August 20, 2021 League1 Ontario Men's Premier Divisionk...Darby FC vs Vaughan Azzurri game report (by Rocket Robin)

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Result and details of the Friday August 20, 2021 League1 Ontario Men's Premier Division game between Darby FC
and Vaughan Azzurri played at the Whitby Soccer Dome in Whitby at 8:00pm.

Darby FC (all navy, white numbers)

........................1 Matt Zaikos (cpt)
21 Russell Robertson...3 Azim Mohammad Taher...20 Michael Maiorano...5 Cameron Brooks...16 Colin Reilly
.............23 Japheth Wood...18 Bruce Cullen...13 Colin Keay
..................6 Mudaser (Chico) Muhtaj)...10 Kashiff DeJonge

Subs:...7 Caleb Pierce...9 Tristan Chin...11 Erian Metaj...19 Lerohne Young
...22 Kyhle Llamas...42 Hayden Algar
team officials:...team head coach Mirco Schroff...assistant coaches Billy Pachis and Chris Reilly

Vaughan Azzurri (white socks and shirts, red shorts, navy numbers)

.........................1 Anthony Gurrieri
........15 Reginal Laryea...13 Jadon Vilfort...4 Daniel Cramarossa
5 Raheem Rose...14 Trevor Carabin...2 Jarred Phillips (cpt)...17 Christian Zeppieri
........9 Orlendis Carlos Benitez Hernandez...10 Jason Mills...11 Zac Zitoli

Subs:...12 Filip Zendelek (gk)...3 Riley Ferrazzo...6 Justyn Thomas...7 Alejandro Portal Oliva
8 Gianluca Sciortino...20 Nicholas Spittle...21 Dylan Carriero...25 Julian De Sousa
team officials:...team head coach Patrice Gheisar...assistant coach Jorden Feliciano
...manager Tony De Palma

Game officials:...referee Giancarlo Pavone...referee's assistants: Phil Benevides and Kevin McEleney
fourthe official: unknown (pink shirts, black shorts and socks)

First Half:...game starts 8:02pm...Darby defends west side. The game is indoors and it's cooler than
outside even at this time of the evening.
2 min...Darby player's 50 yard shot up middle is wide left.
3 min...VA Zitoli receives through ball pass and 25 yard shot up middle rolls to goalie.
5 min...VA Mills cross from right near sideline has VA player chest ball down in 6 yard box and Darby Robertson clears.
6 min...Darby DeJonge 20 yard shot up middle is blocked by defender.
10 min...VA Cramarossa long throw-in from left into corwd of players in box but ball bounces to goalie.
11 min...Darby Wood is checked off ball on left side of VA box.
11 min...VA Zeppieri 40 yard freekick from slight right has goalie punch ball away in crowd of players on left post.
13 min...VA Carlos Benitez Hernandez is injured at Darby 30 yard line.
13 min...Darby goalie beats VA Rose on right to punch ball away on chipped pass.
14 min...Darby DeJonge cross from 20 yards on right is wide left over end line.
15 min...VA Zitoli rush from 45 yard line on left cutting toward middle and low 25 yard shot is wide right.
17 min...VA Carlos Benitez Hernandez eludes defenders to roll centering pas on right end line and VA Mills taps redirect
wide right from 5 yards.
18 min...VA Mills low 22 yard shot from right is caught by diving goalie.
19 min...Vaughan Orlandis Carlos Benitez Hernandez GOAL...VA Zac Zitoli receives pass in clear at 40 yard line on left
and races upfield then sends low pass across to right for CBH to elude defender and roof 6 yard shot from right post over
goalie Matt Zaikos into center of net.
24 min...A drop ball is given to Darby as the ball had hit the roof.
24 min...Another drop ball play results as the ball hit a wire separating the fields into thirds.
25 min...VA Mills cross from left after run finds VA Orlandis Carlos Benitez in middle and defender's foot tips his shot well over net.
27 min...VA players work out short cornerkick from left but pass finds VA Rose called offside.
28 min...Darby Cullen chips 20 yard shot up middle over net.
29 min...Darby Brooks gets back to break up VA play near box.
29 min...VA Zitoli 6 yard shot from left but Darby Brooks heads ball off line near right post.
31 min...VA YELLOW card...Vilfort earns it for tripping Darby Cullen at VA 22 yard line.
31 min...Darby Cullen bends 20 yard freekick that deflects off VA Cramarossa for cornerkick on left.
32 min...VA Cramarossa heads away Darby Reilly cornerkick from left for another cornerkick.
33 min...Darby Reilly cornerkick from left has VA player head away to start fast breakout.
33 min...Darby YELLOW card...Muhtaj earns it for preventing breakout of VA on last play.
37 min...VA Zeppieri 20 yard freekick from left hits Darby Keay in player wall deflecting over net.
38 min...VA Rose low cornerkick from left has defender on near post punt ball away.
42 min...VA Carlos Benitez Hernandez 28 yard freekick up middle has goalie bat away on top right corner. Darby defender
blocks rebound attempt.
43 min...Darby goalie catches backward header to relieve pressure.
46 min...VA Carlos Benitez Hernandez receives tap back and low 20 yarder up middle is smothered by goalie.
47 min...The ball hits the clothesline again.
48 min...half ends 8:50pm.

