 min...WS Gurovski cornerkick from right has goalie catch in crowd of players.
29 min...VA Piazza cornerkick from left has leaping VA Richards head 8 yarder wide right of post.
30 min...VA Nater blasts 28 yard roller wide left after recovering turnover.
31 min...WS Pedulla cross from right has defender head ball away.
32 min...WS Lisi cornerkick from left has defenders clear. Lisi recross is also cleared then VA win freekick.
36 min...VA Fenech first-touches ball from 25 yards too far forward for goalie to pick up.
38 min...VA Piazza 30 yard shot down middle is caught by goalie under bar.
39 min...VA Danya Fenech GOAL...VA Nour Ghoneim in middle at 30 yards passes forward and right for charging Fenech who while inside box chips 8 yard shot over sliding goalie Juliana Haifawi at 6 yards into left corner of net.
45 min...VA Piazza 40 yard freekick up middle is chipped and bounces goalie wide right of post.
46 min...WS goalie beats VA Hoareaux to through ball at 12 yards to pick up ball.
46 min...VA Douglas is injured in collision with VA Fenech at center line and needs trainer.
49 min...half ends 4:24pm.

2nd Half:...starts 4:42pm.
halftime subs:...VA Kiyani Johnson replaces Hoareaux.
................WS Boreea replaces Ellis.
................WS Mikayla Dayes replaces Gurovski.
46 min...WS Mikayla Dayes rush upfield on right at VA 40 yards and rolls 25 yard shot wide right of net.
52 min...WS Kiyani Johnson 35 yard shot from right is well wide left of net too far for charging WS Lisi.
57 min...VA Douglas cross from 20 yards on right near end line is over players and VA Ghoneim shoots wide right from 6 yards on left.
58 min...VA Piazza 35 yard freekick from left has VA Ghoneim flick 10 yard header that goalie catches but play is whistled down when VA Douglas crashes into goalie.
59 min...VA Fenech can't win freekick on rush up middle when two defenders catch her on squeeze play at 25 yards.
WS Mikayla Dayes will make some great runs up right wing this half but her crosses are to VA defenders.
60 min...WS Mottershead 28 yard freekick from far left has WS Oduro flick 8 yarder on right into outside webbing of net.
61 min...WS sub...Miura replaces Lisi.
64 min...The game officials gets VA head coach Carmine Isacco to sit down after he's walking down sideilne and gesturing and complaining about no free kick call.
65 min...WS Simpson chips ball from 55 yards down middle and WS Oduro is pushed over in box but no call given on bump by defender and goalie picks up ball.
66 min...VA goalie and defender almost mess up a ball in the box with the defender clearing at 15 yards.
70 min...WS Simpson 45 yard freekick from right is caught by goalie.
72 min...WS Borea low 28 yard shot up middle bounces to goalie.
73 min...WS Malikae Dayes races down middle from own half dribbling by two defenders and her 40 yard shot is just wide right of the post.
74 min...water break called.
76 min...play resumes.
77 min...WS YELLOW card...Oduro earns it for sliding tackle at VA 30 yard line.
79 min...WS Thalheimer rush on left and cross from 15 yards has defender clear. WS Syme 40 yard chip of clearance is caught by goalie.
81 min...WS Mikayla Dayes long run down left but rolls cross behind WS Oduro in middle at 10 yards and defender clears.
82 min...WS sub...Bukovec replaces Miura.
83 min...VA Piazza 30 yard freekick from right has VA Douglas head 10 yarder that goalie dives to save on left post on bounce.
84 min...WS goalie has to clear at 20 yards to stop VA Johnson getting to ball.
86 min...WS defenders make two key saves inside their box.
87 min...WS Mikayla Dayes rush up left and rolls 12 yard cross that defenders clear.
87 min...WS Mottershead 28 yard freekick from left is caught by goalie on short side.
89 min...WS Oduro pokes ball past defender on edge of box but another defender clears.
91 min...VA sub...Beesley replaces Fenech.
92 min...VA Johnson gets by defender at 22 yards but passes when surrounded by defender and her pass to right for VA Beesley is called offside.
93 min...WS Mottershead long throw-in downfield to WS Oduro for her to charge down left sideline and checked off ball on left side of box.
94 min...VA Beesley beats defender on right but weak 12 yard roller to goalie on right post.
95 min...half ends 5:32pm.

End of Regulation:......Vaughan Azzurri.......1.......Woodbridge Strikers.......1....

no extra time so it's straight to Penalty kicks.

1st round....VA Sarah Wong GOAL...Wong chips to low right side and goalie steps to left.
1st round...WS Diamond Simpson GOAL...Simpson shoots to high right side of net as goalie dives left.

