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July 31, 2023 CPL York United FC vs HFX Wanderers FC game report (by Rocket Robin)
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Result and details of the Sunday July 31, 2023 Canadian Premier League game between York United FC
and Atletico Ottawa played at York Lions Stadium in North York at 2:00pm ET.
York United FC (green socks and shirts, blue shorts, white names and numbers)
....................1 Niko Giantsopoulos
7 Johnny Grant...2 Paris Gee...6 Roger Thompson (cpt)...23 Noah Abatneh
................8 Elijah Adekugbe...32 Brem Soumaoro
.......18 Molham Babouli...22 Austin Ricci...11 Kevin Santos
....................24 Osaze De Rosario
Subs:...76 Michael Williams (gk)...9 Brian Wright (fwd)...12 Clement Bayiha (mid)...16 Max Ferrari (mid)
...27 Carson Buschman-Dormand (mid)...33 Matthew Baldisimo (mid)...37 Trivine Esprit (mid)
team officials:...head coach Martin Nash...assistant coach Mauro Eustaquio...goalkeeper coach Camilo Benzi
doctors Jim Niu and Hrishnov Sarker...kitman John Townsend...other Noan Gilmour
...athletic trainers Michael Higbee and Laura Ozoria
HFX Wanderers FC (all white uniforms, gold & green filled names and numbers)
....................1 Yann Fillion
3 Zachary Fernandez...2 Dan Nimick...5 Cale Loughrey...17 Wes Timoteo
10 Aidan Daniels...6 Lorenzo Callegari...22 Mohamed Omar (cpt)...9 Theo Collomb
...................14 Callum Watson
....................8 Massimo Ferrin
Subs:...66 Aiden Rushenas (gk)...11 Joao Morelli (mid)...13 Armaan Wilson...15 Doneil Henry (def)
...18 Andre Rampersad (mid)...19 Tiago Coimbra (fwd)...23 Riley Ferrazzo (def)
team officials:...head coach Patrice Gheisar...assistant coaches Jorden Feliciano and Jed Davies
...goalkeeper coach Jan-Michael Williams...physiotherapist Tyler Kent
Game officials:...referee Scott Bowman...referee's assistants Gianni Facchini and Gerard-Kader Lebuis
...fourth official Yusri Rudolph...(all black uniforms)...referee assessor John Oliva
First Half:...game starts 2:06pm...York defends north end. It's a mild, partly overcast afternoon but a bright
sun comes out eduring the warmups from the south which York has to run into.
1 min...York Babouli 22 yard freekick from right is low and into player wall. York Adekugbe recovers in middle and sends
short pass along 20 yard line to left where York Gee chips 22 yarder that goalie steps to knock down on right end line
and pick up to stop in front of York Ricci waiting for tap-in.
1 min...HFX Ferrin runs down right and sends low cross into 6 yard box that has York Grant concede cornerkick to left.
2 min...HFX Timoteo receives short cornerkick from left and chips 25 yarder which is headed away.
2 min...HFX Omar makes key block to break up York Ricci run up left and rolled pass to York De Rosario in box.
4 min...HFX Daniels low cross from right endline has sliding York Thompson stop in 6 yard box and clear away.
5 min...HFX Collomb cross from left side of box has HFX Ferandez leap but not able to fully redirect header on right
and ball is out for goalkick.
7 min...HFX Callegari cornerkick from left lands in 6 yard box on right post and defender chests pop up that goalie
jumps to catch.
13 min...HFX Callegari runs ball over right end line before he can get away cross into York box.
15 min...HFX Nimick ensures York Babouli knocks ball over end line on left for goalkick on bump.
17 min...HFX players mount sustained pressure around York box. HFX Ferrin has 20 yard blast blocked by sliding defender.
18 min...HFX Daniels shoots 28 yard roller from right wide left. York Babouli was injured earlier in the play.
19 min...HFX Watson blasts 40 yarder down middle that goalie bats down and picks up in center of 6 yard box.
19 min...York Soumaoro is injured at York 40 yard line and needs trainer. HFX players take water break.
21 min...York sub...Baldisimo replaces injured Soumaoro.
22 min...HFX Fernandez 40 yard cross from right has flying HFX Collomb not able to fully turn header on left at 10 yards down
middle and bounces ball wide left of post for goalkick.
24 min...York Grant high cross from right is over box and York Ricci had dribbled downfield and sent him pass.
25 min...York Babouli 25 yard freekick from left has goalie punch ball away in crowd of players near left post.
26 min...York Santos high cross from 30 yards on far right has York Ricci one-touch 8 yard shot from left well over net.
27 min...York Abatneh is not called for hand ball when York goalie punches ball away when umpbed into by leaping HFX player.
