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June 15, 2023 MLS NEXT Pro Toronto FC II vs Huntsville City FC game report (by Rocket Robin)
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Result and details of the Thursday June 15, 2023 MLS NEXT Pro game between Toronto FC II and Huntsville City FC
played at York Lions Stadium in North York at 7:00pm.
Toronto FC II (all red uniforms, white names and numbers)
.........................18 Greg Ranjitsingh
...........85 Marko Stojandinovic...51 Adam Pearlman...76 Lazar Stefanovic
71 Markus Cimermancic...81 Themi Antonoglou...7 Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty...3 Cristian Gutierrez
...........72 Joran Faria...20 Ayo Akinola...70 Matthew Catavolo
Subs:...90 Luka Gavran (gk)...62 Rohan Goulbourne (def)...89 Matthew Medeiros (def)...65 Antony Curic (def)
...68 Lucas Olguin (mid)...95 Ife Adenuga (mid)...33 Reshaun Walkes (fwd)...73 Jesus Batiz (fwd)
...82 Julian Altobelli (mid)
Team officials:...head coach Gianni Cimini...assistant coach Marco Casalinuovo and Yianni Michelis
...goalkeeper coach David Monsalve
Huntsville City FC (all white uniforms, navy names and numbers)
........................67 Ben Martino
23 Chrisnovic N'Sa...5 Sean Suber...3 Cyrus Rad...13 Joey Skinner
17 Jonathan Bolanos...19 Josh Drack...7 Nicky Law (cpt)...8 Isaiah Johnston
.............18 Kerny Amiche...20 Adem Sipic
Subs:...1 John Berner (gk)...6 Joey De Zart (mid)...9 Shaun Joash (fwd)...28 Tyler Freeman (fwd)
...35 Perrin Barnes (def)...38 Eli Wachs (fwd)...40 Lucas Wolthers (fwd)
Team officials:...head coach Jack Collison...assistant coaches Omar Jarun and Nicky Law...goalkeeper coach John Berner
...head athletic trainer Luis Rodas..performance coach & sports scientist Chris Romano...video analyst/scouting Matt Bautista
...head equipment manager Sam Gibson...director of soccer operation Liam Doyle
Game officials: referee Mo Mohseni...referee's assistants Melissa Sneddon and Brad Doubrough
...fourth official Fabrizio Stasollo...(teal shirts, black shorts and socks)
First Half:...game starts 7:03pm...TFC defend south end on this mild, overcast evening with the threat of rain falling any minute.
11 sec...HC N'Sa low cross from 22 yards along right end line is caught by diving goalie.
1 min...HC Law 30 yard freekick from right has TFC Akinola head ball away in crowd of players at 12 yards in middle of box.
An HC player skies the rebound high and wide left.
3 min...TFC Akinola tap back from 15 yards to TFC Stojandinovic who blasts 22 yarder well over net.
5 min...TFC Catavolo chips cross from 10 yard line on far left out and over right side of box.
6 min...TFC Stefanovic makes key header in TFC box to clear cross from left.
6 min...TFC Marshall-Rutty has weak fall on right side of HC box but referee waves it off.
8 min...TFC Cimermancic cross from right end line is well over net.
9 min...TFC Marshall-Rutty cross from left is over box.
10 min...HC Bolanos rush into right side of TFC box but he's checked off ball.
10 min...HC YELLOW card...Suber earns it for arm grab hold on TFC Catavolo on left sideline at center line.
11 min...HC defender gets back to clear low TFC player's cross from left into box on run.
13 min...TFC Antonoglou freekick blast from 25 yards is into player wall. TFC Catavolo blasts 25 yard rebound high and wide right.
15 min...HC Drack 25 yard freekick from far left has defender head out right side of box.
17 min...TFC Marshall-Rutty on run down right is into box and HC Rad checks him off ball.
18 min...HC goalie is out to top right of box to pick up bouncer and survive bump by TFC Faria who is called offside anyway.
19 min...HC Bolanos intercepts pass at 28 yards in middle but chips pass that no HC player runs for.
