skip navigation

Woodbridge Strikers 2 - Master's Futbol Academy Saints 0

By lo admin, 06/10/14, 3:45PM EDT

Share

Woodbridge Strikers 2 - Master's Futbol Academy Saints 0

Tue Jun 10 
Written By: Cromie, Chris

Woodbridge Strikers grabbed their second win of the season with a 2-0 victory over Master's FA at the Vaughan Grove Sports Complex. A balanced match-up between two talented sides, it took a controversial no-call in the 59th minute to break the deadlock. 

From  kick off, both teams toiled under a wet and windy sky, and the first fifteen minutes saw the players struggle to adjust to the conditions. Master's quick passing game suffered on the damp turf while the Woodbridge backline settled for pinging balls forward in an attempt to release Nicholas Chiarot down the right. The Strikers' winger was the two-goal star of their Week One game, but couldn't connect early on. 

As the first half progressed, Master's Saints standout Michael Themelis came into his own with the midfielder delivering a number of Steven Gerrard-esque decisive tackles and surging runs. In the 30th minute, Themelis found himself free from twenty yards and fired from distance, forcing goalkeeper Michael Scavone to produce a good save to his left. 

In response, Strikers' forward Oscar Cordon threaded the needle with a beautiful 41st minute through ball to Chiarot down the right. The young winger fizzed a cross to Michael Holder, but the forward struggled to direct his header goal-ward. The first half finished scoreless with the home side looking the likelier to land on the score-sheet. 

After halftime, Woodbridge coach Peter Pinizzotto opted to have the free-roaming Armin Tankovic and Chiarot swap flanks. Within fifteen minutes, the move would prove decisive.

The Strikers' 59th minute goal began with Chiarot picking up the ball on the left hand side and sprinting towards the byline. The winger's low cross was collected by Tankovic and the forward neatly finished from six yards out. Convinced that the ball had crossed the line before Chiarot's pass, the Master's Saints players were in disbelief. They looked to the referee's assistant on the far side in vain, but his flag had stayed by his side. 1-0 Woodbridge. 

With the lead secured, the Strikers moved to try and close the game down with a 66th minute double substitution, which included Damien Graham replacing the goal scorer Tankovic. Graham played much tighter to his midfield, shutting down passing channels and pressing the ball.

Master's Saints looked for an equalizer but found their chances limited. In the 73rd minute, forward Franck Kove did well to beat centre-half Kasra Dehdezi, but his shot skewered the wrong side of the post. Seven minutes later, Woodbridge doubled their lead. A low cross from an Ernesto Gaita corner deflected off the Master's backline and trundled into the back of the net. The goal was awarded to the midfielder, sealing all three points for Woodbridge and maintaining their 100% record going into Week Three of League1 Ontario.