29 min...HFX Collomb and York Grant clash heads while jumping for header at York 30 yard line. Both players are down
and need trainers.
33 min...Collomb has blood streaming out the back of his head. He gets up first with the help of the HFX trainer but
Grant is still down.
33 min...HFX sub...Morelli replaces injured Collomb for 'concussion protocal'.
34 min...York sub...Ferrari replaces injured Grant who leaves with a bandage wrapped around his head.
35 min...HFX Watson is injured at HFX 50 yard line but is not noticed as play moves closer to HFX goal. He has a leg injury
and needs the trainer.
37 min...York Babouli freekick hits head of HFX player starting a fast break out.
38 min...HFX Morelli runs down field on give and go as HFX Fernandez taps him a back pass from right end line. HFX Ferrin
ends up with short cross between York defenders that York goalie flies across 6 yard box to catch.
42 min...York Ricci passes back from 15 yards on left to York Abatneh who shoots 22 yarder from slight left that goalie sprawls
to save at 2 yards and defender clears rebound from box.
42 min...York Gee muscles HFX Watson off ball preventing him from getting shot from right.
44 min...York Ferrari concedes cornerkick by a header on a cross from the right preventing an HFX player getting to it.
44 min...HFX Zachary Fernandez GOAL...HFX players work out short cornerkick from left and ball is sent upfield for
HFX Wes Timoteo who sends centering pass from left and Fernandez blasts 35 yard down middle between players
that banks off left post.
45 min...York Babouli chips cross in box that an off balance York De Rosario heads 10 yarder that pops up and bounces wide
right although goalie comes out to catch it.
48 min...York Ferrari runs to left end line and low cross gets through players in box and out middle to start HFX rush.
48 min...HFX Yellow card...A card is given to assistant coach Jorden Feliciano on the bench for complaining about a non-call for
a York holding play.
50 min...York Gee cross from right has defender clear with header. York Ricci recovers and 22 yard shot is blocked by defender.
52 min...half ends 2:58 pm.
Halftime: Three HFX subs stay out to warm up and a later joined by others to make six. No York players warms up although
some come out to stand near their bench.
Second Half:...starts 3:13pm. The weather is now overcast.
47 min...HFX Watson on run down left and cross from left is through 6 yard box and out right. Ball is then recrossed
by HFX Fernandez on right end line then crosses into center of box but HFX Daniels is checked off ball at 12 yards in middle
without getting off a shot.
48 min...York YELLOW card...Ferrari earns it for knee on knee crash into HFX Callegari at HFX 40 yard line.
49 min...York Babouli cross from right end line has goalie leap to palm ball across box and off bar but HFX wins freekick.
52 min...HFX Watson cross from left side of box has York Ferrari fly to head ball away in center of box.
56 min...HFX Watson sends soft roller has goalie smother weak 6 yard shot. HFX Fernandez taps pass to HFX Daniels
who ran into box and sent in low cross from right.
58 min...York YELLOW card...Ricci knocks over HFX Fernandez at HFX 40 yard line on left to get to ball and turns to run back
towards goal. Ricci then bumps with HFX Nimick on edge of 18 yard box and is called for that foul.
60 min...HFX Joao Morelli GOAL...HFX Callum Watson interepts crossfield pass from retreating York Max Ferrari's
giveaway centering pass from right along 40 yard line and Watson rolls through ball forward to Morelli who rolls 15 yarder
up middle into right side of net with goalie doing the splits at 6 yard line trying to make save.
62 min...York Ricci chips 30 yarder from left over players in box and wide right for goalkick.
63 min...York Gee 45 yard chip from right sideline is caught by unpressured goalie.
65 min...HFX Nimick shields York Babouli from through ball pass up left so goalie can pick ball up.
66 min...HFX Daniels blasts 25 yarder missing top right corner of net when he receives pass from HFX Ferrin.
66 min...HFX sub...Rampersad replaces Omar and becomes the new captain.
...........HFX sub...Wilson replaces Watson.
...........York sub...Wright replaces Ricci.
...........York sub...Bayiha replaces Santos.
68 min...HFX Callegari high cross from 35 yards on right has York Gee outjump HFX Ferrin to clear on left side of box.
69 min...York Ferrari and HFX Fernandez crash together at HFX 10 yard line on left and are down for short time with injuries.
71 min...York Babouli cornerkick from left has goalie swat at it and defender heads it over bar.
72 min...York Babouli cornerkick from right is cleared for fast break. HFX Morelli races down middle and taps pass to HFX Wilson
who hits top right of post from 18 yards.
73 min...York Gee and HFX Wilson crash wide left outside of York box.
73 min...HFX sub...Henry replaces Daniels.
