July 23, 2023...Match Analysis: Wild start in Winnipeg sees York United defeat Valour FC (from canpl.ca)
MATCH ANALYSIS: Wild start in Winnipeg sees York United defeat Valour FC
2023-07-23
byMITCHELL TIERNEY, DIGITAL CONTENT PRODUCER (@MITCHELLTIERNEY)
Final Score: Valour FC 1-2 York United
Goalscorers: Williams 10'; Ricci 4', De Rosario 8'
Game of the 2023 season: 65
CPL match: 432
Match in a minute or less
An unhinged opening ten minutes at IG Field on Sunday ultimately decided the evening’s match between York United
and Valour FC, with the visitors emerging victorious 2-1.
Austin Ricci opened the scoring in the fourth minute, and Osaze De Rosario doubled York’s lead in the eighth before
Kian Williams scored the lone Valour goal of the match in the 10th minute. The Nine Stripes held on from there to pick
up a fifth road victory of the season, tying them with Forge FC, who also won on the road at Pacific earlier this
weekend, for the most in the CPL this season.
Valour created a number of chances after that as York struggled defensively at times, but were not able to find a finish
despite putting the visitors under significant pressure until the final whistle. They are now winless in four matches,
three of which were losses, as they continue to slip further and further below the playoff line. York, meanwhile,
are now up into fourth place in the standings.
Three Observations
Defensive breakdowns lead to a breathtaking start with three goals inside opening 10 minutes
All signs pointed to Sunday evening’s match being a low-scoring affair between two sides who hadn’t found the net very
often this season. Valour had only allowed a league-low five goals in seven home matches, while scoring the fewest goals
in the league so far this season. York, meanwhile, hadn’t scored in their last two matches and had managed just 17 goals
in 16 matches.
Instead, fans at IG Field were treated to a chaotic start to the match as the two teams combined for three goals inside
the opening 10 minutes in part courtesy of some uncharacteristically poor defending.
On the opening goal, Jonathan Grant was allowed all the time in the world down the right flank to pick up his head
and deliver the ball into the box. He put his low-driven cross into the perfect area to cause uncertainty among the
Valour defenders, who knew that the slightest deflection could end up in the back of their own net. Instead, it was York’s
Austin Ricci whose touch took the ball past Rayane Yesli.
Four minutes later, the ball again dropped to Ricci in the middle of the park, who picked up his head and played
a perfectly weighted ball through to De Rosario. The York striker, however, was far more open than he should have been
as Abdou Samaké passed the player off to the trailing Eskander Mzoughi, who was outmuscled by De Rosario before the York
striker doubled the Nine Stripes lead.
“I think it’s a lack in focus and to be honest, it is early on in the game, I don’t get how we can lose focus,” said Valour
midfielder Kian Williams. “I don’t think it was great, necessarily, amazing play by them or anything like this. I think
it was just us switched off and not ready for the game…then we were chasing.”
Next, it was York’s turn to have a bit of calamity at the back. A simple ball over the top found its way to Pacifique
Niyongabire, who outmuscled Grant before slipping into the box and finding an unmarked Williams who tucked the ball into
the back of the net.
York had a few further defensive breakdowns as the half and match went on, as they allowed Valour 23 touches in their box
and three big chances over the course of 90 minutes. But against a team who has scored multiple goals (and never more
than two) in a match just three times this season two goals were enough to see out the full three points for York.
“I think our start really won us the game, we jumped on them, we got in behind early, we were on the front foot and to go
up two early, you hope to feel comfortable, but you never do,” said York United manager Martin Nash. “To give them a goal
back hurt, but I think that start really set us on our way.”
Austin Ricci a difference maker again for the Nine Stripes
Given how good Austin Ricci has been this season for York United, it seems shocking that four minutes into Sunday’s match
he scored his first goal of the 2023 CPL season. Ricci had previously found the back of the net against the Vancouver
Whitecaps in the Canadian Championship, but Sunday’s goal was a deserved reward for the important role he has played
for York this year.
During the match, he did what he does best, providing energy while progressing the ball through his fantastic dribbling
ability. With Andy Baquero pushing forward down his flank as he often does for Valour, Ricci was able to find spaces
in behind on a few occasions as well. The York winger finished with three of five dribble attempts completed,
two interceptions and eleven contested duels.
He followed up that fourth-minute goal by setting up Osaze De Rosario. He could have had another late in the half as well,
as he slalomed his way through the Valour defence before having his shot saved well by Rayane Yesli and finished with
four shot attempts in total.
“He had a good game, great start, and he gave us a lot of energy which is what he does,” said Nash. “He’s naturally more
of a central player but we have found a home for him on the left and he has done brilliant for us all year. His energy
and his play in the first ten minutes set us on our way.”
York hold on for a crucial away win as they move up to fourth, earn critical U-21 minutes
This weekend could have ended with the Nine Stripes slipping below the league’s playoff line for the first time in several
weeks. Instead, they moved up into fourth position — a spot mainly held because of their fantastic record away from home
this season. To make the victory even sweeter, this was a damaging result for a Valour club below them in the standings
as the Nine Stripes continue their push toward a second-ever playoff appearance with the season passing its midway point.
“To come back on the road and get three points was huge for us, we knew we were going to have to fight for it, they weren’t
going to give it up easy and they tested us right to the death so we were able to hold on and we needed those three points
bad,” said Nash.
The other big storyline for York over the second half of the season is their domestic U-21 minutes, as they are significantly
off the pace for the required 2,000 minutes in order to be playoff eligible. Injuries and absences have made them rather
unlucky in this regard of late, but Sunday provided a glimmer of hope in the play of Trivine Esprit.
The 21-year-old, who was recently signed to a U SPORTS contract from Ontario Tech was quality in his 90 minutes on the pitch
at right wing, winning possession seven times, 9 of 15 duels and tracking back well all match to provide defensive cover
while showing some bright moments in attack. The club has until August 1 to extend his U SPORTS deal, but after a performance
like this that is looking incredibly likely.
“I thought he was brilliant,” said Nash. “Barely put a foot wrong, I thought he was good in possession, he worked extremely
hard, he closed people down, I thought it was a great performance. He has been working for us all year and he’s proven to be
a player that can play in this league I think. He came in as a central player and I think for us and for his attributes
and for this level he needs to start out wide and he has come and trained hard every day all season and he has got his chance
and he has taken it. I think he’s done really well.”
After a win like this, the goal now for York needs to be building on this performance. Other than three wins in a row in late
May, they haven’t won back-to-back games at any other point all year — and they know what going on a bit of a run could
do for them at this time of year.
“The table is super tight right now so you string two-three wins together and you move up four or five spots and then you
go on a few games with a bad spell and you drop a lot of spots,” said Ricci. “So it is definitely super tight right now
and a few wins can make some serious moves, so we want to start to string them together and get more back-to-back.”
CanPL.ca Player of the Match
Austin Ricci, York United
Ricci scored a goal and added an assist during the opening eight minutes, the catalyst for yet another away win for the
Nine Stripes. The veteran winger was also key in providing attacking energy and tempo in his 70 minutes on the pitch on Sunday.
What’s next?
Valour’s homestand continues as they host Pacific FC next, who are in a tough run of form recently after being top of the table
for most of the season. That match will take place on Saturday, July 29 (3:00 p.m. CT/4:00 p.m. ET). York, meanwhile,
return home to take on the Halifax Wanderers on Sunday, July 30 (2:00 p.m. ET).
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