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Dramatic Late Coren Free Kick Secures 3-3 Draw For Kingston And TFC

By League1 Ontario staff, 07/29/16, 4:45PM EDT

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Photo: Tracey Row


Photo: Tracey Row

Toronto FC Academy discovered how hard it is to beat the hometown Kingston Clippers on Thursday night after succumbing to a late comeback to draw 3-3 with the hosts. 

"I think we started slow tonight," said Toronto FC Academy head coach, Stuart Neely. "We knew what to expect coming into Kingston tonight, it's very fast forward, aggressive, deep balls, and we knew with the physical difference between the two sides that we were going to be put under the gun with that so we had to come out quick, play football and establish ourselves."

"We didn't do that really, until Kingston scored, and they deserved it because they were pressing us."

Kingston's Patrick Van Belleghem (22') had put the Clippers on the board first after a well-coordinated Clippers counter-attack, but TFCA's Dante Campbell (32') levelled terms ten minutes later, sliding in a brilliant cross right onto his foot. 

"It wasn't a technical or tactical game today, it was a physical game and we are very proud of the lads because we have three players that are starting with the team today that have had to come directly from work to be here," said Kingston Clippers technical director, Chris Eveleigh. 

The Junior Reds gathered steam from this point, adding the go-ahead goal before the half through Reshon Phillip (39'), and padding out the lead with a Dante Campbell (64') penalty just after the hour. 

"Toronto FC has come down with a young side, but we've a group of players that have been working all day and so it's a great credit to the group that they've kept working and playing for the full ninety, and scoring with only a minute to go," said Eveleigh. 

"We have a great group here, that is the biggest thing."

Kingston got the bit between their teeth in the final frame however, as Van Belleghem (81') added his second of the night and Oliver Coren (90') stepped up to drive home a phenomenal free kick in the dying minutes. 

"We knew that being only one goal up against Kingston is just not a safe result, and with the size of the opponent, and the directness of play we knew we were in for a tough end of the match," concluded Neely. 

"I think I've seen that before in war movies, I think they called it blitzkrieg," he added, chuckling. 

"They came at us and we didn't want to give anything away, but they got a set piece around the box and the delivery of the boy who struck the free kick is astonishing."

"Also, their throw-ins are like corners, so we tried to make sure we cleared our lines and we didn't do a good enough job on that. The goal the boy buried on the free kick is the type of goal you just have to hold your hands up, but I thought we just didn't manage the last twelve minutes well and boys just got overpowered in some cases."