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Woodbridge Stays First In East After 3-2 Result Over Junior Reds

By League1 Ontario staff, 06/27/16, 4:45PM EDT

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Canada men's pool player and ex-Dundee United FC midfielder Dylan Carriero (6') got Woodbridge Strikers off to an early start in their 3-2 victory over Toronto FC Academy on Sunday. 

"What was important was to come up with a result to stay on top and with a man down for 30 minutes I have to give credit to my boys," said Woodbridge head coach, Peter Pinizzotto. "They worked hard. We didn't play that well because again we played on Friday night in Kingston, so it's been tough. It has been a tough nine days."

Canada U17 player Luca Petrasso (22') responded for the home side before the half, before an action-packed second half ensued. 

With both sides trying to cope with sweltering heat, fatigue began to play an obvious role in the contest. Woodbridge defender Brandon Wellington was dismissed after receiving two cautions early in the second half. Still, there was some consolation for the Strikers in that Ignazio Muccilli (60') potted a go-ahead goal just before his teammate was dismissed.   

Instead of wilting in the circumstances, Woodbridge showed the maturity that has brought them to the top of the east division and made the team a defensive powerhouse. 

Mikateko Zwane (75') gave Strikers some breathing room on the scoreboard and on the pitch with his strike in the final fifteen minutes, but Jacob Maurutto-Robinson (80') again made the finale a tense one with his late strike. Ultimately, however, the Junior Reds could not find a way through the Strikers defence to score another and attain a late draw. 

"It's about game management as well and Woodbridge did a very good job of that today," said Toronto FC's Danny Dichio. "We're still naive at times because we're still very young, but that is what we're trying to teach our younger players - the tactics are one side of it, but also game management and how you manage certain parts of the game - winning or losing - needs to be improved."

"Great learning tools for the players to take in, but at the end of the day we want to win games and we didn't win today." 

Woodbridge solidified their position at the top of the east division with the result, but only have three points on second place team Durham United FA; Durham has played one less match. 

Woodbridge plays North Mississauga Panthers on July 3 (7 p.m.) at Vaughan Grove, Woodbridge. 

Toronto FC Academy is in sixth position in the west division, and will next play the first place team Sigma FC on June 30 (9 p.m.) at Hershey Centre, Mississauga.