WADE ALLEN RETURNS WITH TWO GOALS IN 3-1 WINDSOR VICTORY
SHOOTERS, KINGSTON AIM FOR THE TOP……Two more postponments at Centennial Stadium
TORONTO CROATIA PRECARIOUSLY ON TOP….Brampton nip Serbian Eagles 1-0
Toronto Croatia won their second game of the weekend and ninth of the season to assume the top position in the CSL First Division following a 4-0 victory over SC Waterloo Sunday night.
But it’s a precarious lead as just three points separate the top four clubs and these clubs appear to be setting the remaining eight teams adrift to settle the four spots left for playoff positions – the top eight teams qualify for the post-regular season competition leading to the CSL Championship.
Midfielder Jarek Whiteman opened the scoring for Toronto Croatia at 41 minutes at Warrior Field in Waterloo, he drove the ball into the net from 25 yards following a save by Waterloo goalkeeper Imad Hakura. It was 1-0 at the break.
Defender Josip Keran made it 2-0 at 53 minutes for the visitors, his fifth goal of the season and Hayden Fitzwilliams increased the lead to 3-0 when he found the net at 80 minutes. Tihomir Maletic scored the final goal to make it 4-0 at 87 minutes – he scored following a rebound off the goalpost. It was Maletic’s seventh of the season.
Toronto Croatia move up with a 9-2-3 WLT record for 30 points, while SC Waterloo are at 5-4-3 for 18 points.
It was a well-played and hard-fought encounter at Victoria Park in Brampton where the home side secured an important three points with a 1-0 narrow victory over Serbian White Eagles.
Defender Danny Velastegui scored on the half-hour mark for Brampton, he drove the ball past Serbian White Eagles goalkeeper Scott Cliff following a scramble in the box and the goal held up until the final whistle.
Brampton improve to 9-3-0 in fourth position in the standings, while Serbian White Eagles are at 3-8-1 for 10 points.
There were two games in the CSL Second Division Sunday:
SECOND DIVISION
Brampton City Utd B 4, Serbian White Eagles B 0
Niagara United B 4, St. Catharines Wolves B 1
PIO LEADS WINDSOR WITH TWO GOALS …….second half Niagara collapse
Forward Michael Pio led Windsor Stars with two goals to a 4-1 away victory in the only game played in the Canadian Soccer League’s top division Saturday night.
Played at the Kalar Sports Park at Niagara Falls, Windsor took a 1-0 lead on a goal at 21 minutes by Michael Watson, an opener that started with a free kick outside the box for Windsor Stars and following a good passing play, Watson struck the ball past Niagara goalkeeper John DeLuca from six yards. It was 1-0 at the interval.
Niagara’s Tyler Hibbs tied the game 1-1 at the 60th minute mark – he beat Windsor goalkeeper Dejo Olagbegi from 10 yards following a deflection – before Pio scored his first goal four minutes later for a 2-1 Windsor lead.
Pio struck his second goal at 79 minutes to give the Windsor forward his sixth of the season and a 3-1 lead in a game turning quickly in favour of the visitors.
Midfielder Alexander Rickett rounded the scoring to 4-1 for Windsor Stars at 84 minutes, the score at the final whistle.
The win improves Windsor to a 4-5-3 WLT record for 15 points, moving the border team to 7th in the standings, while Niagara United are at 1-9-3 for six points and without a win since June 14.
There was one game in the CSL Second Division Saturday when London City B defeated SC Waterloo B, 6-3.
Remaining games this weekend:
FIRST DIVISION
Sun, Aug 4 Victoria Park 5:30 PM Brampton City Utd vs Serbian White Eagles
(Ref: Marie-Soleil Beaudoin, Assist. Gianni Facchini, Peter Pendli 4th.Niquita Amirkhanian)
Sun, Aug 4 Warrior Field 7 PM SC Waterloo vs Toronto Croatia
(Ref: Benjaman Jacobs, Assist.David Di Pasquale, Saman Sahraeinejad, 4th. Scott Decker)
SECOND DIVISION
Sun, Aug 4 Victoria Park 3 PM Brampton City Utd B vs Serbian White Eagles B
Sun, Aug 4 Club Roma 6 PM St. Catharines Wolves B vs Niagara United B
TORONTO CROATIA TRIUMPH IN LONDON…Nudge closer to the top
Toronto Croatia nudged a little closer to the top with a 2-0 defeat of London City at the Hellenic Centre in London, the only game in the CSL Friday night.