Second Half:...starts 9:02pm.
Halftime sub...Darby Young replaces Keay.
47 min...Darby Maiorano 40 yard freekick is over to Darby DeJonge but he's called offside.
47 min...Darby DeJonge on break but can't get away shot.
48 min...VA Rose run from 50 yard line cutting in from right and 20 yard shot down middle is just wide left of post.
49 min...VA Rose low 25 yard shot deflects off Darby Brooks and goalie smothers.
52 min...Darby goalie clears ball and hits the wire.
53 min...Darby YELLOW card...Maiorano earns it for tripping VA Carlos Benitez Hernandez in center circle.
53 min...VA Zeppieri cross from 8 yards on right end line is caught by goalie on near post.
55 min...VA Rose cornerkick is low and defender whiffs on clearance sending it skyward but ball is cleared.
56 min...VA YELLOW card...Laryea earns it for tackle in Darby box.
56 min...VA sub...Thomas replaces Vilfort.
57 min...Darby DeJonge controls midair ball around defender and 20 yard jab deflects for cornerkick.
58 min...Darby Reilly cornerkick from left has Darby player in crowd of players head 8 yarder up middle off the post.
59 min...Darby Muhtaj blasts 22 yard freekick down middle that goalie palms over bar.
61 min...VA Carlos Benitez Hernandez rush on left and 22 yard shot on far left is caught by goalie.
62 min...Darby Cullen open run on left has low shot from 15 yards deflect off defender's foot and hit right post then a defender
pounds away clearance.
63 min...Darby sub...Chin replaces DeJonge.
64 min...VA Carlos Benitez Hernandez receives short throw-in on left and 22 yard blast is saved on short side. Darby Reilly clears
loose rebound.
64 min...Darby Cullen cross from 40 yard on left sideline has goalie step forward to catch.
65 min...VA Zeppieri cornerkick from left has nearest defender head over box. VA Carabin tips rebound over right end line.
67 min...Vaughan Raheem Rose GOAL...Rose steps to middle while blocked by defender but has time to bend 20 yarder
inwards to left corner of net.
68 min...VA Carlos Benitez Hernandez is injured near center line.
71 min...Darby sub...Llamas replaces Wood.
...........VA sub...Portal Oliva replaces Zeppieri.
...........VA sub...Ferrazzo replaces Phillips...Mills becomes captain.
74 min...Darby Chin receives high ball at 20 yards up middle, turns and chips 15 yarder just over bar.
75 min...Darby YELLOW card...Young earns it for tackle at VA 30 yard sideline.
76 min...Darby YELLOW card...Robertson earns it near center line for something.
78 min...VA Rose cross from 28 yards near right cornerflag has VA Carlos Benitez Hernandez fail to turn ball running forward
at 3 yards.
78 min...VA YELLOW card...Carabin earns it for not giving 10 yards on a freekick at the Darby 40 yard line.
79 min...Darby sub...Pierce replaces Cullen.
...........VA sub...De Sousa replaces Carabin.
...........VA sub...Spittle replaces Carlos Benitez Hernandez.
81 min...Darby goalie out of box to left to clear through ball.
82 min...VA sub...Sciortino replaces Rose.
...........VA sub...Spittle replaces Carlos Benitez Hernandez.
82 min...VA goalie fumbles catch in crowd of players at 12 yards and defender clears ball off Darby Chin for goalkick.
83 min...VA Spittle earns if at VA 40 yard line for tackle.
84 min...Darby Maiorano is injured at center line.
85 min...Darby player's 45 yard freekick has goalie punch ball away in crowd of players.
86 min...VA Carriero 25 yard blast deflects for cornerkick.
86 min...Darby Muhtaj blasts 30 yarder down middle well over net.
88 min...VA Mills taps back pass and VA Sciortino shoots 18 yarder from right over bar.
90 min...Darby Muhtaj rolls 25 yard shot well wide left.
92 min...VA Cramarossa 25 yard roller from extreme left has defender clear in 6 yard box.
94 min...game ends 9:51pm.

