October 30, 2021 League1 Ontario Men's Premier--Semi-Final Guelph United FC vs Masters FA game report (by Rocket Robin)

.....................

Result and details of the Saturday October 30, 2021 League1 Ontario game between Guelph United FC and Masters FA
played at Alumni Stadium in Guelph at 5:00pm. This was one of the semi-finals to decide the teams in the L1O playoff
championship next Sunday.

Guelph United FC (black socks and shorts, red shirts, white numbers)

........................1 Svyatoslav Artmenko
4 Amardo Oakley...6 Ian Vidovich....13 Luke Rankin...19 De Vante Walker
11 Evan Dick...16 Jack Sears...14 Lucas Doros...10 Jace Kotsopoulos (cpt)...15 Dion Stergiotis
........................8 Tomasz Skublak

Subs:...3 Justin Springer...9 Owen McKee...12 Brandon Wellington...17 Zulkikar Karimi
...18 Denilson Clamp...20 Marek Walezak
team officials:...team head coaches Justin Springer and Keith Mason

Masters FA Saints (all white uniforms, graduated pink backs, white numbers)

......................1 Spiridon Koskinas
7 Shawn Brown...2 Anthony Wright...5 Eddy Dabire...13 Terrell Spencer
........20 Meleik De Freitas...8 Samer Hamade...9 Shaquille Agard
........19 Matthew Morris...17 Francis Ameyaw...18 Reshon Philips

Subs:...00 Tayjon Campbell (gk)...3 Jayden Meikle...4 Luiz Cortez Pari...10 Yashin Shahwan
...11 Ryley Wishart...12 Stefan Nikolic...16 Akeem Priestly
team officials:...head coach Rick Titus...assistant coach Devon Porter...manager Rob Meikle

Game officials:...referee Filip Dujic...referee's assistants Mahboob Gulestani and Andrew Beney
...fourth official Melvin Christopher...(all black uniforms)

First Half:...game starts 5:05pm...Guelph defends north end. The field is wet as it had rained all day but had
now slowed between a mist or nothing at all.
4 min...GU goalie catches bounced through ball on edge of box.
4 min...MFA De Freitas 15 yard shot from right is deflected for cornerkick.
5 min...MFA Spencer cornerkick from right has MFA player head ball down but ball cleared.
5 min...MFA Phillip low 28 yard shot is between players and bounces to goalie.
7 min...MFA Brown ensures GU Stergiotis can't gets to ball down wing.
7 min...GU Sears cross from 35 yards on left has charging GU Dick volley 10 yard shot on right over net.
10 min...GU Kotsopoulos turns and shoots low 20 yarder down middle thats smothered by goalie.
11 min...GU Skublak receives low cross from right and one-touches 15 yarder high and wide right of net.
13 min...MFA De Freitas 35 yard freekick from right has goalie charge into crowd to swat ball wide left for throw-in.
15 min...GU Oakley cornerkick is only partially cleared. GU Oakley cross from 25 yards on right has GU Doros
volley 20 yard shot over net.
17 min...GU Doros gets back to concede cornerkick on play in GU box.
17 min...MFA Spencer cornerkick from right has MFA player pop up cross and MFA Dabire miss bicycle kick at 12 yards
so play is whistled down for dangerous play in crowd in GU box.
19 min...GU Dick corrnerkick from right has GU Rankin head ball across box from left and GU Dick blasts 15 yard shot that's
blocked on right.
21 min...GU Dick flicks 15 yard header down middle that goalie palms over net.
22 min...GU YELLOW card...Sears earns it for foul grab at MFA 45 yard line.
24 min...Guelph Lucas Doros GOAL...GU Evan Dick takes cornerkick from left and GU player shoots 10 yarder
that defender saves on right post. Doros shoots 8 yard roller between players in 6 yard box and into center of net.
25 min...GU player rolls 20 yarder wide left of net as defender head chested ball down.
27 min...GU Dick cornerkick from left has ball flick headed on left out for throw-in on right.
30 min...GU Walker quick throw-in on left is downfield for GU Skublak who rolls ball into 6 yard box but defender clears.
31 min...GU goalie jumps to catch cross from left on right top post ahead of MFA player.
31 min...MFA Ameyaw is injured at MFA 50 yard line in front of MFA bench making a tackle attempt. GU Skublak helps
the MFA trainer help carry him off the field.
34 min...MFA sub...Wishart replaces injured MFA Ameyaw before play resumes.
35 min...GU Skublak rolls 22 yard shot down middle wide left for cornerkick.
35 min...GU Dick cornerkick from left is headed across box for cornerkick.
36 min...GU Dick cornerkick from right has GU Rankin pop 15 yard header down middle well over net.
37 min...GU Dick 30 yard freekick misses GU Skublak at 15 yards and defender behind him clears ball.
39 min...GU goalie leaps to catch popped up deflection on defender's header at 15 yards on MFA players chip from 30 yards.
40 min...GU YELLOW card...Skublak eanrs it for sliding check attempt on MFA Agard at GU 45 yard line.
41 min...Masters Reshon Phillip GOAL...MFA Anthony Wright takes 45 yard freekick down middle that's partially
cleared and Phillip shoots low 22 yarder between players into right corner of net.
45 min...Masters Reshon Phillip GOAL...MFA Matthew Morris rushes up left eluding GU Amardo Oakley at 25 yards
and sends in cross along 15 yard line that Phillip heads over goalie Svyatoslav Artmenko into right side of net.
48 min...GU Dick 40 yard freekick is headed away in crowd of players.
49 min...GU Kotsopoulos 25 yard shot from left has MFA player at 15 yards try to head ball away but deflects ball dangerously
back to goalie.
49 min...half ends 5:54pm.