Played in torrential rain most of the first half, the defending CSL champions attacked early and scored after 10 minutes on a goal by forward Kresimir Prgomet who took a pass from Tihomir Maletic to find the net from five yards. It was Prgomet’s eighth goal of the season and the first half ended 1-0.
London pressed for an equalizer in the second half, but the score stood until the 90th minute when Augustin De Medina made it 2-0 for the visitors. De Medina drove the ball from 25 yards to beat London goalkeeper Vladimir Markotic, the ball entering the bottom left corner of the net.
The win moved Toronto Croatia into third place with an 8-2-3 WLT record for 27 points, a point behind leaders Kingston FC and York Region Shooters. London City now have a 5-6-3 record for 18 points.
A second game scheduled for Friday night, Serbian White Eagles vs. SC Waterloo, was postponed on Thursday due to the condition of the playing surface at Centennial Stadium damaged by flooding on July 8. The game is expected to be played sometime in September.
Remaining games in the CSL this weekend:
FIRST DIVISION
Sat, Aug 3 Kalar Sports Park 7 PM Niagara United vs Windsor Stars
(Ref: Scott Decker, Assist. Alex Themistocleous, Michael Bradley 4th.Joseph D’Onofrio)
Sun, Aug 4 Victoria Park 5:30 PM Brampton City Utd vs Serbian White Eagles
(Ref: Marie-Soleil Beaudoin, Assist. Gianni Facchini, Peter Pendli 4th.Niquita Amirkhanian
Sun, Aug 4 Warrior Field 7 PM SC Waterloo vs Toronto Croatia
(Ref: Benjaman Jacobs, Assist.David Di Pasquale, Saman Sahraeinejad, 4th. Scott Decker)
SECOND DIVISION
Sat, Aug 3 Portuguese/Oriental 11 AM SC Waterloo B vs London City B
Sun, Aug 4 Victoria Park 3 PM Brampton City Utd B vs Serbian White Eagles B
Sun, Aug 4 Club Roma 6 PM St. Catharines Wolves B vs Niagara United B
TORONTO CROATIA CAN TAKE TOP SPOT……One game postponed in CSL weekend schedule
– With the league leaders Kingston FC and York Region Shooters without a game this weekend, Toronto Croatia with two games on schedule has an opportunity to take the top position in the CSL First Division.
But not an easy proposition for the current CSL champions while they take a swing through southwestern Ontario in an attempt to overcome London City in London on Friday and SC Waterloo at Warrior Field in Waterloo on Sunday night.
In-form Waterloo in particular, will be difficult as they move closer to a serious bid for the title and out to make amends for a tough 1-0 loss to York Region Shooters on July 28, a game that could have gone either way.
Brampton City Utd are hoping to improve their position near the top with a win from their home encounter with Serbian white Eagles at Victoria Park on Sunday.
Serbian White Eagles will be idle on Friday night following a last minute postponement of their home game against SC Waterloo, a game called off Thursday when it was announced the surface at Centennial Stadium has not yet recovered from the water damage following serious flooding on July 8.
In a well-played entertaining friendly at Kingston Thursday afternoon, CSL league leaders Kingston FC and the touring Swedish team Gute FC played to a 3-3 draw.
The upcoming weekend games :
FIRST DIVISION
Fri, Aug 2 Hellenic Centre 8:30 PM London City vs Toronto Croatia
(Ref: Arthur Korbiel, Assist. John Dutot, Nima Pejman, 4th.John Oliva)
Sat, Aug 3 Kalar Sports Park 7 PM Niagara United vs Windsor Stars
(Ref: Scott Decker, Assist. Alex Themistocleous, Michael Bradley 4th.Joseph D’Onofrio)
Sun, Aug 4 Victoria Park 5:30 PM Brampton City Utd vs Serbian White Eagles
(Ref: Marie-Soleil Beaudoin, Assist. Gianni Facchini, Peter Pendli 4th.Niquita Amirkhanian
Sun, Aug 4 Warrior Field 7 PM SC Waterloo vs Toronto Croatia
(Ref: Benjaman Jacobs, Assist.David Di Pasquale, Saman Sahraeinejad, 4th. Scott Decker)
SECOND DIVISION
Sat, Aug 3 Portuguese/Oriental 11 AM SC Waterloo B vs London City B
Sun, Aug 4 Victoria Park 3 PM Brampton City Utd B vs Serbian White Eagles B
Sun, Aug 4 Club Roma 6 PM St. Catharines Wolves B vs Niagara United B
Fri, Aug 2 Centennial Stadium 9 PM Serbian White Eagles vs SC Waterloo POSTPONED
FIRST HALF MIDWEEK VICTORY FOR ASTROS VASAS …..Erik Gulyas leads with two goals
Astros Vasas FC won their fourth game of the season with a 3-2 victory over St. Catharines Wolves in the only game played in the CSL Wednesday.