20 min...TFC Akinolo is off balance header in middle across box out right side.
21 min...TFC goalie picks up through ball pass on right side of box.
24 min...TFC Gutierrez bends cross from 30 yards on left that's well over box and wide right for goalkick.
26 min...HC Drack has TFC Stojandinovic block 15 yard shot on left.
26 min...HC Law cornerkick from left is out to HC Amiche at 22 yards and his blast is over net.
28 min...Huntsville Kerny Amiche GOAL...Amiche in center passes forward to HCFC Jonathan Bolanos who rescues
on right end line. He crosses low to center and back for Amiche to shoot low 18 yarder up middle into right side
of net past diving goalie Greg Ranjitsingh.
29 min...A TFC player's cross is over the head of TFC Akinola and TFC Marshall-Rutty has 12 yard shot on left is blocked
by defender.
30 min...TFC Marshall-Rutty bends 22 yard shot from left that goalie flies left to catch on near post.
33 min...TFC YELLOW card...Gutierrez earns it for dissent. Gutierrez tackled an HC player in front of the HC bench
on the sideline.
36 min...TFC Faria shot down middle from 25 yards is well high of net.
38 min...HC N'Sa run down right after HC Amiche dekes TFC Antonoglou and passes downfield is low and though box
but out left side.
38 min...HC Skinner's sliding tackle of TFC Faria prevents break in on right side of HC box.
41 min...TFC Catavolo 28 yard freekick from left has goalie out to 15 yards to punch away knocking over a teammate.
TFC Marshall-Rutty 28 yard rebound is skied well over net.
43 min...HC players have ball at 8 yards near left end line but don't get away shot.
44 min...HC N'Sa on run up right passes into TFC box. HC Bolanos makes quick tap over to HC Sipic who one-touch volleys
shot from 10 yards over net.
45 min...HC Sipic has interception but 1 v 3 in TFC box is checked off ball.
46 min...half ends 7:49pm.
Second Half:...starts 8:04pm.
Halftime subs:...TFC Curic replacces Catavolo.
....................TFC Batiz replaces Gutierrez.
46 min...TFC Marshall-Rutty cross from 25 yards on right has TFC Batiz head 8 yarder near left line wide left.
49 min...HC N'Sa runs dodwwn right side and passes in two moves that finds HC Drack whose low 25 yarder down middle
is wide right.
49 min...TFC Akinola sends pass over to TFC Marshall-Rutty for a breakaway from 50 yards has goalie make point blank
save from 15 yard shot goalie out to 12 yards makes big foot save with right foot.
52 min...TFC Curic has clearance deflect off him at 25 yards and just wide right and high of net.
It starts to rain.
53 min...TFC Faria cross after run down right is well over box.
54 min...HC Drack stops run to line up low 15 yard blast from left that's wide right of post.
57 min...HC N'Sa slides on right end line and can't get in cross before it rolls out for goalkick.
57 min...HC sub...Joash replaces Bolanos.
...........HC sub...Barnes replaces Sipic.
58 min...TFC Stojandinovic rolls cross too far forward on right for TFC Faria and is over end line.
60 min...Referee tells HC head coach to "Just let me do my job" as response to his constant complaining.
63 min...Huntsville Josh Drack GOAL...HCFC Perrin Barnes sends low cross from 22 yards from near right end line
has an HCFC player who's well covered at 8 yards in middle dummy and let ball roll through to Drack on left side
send 15 yard ball forward into left side of net.
64 min...TFC sub...Walkes replaces Faria.
66 min...TFC Walkes muscles into HC box on left but pushes ball over endline.
68 min...TFC Marshall-Rutty 22 yard shot from right pops up on deflection of defender at 15 yards and goalie makes
easy catch on right post.
70 min...TFC Antonoglou rescues ball on HC right endline on cross into box has HC Rad clear from box.
71 min...HC Law wastes freekick from 25 yards with pass around.
72 min...TFC goalie catches cross from left.
