FC UKRAINE UNITED ON TOP 3-2 IN WELL PLAYED ENCOUNTER SATURDAY
FC Ukraine United moved once more into the top position following a 3-2 victory over FC Vorkuta, a well-played and only game in the CSL First Division Saturday night.
Ukraine United midfielder Pavlo Lukianets opened the scoring shortly after the kickoff at Esther Shiner Stadium, lifting the ball from a set play over the wall into the corner of the net.
Vorkuta drew level at 27 minutes when a slip up by Ukraine United goalkeeper Oleksandr Popravka gave Vorkuta midfielder Bohdan Riabets an opportunity to put the ball into an empty net and the 1-1 score held to the interval.
Vitalii Bogdanov put Ukraine United into a 2-1 lead at 48 minutes, a drive from 22 yards following a poor clearance that entered the net out of reach of the home goalkeeper Oleksandr Musiienko.
Yuriy Sokolovskyi increased the lead to 3-1 at for the visitors, the Ukraine United midfielder closing in to find the net with only the goalkeeper to beat.
Vorkuta cut the lead to 3-2 at 74 minutes, a diving header by Oleksandr Volchkov off a corner kick by Maksym Gramm and the home side pressed for an equalizer with several close calls, but Ukraine United held the lead to the final whistle.
Ukraine United have a 10-2-2 WLT record for 32 points following the win, while Vorkuta – with one game in hand – are now second with a 9-2-2 record for 29 points. Scarborough SC is running in third position with 22 points, Serbian White Eagles have 18, Waterloo 17 and Hamilton City 16.
The post regular season playoffs begin late September when the top eight First Division teams entering the quarter finals. The First Division winner will be at home to the team in the eighth position in the standings and it will be 2 vs 7, 3 vs 6 and 4 vs 5.
CSL tie-breaker rules will apply for teams tied on points in the final regular season standings. The first- tie-breaker is total wins between two teams tied on points, the second tie-breaker is head to head based on total points. If still tied, the third tie-breaker is goal difference and the fourth tie-breaker, if necessary, is total goals scored.
Six First Division teams have so far secured a post-season berth in the CSL Championship playoffs – they are FC Ukraine United, FC Vorkuta, Scarborough SC, Serbian White Eagles, SC Waterloo and Hamilton City. Two more from the three remaining teams will gain a berth. The remaining teams are: Brantford Galaxy, Real Mississauga and CSC Mississauga.