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Match Recap: West Ottawa SC 1 - 2 Vaughan Azzurri

By League1 Ontario staff, 05/09/17, 10:45PM EDT

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It was an historic night in Ottawa as the first ever League1 Ontario match kicked off with Vaughan Azzurri women facing league newcomers West Ottawa Soccer Club at Beckwith Park, Carleton Place. 

The current L1 Cup champions, Vaughan Azzurri were always going to be difficult opponents for a West Ottawa side in their inaugural match, but in front of an eager crowd of approximately 100 supporters the home side put in a resolute performance that very nearly beat the odds. 

The Azzurri won the match 2-1 following a goal in the dying minutes from Kyani Johnson (89'), after a teammate Anna Kowalcyzk (49') had opened the scoring just after the interval, but it was the an equalizing goal from Ottawa's Josie De Jesus-Shaw (64') that really set the home crowd alight.


(Photo: Sarah Ferguson)

"I think the first half we dominated but the final third of the field we needed to be better," said Vaughan head coach, Carmine Isacco. 

"We created some great opportunities and we found one early in the second, which was good as it changed the momentum a little bit. They then changed their system a little and adapted quite well." 

West Ottawa visibly gathered momentum in the second half and put the Azzurri back on their heels with some direct counters and pacy flank play. 

"Some key subs with experience in there made a difference," said West Ottawa head coach, Kristina Kiss. 

"We managed to get the ball wide and maintain possession a little bit more so it was definitely a more exciting second half and something to build on moving forward." 

"They looked to go forward more in the second half and catch us in transition and we did get caught on one," agreed Isacco. "We need to address that for sure, but we were resilient and we did what we needed to do to win the game although I thought our first half dictated the struggle that would lead to the rest of it." 


(Photo: Sarah Ferguson)

Isacco rued his team's missed opportunities to score, but praised their overall play and fluency with and without the ball. 

"It's our inadequacies in front of the net," he explained. "We had three or four sitters, back-post tap-ins, that we didn't execute on."

"We gave up some shots by making an extra pass maybe, but that was basically the reason. We just couldn't finish, especially in the first half, and that dictated the change of tempo and the rhythm and that kept them in the game to be honest." 

"Having said that, I really liked our tempo," he added. "I want to have a next level of tempo because moving forward we are going to need that. I like our movement off the ball. I think we need to be cleaner in the final third and a little better in the build-up in regards to when to get our backs involved."


(Photo: Sarah Ferguson)

Kiss indicated her team was still being formed, but felt that the group showed quite well given the quality of the opponent. 

"I thought Vaughan was a very good opponent," she said. "They are quick, well-organized and some very talented players on their team. It was an exciting first game for us." 

"To be honest though, some of our girls were introducing themselves to each other before the game, so we need a few weeks to build as a team," she revealed. 

"I think it showed in the first half."

Isacco was effusive in his praise of the new addition to the League1 women's division.

"They're going to be a good team and I think they will be fighting for the top of the league," said Isacco. 

"I am sure they are missing some players, just as we are, that aren't yet back or are not fit or whatever but it's a good organization and it's important for the league to have teams like this."

"It's important for people like Kristina to be involved as well because it is credit to League1 and what the whole concept of League1 is. They had some great young players out there, some great character and some very skillful players as well. I think this is going to be a very good team moving forward."

West Ottawa next play Durham United FA on Saturday May 13 at Beckwith Turf, Carleton Place.

Vaughan Azzurri next play Sanjaxx Lions on Saturday May 13 at McNaughton Turf, Vaughan.


(Photo: Sarah Ferguson)