2nd round...VA Claudia Piazza rolls ball weakly to right and goalie dives right to block.
2nd round...WS Christabel Oduro GOAL...Oduro shoots low to left side as goalie slides to right.

3rd round...VA Nour Ghoneim GOAL...Ghoneim rolls shot to right as goalie steps left and dives back but too late to stop.
3rd round...WS Mikayla Dayes rolls shot to left and goalie dives and stops with outstretched hand.

4th round...VA Olivia Lukasewich GOAL...Lukasewich shoots low to left with goalie frozen.
4th round...WS April Syme shot to right and goalie flies to make stop about 3 feet high near post.

5th round...VA Stephanie Bukovec GOAL...Bukovec (the VA goalie) rolls ball to left side beyond diving WS goalie.

Final Score:......Vaughan Azzurri 1 (4)........Woodbridge Strikers......1 (2)

Attendance was about 400 on this hot and humid afternoon with a bright sun in the west but after the heatwave of the last week it was bearable.

The result must be considered an upset as the Vaughan are in a fourth place tie at the twelve week mark of the season with a 3 win, 2 loss, 4 tie record. Woodbridge is in a tie for first (although they have played one game less than FC London) with a record of 8 wins, 1 loss, 3 ties. Both teams today had only allowed 8 goals in the regular season but Woodbridge leads in goals scored with 52 vs 18 for Vaughan.

I felt Woodbridge was dominating the first half of the game in possession and the more dangerous opportunities. Their defence really limited the Vaughan chances. Halftime sub Mikayla Dayes tore up the wings for Woodbridge but her crosses were always cleared from the box by a defender.

Referee Jessica Patton gave out only one Yellow card that I noticed (and that was from replaying portions of the game after I got home) in a game that was wide open. She called a water break in each half. She also made Vaughan coach Carmine Isacco sit down on the bench and stop yelling for calls to made in favour of his team. Good thing as he needed to save his voice as he's coach of the men's team which would play against the Woodbridge Men at 7:00pm tonight.

I had only seen the L1O Women's All Star team this season just this last Wednesday beat a Quebec All Star team 3-0 with players from each of today's teams. Vaughan started both Stephanie Bukovec in goal and used Mika Richards in defence. Vaughan used starters April Syme and Alyshia Mottershead in midfield, and Jessica Lisi and Christabel Oduro at forward. Goalie Hope Sabadash and defender Katharine Herron were not listed on today's roster.

April Syme had been the MVP of that all star game but today she had her Penalty kick saved. Today goalie Stephanie Bukovec was awarded the MVP for making that stop and one on Mikayla Dayes and scoring the deciding Penalty kick herself in the fifth round.

Strikers Jessica Lisi had left the team July 1st for the University of Memphis but flew back this week for the All Star game and today's Cup Final. Lisi scored Ontario's third goal early in the second half to snuff out any hope of a Quebec comeback.

Woodbridge's Christabel Oduro and Alyschia Mottershead played for Toronto Lady Lynx in season's before 2015 but I can add their defensive teammate Diamond Simpson who played against them in the W-League for Hamilton Rage/K-W United (same team it just moved between cities).

Best non-scoring chances in this game were at 9 minutes where WS Jessica Lisi sent in a long cross from the right that found a charging WS Vladanka Gurvoski at 35 yards and she ran towards goal and got a 10 yard shot that the goalie pushed wide left of the post. 29 minutes and WS Gurvoski's cornerkick from the left had a leaping VS Lisi head an 8 yarder wide right of the post. 57 minutes had VA Courtney Douglas cross from 20 yards on the right near the end line fly over players and VA Nour Ghoneim shot wide right from 6 yards on the left. A minute later VA Claudia Piazza took a 35 yard freekick from the left that Ghoneim flicked a 10 yard header that the goalie caught. 83 minutes had VA Piazza take a 30 yard freekick from the right that VA Douglas head a 10 yarder that the goalie dove to save on the left post. Injury time had VA Colleen Beesley beat a defender on the right but her weak 12 yard roller was smothered by the goalie on the right post.

This is only the second year of this competition. Last year Vaughan lost to North Mississauga so I'm sure there were times this year throughout the tournament where they used 2015 for motivation. I remember in that final I thought Vaughan would have won.

Now there was a second game tonight for the L1O Men's Cup Final between Vaughan and Woodbridge.

Actually it was the third of the day here as a L1O Men's regular season game between Pro Stars FC and North Toronto was played at noon because of a fire at Victoria Park in Brampton disabling some of the functions and the league rescheduling the rest of the season's home games to Terry Fox Park except they couldn't change today's. North Toronto won 3-1.

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca

Vaughan Azzurri Strikers starters