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April 13, 2025 CPL York United FC vs HFX Wanderers FC game report (by Rocket Robin)
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Result and details of the Sundaay April 25, 2025 Canadian Premier League game between York United FC and HFX Wanderers FC
played at York Lions Stadium in North York at 3:00pm ET.
York United FC (dark green socks and shirts navy shorts, white names and numbers)
..........................12 Ivan Pavela
............3 Luke Singh...62 Nyal Higgins...4 Oswaldo Leon
16 Max Ferrari...7 Steffen Yeates...8 Elijajh Adekugbe (cpt)...23 Riley Ferrazzo
.........11 Massimo Ferrin...10 Adonijah Reid...20 Gabriel Bitar
Subs:...1 Diego Urtiaga (gk)...18 Julian Altobelli (fwd)...19 Olusola Jimoh (fwd)...21 Kembo Kibato (mid)
...30 Christian Zeppieri (mid)...32 Luca Accettola (mid)...33 Joshua Lopez (fwd)
team officials:...head coach Mauro Eustaquio...assistant coach Jose Mateus Lima and Jose Petinga...goalkeeper coach Camilo Benzi
...physiotherapist Jonathan Kang...doctor Jim Niu...physical trainer Julian Simone...kitman Eduardo Rodas
HFX Wanderers FC (all white uniforms, dark blue names and numbers, gray shoulders)
............................99 Rayane Yesli
...........5 Adam Pearlman...26 Thomas Meilleur-Giguere...16 Kareem Sow
14 Jason Bahamboula...8 Isaiah Johnston...6 Lorenzo Callegari...17 Wes Timoteo
...............27 Giorgio Probo...10 Sean Rea
............................7 Ryan Telfer (cpt)
Subs:...13 Aiden Rushenas (gk)...9 Tiago Coimbra (fwd)...11 Vitor Dias (mid)...18 Andre Rampersad (mid)
...19 Yahan Bai (fwd)...23 Alessandro Biello (mid)...44 Nasim Mekideche (def)
team officials:...head coach Patrice Gheisar...assistant coach Giovanni Petraglia
...goalkeeper coach Jan-Michael Williams...physiotherapist Will Harrison...kitman Ben Rubinger
...other Nicholas Edwards
Game officials:...referee Renzo Villanueva...referee's assistants Bradley Doubrough and Twayne Anderson
...fourth official Yusri Rudolf...(all black uniforms)...referee asssessor John Oliva
First Half:...game starts 3:10pm...York defends south end on this mild afternoon with a bright sun in the south west
and a wind from the south.
10 sec...York Adekugbe is hit by a ball sent into the back of his head by a teammate at York 45 yard line.
2 min...York Ferrazzo 10 yard shot from far left is stopped by sliding goalie on near post.
3 min...HFX Pearlman is injured at HFX 35 yard line near the HFX bench.
7 min...York Ferrazzo heads ball across 6 yard box from left but defender near post concedes cornerkick.
8 min...York Ferrazzo cornerkick from left has defender on left side of box head away.
9 min...York Yeates 33 yard freekick chip from left has York Higgins charge forward into crowd of players in box and chests ball
at 8 yards but goalie picks it up.
10 min...York Ferrari on rush to right end line and his 10 yard shot is stopped by goalie on near post deflecting for cornerkick.
11 min...York Yeates cornerkick from right has defenders clear.
12 min...York Yeates cornerkick from right hass York Leon on right put ball in middle of box from left. Defenders clear at 12 yards
when York Reid holds off from bicycle kick attempt.
13 min...HFX Bahamboula runs up right but York defenders Leon and Ferrazzo break it up.
14 min...HFX Rea high conetkick from right has goalie step forward in crowd of players and leap to catch.
16 min...HFX Probo pokes ball up middle from 20 yards that goalie smothers. Probo pushes over York Leon. Then there's pushing
between Probo and another York player. No cards are shown.
18 min...York Ferrazzo high cross from 18 yards on left drifts well over net.