............HFX sub...Ferrazzo replaces Ferrin.
74 min...York Adekugbe low 50 yarder up middle has goalie pick up wide right of post.
76 min...Yrok Gee cross from right has HFX Nimick head away in box at 8 yards.
78 min...York sub...Esprit replaces Adekugbe.
...........York sub...Buschman-Dormand replaces De Rosario.
78 min...York Baldisimo chip from 50 yards in middle has goalie catch on bounce.
80 min...York Babouli at 20 yard pops up header that goalie picks up on bounce wide right of box.
81 min...HFX Ferrazzo run on right hass low cross and ball is wide left and out of reach of York player.
82 min...HFX Collomb run on left qnd centers ball to HFX Morelli who slides and directs ball wide right of post from 8 yards.
83 min...York Bayiha run down right and rolls ball into center of boxes. York Ferrari has shot blocked.
84 min...HFX Watson is injured near left sideloline at 30 yards. The HFX goalie is also laying down injured on left side of box.
85 min...HFX sub...Coimbra replaces Fernandez.
88 min...York Bayiha chips 20 yard shot on right has goalie palm over bar.
89 min...York Babouli cornerkick from right is cleared by header and York Ferrari chips 22 yarder that goalie catches.
90 min...York goalie picks up ball at 5 yards as York Thompson shields from HFX Coimbra running in on right.
91 min...York YELLOW card...Baldisimo earns it for bumping over HFX Morelli at York 25 yard line.
92 min...York RED card...Matthew Baldisimo earns it for sliding tackle after whistle at York 20 yard sideline on right.
94 min...The fence collapses in front of the Supporters section in the south end. The fence is a good distance from their stands
and is soon propped back up by game the game crew.
94 min...York YELLOW card...Santos earns it on York bench after the game officials consult on incident.
95 min...HFX YELLOW card...Collomb earns it after game officials consult.
96 min...York YELLOW card...Thompson earns it for sliding tackle on HFX Coimbra at York 25 yard line.
96 min...York YELLOW card...Giantsopoulos earns a card himself for something he says.
97 min...game ends 4:05pm.
Final Score:...York United.........0..........HFX Wanderers FC..........2..........
Attendance was not announced and I wasn't able to find it on a fan website. Someone in the press box who went down to the stands at halftime said it was about 1200. Wanderers had a lot of supporters because quite a few players come from the Greater Toronto area. No rumour of any potential buyers of York United FC in the stands. I notice the L1O FC London coach on the landing below and ask how to slide the window open so I can lean out and say Hello. I interviewed him last night to complete my project of talking to a head coach from all 21 League1 Ontario teams. I was asked by e-mail by the club if I'd be attending today's game. It's the first time they've asked since the first few games of the year. I thought maybe they were expecting an onslaught of media because of the return of Doneil Henry but it turned out their wasn't anyone who wasn't usually there. Maybe the shrinking number of journalists have enough stories about the Women's World Cup and that Toronto FC were hosting a Leagues Cup game later tonight against Mexican club Atlas. Referee Scott Bowman gave out eight cards this afternoon with York earning six of them when their disipline collapsed during second half added time. Four cards in that time including two to Matthew Baldisimo within a minute although the second was said would have been a straight Red on its own. Santos drew one from the bench well after being subbed off! A similar thing happened a few games ago to Mo Babouli. I guess the only sure prevention of that happening again is for any subbed off player immediately have head coach Martin Nash send them back to the dressing room. A question was answered today in that what happens when the ambulance that is brought to the game needs to be used to transport a player to the hospital? Well it waits for a replacement ambulance to arrive before leaving to handle if a second player needs to be taken away or any later incidents involving fans needing serious first aid. This was the first time we in the GTA have got to see former MLS Toronto FC defender Doneil Henry play since we he was a late scratch because of injury to the Canadian National team. I found ou Friday night when talking with Simcoe County Rovers head coach Jason Beckford that he trained with the League1 Ontario club. Well why not as he is one of the co-owners with other current and past national team players Julian de Guzman, Atiba Hutchinson, Cyle Larin, and Janine Beckie along with businessman Peter Raco. I asked HFX head coach Patrice Gheisar about it and it was he who recommended Henry move on from individual training and move on to more of a team setting. Gheisar said he first recommended he practice with Gheisar's old home team Vaughan Azzurri. How appropriate that at 73 minutes HFX substitutes defender Riley Ferrazzo for forward Massimo Ferrin. Just one year ago both players along with head coach Patrice Ferrin and assistant Jorden Feliciano were pushing L1O Vaughan Azzurri to a playoff drive that would have them finish