July 20, 2022...'The Statement We've Made? That We're Here to Fight for the Rest of the Season (from York United FC website)

  
'THE STATEMENT WE'VE MADE? THAT WE'RE HERE TO FIGHT FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON'  

It was a special win on Tuesday night against the league leaders but now attention turns to Sunday's 
home game against Atletico Ottawa.

Head Coach Martin Nash says there is no looking back after his charges produced a gusty performance 
to upend league leaders Calvary FC 1-0 at Spruce Meadows on Tuesday night. 

The Nine Stripes had to squeeze water from stone after Jordan Wilson was sent off before the hour mark 
but still managed to hold firm and end their ten-game winless run. 

It was also the first away win for the club this season and The Gaffer hopes this will be the template 
for the second half of the season. 

"I think it’s [performance] just a statement that we're here to fight for the rest of the season," 
Nash said in his post-match interview. 

"We didn't have a great first half of the year. We started the season well and then tapered off 
- [had to] deal with a lot of injuries and everything else. We're finally getting back to health 
and we're gonna fight tooth and nail to the end of the season."  

Birthday boy Osaze De Rosario’s near post connection on a low cross from Luis Lawrie-Lattanzio 
in the 29th minute bagged the points and it was his season’s sixth. 

Calvary FC were not lame on the night. They threw everything at the visitors but could not unlock 
the rearguard marshalled by fit-again Roger Thompson and Dominick Zator. 

Tommy Wheeldon Jr’s side bossed 73% of possession, managed 18 shots [versus York United’s 6] and had 
five of them on target but still fired blank. 

Nash added: "It feels really good. You know, we've been struggling off late. It's extremely nice 
to get a clean sheet." 

"I know they created a lot of chances but we held strong and I think we needed this as a group. 
We changed our shape in the hope that we'd keep a clean sheet and make it difficult for them 
and I thought we did that. The sending off didn't help but our guys stuck together through that." 

Looking ahead to the next match against Atletico Ottawa at York Lions Stadium on Sunday, The Gaffer 
said: "I think we've just got to try and build off this win. It's a massive game on Sunday. 
We're gonna need the same kind of performance and effort as we got tonight."

Goalkeeper Niko Giantsopoulos, a former Cavs boy, proved his mettle again with another superlative 
display which earned him the Man of the Match accolade. 

He pulled off five saves to blunt efforts from Ali Musse, Sergio Camargo and Jose Escalante. 
Niko dedicated the shutout to his mother, who celebrated a special occasion the day before.

"It means a lot but yesterday was my Mom's birthday and I wanted to get a clean sheet for her 
so that's dedicated to her, for sure," he told reporters.

In his second season with The Nine Stripes after playing the understudy role to Marco Carducci 
at Spruce Meadows for a couple of years, Giantsopoulos now has six clean-sheets to his name 
this term: the joint-highest tally in the league. Asked about finally making a name for himself 
with York United, the 28-year-old was quick to offer a reminder of the calibre of his performances 
while he was with the Cavs.

"To be honest, I felt like I made my name for myself when I was here in Calgary," he said.

"I think if you ask the staff here, I put in honest work and when I got my chance to play, 
I did well. So now to be at York [United] and play week-in, week-out, it's something I always 
wanted and something I believed I could do. So yeah, it's just good. I'm just enjoying 
the experience, to be honest."

Ridwan Ibrahim Asante

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