May 11, 2016 USL Toronto FC II--Toronto FC II vs Richmond Kickers recap (by Rocket Robin)

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Result and details of the USL game between Toronto FC II and Richmond Kickers played on Wednesday May 11, 2016 at Ontario Soccer Centre in Vaughan at 11:30am.

Toronto FC II (all red, white names and numbers)

..................40 Quillan Roberts
61 Bubacarr Jobe...6 Nick Hagglund...34 Skylar Thomas...58 Anthony Osorio
56 Malik Johnson...20 Chris Mannella (cpt)...48 Raheem Edwards...45 Luca Uccello
............55 Aidan Daniels...22 Jordan Hamilton

Subs:...30 Phil Di Bennardo (gk)...31 Sal Bernal (mid)...37 Adam Bouchard (def)...49 Martin Davis (mid
...51 Robert Boskovic (def)...63 Liam Fraser (mid)...64 Shaan Hundal (fwd)
team officials:...head coach Jason Bent

Richmond Kickers (all black, white names and numbers)

.................40 Matt Turner
18 Alex Lee...8 Hugh Roberts...2 William Yomby (cpt)...31 Braeden Troyer
28 Samuel Asante...14 Yudai Imura...22 Brian Ownby...15 Lucas Paulini
............17 Jason Yeisley...11 Luiz Fernando

Subs:...4 Fred Owusu Sekyere (mid)...5 Michael Callahan (mid)...10 Tsotleho "Sunny" Jane (fwd)...12 Romulo Peretta (mid)
...20 Jalen Robinson (def)...21 Nathan Shiffman (mid)...25 Travis Pittman (mid)
team officials:...head coach Leigh Cowlishaw

Game officials:...referee Yusri Rudolf...referee's assistants Gianni Facchini and Fabrizio Stasolla
...fourth official Alexis Vaughan...(teal shirts, black shorts and shirts)

1st Half:...game starts 11:44pm...TFC defend north end on this mild late morning with a bright sun in the west with a strong breeze from the east.
30 sec...RK Imura cornerkick from left is rolled upfield and RK Troyer chips ball from 30 yards that's headed away from box.
3 min...RK Fernando 30 yard roller down middle is smothered by goalie.
4 min...RK Imura cornerkick from right is low and cleared by defender near right post.
6 min...TFC Jobe cross from right at 25 yards has defender head ball behind end line.
7 min...TFC Edwards cornerkick from right wins another cornerkick on header.
7 min...TFC Edwards cornerkick from right has defender head away on right.
7 min...TFC Jobe cross from 25 yards on right and goalie catch.
9 min...TFC Edwards rush to right end line and 8 yarder is cleared by defender.
12 min...RK Ownby low 25 yard shot up middle is between players and is smothered by goalie.
13 min...RK Imura at 25 yards in middle passes to RK Ownby at 15 yards and he blasts a 10 yard shot from the right that the goalie sprawls to save at 4 yards. Imura gets to the loose ball at 8 yards and takes a low shot up the middle but TFC Hagglund stops on the goal line and the ball deflects up and out of the box.
13 min...RK players apply continuous pressure inside the TFC 25 yard line to just inside the box.
15 min...TFC Edwards gets long chip pass from 50 yards and can't control ball pushing shot wide right from 10 yards.
21 min...RK Imura rolls pass from 30 yards to RK Fernando who rounds defender to get 20 yard shot that goalie dives to catch on right post.
23 min...TFC goalie boots away short back pass before RK Imura can get to it at 18 yards.
24 min...RK Ownby rushes on left after getting pass at 20 yards but pushes ball over end line.
28 min...RK Fernando rush on right and low cross from 20 yards is blocked by retreating defender on edge of box.
29 min...TFC Edwards wins freekick on left just outside box on check by RK player.
30 min...TFC Edwards 22 yard freekick from far left has defender head ball away.
32 min...RK Yeisley shot is blocked at 15 yards on left by TFC Thomas.
32 min...TFC Jobe cross from 25 yards on right has defender head ball away.
34 min...TFC Edwards long run from left center line and rolls cross into box but defender clears.
34 min...TFC Hamilton in the middle at 30 yards rolls a pass forward and left to TFC Osorio charging for it and he sends in a low cross from 22 yards that TFC Edwards collects at 15 yards in front of slipping defender Roberts, whom he steps around and takes an 8 yard shot over the bar.
35 min...TFC Jobe low cross from 30 yards on right has TFC Hamilton miss and ball bounces out of box.
38 min...TFC YELLOW card...Hamilton earns it for kicking ball away at RK 30 yards after being called for offensive pushing.
39 min...RK Ownby low 20 yard shot between players up middle has goalie smother.
41 min...TFC Hamilton 22 yard shot from right is so far wide left it results in a throw-in.
43 min...RK Ownby gets to pass at TFC 18 yards on left but defenders close in to prevent shot.
44 min...RK Lee wins freekick when pushed over in RK box.
46 min...half ends 12:30pm.