73 min...TFC Themi Antonoglou sends 25 yard freekick from right that finds TFC Jesus Batiz to rescue 10 yards along
left end line and he flicks cross meant for center of box but it hits hand of HCFC Chrisnovic N'Sa and referee
Mo Mohseni awards TFC a Penalty kick.
74 min...TFC Jesus Batiz takes long stutter step filled run up and sends Penalty kick that has goalie Ben Martino
dive right but his shot is wide left of the post.
75 min...HC sub...Freeman replaces Amiche.
...........HC sub...De Zart replaces Johnston.
...........TFC sub...Altobelli replaces Akinola.
75 min...HC N'Sa run on right and crosses along 8 yard line. HC Joash chests ball in crowd of players but all is checked away.
79 min...TFC Antonoglou cornerkick from right has TFC Curic pop up header on leap at 8 yards in crowd well over net.
80 min...HC N'Sa breaks up multi-player TFC break-in into box.
81 min...TRFC Curic is injured at center line but he hops around and stays in game.
82 min...HC Freeman gets in on right and low 10 yard shot near end line saves point blank on slide on near post.
It appears it's stopped raining.
83 min...TFC Marshall-Rutty cross from 30 yards on right has TFC Batiz head 10 yarder that deflects off defender and pops up
for goalie to catch.
84 min...HC sub...Wachs replaces Drack.
...........TFC sub...Adenuga replaces injured Marshall-Rutty.
86 min...TFC Altobelli rolls centering pass into 6 yard box a step ahead of charging TFC Batiz.
88 min...HC YELLOW card...Joash earns it for something when HC are awarded a freekick. (the league website lists it as dissent).
It starts to rain again and this time very hard.
89 min...HC Law cornerkick from right is short and earns throw-in both of which is to waste time.
91 min...HC Skinner dribbles ball along end line inside HC box and makes clearance without giving up cornerkick.
94 min...TFC Jesus Batiz GOAL...TFC Themi Antonoglou chips ball forward up left from 70 yards that has Batiz charge
forward to get to ball on bounce at 15 yard line and low shot from 18 yards on far left is into right corner of net
as goalie dives out from left post.
95 min...game ends as soon as HCFC takes kick in center circle to restart game. Game ends 8:54pm.
Final Score:...Toronto FC II.......1......Huntsville City FC.......2......
Attendance increased to about 150 by the second half. This was a midweek game with a 7:00pm start so folks coming from downtown could be caught in the rush hour. A school day tomorrow meant there were few children in the crowd. Toronto had loaded in a few players from the MLS team as they don't play until Wednesday and it keep their young players sharp joining two other loanees already in the lineup. TFC (MLS) back up goalie Greg Ranjitsingh got the start. Ayo Akinola and Jakheele Marshall-Rutty also started playing forward and midfield respectively. Some superfan after the game said the two latter players were only told they were put on the TFC II roster just hours before the game. Over the years I've noticed that if the MLS players have very little time to train with the reserve team the timing of the whole team is 'off' and that proved true with a lot of missed passes and the shrugs as if to say “I thought you were going to run for that pass!” as a ball rolls down the field unplayed. One big exception was at 49 minutes when Akinola sent Marshall-Rutty in on a breakaway from 50 yards down the middle. Marshall-Rutty took a shot from 15 yard shot which HCFC goalie Ben Martino made a point blank save at 12 yards by sticking out his foot on his right to block the shot. Referee Mo Mohseni gave out four Yellow cards that I counted (three to Huntsville) including one to head coach Jack Collison for leaving his box. One more to a player on each team for dissent—that only leaves one for an HCFC arm grab at the 10 minute mark. There had been a light rain for short points earlier in the late afternoon and for a few moments during the game but the skies opened up for good at 89 minutes and stayed hard for hours. A few players on both teams slipped on the turf in the second half. I'm glad that the team allows fans to bring umbrellas. People can be so spread out that even a patio umbrella would not have blocked anyone's view. I read when I got home that this was Huntsville's first ever