Halftime: The players and game officials stay out at their benches rather than crossing back over the field to the dressing rooms.

Second Half:...starts 6:09pm.
45 min...GU Dick 30 yard freekick from right has header popped up on left end line but ball is cleared.
46 min...GU Dick cornerkick from left is low and nearest defender clears.
51 min...MFA Wishart actually dekes goalie on right and rolls pass from near end line and goalie retreats to dive on ball.
52 min...GU Dick freekick from 33 yards on right has GU player head 10 yarder in crowd of players that hits football crossbar
above soccer net.
53 min...GU Stergiotis blasts 25 yard bender from left just wide right of top right corner of net.
55 min...GU Oakley kick ball away after an MFA freekick call. "He's wasting his own time" was the comment given on the field
why no card was given.
57 min...MFA De Freitas is injured at MFA 40 yard line and needs trainer.
58 min...GU Sears 40 yard freekick is caught by goalie on right post behind crowd of players.
58 min...MFA sub...Shahwan replaces De Freitas.
59 min...MFA player's cross from 25 yards on left is cleared by defender in 6 yard box.
60 min...MFA Hamade is injured at GU 50 yard and needs trainer.
61 min...MFA player's cornerkick from right has MFA players head across and MFA Wright blasts shot.
61 min...GU Kotsopoulos wins cornerkick on right on deflection. MFA player is injured on MFA end line.
63 min...GU Dick cornerkick from right is over players in box and out other side for MFA throw-in.
65 min...GU Skublak finishes third chance with 20 yard shot wide right of net.
65 min...MFA sub...Meikle replaces Spencer.
67 min...MFA Hamade is injured at center line and needs trainer.
68 min...MFA sub...Priestly replaces injured Hamade before play resumes.
69 min...Guelph Jace Kotsopoulos GOAL...GU Amardo Oakley crosses from 30 yards on right that has Kotsopoulos
make flying header at 10 yards on left into right side of net.
70 min...MFA Priestly leaves with injury after goal until called in again.
72 min...MFA YELLOW card...Dabire earns it for grabbing GU Dick at GU 35 yard line.
73 min...GU Dick 38 yard freekick from right is rolled forward and wins cornerkick.
73 min...GU Dick low cornerkick from right wins another cornerkick.
74 min...GU Dick cornerkick from right is low and wins yet another cornerkick.
74 min...GU Dick cornerkick from right has GU Kotsopoulos kick shot from right deflects into outside webbing of net
for goalkick.
75 min...MFA sub...Nikolic replaces injured Priestly.
............MFA sub...Pari replaces Brown.
76 min...GU Dick cornerkick from left has GU player pops up header to out of box.
79 min...GU Dick can't win Penalty kick on right end line dive.
80 min...GU Oakley long throw-in has GU Skublak pop header across to right but ball is cleared and play is whistled down
for freekick to MFA.
80 min...GU sub...Marchant replaces Rankin.
82 min...MFA Wishart blasts loose ball at 25 yards.
83 min...Guelph Tomasz Skublak wins a Penalty kick from referee Filip Dujic when MA goalie Spiridon Koskinas came out
to smother through ball at 12 yards on left and Skublak falls over him. Skublak is injured on the play and needs the trainer
so after that has to leave the field denying GU one of their best goal scorers.
84 min...Guelph Jace Kotsopoulos blasts Penalty kick over top left side of net as goalie crumples in center.
87 min...MFA Nikolic 40 yard freekick up right is cleared from box after three MFA chances.
87 min...MFA goalie dives on ball on left that GU Dick had run up field on blocking poor headed backpass.
88 min...GU Kotsopoulos cross from right to GU Sears who shoots 15 yarder off bar then GU Skublak blasts 18 yarder over
net from left.
90 min...MFA YELLOW card...Hamade earns it for clip on GU Skublak at MFA 37 yard line.
90 min...GU Dick 40 yard freekick has GU player head up pop and goalie catches on near post.
92 min...MFA goal kick has GU defender pop header back to own goalie dangerously.
93 min...GU Skublak pass from left has defender tip ball ahead of charging GU Sears wide right for cornerkick.
95 min...MFA Hamade rolls pass forward for MFA Nikolic and he gets around goalie and his low 15 yard shot has retreating
defender concede cornerkick.
96 min...MFA Agard cornerkick from left is knocked just wide right of post.
97 min...MFA Nikolic cornerkick from right has GU Skublak head away.
97 min...regulation time ends 7:00pm.