All goals were struck in the first 45 minutes and the first came early – just one minute after the game got underway when forward Erik Gulyas hit the ball from five yards against the right post with St. Catharines goalkeeper Matthew Greco helpless as the ball entered the net.
Gulyas was on hand to score the second goal for the visitors 13 minutes later when he struck the rebound from Toth who punched out a first attempt on goal. It was a 2-0 Astros lead and the third of the season for Gulyas.
Jose Melo made it 3-0 at the 20 minute mark – he headed in his fourth goal of the current campaign.
St. Catharines started a recovery when Brett Larocque scored his fourth of the season at the half-hour mark, the goal starting with a free kick before the St. Catharines forward collected the ball to beat Astros Vasas goalkeeper Antal Andres Toth, a 3-1 score.
The Garden City side kept up the pressure in an effort to get on even terms and a second goal came at 34 minutes by Antonio Stranges during a skirmish in front of the Astros goal. It was 3-2 at the break and 3-2 at the final whistle, but not before the woodwork played a part during attempts to equalize by the home side during what turned out to be a scoreless second half.
Astros Vasas FC are rewarded with a 7th place in the standing as a result of the victory, they now have a 4-8-2 record for 14 points and climbing, while St. Catharines Roma Wolves are at 3-8-0 with nine points.
YORK REGION SHOOTERS MAKE IT EIGHT IN A ROW…Toronto Croatia rebounds while Brampton falls to London City
York Region
Shooters extended their winning streak to eight games, Toronto Croatia bounced
back with a victory over Burlington SC and Brampton City Utd fell to London
City, three games in the CSL Sunday.
It was
scoreless for most of the hard-fought contest at Victoria Park in Brampton with
the first goal coming at 78 minutes when London City midfielder Harris Faziagic
opened the scoring for the visitors, a well-taken goal while cutting in from
the right wing to drive the ball in off the post away from a beaten Camilo
Benzi in the Brampton goal.
Just six
minutes later, Benzi was shown the red card by referee David Di Pasquale who
ejected the Brampton goalkeeper for Violent Conduct.
Brampton
pressed to get on even terms in the latter stages, but London increased their
lead when Jefferson Omide Agaiha scored into an empty net at 99 minutes while
substitute Brampton goalkeeper Euloge Kodzo Awitor was caught out of position.
The defeat
is a set-back for the home side while bidding for the First Division title. The
GTA side are third in the standings with an 8-3-0 for 24 points, while London
City improve with a 5-5-3 record for 18 points.
It was a
chippy encounter at the St. Joan of Arc ground in Maple where the home side
York Region Shooters eked out a 1-0 victory over SC Waterloo to extend their
winning streak to eight games, but it was all in doubt until the final whistle.
The first
half was scoreless but not without incident with referee Ramee Arbaji extended
to keep the game under control. York Region
Shooters opened the scoring at 65 minutes, a goal by midfielder Ali Hamam, his
sixth of the season. Hamam drove the ball from 12 yards on to a Waterloo
defender and the ball deflected to enter the net to the right of goalkeeper
Imad Hakura.
It was a close
contest through the second half and
Waterloo had an opportunity to tie the game from the penalty spot when referee
Arbaji called a foul inside the box at the 94th minute mark, but
Drazen Vukovic hit the post with the Shooters goalkeeper Adrian Ibanez well
beaten.
The eight
game winning streak gives York Region a 9-2-1 record for 28 points, tied with
Kingston FC for the top position. SC Waterloo has a 5-3-3 record for 18 points
and still very much in contention.
