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Alliance Continue Grip On First, Aurora's Vilela Goes First In Golden Boot, Skillz Wonder Goal

By League1 Ontario staff, 07/23/19, 12:45PM EDT

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(Photo: Bob Twidle)


(Photo: Martin Bazyl Photography)

Alliance United continue their league-leading form with a solid 2-nil result over Sigma, while FC London and Oakville Blue Devils battle to a scoreless draw. 

Elsewhere, Aurora FC continue their goal-scoring exploits as Filipe Vilela gets a hat-trick in a 4-1 defeat of Toronto Skillz. However, the goal from Skillz was the one everyone will remember - check out a clip below!

Find match briefs, full match video and a selection of high-res photography below as well!  

 


(Photo: Bob Twidle)

Oakville Blue Devils and FC London walked away with a point each as both teams were unable to find the back of the net in the course of 90 minutes.

First half action saw Oakville with a lot of possession and shots on and off target, while FC London struggled to get any shots off. Two notable efforts came for Oakville from Khody Ellis and Carlo DiFeo, but both chances were denied by the diving hands of FC London goalkeeper, Anthony Sokalski. Sokalski was kept busy and did well to keep the score line leveled at nil.

Second half action saw Oakville moving the ball well, but they struggled to execute in the final third of the pitch, firing seven shots off target and none on target. FC London's four chances on target came from counter-attacks. Notable efforts were registered by Mohammed Nafar, and substitutes Mike Sneddon and Ben Vyfschaft.

FC London had two great chances to put the game away in the dying seconds, but were ultimately denied by Oakville's goalkeeper, Lucas Birnstingl, who stepped up to claim a point for the home side.

Oakville Blue Devils will next play Toronto Skillz on July 28 (2 p.m.) at Birchmount Stadium, Toronto. 

FC London will next play Windsor TFC on July 26 (8 p.m.) at German Canadian Club Stadium, London.

(Irene Halis)


(Photo: Martin Bazyl Photography)

Alliance United FC reclaimed first place while maintaining their undefeated season as they rolled to an impressive 2-0 victory over ten man Sigma FC at Mount Joy, Markham on Sunday. 

Both teams battled in a physical and confrontational match, but the home team came out on top after early substitute Dieu Yuma (45' + 2') opened the scoring late in the first half. Nicholas Osorio slid to win the ball in the Sigma box, providing a sublime cross across the face for Yuma to tap in.

Alliance carried the momentum into the second half, while Sigma became increasingly frustrated by Alliance's defensive effectiveness. After a hard tackle, Sigma's Samuel Gardner was issued a yellow card. Cody Green was dismissed two minutes later after arguing with the official, leaving Sigma down a goal and a player.

After driving in from the left, Farrell Francis (67') quickly cut to his right and hit a low shot into the corner, doubling the lead to 2-0.

Three minutes later, Alliance thought they had scored a third goal on a free-kick, but the play was ruled offside. 

Despite being outnumbered, Sigma pushed to cut the deficit. Noah Jensen and Tyriq Armstrong combined to unleash a shot in the box, but Alliance goalkeeper Praveen Ahilan made the huge reflex save to parry it over the goal. 

Ahilan earned his team their tenth clean sheet of the season, and Alliance have not conceded a goal in their last 457 minutes. Their last goal against was when they last faced Aurora FC in June. Alliance's defence has been stellar all season, only allowing four goals since the beginning. 

Not to be outdone, Sigma goalkeeper Baj Maan made a highlight save of his own in the first half. Anselmo Kim launched a shot from distance in the 21st minute, but Maan tipped it over the crossbar.

Alliance United FC (9-0-3) retake the first-place throne with 30 points. Their goal differential is at +16 (20 GF, 4 GA). 

Alliance close their campaign before the playoffs with three away matches.

Alliance will next play Vaughan Azzurri on July 28 (8 p.m.) at North Maple Regional Park Turf #1, Vaughan.

Sigma FC (6-3-3) are in fourth place with 21 points. Their goal differential sits at +5 (26 GF, 21 GA).

Sigma will finish the regular season with a string of three home games at home.

Sigma FC will next play Durham United FA on July 27 (4 p.m.) at Paramount Fine Foods Centre #1, Mississauga.

(Jonathan Cheng)

Aurora's Filipe Vilela (38',  scored a hat-trick and teammate Niklas Bauer (44') found a single tally, while Toronto Skillz FC's Rinat Kassimgeryev (60') audacious finish found the net from the centre-circle, as the game ended 4-1 for Aurora.

Toronto Skillz keeper Sunny Dhaliwal kept the scoreline down after Aurora FC dominated the first half, pinning Toronto Skillz into their own end.

Dhaliwal was tested in the 9th and 14th minutes on free-kicks, first punching away a Riley Ferrazzo attempt and then denying Nuno Carvalho's strike.

Filipe Vilela could have scored on 31 minutes but his low finish from six yards was parried out for a corner by Dhaliwal. Seven minutes later, it was another duel between Vilela and Dhaliwal; this time Aurora FC's top goal-scorer found the net with a low finish from inside the box into the left bottom corner.

Just a minute before the end of the first forty-five minutes, Ferrazzo put Niklas Bauer through on a low pass to double his team's lead from a tight angle.

Toronto Skillz started the second half with two substitutions as Mladin Ruzic and Zef Kraja, who both were on yellow cards, were replaced by Austin Munroe and Rinat Kassimgeryev. Kassimgeryev did almost everything with the 15 minutes available to him on the pitch.

At the 50th minute, Kassimgeryev hit the post from six yards off a Wadohi Fadul low pass from the right; on 52 minutes, he got a caution for a foul, and then on the hour mark he finally found the net with an amazing drive from 60 yards to close the gap in the scoreline to one goal.

The host then put the result out of sight by finding the net two more times from the penalty spot - both because of handball situations.

Vilela sent both of them into the right bottom corner to complete his hat-trick and move to the top of the league goal-scoring table with ten goals, surpassing Vaughan Azzurri Maksym Kowal who has netted nine.

Aurora could have scored more goals, but Toronto Skillz keeper Dhaliwal denied them on several occasions. On the other hand, Toronto Skillz only had one shot on target throughout the match, and nine off target.

Aurora FC will next play Master's FA on July 28 (6 p.m.) at Stewart Burnett Park, Aurora.

Toronto Skillz FC will next play Oakville Blue Devils on July 28 (2 p.m.) at Birchmount Stadium, Toronto.

(Mahdi Ghaffaribarzi)