Final Score:...Darby FC.....0......Vaughan Azzurri.......2.......

Attendance was about 120. This game was held inside the dome which was air conditioned and a relief
from the heatwave overtaking the GTA. Even at night it was still hot outside. The quirks about the dome
is if the ball hits the ceiling, play is whistled down and it's a dropped ball from the referee.
This happened at 24 minutes and within the minute play was whistled down again as the ball had hit a wire
(like a clothesline) that is used to draw a curtain across the field to divide the field into three
crossfield sections for youth and community games.

Darby had a complaint on whether Zac Zitoli received the pass to start the play in an offside position
on the first goal. Both teams tried long crossfield passes trying to find a free man in the open.
Referee Giancarlo Pavone gave out eight Yellow cards that I counted, the first and last two to Vaughan
players and the middle five to Darby which had their bench up in arms.

Anthony Gurrieri earned the shutout for Vaughan with a few key saves and great help from his defenders
Reginald Laryea, Jadon Vilfort, and Daniel Cramarossa blocking, deflecting and rushing Darby shots.

Darby had enough chances to win this game. 58 minutes had Colin Reilly send in a cornerkick from
the left and a Darby player in a crowd head an 8 yarder up the middle that was off the post. Next minute
had Mudaser (Chico) Muhtaj blast a 22 yard freekick down the middle that the goalie palmed over the bar.
62 minutes had Bruce Cullen on an open run on the left and take a low shot from 15 yards that deflected
off a defender's foot and hit the right post before being cleared. 74 minutes had Chico receive
a high ball at 20 yards up the middle, turn and chip a 15 yarder just over the bar.

One thing I wondered is Darby only had six players on their bench. (last week's road game against Masters
they had five). That was fine in previous years but with the new post-pandemic rules of up to seven subs
allowed (in a maximum five breaks in play) other teams are maximizing that advantage of bringing in fresh
legs as the game is closing out. Vaughan had eight players listed and used their seven outfield subs.
Masters head coach Rick Titus is a master at this even making subs in the first half if some of his starters
are not playing well. Darby must have more players as after the game I overheard one of the Darby players
asking a team official what time they had to report tomorrow morning. 7AM! Yep when I got home and looked
at the L1O site and found they have a Reserves league game Saturday.

After the game I said hello to Reginald Laryea. He played for Sigma FC in 2019 (or as the Masters PA lady
called them, 'Stigma FC') but is now with Vaughan. His older brother Richie (star of the Canadian national
team and playing for MLS club Toronto FC) just made headlines for making an investment
in future L1O team Simcoe County Rovers joining with Julian De Guzman and will be playing in the Barrie area.
I advised him to stick with Vaughan as they are a team of winners....unless your brother makes you captain!
Later I realized I'd mixed him up with Cyle Larin (Cyle with the investment) and Elijah Larin..Oops!
Reggie plays in the backline so will never make the headlines even at the L1O level.

The win moves Vaughan back into first place for now with a perfect 3-0-0 record in the seven team
Eastern Conference. With this already abbreviated season, I'd expect there will only be enough time to have
a one game playoff between the East winner and the West winner maybe the Halloween weekend as the regular
season runs to almost the end of October. Darby's record falls to 0-3-1 with their last three results
being losses. Now with 6 goals against but only 2 goals for, it can be seen what is their biggest problem.

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca
twitter @RocketRobin01

Darby FC starters