Semi-pro TSS Rovers FC, York United advance to Canadian Championship quarterfinals

Football

Published 20.04.2023

Semi-pro TSS Rovers FC, York United advance to Canadian Championship quarterfinals

Atletico Ottawa defeated HFX Wanderers 3-1 Wednesday for its first-ever Canadian Championship win, rallying from an early 1-0 deficit.

But the seek for a primary victory, in cup or Canadian Premier League play, continues for growth aspect Vancouver FC after a 1-0 loss to York United FC within the nightcap of the Canadian Championship doubleheader at York Lions Stadium.

Mo Babouli scored from the penalty spot within the sixth minute for York, which dominated the primary half however didn’t construct on its lead and needed to battle a resurgent Vancouver within the second.

The growth aspect threw the whole lot in assault in a late bid for an equalizer, typically leaving itself open to a counter-attack. York, nonetheless, was unable to take benefit.

TSS Rovers FC, a semi-pro aspect that performs in League1 B.C., upset Winnipeg’s Valour FC 3-1 in Burnaby within the late sport Wednesday.

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On Thursday, Pacific FC entertains Cavalry FC in Langford, B.C., to finish the opening spherical. The winner will host TSS Rovers within the quarterfinals.

CF Montreal and Forge FC received their preliminary-round matches at dwelling Tuesday with Montreal blanking Vaughan SC 2-0 and Forge dispatching FC Laval 3-0.

Ottawa will host Forge whereas Montreal visits Toronto FC within the May Sep 11 quarterfinals. York will entertain the defending champion Vancouver Whitecaps.

The Whitecaps and Toronto, the 2022 match runner-up, each earned first-round byes.

York made the semifinals of final yr’s competitors, beating Ottawa and Pacific in penalty shootouts earlier than falling 2-1 to the Whitecaps.

Ottawa, final yr’s Canadian Premier League regular-season champion, misplaced within the first spherical to Valour and York in 2021 and 2022, respectively. But it rallied for the win after a troublesome begin Wednesday.

Malcolm Shaw and Diego Espejo scored 4 minutes aside late within the first half for Ottawa and captain Maxim Tissot added a late insurance coverage objective to dispatch Halifax. Massimo Ferrin scored on a phenomenal free kick for Halifax, which completed six locations and 20 factors under Ottawa in 2022.

York and Vancouver FC have been coming off season-opening losses on the weekend. York misplaced 2-0 to visiting Valour whereas Vancouver fell 1-0 at Pacific in its CPL debut.

Babouli gave York an early lead after referee Michael Venne dominated that Dutch midfielder Oussama Alou had been taken down by Vancouver’s Ibrahim Bakare. The contact appeared minor however that didn’t cease Babouli from recording his sixth objective in 10 appearances for York.

Venne made his presence felt early, yellow-carding a Vancouver participant for interfering with a York throw-in.

Despite York’s early dominance, Vancouver had its probabilities and got here on within the second half as York was pressured to shuffle its lineup attributable to accidents, together with veteran midfielder Jeremy Gagnon-Lapare.

York goalkeeper Niko Giantsopoulos made a marvellous fingertip save to disclaim Shaan Hundal late within the first half. And Vancouver substitute Gabriel Bitar hammered a shot from effectively outdoors the penalty field off the crossbar within the fiftieth minute.

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Halifax had extra of the ball within the opening sport and maybe deserved higher. But Ottawa took its probabilities.

“I leave that game scratching my head … I thought we did enough to get more out of this game,” mentioned Halifax coach Patrice Gheisar.

“We had 65 per cent possession … but obviously the game is decided by goals,” he added. “We’ve got to do a better job when we get a lead.”

Halifax additionally had the lead over Ottawa on Saturday at TD Place of their CPL season opener. Zachary Fernandez opened the scoring earlier than Ollie Bassett replied for Ottawa on the stroke of halftime. The sport completed knotted at 1-1.

Bassett, named final season’s CPL Player of the Year and the Players’ Player of the Year, lasted simply quarter-hour Wednesday earlier than exiting holding his hamstring. And it obtained worse for Ottawa 4 minutes later.

Ferrin curled a free kick from simply outdoors the penalty field over the Ottawa wall and previous goalkeeper Nathan Ingham, who obtained a hand to it however couldn’t cease it.

Shaw tied it up for Ottawa within the fortieth minute, gracefully heading dwelling a cross from Gianni Dos Santos, who was present in house down the left flank by a fantastic move from the again from defender Karl Ouimette.

Four minutes later, after Halifax didn’t cope with a nook, Noah Verhoeven’s cross grazed Karl Ouimette’s head and hit the submit, bouncing straight to Espejo to knock dwelling for a 2-1 lead.

Tissot added to the lead within the eighty fifth, racing from field to field to meet up with Jean-Aniel Assi on a counter-attack with only one defender again. After getting the move, Tissot tucked the ball in earlier than sliding out of play.

“A very complete game,” mentioned Ottawa coach Carlos Gonzalez.

Gheisar, who coached Vaughan Azzurri in opposition to Halifax within the 2019 Canadian Championship, has revamped his roster since taking up the staff in November. He gave debuts to 10 gamers — seven starters and three substitutes — on the weekend whereas Ottawa showcased eight newcomers — six starters and two off the bench.

The Canadian Championship winner lifts the Voyageurs Cup and earns a berth within the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League, the flagship membership competitors in North and Central America and the Caribbean.