Unbeaten York Region Shooters clinched the CSL First Division title with a 1-1 tie with North York Astros, Kingston striker Mademba Ba scored four in his side’s 5-4 victory over Toronto Croatia, Burlington’s Nicolas Lindsay led his side with a hat-trick in a 4-2 win over Niagara United, Brampton City Utd dropped Serbian White Eagles 1-0, and Waterloo helped their playoff chances with a 2-1 defeat of London City, five games in a busy CSL first Division Sunday.
Midfielder Gabriel Gala opened the scoring for North York Astros at Esther Shiner Stadium in North York, the goal coming at the 11 minute mark and forward Oswald Adu scored the tying goal for York Region Shooters at 30 minutes, a 1-1 tie at half-time and at the final whistle.
The Shooters now have a 12-0-4 WLT record for 40 points in an unbeaten streak of 16 games to win the First Division. The side from just north of Toronto has two games remaining in the regular season, while North York Astros are at 6-5-5 for 23 points and in fourth position, also with two games remaining.
Forward Mademba Ba, the most prolific goalscorer for Kingston reserves in the Second Division with 31 to his credit this season, struck the first of his four goals for the Kingston FC First Division side at the Queen’s West Field in Kingston, the goal came at the 14 minute.
Toronto Croatia’s Sean Brown tied the score 1-1 at 24 minutes and two quick goals by defender Josip Keran,, one from a free kick at 32 minutes and the second from the penalty spot four minutes later, gave the visitors a 3-1 lead.
Ba responded with his second goal at 40 minutes and Kingston midfielder Nathan Klemencic found the net at 42 minutes to tie the game 3-3, the score at the interval.
Ba put the home side into a 4-3 lead at 51 minutes and Toronto Croatia’s Ante Zivkovic – who scored a hat-trick in last week’s 3-1 win over North York Astros – tied the game 4-4 when he found the net past Kingston goalkeeper Ewann Ofouya at 90 minutes.
Ba scored the winner in added time, for a 5-4 Kingston victory.
Kingston improve to a 7-6-3 WLT season record for 24 points and move up to third in the standings. The 2013 First Division winner also clinches a playoff spot and has two games remaining in the regular season schedule. Toronto Croatia are in second spot in the standings with a 10-3-3 record for 33 poinw
With both teams chasing a playoff spot, Brampton City Utd scored an important 1-0 victory over Serbian White Eagles at the Terry Fox Stadium in Chinguacousy Park, Brampton.
Following a scoreless first half, the lone goal came at 64 minutes by Brampton’s Juber Quintos who drove the ball into the lower right corner of the net from 20 yards and the 1-0 score held up to the final whistle.
Serbian White Eagles played with 10 men for the final 15 minutes following the ejection of midfielder Oscar Cordon at the 78 minute mark.
Brampton City Utd now have a 6-8-3 record for 21 points with one game remaining in the regular season, while Serbian White Eagles are at 4-7-5 for 17 points with two games still to be played.
Two second half goals by Waterloo’s Drazen Vukovic proved to be enough to give the southwestern Ontario side three points in their 2-1 victory over London City at the Warrior Field in Waterloo.
Vukovic scored at 63 and 70 minutes, his 14 and 15 goals of the season, and the 2-0 lead was followed by a goal from London’s league-leading goalscorer Marin Vucemilovic Grgic who found the net past Waterloo goalkeeper Imad Hakura at the 82 minute mark. It was goal number 20 for Grgic.
The win lifts Waterloo to a 6-7-4 record for 22 points for sixth position with one game remaining in the regular season, while London City have a 6-9-2 record for 20 points, also one game remaining and in eighth position in the standings.
Forward Nicolas Lindsay led Burlington SC with three goals, the hat-trick coming in the first half to give the home side a distinct edge in a well-played game with Niagara United at Nelson Stadium in Burlington.
Lindsay struck at 10 minutes, and this was followed by a goal from Burlington’s Marijan Vuka at 25 minutes for a 2-0 lead. Lindsay scored his second at 33 minutes to make it 3-0 for the home side, to be followed by a goal from Niagara’s Jordi Amores who found the net past Burlington goalkeeper Vladimir Vujasinovic at the 35 minute mark.
Lindsay completed his hat-trick at 42 minutes for a 4-1 Burlington lead at the interval and the 4-1 score carried through until Harrison Fyke scored a second goal for Niagara United at 90 minutes for a 4-2 final score in favour of Burlington.
Burlngton move up to be tied in fourth place in the standings with North York Astros, each have 23 points. Burlington has a 7-8-2 record for 23 points and have clinched a playoff spot with York Region Shooters, Toronto Croatia and Kingston FC
Niagara United have a 2-12-2 record for eight points at the foot of the table.
There were three games in the CSL Second Division Sunday, Kingston FC B and Toronto Croatia B played to a 1-1 tie, Niagara Falls B defeated Burlington SC B 4-1 and York Region Shooters tied 3-3 with Milton FC