Halftime Entertainment: Dennis and Jamie are in the center circle showing off freestyling. They try to get contestants to juggle a soccer ball. The three they chose were awful but these tricks take years to perfect. They finally got the kids to bend forward, place a ball on their necks and standing still it looked they had done something well.

2nd Half:...starts 12:45pm. 45 min...RK Fernando rushes on left into box and rolls cross that goalie dives forward to smother at 5 yards.
48 min...RK Fernando 30 yard freekick from right is headed away in box.
49 min...RK Lee 35 yard freekick from right is cleared on edge of box.
51 min...RK Imura 40 yard freekick on left is headed away just inside left of box.
55 min...RK Imura and Ferando combine on give and go ball that's pushed upfield for RK Ownby who shoots 8 yarder from right into outside webbing of net.
57 min...TFC Jobe cross from 22 yards on the right that the goalie under threat swats over the bar for a cornerkick.
59 min...TFC sub...Bouchard replaces Daniels.
59 min...RK Paulini 35 yard freekick up middle is tapped over and blast bounces for goaaalie to stop.
60 min...TFC Edwards cornerkick from right has defender head away.
61 min...TFC Edwards regains possession and cross from right has defender clear.
64 min...RK sub...Owusu Sekyere replaces Imura.
65 min...RK player rescues ball near right end line and sends high and long downfield pass that player taps ball back and RK Ownby has shot blocked at 15 yards by TFC Jobe.
66 min...TFC Jobe run on right and low cross from 30 yards bounces through box unplayed.
67 min...TFC sub...Davis replaces Uccello.
.........TFC sub...Bernal replaces Johnson.
70 min...TFC Edwards rolls 28 yarder up middle that goalie smothers.
71 min...RK Ownby rolls 18 yard cross from right that TFC Hagglund boots away for throw-in.
71 min...RK sub...Jane replaces Fernando.
72 min...RK Roberts long throw-in from right and defender heads away from box for another throw-in.
72 min...RK Roberts long throw-in from right and defenders heads away from box.
72 min...TFC Bernal crosses from near the right cornerflag. TFC Hamilton in box on the right runs to the center eluding defenders in front of him and cuts a low 15 yard shot down the middle that the goalie flies right to bat down at 4 yards and RK Troyer pushes against TFC Edwards to clear behind end line at 2 yards.
73 min...TFC Edwards cornerkick from right has TFC Hagglund leap and head wide left from 7 yards.
74 min...TFC Sal Bernal GOAL...TFC Adam Bouchard takes freekick from 60 yards in middle that finds charging Bernal on left at 28 yard line who eludes falling RK defender Alex Lee to control ball and rushes to 15 yards letting RK defender Hugh Roberts run past him. He doesn't pass to TFC Jordan Hamilton who has RK Braeden Troyer covering him at 10 yards in center but shoots low 12 yard shot that diving goalie Matt Turner gets hand to at 6 yards but ball trickles into left corner of net.
75 min...RK players apply pressure but can't get good shot.
76 min...RK Owusu Sekyere 28 yard chip forward has goalie catch.
77 min...RK Paulini 30 yard freekick from left is lofted in and RK Lee can't control header near right end line and ball goes out for goalkick.
78 min...TFC sub...Hundal replaces Hamilton.
80 min...RK Jane runs along left end line and 12 yard shot deflects under defendeer and goalie picks up on left post.
81 min...TFC YELLOW card...Bouchard earns it for knocking over RK Owusu Sekyere at TFC 40 yard line.
82 min...RK sub...Peretta replaces Yomby.
83 min...TFC Osorio is injured at TFC 40 yard line.
84 min...RK Owusu Sekyere taps ball and RK Asante has 22 yard shot blocked by defender on edge of box.
84 min...RK Paulini 25 yard shot down middle is wide left of post.
86 min...RK Asante s injured in collision with TFC Bernal at TFC 35 yard line.
88 min...RK Troyer cross from 30 yards on the far left that the goalie drifts to 6 yards over to right post and palms ball backwards in front of a crowd of players as he falls. An RK player recovers at 12 yards near the right end line and crosses and RK Asante heads from 8 yards even with the right post that bounces to the left post and TFC Thomas clears off the line.
89 min...TFC Edwards rushes upfield from 70 yards down the left wing and chips a ball from 25 yards over to TFC Hundal charging down the right who collects the ball at 20 yards near the right end line and rolls a cross through the 6 yard box that is a step ahead of sliding Edwards at 2 yards. TFC Davis rescues ball on left end line at 20 yards and chips cross that goalie catches.
90 min...TFC Jobe bicycle kick clearance in TFC box to prevent two RK players getting to it.
91 min...TFC Hundal and TFC Edwards can't get away shot in RK box as defenders close in.
92 min...TFC sub...Fraser replaces Edwards.
93 min...RK Jane 40 yard blast between players and no RK playeers get to it and goalie catches.
94 min...RK Owusu Sekyere chips cross from right that wins cornerkick on defender heading ball wide left from post.
95 min...RK Peretta takes a cornerkick from the left and leaping RK goalie Matt Turner who'd come into the TFC box heads the ball forward and RK Owusu Sekyere rescues it on the right end line and running away from the net rolls a pass upfield to RK Pittman who eludes a TFC player to chip a 22 yarder from the right edge of box that has RK Roberts in crowd of players in box head the ball over the bar from 6 yards. 95 min...game ends 1:35pm.