End of Regulation time: Guelph United.....2......Masters FA.......2.......

After 97 minutes of regular time, the game went straight to Penalty kicks.

1....Guelph Lucas Doros GOAL...Doros shoots low to left side beyond diving goalie.
1....Masters Shaquille Agard GOAL...Agard shoots high to top left corner.

2....Guelph Tomasz Skublak GOAL...Skublak shoots low to left corner beyond diving goalie.
2....Masters Ryley Wishart GOAL...Wishart stagger steps and sends low shot to left beyond diving goalie.

3....Guelph Jace Kotsopoulos GOAL...Kostopoulos shoots high under the bar in center of net as goalie crumples in middle.
3....Masters Reshon Phillip GOAL...Phillip shoots low to left as goalie dives forward on right.

4....Guelph Dion Stergiotis shoots left and goalie flies to push ball wide left of post.
4....Masters Yashin Shahwan GOAL...Shahwan blasts shot to left as goalie flies to right.

5....Guelph Jack Sears GOAL....Sears stagger steps and rolls ball to right after goalie had already crumpled to middle.
5....Masters Eddy Dabire blasts ball to right and goalie flies to successfully bat it down.

6....Guelph De Vante Walker GOAL...Walker rolls ball to wide left as goalie dives right.
6.....Masters Terrell Spencer GOAL...Spencer blasts to top left center of net over crumpled goalie.

7....Guelph Ian Vidovich GOAL...Vidovich stagger steps and shoots to right as goalie had already crumpled in middle.
7....Masters Luiz Cortez Pari GOAL...Pari blasts shot to top right corner over goalie.

8....Guelph Harvey Marchant GOAL...Marchant shoots to top left out of reach of flying goalie.
8....Masters Stefan Nikolic GOAL...Nikolic shoots low to right as goalie dives left.

9....Guelph Evan Dick shoots to right as goalie bats away as he was already leaning that way.
9....Masters Anthony Wright misses top right corner sending ball over net as goalie crumples in middle.

10....Guelph Amardo Oakley GOAL...Oakley rolls ball to left corner as goalie dives right.
10....Masters Jayden Meikle GOAL...Meikle shoots low to left as goalie dives right.

