August 25, 2023...Match Analysis: Persistent performance from York United results in critical home victory over Vancouver FC
(from canpl.ca)
MATCH ANALYSIS: Persistent performance from York United results in critical home victory over Vancouver FC
2023-08-25
by MITCHELL TIERNEY, DIGITAL CONTENT PRODUCER (@MITCHELLTIERNEY)
Final Score: York United 2-1 Vancouver FC
Goalscorers: Babouli (Pen.) 69', Ricci 80'; Bitar 11'
Game of the 2023 season: 82
CPL match: 449
Match in a minute or less
York United picked up a crucial three points in the Canadian Premier League’s playoff race at home on Friday, as a pair of late goals
handed them a 2-1 victory over Vancouver FC.
Mo Babouli equalized Gabriel Bitar’s first-half effort from the penalty spot in the 69th minute. Then Austin Ricci played hero for the
Nine Stripes, coming off the bench to fire a thunderous strike past Callum Irving for the winner.
For the moment, York occupy the league’s fifth and final playoff spot, ahead of Halifax Wanderers on total wins, which is the first
tiebreaker. Halifax host Valour on Saturday afternoon. Vancouver, meanwhile, remain 12 points out of the playoffs with just seven matches
remaining.
Three Observations
Persistence pays off in attack as York United picks up a critical victory at home
For a large portion of Friday’s match, it looked like it just wasn’t going to happen for York United. They had 22 shots — 16 of which
came inside the box, 41 touches in the opposition box and 28 attempted crosses as they bombarded the Vancouver area throughout the match.
In what could be a defining moment in their season, the Nine Stripes kept pushing, and two late goals led to a critical three points,
the first they have collected at York Lions Stadium in well over two months.
This level of persistence was perhaps best embodied by winger Kévin Santos. With York finding most of their attacking joy down the flanks
with Vancouver clogging up the middle, the 23-year-old consistently drove at the opposing backline throughout the match, firing six shots,
making 16 touches inside the Vancouver box and a stunning 13 attempted dribbles. Most of them amounted to nothing, but in the 68th minute,
his hard work paid off as he was taken down in the box after making a good central run. Mo Babouli stepped up and tied the match.
“The floodgates were going to open, we just needed that moment, that bit of quality, Kévin’s good drive inside and the penalty,” said
York defender Tass Mourdoukoutas after the match. “We had that belief that once we got the first it was going to come.”
York looked to have found the winner less than ten minutes later as substitute Austin Ricci was able to get the ball behind Callum Irving
in the Vancouver net, however, Vancouver defender Rocco Romeo made an unbelievable goalline clearance to deny the onrushing Brian Wright
from sweeping it over the line.
York kept pushing again, however, and a minute later Ricci scored the winner on a stunning half-volley across goal. He has now scored
in the Nine Stripe’s last two victories.
“I think the key takeaway is that today we didn’t drop our heads, I think a few games we’ve dropped our heads at times, we didn’t
drop our heads and we kept going for it,” said York United manager Martin Nash. “It’s not always easy when you gift a team a goal
and a lead, but credit to the guys that if you just keep battling then good things will happen.”
Compact, hardworking Vancouver FC clog up central channels, frustrate York for most of the match
A big reason why York were so frustrated in attack throughout the match was the defensive discipline and work rate of the visitors
on Friday night.
Vancouver’s midfield three of Renan Garcia, Vasco Fry and Elliot Simmons often worked incredibly close to one another centrally,
clogging up the middle of the park. The wide attackers would then press high to protect the flanks, which worked perfectly on the
visitor’s opening goal as winger Mikaël Cantave took the ball off of Max Ferrari on a perfectly timed press before setting up his
opposite number Gabriel Bitar.
“I liked the discipline tactically that [we] showed, we stayed within the game plan and I think the first goal was a perfect team goal,
defending well as a team, pressing high, winning the ball and a great finish by [Bitar]”, said Vancouver FC manager Afshin Ghotbi.
While York had a lot of the ball in the final third throughout the match, they struggled to truly convert that into high-danger
chances until Babouli’s penalty. In fact, the penalty was the only ‘big chance’ of the match recorded by the Nine Stripes, a credit
to Vancouver’s defensive efforts.
“When you keep on getting that consistent pressure coming down it gets draining, tiring, honestly,” said Vancouver central defender
Rocco Romeo. “But I think we did well with that throughout the game. The chances that they got were either off target or Callum had
a pretty easy save to make. But it is just unfortunate about the result because I think we deserved so much more.”
Ghotbi was frustrated by the penalty decision that led to Babouli’s equalizer from the spot, but also said that it is a lesson
in making sure his side finishes off opponents. In particular, he highlighted a 76th-minute chance for Alejandro Díaz that was fired
directly at York keeper Adisa De Rosario.
“Those are the chances you have to finish on away matches to get all three points,” said Afshin Ghotbi. “When you are 0-1, and you
keep the opponent sniffing that they have a chance to come back then human error can take place on all sides and that can change
the game.”
When a tough defensive turnover led to Vancouver FC opening the scoring in the tenth minute, it looked like it could be another
long day at the back for York United, who had allowed eight goals in the past three matches coming into Friday.
Instead, York put in a strong defensive effort the remaining 80 minutes, which proved incredibly important in keeping them in the
match and allowing them the opportunity for that late comeback.
It started at the front, where York’s persistent press saw them win the ball back throughout the match, including ten times in the
final third alone. Brem Soumaoro and Paris Gee, in particular, did an excellent job of sweeping up Vancouver’s attacks which mostly
originated down the left flank winning possession 10 and nine times respectively.
When Vancouver were able to get chances, De Rosario made five total saves. Crucially, though, few of them proved to be very difficult
as York did a good job of protecting their young goalkeeper, limiting Vancouver to low-danger shots.
“I think because it was only [Adisa’s] second game with us I wanted to play a more senior backline in front of him,” said Nash.
“I thought he did well, obviously he had no chance on the goal, he managed the game well at the end.”
De Rosario’s performance also critically meant another 90 U-21 Canadian domestic minutes, with Noah Abatneh and Trivine Esprit coming
on late to earn York over 100 minutes on the night.
Nash made a big call bringing on Austin Ricci off the bench in the 73rd minute instead of the younger options he has gone with
lately in the pursuit of those critical minutes. This time it paid off in a big way, as the veteran substitute scored the match-winner
and keep York very much in the post-season race.
CanPL.ca Player of the Match
Kévin Santos, York United
In a match defined by work rate, perhaps nobody put in more of a shift than Kévin Santos. The York winger had six shot attempts,
attempted 13 dribbles (with five successful), contested 20 duels and pressed well, winning possession twice in the final third.
What’s next?
York head to the Maritimes next for a crucial matchup with Halifax Wanderers on Monday, September 4 (2:00 p.m. ET). Vancouver,
meanwhile, host Forge at the Langley Events Centre on Sunday, September 3 (2:00 p.m. PT/ 5:00 p.m. ET).
Watch all CPL matches live on OneSoccer. In addition to its website and app, OneSoccer is now available on TELUS channel 980
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