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London Down Oshawa 4-1 In Away Leg Of Quarter-Final

By League1 Ontario staff, 08/06/19, 11:00AM EDT

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(Photo: Martin Bazyl Photography)


(Photo: Martin Bazyl Photography)


(Photo: Martin Bazyl Photography)

FC London bagged two braces away from home as they sunk FC Oshawa 4-1 in the first leg of their playoff quarter-final match-up at Civic Stadium, Oshawa, on Sunday. 

Jade Kovacevic (19') opened the scoring for London after she was tripped in the box by the Oshawa goalkeeper, Sarah Forde, who received a caution on the play.

The 2019 women's Golden Boot winner got up gingerly but continued to play as she tucked the penalty away to her right to make it 1-0.

Almost instantly, Kovacevic (20') received the ball down the left wing. The striker cut in and fired a low shot into the near-post corner to earn her brace and double the lead.

Kovacevic continued her involvement in the London attack and she flicked a looping ball into the path of Marisa Oliveira (26'), who finished the chance to give the visitors a three-goal cushion. 

Oshawa battled back from the deficit as Sona Makulova (34') pounced on a loose ball in the London box, going around FC London goalkeeper Emily Gillet to send the ball into the open net, making it 3-1 to end the first half.

Despite soldiering on in the first 45 minutes, Kovacevic was replaced at halftime by Chelsea Zavitz due to the earlier knock. London kept the pressure going, and Oliveira (57') smashed her shot into the underside of the crossbar, just going over the goal line to earn the brace.

The game slowed down as the sun started to set, and Oshawa tried to salvage some late goals as the teams played under the stadium lights. Natalie Freeman and Nailah Rowe fired multiple crosses into the box only for the chances to be whisked away by the sound London defence.

In the dying minutes of the game, Jordan Burke lifted a long ball from the right, but Oshawa's last meaningful chance sailed past the far post and London held on for the huge away win in the first leg.

Gillet made three saves to protect London's lead, and Forde stopped two from going into Oshawa's net.

London tallied four away goals to take home to the second leg, but it could come at the cost of their captain and star forward.

Nevertheless, Oshawa will have a huge hill to climb when they visit the German Canadian Club at Cove Road, London, on Saturday, August 10 (7:30 pm).

(Jonathan Cheng)