It was a
ding-dong affair at Nelson Stadium in Burlington where the lead changed hands
starting with Burlington scoring a go-ahead goal against Toronto Croatia at the
sixth minute mark, a goal by midfielder Nicholas Lindsay.
Tihomir Maletic tied the game 1-1 for Toronto
Croatia at the 18th minute mark, the score at half-time, and the prolific striker again beat Burlington
goalkeeper Vladimir Vujasinovic at 55
minutes for a 2-1 Croatia lead. The goals were Maletic’s 5th and 6th
of the season.
Lindsay
struck again just three minutes later for the home side to level the score 2-2, his 7th goal of the campaign, but
Toronto Croatia forward Kresimir Prgomet
scored the winning goal at the 71st minute mark – a 3-2 lead that
held up to the final whistle.
Prgomet’s winning
goal was his 7th of the season and the victory lifted Toronto
Croatia to a 7-2-3 record for 24 points, tied for third place in the standings.
Burlington FC have a 4-7-0 record for 12 points.
There were
two games in the CSL Second Division Sunday, York Region Shooters B defeated SC
Waterloo B 3-1 and Brampton City Utd B downed London City B, 3-0.
KINGSTON GO THREE POINTS CLEAR…..Serbian Eagles and Astros Vasas also score victories Saturday
Kingston FC took a three-point lead at the top of the CSL First Division following a 2-0 defeat of St. Catharines Wolves, while Astros Vasas FC and Serbian White Eagles both scored important victories in a bid for playoff spots, three games in the CSL Saturday.
Kingston had a distinct edge in the play throughout and opening the scoring at the Kiwanis Park in St Catharines with a goal by midfielder Jason Massie at 23 minutes. Massie collected a pass inside the box to drive into the net from 10 yards to the left of St.Catharines goalkeeper Matthew Greco. It was Massie’s eighth goal of the season and it was 1-0 at the break.
Forward Mademba Ba struck the second goal for the visitors at 74 minutes when he headed in a cross from the right for a 2-0 final score to give Kingston their ninth win of the season and a 9-3-1 record for 28 points at the top. St. Catharines are at 3-7-0 for 9 points.
Serbian White Eagles opened the scoring early at Windsor Stadium and never looked back following a goal by Ivan Stankovic at the two minute mark. The goal came from a free kick taken just outside the box, a 1-0 lead for the visitors.
Sahjah Reid struck his first of two goals at 34 minutes for Serbian Eagles for a 2-0 lead and four minutes later Windsor player David Kadoic was shown the red card by referee Scott Decker for serious foul play.
Reid scored his second at 61 minutes to complete the scoring for the Toronto-based team and despite good efforts and a close call from Windsor’s Chad Stuecher the home side failed to find the net and the game ended 3-0 in favour of Serbian White Eagles.
Astros Vasas FC continues to show good form and that paid off with a win over Niagara United at Kalar Park in Niagara Falls.
The visitors led 1-0 on a goal by forward Erik Gulyas at five minutes – he found the net past Niagara goalkeeper Jonathan Bruggeling after collecting a cross from the right wing, and midfielder Robin Sibalin made it 2-0 at 30 minutes, the score at the interval.
Jose Melo increased the lead to 3-0 for Astros Vasas FC, his third of the season and Niagara reduced the lead on a goal by Derek Paterson, his second of the campaign for a 3-1 Astros Vasas lead at half-time.
Zoltan Szekely struck a 4th goal for the visiting team at the 69th minute mark and Niagara replied with a goal in added time by Jordi Amores for a 4-2 final in favour of Astros Vasas.
There was one game in the CSL Second Division, St. Catharines Wolves B defeating Kingston FC B 3-0 at St.Catharines.
Remaining games in the CSL this weekend:
FIRST DIVISION
Sun, Jul 28 Victoria Park 5:30 PM Brampton City Utd vs London City
Sun, Jul 28 St. Joan of Arc 6:30 PM York Region Shooters vs SC Waterloo
Sun, Jul 28 Nelson Stadium 8 PM Burlington SC vs Toronto Croatia
SECOND DIVISION
Sun, Jul 28 Victoria Park 3 PM Brampton City Utd B vs London City B and at St. Joan of Arc 4 PM York Region Shooters B vs SC Waterloo B.
CROATIA LOSSES ATTRACTING ATTENTION…Winless in three contrasts with an enviable 12-month stretch as CSL champs
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