July 23, 2023...Highlights: Valour FC 1-2 York United - CPL Match #65 (from canpl.ca)
HIGHLIGHTS: Valour FC 1-2 York United — CPL Match #65
2023-07-23
by MITCHELL TIERNEY, DIGITAL CONTENT PRODUCER (@MITCHELLTIERNEY)
After a wild opening in Winnipeg, York United held on for a 2-1 win at IG Field against Valour FC on Sunday evening.
The match snapped a two-match winless and goalless streak for the Nine Stripes, who moved up into fourth spot in the table.
All three goals in the match came within the first ten minutes, as Austin Ricci opened the scoring for York,
Osaze De Rosario adding a second, before Kian Williams scored the lone goal for Valour.
It took York United less than four minutes to open the scoring. A well-weighted low cross into the box from
Jonathan Grant connected with Ricci, who deflected home his first of the season to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
The former Valour winger then added to the Winnipeg side’s misery, playing provider as he sent a ball over the top
into the path of De Rosario, who held off his defender before slipping home his third of the season.
Valour were quick to respond, however, as Pacifique Niyongabire got the better of Grant down the left flank with
a clever flick, before finding Williams in the middle, who beat Niko Giantsopoulos with a low strike to make it 2-1.
Seeing how the match was going, Valour fired a few dangerous efforts from distance, looking to get anything
and everything they could on target. A long strike from captain Andrew Jean-Baptiste, in particular, forced a strong
save from Giantsopoulos.
Unfortunately, Jean-Baptiste, who has had horrible luck with injuries of late, pulled up in the 38th minute when
chasing down a York counterattack and had to be replaced by Klaidi Cela. He added to a long list of Valour players
who were already on the sidelines for this match.
York nearly added a third in the final minutes of the opening half as again it was Ricci who slalomed his way
through the Valour defence before being denied by Rayane Yesli from close range. After the rapid start, there
was no further scoring in the opening half as the teams went into the break with York leading 2-1.
Williams should have had his second of the match early in the second half, as Jared Ulloa got into space down
the right flank and delivered an excellent cross into the middle. The Valour midfielder, however, got his free
header all wrong and sent the ball over the bar.
Sensing some momentum, Valour coach Phil dos Santos made a trio of substitutions in the 60th minute, bringing
on Jordan Haynes, Jaime Siaj and new signing Ahinga Selemani. The latter nearly made an instant impact in his
Valour debut shortly thereafter, as Williams played him into the box but his strike went over the bar.
It was Siaj then who had a great chance down the left flank in the final few minutes after a great ball forward
from Niyongabire, but after a solid first touch his finish went across the face of the York net and came nowhere
near beating Giantsopoulos in the end. Then Niyongabire got in behind himself in the 90th minute, but his first
touch let him down and he ended up barging into Giantsopoulos and putting the York goalkeeper into the net,
but not the ball.
Valour have now gone winless in their last four matches, with three of those ending in losses. They are now six
points out of the fifth and final playoff spot, and sit seventh in the table.
BOX SCORE
Goals
4' — Austin Ricci (York United)
8' — Osaze De Rosario (York United)
10' — Kian Williams (Valour FC)
Discipline
33' — Yellow: Kian Williams (Valour FC)
45' — Yellow: Eskander Mzoughi (Valour FC)
52' — Yellow: Jérémy Gagnon-Laparé (York United)
90+1' — Yellow: Niko Giantsopoulos (York United)
90+2' — Yellow: Kévin Rendón (Valour FC)
back to 2023 York United FC menu
.
.