Soccer In Toronto 05.06.12

By Rocket Robin Soccer In Toronto

CSL Result
Sunday May 6, 2012

Final Score
York Region Shooters 1 Brampton Galaxy 0

Venue
St Joan of Arc CHS, Vaughan

Kickoff
6:30 pm

Highlights
9 min… YRS Aundrae Rollins GOAL
YRS Desmond Humphrey sends over a centering pass from the left that Rollins receives, turns quickly, and blasts 22 yard shot into the top right corner of the net beyond the flying
goalie Melford James Jr.

Notes
Attendance was a constant 200 on this warm and sunny day for this home opener for the Shooters. The crowd was already ‘here’ as there was a game of two Shooters Academy teams that finished just before this game started. These were a group of Under 17 teams I found out later. I’ve seen games in other season with crowds like this for 9 year olds and as soon as the game is over, Mommy and Daddy take their young family home right away. This was different as the players were only two years away from playing for the pros.

The official CSL Second Division game between Shooters B and Mississauga Eagles FC B teams started right after the pro game ended. The only folks who seemed to leave were those not dressed warm enough as the temperature fell.

Camilo Benzi earned the shutout for the Shooters. He had to be sharp but cut down on some dangerous changes by coming out of his box to clear some through balls with punts, headers and a few chested balls.

Shooters didn’t lay back but really did try to get an insurance goal right until the end but because they couldn’t convert, the Galaxy were always in the game and could have won.

Best non-scoring chances in the game were at 11 minutes when YRS Matt O’Connor took a corner kick from the right that was over the players in the box but a YRS player crossed back into the box from the left and Aundrae Rollins leaped and headed a 5 yarder from the right post over the net. 65 minutes had YRS Desmond Humphrey intercept a pass and step up and take a 25 yard low shot that the diving goalie blocked.

YRS Julian Uccello (halftime sub) recovered the ball on the left end line at 12 yards and rolled an unplayed ball through the 6 yard box. At 72 minutes YRS Ricky Herron charged on the right and crossed into the box where Uccello headed over the net from 6 yards. One minute later, YRS Darryl Gomez at 30 yards on the right sent a low cross and Uccello blasted a one-touch shot just over the net from 12 yards.

At 76 minutes Galaxy Damion Scott took a 35 yard freekick from the right that had Preston Corporal head a low 15 yarder down the middle that the YRS goalie was able to smother. 86 minutes had a YRS player take a freekick from near the left corner flag has the Galaxy goalie punch the ball forward in a crowd of players in the box. YRS Fitzroy Christey blasted the rebound from 35 yards that the goalie flew to the left post to bat down.

Many of the formations for both teams had rushes of two or three players against five or six defenders. Lots of offside flags were shown or those forwards were caught from behind as they tried to get by those defenders.

Justin Tasev was today’s referee and controlled the game without having to give out any Yellow cards.

Galaxy had turned their roster over from last season but many names looked familiar. There aren’t any of the eastern Europeans playing for them this year confirmed club official Jim Turnbull. Only three starters were on last year’s team. Defenders Robert Turnbull and Zoran Maletic and midfielder Kyle Grooteboer. The others were mostly CSL players from different squads from last year. Jeremy Shepherd played for Brampton City United, Damion Scott from Mississauga Eagles, goalie Melford James Jr from Mississauga Eagles (and Hamilton Croatia two years ago), Preston Corporal from Hamilton Croatia—also head coach Ron Davidson who coached Hamilton Croatia their only year in the CSL and last year coached youth players in Hamilton. Christopher Leko and Braeden Krampert both played for last year’s CSL champs Toronto Croatia.

Defender Logan Alexander is from Bermuda proving that country has more than just Reggie Lambe (from MLS Toronto FC). Six of the seven bench players were from last year’s Galaxy team. [Thanks to Jim Turnbull and coach Ron Davidson for filling out what I'd missed.] These Galaxy officials said they were quite confident in their team as they’d only had this lineup training together for the last two weeks.

Shooters will have more offensive firepower soon. Captain Kadian Lecky said he will be finished a league suspension carried over from last year by next weekend. Another forward, Diego Maradona (yeah nephew of that Argentinian hero) said he was three weeks into recovering from a torn quad and may be back as soon as next week. Both watched the game from the stands.

This is the only game these two teams will play against each other in the regular season this year (16 teams playing 22 games each) although both look good enough to make the playoffs.