road win. The team is the TFC II equivalent for Nashville SC but play in Huntsville Alabama which is only 115 miles away. I have a rooting interest in Huntsville as on their roster are defender Chrisnovic N'Sa and midfielder Isaiah Johnston who both played on Canadian Professional League team York United FC last season whose home stadium is York Lions Stadium. Huntsville had about 1/3 of the fan support but they were mostly there to see Johnston who grew up in neighbouring Mississauga and some for N'Sa from further away Montreal. Johnston climbed into the stands after the game and even I had to stop to congratulate him. I was surprized by the result (before knowing of the MLS player inserts) as I saw Huntsville as being one of the few teams below TFC II in the standings as recently as last week and TFC won their weekend game on the road defeating Inter Miami CF II on Sunday by a shootout win. It turns out Huntsville won theirs on Sunday against St Louis City 2 (wow an Eastern Conference team playing one from the West) to pull into a tie before tonight's game. The result drops TFC's record to 3 wins, 8 losses, 2 ties, and 1 shootout bonus point for 12 points. They are now all alone in thirteenth (ie last) place. Toronto stays home for a Sunday night game against Atlanta United FC 2. I would be surprized if the late hour loaned players would stay because their MLS team will play Wednesday on the road against FC Cincinnati and could be short a few players away with the Canadian national team training for the Gold Cup. Huntsville's record improves to 3 wins, 6 losses, 3 ties, and 3 shootout bonus point for 15 points. That moves them up to tenth place. The top seven teams in the Eastern Conference make the playoffs. That spot is held by....Atlanta United FC 2 with 20 points. Oh oh. I don't expect Atlanta to phone in their game on Sunday which makes the game almost 'must win' for TFC II this early in the season. Once in awhile I come across a full circle moment and tonight was one of them. Sure I noticed that TFC MLS player Mark Anthony Kaye was sitting just two rows ahead of me and he played a few years for TFC II before moving on to Louisville City FC of the USL Championship league then MLS teams Los Angeles FC and Colorado Rapids before finally playing for TFC since part way through last season and I made sure to say 'Hello'. It was really earlier when I was reading tweets waiting outside before the game that I noticed my name being mentioned in regards to the soon to retire Canadian National team player Atiba Hutchinson and people searching back for his first professional team. They settled on 2002 with Toronto Lynx of the A-League because they found my website listing those games (no digital cameras that long ago). So at halftime I climbed to the concourse to find the washroom and notice a boy of about 7 running back and forth wearing a TFC replica jersey that was numbered '15' and had the name 'Serioux' on it. Hmm that was the name of a MLS career player who played for TFC in 2009. The man nearby was his father. No not Adrian Serioux the player but Marcus Serioux his brother who I remember as the media head/game coordinator for the Toronto Lynx back in the day. Adrian also played for the Lynx from 1999 to 2004 so his time definitely overlapped with Atiba Hutchinson. To happen on the same night was a wow moment for me! Rocket Robin
Toronto FC II starters
Huntsville City FC II starters
Huntsville Adem Sipic (20) takes opening kickoff.
TFC Themi Antonoglou (81) will take this freekick.
Huntsville Josh Drack (19) sends freekick into box.
midfield action
TFC Matthew Catavolo (70) takes freekick from left.
TFC Ayo Akinola (20) takes second half freekick.
TFC Reshaun Walkes (33) tries to get around Huntsville Joey Skinner (13).
TFC Themi Antonoglou (81) takes freekick.
TFC Jesus Batiz (73) has missed his Penalty kick.
Handshakes after the game.
Statistics from MLS Next Pro site: Stats TFC II Huntsville Possession % 66.7 33.3 Shots 16 10 Shots on Goal 3 3 Blocked Shots 5 1 Total Passes 712 350 Passing Accuracy % 89.8 79.1 Corners 1 2 Crosses 19 14 Offsides 2 0 Duels Won 54 44 Tackles Won 10 11 Saves 1 2 Clearances 8 12 Fouls 13 14 Yellow Cards 1 2 Red Cards 0 0
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