first, and sweep through the playoffs to finish team 2022 season undefeated and earn a berth in the Canadian Championship. All of them ended up in Halifax! One of the HFX player's parents from Vaughan wearing one of today's HFX kits answered me that the 'hard to see the numbers' gold and green hollow numbers was the team's Pride jersey. Hmm York's last home victory was against Atletico Ottawa on our 'Pride Night' and we had four players boycott the game. York hasn't ignored L1O this season, their backup goalie tonight was Michael Williams (2006). I had just seen him on Friday night give up five goals for his North Mississauga SC team in their 5-1 loss to Simcoe County Rovers where I picked up that tidbit about Doneil Henry training with them. Speedy U-21 forward Camilo Vasconcelos is no longer available as a L1O Guelph United tweet announced that he had left to join the University of Vermont. York continues to have a problem with U-21 minutes. Not fulfilling the minimum 2000 player minutes by the end of the season disqualifies them from the playoffs. They are only about 1/4 of the way there with only ten games to go. Today at least they started young defender Noah Abatneh and gave him the full 90 minutes. They later brought on both Carson Buschman-Dormand and Trivine Esprit at 78 minutes so that will add 24 more minutes combined. 114 minutes is still slightly under the average they have to maintain to make the 2000. Martin Nash answered my question after the game that will there is still one open roster spot and they are looking to fill it with a Canadian U-21 player. This is now the third game in a row that York has not been able to score in front of their fans. They have a scoreless tie in that run picking up a tie against Pacific FC. Not scoring is a theme for the Canadian Women's national team and MLS Toronto FC who haven't scored in something like six games. This would have been a good time to have York United play home games the next few weeks. The way the MLS schedule was drawn up, the league has taken a break from regular season games and organized a new Leagues Cup with Mexican League teams involved. Groups of three made up of two MLS teams and one Mexican team in each group play two games (Mexican teams don't get any home games). Top two in each group join a knockout format 32 teams. TFC were eliminated with a 5-0 loss away to New York City FC midweek and their home game against Atlas took place after this afternoon's CPL game. That may have killed off some casual support. TFC lost that one 1-0 to keep their scoring drought going. At least York scored and won a few games on the road to stay in playoff contention. Too bad York hasn't been able to pick up some new fans that are disgusted by the turmoil of Toronto FC with their high price players being dissatisfied and turmoil with the fan bsse. Now that TFC are out of the Leagues cup, they have a few weeks off until that group of 32 survivors keeps playing off until there's a winner. It looks like this format will carry on next year so CPL schedulers can take that into account for the 2024 season. This was the last CPL game of the weekend. York falls to sixth place of the eight teams with record of 7 wins, 3 ties, 8 losses for 24 points. They are currently one place below the playoff line. HFX's win improves their record to 6 wins, 7 ties, 4 losses for 25 points. This was their first road win of the season. They jump over York into fourth place. York's next game is on the road next Saturday against Atletico Ottawa who hold the fifth and last playoff spot also with 25 points but they are placed higher because they have played one less game. They have two more weekend road games after that before returning home to play Vancouver FC on Friday August 25.Rocket Robin
robin.glover.1958@gmail.com
twitter @RocketRobin01
York United FC starters
HFX Wanderers FC starters
York Kevin Santos (11) takes opening kickoff.
York Molham Babouli (18) sends freekick into player wall.
An HFX cornerkick from the left flies into York box.
York Johnny Grant (7) and Brem Soumaoro (32) set up play at center line.
York Molham Babouli (18) lines up another freekick.
HFX Theo Collomb (9) is helped from the field while York Johnny Grant (7) needs longer.
HFX Joao Morelli (11) takes second half kickoff.
HFX Riley Ferrazzo (23) and Doneil Henry (15) sub in at 73 minutes.
HFX Lorenzo Callegan (6) races towards end line.
HFX Lorenzo Callegan (6) does some time wasting wasting at 90+ minutes.
HFX players gather after final whistle and after player dust up.
Game stats (from canpl.ca)
York United FC HFX Wanderers FC
Possession 48.8% 51.2%
Duels success rate 53.4% 46.6%
Aerial duels won 42.9% 57.1%
Interceptions 6 11
Offsides 0 1
Corners won 4 4
Passes 441 465
Long passes 48 56
Passing accuracy 85.5% 87.3%
Passing acc in opp' half 72.7% 80.7%
Crosses 17 12
Crossing accuracy 23.5% 33.3%
Goals 0 2
Shots 9 12
Shots on target 2 5
Blocked shots 4 1
Shots outside the box 5 4
Shots inside the box 4 8
Shooting accuracy 22.2% 41.7%
Tackles 15 16
Tackles success rate 46.7% 68.8%
Clearances 15 13
Fouls conceded 13 13
Yellow cards 6 1
Red cards 1 0
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