When Serbian White Eagles players walked off the field following the final whistle of their match against York Region Shooters last Sunday, June 5, it was reminiscent of a key semi-final match lost on Sunday, October 17 2021 when with seconds remaining and leading 1-0 their opponents FC Vorkuta tied the game 1-1. Then with almost no time remaining Vorkuta scored from a snap shot just inside the box for a 2-1 victory which took the winner to the ProSound Cup Final on October 24.
Serbian White Eagles did not score in the 1-0 loss to the Shooters last week, it was yet another lost opportunity for a victory following weak finishing during a second half that gave the White Eagles no less than six serious opportunities to score, but failed to find the net. The poor finishing, a breakdown inside the opponent’s box is a repeat of the 2021 season when the team tallied a dismal approx. one goal per game for a disappointing position in the regular season standings and nowhere to go in the playoffs.
Serbian White Eagles meet Scarborough in the early game this coming Sunday, June 12 and last season’s championship winner looked strong on June 5 with a 7-0 victory over Toronto Falcons.
“We look forward to meeting Scarborough with a side that needs some luck better than last week and we are improving with new signings,” said SWE president Dragan Bakoc midweek. Bakoc was referring to defenders Srdjan Simovic and Ivan Cendic, midfielder Nikola Durkovic, also goalkeeper Nikola Timotijevic who steps in for the injured John Trye, out since the Sierra Leone international ‘keeper came crashing down after leaping for a high cross above the six yard line in last year’s ProSound semi final. Adrian Cann, one of Canada’s top defenders over the years, has also re-signed for this season, but it’s goals that count and whether strengthening the defence will bring form and much needed goals so well demonstrated in the championship years of 2008 and 2016 remains to be seen.
York Region Shooters come off the June 5 victory to meet BGHC 1 at 4 pm on Sunday, the Brantford Galaxy/Hamilton City combined team went down 5-0 to Continentals FC that day. Expansion team Toronto Falcons and Continentals FC clash in the late game at 6 pm.
Stan Adamson
