Toronto FC players huddle before first half kickoff. Oh oh. All unnumbered.
March 19, 2023...Exhibition game: Toronto FC II vs York United FC (by Rocket Robin)
Result of the exhibition game Sunday March 19th, 2023 between Toronto FC II (MLS NEXT Pro) and York United FC (CPL) held at the TFC Training Centre (inside the bubble) in Downsview at 7:45pm.
38 min...York Kevin Dos Santos GOAL...York Osaze De Rosario from 15 yards on right hits the left post with his shot and a YU player has his shot stopped. Dos Santos shoots 10 yard rebound past defender and fallen goalie Luca Gavran to right side of net.
59 min...York Osaze De Rosario GOAL...York Paris Gee pass from 20 yard line from left has De Rosario one-touch low 8 yarder into right side of net past diving goalie.
Final Score:...Toronto FC II........0........York United FC......2....... Both teams wore un-numbered training shirts although I could see a small number on most of the York players under their right shoulder. A play by play recap is about impossible. Figured their starting line-up was ...........................1 Niko GiantsopoulosToronto FC II wore unnumbered training shirts except #52 Alonso Coello Camarero who played in the midfield. (small number just under his right shoulder). The MLS NEXT Pro site has not been updated and they still list players released from the team at the end of last season. I hope the site updates soon and their highlight packages are longer than their apparant 60 second limit of last season. Adequate for a regulation 2-1 game but you'd only see the last shot of a 'shoot out' game decider.
Game officials were referee Yusri Rudolph, with Peter Pendli on the line with a female I didn't recognize. There was no fourth official.
Right after the second goal both teams made multiple substitutions. Matthew Baldisimo and Markiyan Voytsekhovskyy were the York ones I figured out. 64 minutes brought on Chris Campoli for injured Kevin Dos Santos. Yes Campoli has been U-Sports drafted twice by York and the year in between by Halifax. He still has one more year of university left! I didn't notice if Mo Babouli was here [* catching up on soccer news, I see that he was called up for the Syrian national team and has probably departed already]. Brian Wright was running on his own with the trainer's instructions during the pre-game warmup but was not in the game. I was surprised by the result as TFC II will start their regular season next weekend while York has one more month of pre-season. TFC II used two MLS signed players that I recognized--forward Jordan Perruzza and defender Kobe Franklin. CPL roster contrast. Halftime had TFC II warming up 13 subs and York had 7.I got there at just before 5:00pm nnd got to see an NXT game (turned out it was for the U-17 age division). They wore regulation numbered kits. It was between TFC and CF Montreal. CFM twice came from behind and it ended 2-2. CFM started out strong in the first 5 minutes but then TFC took over and the rest of the half was played in the south end. In the second half most of the action was in the south end again but this time it was Montreal applying the pressure. I stayed in the north end near the door/exit so I could see any York officials entering.
Parents shuffled out after the NXT game (there were younger players from a previous NXT TFC vs CFM game still here too). A security guy asked me to leave but I answered that I was doing some work for York. He complained that my media pass was for 2022 but I of course had an answer that the 2023's weren't out yet. He said he was going to phone the United team office and he came back after the game started to say he couldn't reach them but I could stay. (yeah who'd be there on a Sunday night?) It was no parents too as he said TFC II had a security incident during last week's game.
A few folks I recognized squeezed their way in as the game progressed. Hall of Famer Paul Stalteri had had a position with York in their early years. Hall of Famer Dwayne De Rosario was here and he had an after game chat with his sons Osaze (YU forward) and Adisa (who was the backup goalie for TFC II this year...he didn't get into tonight's game). I got to chat with Chris Mannella who'd played for both these teams over the years. He is currently with 'Unattached United' after not have his contract renewed with CPL Atletico Ottawa.
Helping me double check and correct the goalscorers after the game was Ilya Orlov. He said he's doing some work for York part time but is still head coach of the mens' team at the University of Toronto and League1 Ontario's Alliance United. Ah ha! He can be spying for them as York's final pre-season game is against Alliance three weekends from now.
It took me until I got home to realize when I heard York players calling out "Baldy" later in the second half they were commands for Matthew Baldisimo and not meant for 'hair challenged' Jeremy Gagnon-Lapare!
I'm guardedly optimistic about York's upcoming season. Osaze De Rosario looked fantastic with some long break-ins. When Babouli gets back (still should be time with almost a month left in pre-season to fit him into the line-up, their pairing could be fierce.
These teams won't be bumping into each other again. They are groundsharing York Lions Stadium again this season (8 km away from tonight's venue) but are usually playing home games on opposite weekends to minimize scuffing up the field.
I was glad the game wasn't outdoors. It was cold and windy tonight. I brought a pair of boots I could have changed into and warmer mittens than usual but I couldn't have lasted standing outside tonight. A new reason why I'm glad I don't have season tickets to MLS TFC anymore...the last two weeks have been brutal and games are being played in the cold of night to satisfy the league's new Apple TV deal.
Rocket Robin
robin.glover.1958@gmail.com
twitter: @RocketRobin01
Toronto FC players huddle before first half kickoff. Oh oh. All unnumbered.
York United FC players receiving pre-game instructions.
Deep bench selection for TFC II.
TFC II get first kickoff.
A TFC II freekick deep in their own end. York Asaze De Rosario hangs around to prevent a crossfield pass.
York players take second half kickoff.
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