September 8, 2023...Match Analysis: Competitive, composed Valour FC hand York United nightmare start to crucial homestand
(from canpl.ca)
MATCH ANALYSIS: Competitive, composed Valour FC hand York United nightmare start to crucial homestand
2023-09-08
by MITCHELL TIERNEY, DIGITAL CONTENT PRODUCER (@MITCHELLTIERNEY)
Final Score: York United 1-3 Valour FC
Goalscorers: Santos 87'; Campbell 29', Gutiérrez 62', Ulloa 83'
Game of the 2023 season: 90
CPL match: 457
Match in a minute or less
It was another successful trip to York Lions Stadium for Valour FC, who picked up just their second away victory of the season
on Friday, both of which have come on the road against York United.
This time they managed to put three past young Adisa De Rosario, with Dante Campbell opening the scoring before captain
Diego Gutiérrez and Jared Ulloa added second-half efforts to secure three points. Kévin Santos scored the lone goal for the
hosts, albeit on a brilliant effort in the 87th minute.
The Nine Stripes played from the 39th minute onward down to ten men, with Noah Abatneh sent off. Mo Babouli, who was wearing
the armband, was also ejected in injury time.
The full ramifications for York United, beyond the pending suspensions remain to be seen, as they are still above the playoff line
on the total wins tiebreaker at the time of writing. Valour, meanwhile, stays alive after a loss could have meant mathematical
elimination from the playoffs — they move to nine points below York and the playoff line.
Three Observations
Valour FC shows compete and composure during a feisty affair at York Lions Stadium
Coming into this match twelve points out of the fifth and final playoff spot, Valour FC knew they would have to find motivation
from within against a highly motivated York side who were flying after a pair of comeback victories, particularly last time out
on the road in Halifax.
With York United desperate to get three points in their latest ‘cup final’, it was instead the visitors who looked the more
motivated side at York Lions Stadium. They took an early lead and then managed an emotional match exceptionally well and in the
end were full value in taking all of the points for themselves.
“Obviously the game got a bit chippy, they have to get the three points they are in a race, it got heated up but I think we kept
our cool and we were able to close the game,” said Valour FC head coach Phil Dos Santos.
Valour did an exceptional job, especially in the opening half, of holding onto the ball and making sure that York didn’t have
a chance to break away with any sort of speed. A key focus of the Winnipeg side of late has been making sure that they are set
in defence when other teams attacked them, so their 88.8 per cent passing and 56.9 per cent possession in the first half was critical.
From there, they were able to turn their attacking moments into goals, something they have not done often, especially on the
road this season. Coming into this match, Valour had scored just once in the first half away from home, so Campbell’s goal was
a crucial confidence boost. In total, they generated 1.69 expected goals on 11 shots. Campbell, Gutiérrez and Ulloa all did very
well to finish their respective chances, and hand Valour just their second three-goal performance of the season.
“A lot of the times this year we have had a good performance but we didn’t find the back of the net. Today I think it was just
everything that came full circle and I’m happy for the guys, first and foremost. I’m happy for the staff, and for Phil, it has
been a tough long year. We feel like we got what we deserved.”
Dante Campbell’s spacial awareness in hybrid fullback-midfield role critical in Valour Victory
It was an outstanding homecoming performance on Friday night from Valour FC’s Dante Campbell. The Etobicoke native, who played
most of his youth career in the Toronto FC system, was crucial to one of his side’s better performances of the season.
With Jordan Haynes coming back into the lineup at left fullback, Matteo de Brienne was moved further forward in his natural
position as a left winger. On the opposing side, in possession, fullback Campbell was allowed to drift into his more natural
position in midfield, with Haynes tucking into a back three, where he thrived. From that spot, he was able to create overloads
with Walter Ponce down the flank.
Campbell hit the crossbar just three minutes into the match. In the 29th minute, he was able to take an inside position in the
half-space and receive a ball from Marcello Polisi which he cleverly flicked into space. He then played a first-time ball through
to Kian Williams, before making a back-post run to tap home from close range.
“I always say this to our players, it is not about position it is about spaces and compensation,” said Dos Santos. “Then it is
about seeing what is on, and when we are on the ball taking the spaces and not being limited by the position so I felt that
Dante read a situation and he read it well and he found himself in a goalscoring position so good for him.”
He was able to take that space well throughout the match, completing three of four dribbles, making five touches inside the York
box, and creating three chances.
“Not used to it, but I always love to get on the scoresheet,” said Campbell with a chuckle. “First and foremost I’m here for
a team first to do whatever they need me to do, I see an opportunity to get forward and I took it.”
Another slow start, red card, cost York United critical points in tough start to their homestand
For the fifth straight match, York United allowed their opponent to land the opening blow, and this time they were unable to get
themselves back into the fight in what was a nightmare start to their four-game homestand.
Nash said his side didn’t have the energy from the start, as it was Valour who came out and controlled possession in the opening
minutes, with Campbell hitting the crossbar just two minutes into the match. Midway through the half, Campbell was allowed
to run into the York box undefended to open the scoring.
“I think everyone can agree it was a slow start, slower start than we wanted,” said defender Max Ferrari. “I think after the
goal we picked it up but obviously, stuff happened against us, I thought we reacted well, coming into the second half, the boys
were up for it. I think we got hard-done by the second goal and just not the night really we wanted.”
After that opening goal, things got even worse for York when central defender Noah Abatneh was sent off in the 39th minute.
York tried to get themselves back into the match, and had some good chances, but were left vulnerable defensively.
“It is tough when you don’t have another [centreback] on the bench, or any other defenders on the bench,” said York United
coach Martin Nash. “We kind of made due, I thought we did create, Austin had a chance to go 1-1. Keeper made a good chance
and we had another half-chance before they scored their second.”
After the second goal, he felt his side lost their composure a little bit given some of the calls that they felt had gone
against them. Up a man, Valour were able to confidently move the ball all around the field as they kept possession and forced
and frustrated York side to chase them, eventually scoring a third through Ulloa.
Nightmare or not, the Nine Stripes need to put this behind them and regroup as quickly as possible. They are still very much
in the race, especially if results elsewhere go their way this weekend. With three home matches in a row left, they can’t
allow a bad start to derail this do-or-die homestand.
“We know we are in a race, we know everyone is up for it, we know there are a bunch of teams who really want to make the
playoffs,” said Max Ferrari. “For us, we’ve got a big game coming up against Pacific. We will obviously look at this game
back, but then we will [look forward] and start looking at Pacific and keep our heads up.”
Nash said his group will now take the rest of the weekend off before getting back to the training ground to prepare for that
critical clash against the Tridents next Sunday, looking for their first victory against Pacific this season.
CanPL.ca Player of the Match
Dante Campbell, Valour FC
It was an outstanding performance on both sides of the ball from the Valour midfielder turned fullback. Aside from his goal,
and three chances created, he won eight of ten duels, made two interceptions and was fouled three times.
What’s next?
York United continues their homestand with another crucial match, this time against fellow playoff hopeful Pacific FC
on Sunday, September 17 (5:00 p.m. ET). Valour, meanwhile, are back home at IG Field, where they will also be in action
on Sunday, as they host Forge FC (1:00 p.m. CT / 2:00 p.m. ET). They have been highly successful against the three-time
champs in Winnipeg.
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