11....Guelph Svyatoslav Artmenko (the goalie) GOAL...Artmenko shoots ball down middle and sliding goalie can only
get a foot to it.
11....Masters Spiridon Koskinas (the goalie)...Koskinas shoots to left and goalie files left to stop it.

Final Score:.....Guelph United.....2.......Masters FA........2.......
(Guelph wins the Penalty shootout 9-8 in 11 rounds).

Attendance was about 120 on this rainy day/evening with the rain stopping before gametime but a misty
rain restarting from about the 70th minute mark. Both on the way there and on my way back to Toronto
the rain was falling hard.

This was the first of the L1O Men's Premier semi-finals. This one had Guelph United as host because
they finished first in the Western Conference and Masters FA who finished second in the East.
Tomorrow Vaughan Azzurri (first in the East) hosts Blue Devils FC (second in the West) in the other
semi-final to decide the participants in the championship. In this pandemic shortened 12 game regular
season, teams stayed in their own conferences so it was interesting to see if there is a 'stronger'
conference. Tonight's results show so far that the top clubs are fairly even.

This game was so close to having a winner before the Penalty shootout. After that Guelph penalty
miss at 84 minutes, Guelph had a chance at 88 minutes when GU Jace Kotsopoulos crossed from the right
to GU Jack Sears who shot a 15 yarder off the bar and the ball deflected out for Tomasz Skublak
who blasted an 18 yarder over the net from the left. 93 minutes had Skublak from the left roll
a ball into the box and a MFA defender tipped the ball behind his own net a step ahead of the
charging Sears. 95 minutes had MFA Samer Hamade roll a pass forward for MFA Stefan Nikolic who
got around the goalie and his low 15 yard shot had a retreating defender concede a cornerkick.
That cornerkick from the left by Shaquille Agard had the ball knocked off a defender just wide
right of the post.

This game marked the return of Masters' head coach Rick Titus who finished serving a seven game
suspension in an out of control game against Vaughan on September 4th. He certainly was needed
to manage his players to get back to cover particular players or move it up a wing. It was
a lot different than hearing him in limited capacity yelling something from the stands in the
last two months.

Guelph co-coaches Keith Mason and Justin Springer did the same although I was surprised they
waited until 80 minutes to make their only sub of the game. Springer was listed as a sub himself
but never came in. Last week I watched him play the full 90 against Sigma FC in what he said was
only his second game of the year.

Masters made six subs starting at 34 minutes because of injury. They had a lot of men down
in the second half which infuriated the home fans as some were near the sideline or endline
and the player was in one case already off the field. Saddest was poor Akeem Priestly who subbed
in at 68 minutes and had to come off at 75 minutes. In the last L1O Final in 2019 (no season
in 2020) he was the MVP in that game for scoring a hat trick.

MVP of this game as chosen (I'm sure by a Guelph official although I wouldn't disagree) was
Guelph goalie Svyatoslav Artmenko who stopped two Penalty kicks in the shootout (a third was
skied over the bar).

A nice touch was both goalies posed for photos together for a fan and compared ages. Artmenko
is 21 and Koskinos is 25. I sort of know all the players ages because the game sheets list
the year of birth. I get to take a photo of the sheets (ahem...early in the season there were
eight copies to be produced and the 'media' was supposed to get a copy but standards have fallen).

I have heard there was a similar game earlier this week in the Canadian Championship semi-final
between MLS CF Montreal and CPL Forge FC where it went to eleven rounds and it came down to one
goalie saving the other goalie's shot. So here we have the same story.

This stadium is best in the league. It is the University of Guelph's field used by the football
team (which helps me estimate shot distances). A huge stand on the west side and a working
scoreboard that shows replays. This is comparable in many ways to CPL York United FC playing
at York University. (OK York doesn't have football lines). Oh and leaving I checked out FotMob
and found out HFX Wanderers had lost (well I read that earlier in the day) but now it showed that
York United had beaten Pacific FC (best in the league) to take over fourth place (the last playoff
spot) with two games to go.

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca
twitter @RocketRobin01

Guelph United FC starters