Final Score:......Toronto FC II.....1.....Richmond Kickers.......0.........

Attendance was not announced but I'd estimate it at about 1000. (the TFC website claims a sellout of 1222 but I don't think everybody turned up). The weather was mild and sunny with a wind blowing crossfield from the east. The crowd was mostly made up of schoolchildren between age 10 and 15 and their teachers. The kids around me were more interested in looking behind the stands at the ice cream truck and hot dog pit then any on-field action. They enjoyed the pre game and halftime entertainment of the soccer freestylers who got the biggest cheers of the afternoon. The ushers began handing out those balloon thundersticks noisemakers at 60 minutes which had the kids clapping them and swordfighting until they found it was more fun to break them. Actually many of the classes of kids learned how to be typical MLS fans (at least in my BMO Field section) by beginning an exodus at 80 minutes to pile back in to their schoolbuses to get back to class!

Referee Yusri Rudolf gave out two Yellow cards—both to TFC II players. The game was close checking with a lot of whistles but played clean.

Best non-scoring chances* were at 13 minutes when RK Yudai Imura at 25 yards in middle passed to RK Brian Ownby at 15 yards and he blasted a 10 yard shot from the right that the goalie sprawled to save at 4 yards. Imura got to the loose ball at 8 yards and took a low shot up the middle but TFC Nick Hagglund stopped on the goal line and the ball deflected up and out of the box. 34 minutes had TFC Jordan Hamilton in the middle at 30 yards roll a pass forward and left to TFC Anthony Osorio charging for it and he sent in a low cross from 22 yards that TFC Raheem Edwards collected at 15 yards in front of slipping defender Hugh Roberts, whom he stepped around and took an 8 yard shot over the bar. 57 minutes had TFC Bubacarr Jobe cross from 22 yards on the right that the goalie under threat swatted over the bar for a cornerkick. 72 minutes had TFC Sal Bernal cross from near the right cornerflag. TFC Hamilton in box on the right ran to the center eluding defenders in front of him and cut a low 15 yard shot down the middle that the goalie flew right to bat down at 4 yards and RK Braeden Troyer pushed against TFC Edwards to clear behind end line at 2 yards. 88 minutes had RK Troyer cross from 30 yards on the far left that the goalie drifted to 6 yards over to right post and palmed the ball backwards in front of a crowd of players as he fell. An RK player recovered at 12 yards near the right end line and crossed and RK Samuel Asante headed from 8 yards even with the right post that bounced to the left post and TFC Skylar Thomas cleared off the line. Within seconds TFC Edwards rushed upfield from 70 yards down the left wing and chipped a ball from 25 yards over to TFC Shaan Hundal charging down the right who collected the ball at 20 yards near the right end line and rolled a cross through the 6 yard box that was a step ahead of the sliding Edwards at 2 yards. Last play of the game at 94 minutes had RK Romulo Peretta take a cornerkick from the left and a leaping RK goalie Matt Turner who'd come into the TFC box head the ball forward and RK Fred Owusu Sekyere rescued it on the right end line and running away from the net rolled a pass upfield to RK Travis Pittman who eluded a TFC player to chip a 22 yarder from the right edge of box that had RK Hugh Roberts in crowd of players in box head the ball over the bar from 6 yards.

*(chances expanded with a lot more description by watching these moments again on the league feed of the game when I got home).

The shutout was earned by Quillan Roberts who week by week in team headlines is moved back and forth between the USL and MLS roster. He was the backup goalie in TFC's Saturday game against FC Dallas. I expect he's going to get some playing time on the MLS team when they want to rest Clint Irwin as their fixtures congest with two a week league games and Voyageurs Cup fixtures coming soon. He made some key saves today to earn the victory.

The TFC II lineup looked more stable today without crowding it with underplaying MLS roster players. Only defender Nick Hagglund, who looked good clearing anything in the box with his head plus a goal line save, captain/midfielder Chris Mannella, and forward Jordan Hamilton were from the MLS team and all have played most of the USL schedule.

Jordan Hamilton seems to have resurfaced after not being on the rosters of either team over the last few games...whether that was an injury or losing favour was not announced. He drew a first half Yellow card for kicking the ball away after being called on a foul on a player. He was subbed at 78 minutes by 15 year old prospect Shaan Hundal.

Moving players between teams within the same week will probably end soon as both teams will start playing every weekend and rotate between out of town and home games on opposite weekends. The USL team starts a three game road trip this Saturday against Charleston.

TFC II's record improves to 2 wins, 2 ties, 3 losses and their 8 points ties them for ninth place. This was their first home win this season and first win in four games. Richmond falls to 4 wins, 1 tie, 3 losses. Today's game was revenge for Richmond's 1-0 win on April 30th. Kickers have had the same head coach, Leigh Cowlishaw, for 17 years and includes the time if Dwayne De Rosario returning from Europe before he began his long MLS career.

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca

Toronto FC II starters