York Region Shooters opened their season with a 3-2 victory over Brantford Galaxy in a tough encounter at Lions Park in Brantford, the only First Division match in the Canadian Soccer League Sunday.
It was Brantford’s second game of the 2016 campaign following the scoreless tie against Toronto Atomic FC on May 21.
York Region midfielder Richard Edwards opened the scoring for the visitors at 17 minutes, a blistering free kick from 25 yards that caught the top corner of the net out of reach of Galaxy goalkeeper Luka Besenic.
Brantford tied the score 1-1 at 24 minutes, a goal by midfielder Stefan Vukovic who beat York Region goalkeeper Emanuelle Ameltonis, and York Region took a 2-1 lead five minutes later when referee Tony Amaral pointed to the penalty spot following a foul in the Galaxy box. Marcos Rodriguez struck the penalty kick and found the net. It was 2-1 for York Region Shooters at the interval.
Forward Richard West increased the visitors’ lead to 3-1 at 79 minutes after coming on as a substitute and Vukovic scored his second goal for Brantford at 82 minutes, reducing the Shooters’ lead to 3-2.
York Region Shooters were reduced to 10 men at the 86th minute mark when defender Marcelo Capozzolo was shown the red card by referee Amaral for what was reported as Serious Foul Play.
There was one game in the Second Division Sunday afternoon when the Galaxy reserve team, Brantford Galaxy B defeated York Region Shooters B, 3-1.