February 23, 2022...Van Diesel: PreSeason Trip Begins With Shootout Win Over Whitecaps FC 2 (from York United FC website)

VAN DIESEL: PRESEASON TRIP BEGINS WITH SHOOTOUT WIN OVER WHITECAPS FC 2

The Nine Stripes are on the west coast fine-tuning preparations ahead of the 2022 CPL season.

With less than one month to go until the start of the 2022 Canadian Premier League campaign,
York United FC have increased the intensity of their preseason preparations by taking in a trip
to the west coast.

Friday afternoon saw their opening game against MLS Next Pro side Whitecaps FC 2 at the
University of British Colombia.

The team that took to the field included plenty of familiar faces and some new arrivals also.
There was even a familiar face in the Whitecaps' side as Matteo Campagna, who spent the
second half of last season on loan with The Nine Stripes, played the full 90 minutes.

Mateo Hernandez, Eduardo Jesus and Mamadou Kane were all handed starts while Head Coach
Martin Nash began with Chrisnovic N'sa, Dominick Zator and Roger Thompson at the back.

The guests did have an early chance to take the lead when they were awarded a penalty
after 15 minutes but Michael Petrasso saw his effort saved. Later in the half, Hernandez
was forced off after a nasty clash and he's currently being assessed by the club's medical staff.

With the game scoreless at the break, Nash changed things up. Firstly, goalkeeper Matthew Nogueira
came in for Niko Giantsopoulos before two more off-season arrivals - William Wallace
and Daniel Obbekjaer - were introduced on the hour mark, along with Jordan Wilson, while a trialist
was also given his chance to impress from the bench.

However, there was still no breakthrough after 90 minutes and the result was decided by penalties.

Obbekjaer, the trialist, Isaiah Johnston and Mamadou Kane all did what was required from the spot
and York United claimed a 4-3 shootout victory.

"We put in a really good performance for the opening hour before we started to get a little tired,
which is to be expected" said Martin Nash afterwards.

"We created a number of quality scoring chances, which was very encouraging. But we just lacked
that little bit of finesse when we needed it. Still, I was very happy with how it went. It was
a great opportunity for them to improve their fitness and it was nice to see how they implemented
so much of what we've been working on."

The squad travelled to Vancouver earlier this week and have been training at UBC. Next up,
the Nine Stripes' face Valour FC on Tuesday, 15th March at Starlight Stadium in Victoria, BC.

York United FC Starting XI:

N. Giantsopoulos (M. Nogueira, 45'), C. N’sa, R. Thompson (W. Wallace, 60'), D. Zator (D. Obbekjaer, 60'),
M. Ferrari, M. Hernandez (N. Verhoeven, 40'), C. Toussaint (J. Wilson, 60'), E. Jesus (A. Trialist, 60'),
M. Petrasso, S. Gutierrez, M. Kane.

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