Kingston defeated Waterloo 2-0 and York Region downed Niagara 5-1 to keep up strong bids for the CSL First Division title, while Astros Vasas gained a 2-1 away win over Burlington and St. Catharines Wolves nipped Windsor Stars 1-0, four games in the CSL Sunday.
Kingston FC opened the scoring at Warrior Field in Waterloo with a goal by striker Guillaume Surot who scored from the penalty spot at the 40th minute mark following a foul in the penalty box and the ejection by referee Marie-Soleil Beaudoin of Waterloo defender Jake Inglis. It was Surot’s 24th goal of the season and it was 1-0 at the break.
Forward Mademba Ba made it 2-0 for the visitors at 84 minutes, the score at the final whistle and a victory that lifted Kingston three points clear at the top of the First Division standings.
The home side had an edge in the first half at Nelson Stadium, but Burlington failed to take the lead when Nikola Stanojevic missed a penalty. The spot-kick was called by referee Benjamin Jacobs at 25 minutes when Astros Vasas goalkeeper Matthew George brought down Burlington’s Darko Thomas in the box. It was scoreless at the break.
Astros’ forward Evan James opened the scoring when he found the net past Burlington goalkeeper Vladimir Vujasinovic at the 48th minute mark, but Burlington tied the score 1-1 at 75 minutes on a goal by Storm Wishart.
James struck the winner for the visitors at 88 minutes, a 2-1 victory at the final whistle for the North York side, a win that improved their record to 7-11-2 for 23 points, while Burlington are at 6-13-0 for 18 points.
Richard West struck two first half goals for York Region Shooters against Niagara United at the St. Joan of Arc ground, he found the net past Niagara goalkeeper Brad Gemmell at 16 and 44 minutes, his 16th and 17th goals of the season to move into second position in the scoring title race. It was 2-0 at half-time.
Mario Orestano made it 3-0 at 57 minutes, taking a pass from Kadian Lecky, and at 82 minutes Niagara’s Anthony Mermigas found the net past York Region goalkeeper Emanuelle Ameltonis, a goal that cut the lead to 3-1.
Lecky scored twice in 60 seconds of added time, his 4th and 5th of the season for a 5-1 final score.
At Club Roma in St. Catharines the home side won their seventh game of the season in rain-swept conditions with an early second half goal by Mohammed Mohammed, his seventh goal of the season. Mohammed beat Windsor goalkeeper Dejo Olagbegi from close range off a cross from the right wing.
The win means the Garden City side still has an opportunity to clinch a playoff spot with its 21 points and three games remaining.
In the CSL Second Division, it was St. Catharines Wolves B 2, SC Waterloo B 1, while York Region Shooters B and Niagara United B played to a 1-1 tie. London City B, Niagara United B, Toronto Croatia B and St. Catharines Wolves B have all clinched playoff berths – there are four spots remaining.