skip navigation

Woodbridge Strikers 1 - Durham United FC 0

By lo admin, 07/31/15, 11:15AM EDT

Share

 

Woodbridge Strikers 1 - Durham United FC 0

Fri Jul 31 
Written By: Staff, League1
 

It took seven rounds of penalties to break the deadlock between Woodbridge Strikers and Durham United FC in the men's first semi-final of the 2015 L1 Cup, but Strikers scored seven from the spot to Durham's six and won the match 1-0.

This was a very difficult match for us," said Woodbridge head coach, Peter Pinizzotto. "After a tough game on the week-end against Oakville, it seems we did not have the energy to fight for every ball."

WS: DAMIAN BYGRAVE

"Durham looked a more fresh team and looked more dangerous when attacking. I thought our defence and our goalkeeper once again were the difference in this game, keeping the score tied in regular time."

"Once you get into penalty shots anyone can win it and we were the lucky one today."

WS: DAMIAN BYGRAVE

Durham head coach Sanford Carabin was not at all unhappy with his squad's performance against Woodbridge's stingy defence, and was resigned to the loss from penalties.

"It's not fair and too difficult to single out any one player," he said. "I thought the effort from everyone was terrific tonight. I couldn't have asked for a better response. We simply came up against a team that matched our efforts, and the end result was a stalemate... determined by spot kicks."

Both coaches were complementary of the opponent's personnel, and tactical discipline.

WS: MATT GEORGE

"Durham also played very well defensively not giving too much time or space to our attacking players," commented Pinizzotto.

"I thought Taylor [Lord] was one of their best players on the field, playing very well in front of their defence, also good movement off the ball. I thought we played much better in the second when we started moving the ball quicker, and also played better off the ball."

DUFC: TAYLOR LORD

"Their right back, Darian Bygrave, was superb tonight," said Carabin. "His starting positions were excellent and he never looked like slowing down defensively. He broke up the majority of wide attacking play down the left... all night!"

"Our challenge tonight was trying to recapture our preferred intensity levels from earlier in the season, which we have struggled to do the last few games. I thought we managed to do this, partly because of the occasion and importance of the match."

Durham and Woodbridge both have opportunities to rest over matchweek 14, with a return to league play in matchweek 15 scheduled as another contest between the two on Friday August 7, this time in Pickering at Kinsmen Park, 8 p.m.

"We will continue in training to work on our final phase in attack and our sharpness around goal," concluded Carabin. "We just seem at times to lack a bit of creativity and individualism to break down good defensive blocks."