21 min...York Gabriel Bitar GOAL...York Riley Ferrazzo receives pass upfield at 35 yard line on left sideline and runs
forward while cutting towards goal then taps pass to York Massimo Ferrin who has HFX Lorenzo Callegari check him
off ball at HFX 25 yard line because pass was behind him. Callegari is checked off ball before he can get away from
fallen Ferrin by York Bitar who pokes ball forward to York Adonijah Reid who cuts along 25 yard line to middle but
facing 1 v 3 backheels to Bitar sho blasts low shot from 20 yard line on slight left that goalie Rayane Yesli dives across box
to get a hand to on left side but just pushes ball to corner of net.
22 min...HFX Rea cornerkick from left has goalie palm ball from just under bar and he then swats it away.
23 min...HFX Read cornerkick from left has York players break out on right.
24 min...HFX Bahamboula is injured when pushed out of bounds.
26 min...HFX Bahamboula races up right to end line and cross has HFX Timoteo not able to turn header at 10 yards.
28 min...HFX player's rush to left end line but ball deflects off defender and off him for goalkick.
31 min...HFX goalie is out to right side of box to outjump York Bitar and catch high ball.
33 min...York Ferrin cross from left at 25 yards has York Reid can't control 8 yarder on right post and rolls it to goalie who dives
to pick it up before it crosses line for cornerkick.
33 min...York Leon make great stop off shin to prevent shot on net.
34 min...HFX Rea cornerkick from left is short to HFX player who chips into box and ball partially cleared and HFX Callegari
shot is well over net on 22 yard blast.
35 min...HFX Timoteo ends HFX pressure with cross from 12 yards from right with no teammate in box.
36 min...York Ferrari russh on right cutting in towards goal but third defender checks him off ball.
36 min...York Reid 10 yard sshot from right has goalie cattch on near post. The goalie is injured in face again and needs trainer.
Players take a break over at their benches.
39 min...HFX Bahamboula cross from right has defender on 6 yard box head away.
41 min...HFX YELLOW card...Callegari earns it for bashing Into York Adekugbe at HFX 40 yards from behind.
43 min...HFX YELLOW card...Johnston earns it for stepping in front of freekick not giving 10 yards.
43 min...York Ferrazzo can't break in at 8 yards past defender.
45 min...York Yeates wins freekick at HFX 25 yard line when bumped over.
47 min...York Singh 30 yard freekick from left is high and wide left.
48 min...HFX Pearlman long throw-in is popped across York box. HFX Timoteo 12 yarrd shot in crowd of players is caught by goalie.
48 min...half ends 3:58pm.
Halftime Entertainment:
...The Maple Lodge Farm mascot (a person in a chicken costume) leads fans in 'The Chicken Dance'.
...There's a t-shirt toss.
...There are kids playing small size soccer using mini nets.
...There is a huge number of kids allowed one kick at soccer golf where they kick a soccer ball towards a corner flag planted into the
center circle. Closest to the hole wins. The next kid was up almost as soon as the ball from the last kid's 'putt' stopped rolling.
...The fan zone in the end zone was never more crowded than it was today.
Second Half:...starts 4:14pm.
46 min...HFX Bahamboula shoots 15 yard shot from right over net.
50 min...HFX Johnston bends 20 yarder from left that doesn't quite bend far enough to tuck inside right post.
52 min...Wanderers Giorgio Probo GOAL...Probo takes 22 yard freekick from top left corner of box around three man wall
that has charging HFX Ryan Telfer at 7 yards in middle duck out of way and ball bounces at 5 yard line and bounces into
low right corner of net beyond diving goalie Ivan Pavela with charging HFX Thomas Meilleur-Giguere a step behind feigning
or missing a shot on run at 5 yards.
54 min...York Yeates chips 35 yard freekick from middle that York Higgins pops from right across box but directly for goalie to catch.
56 min...HFX Bahamboula runs down right and cross has York goalie fly over and push ball into defender at 3 yards and deflect
for cornerkick.
57 min...HFX Rea high cornerkick from right is over to left. HFX player shoot well over net from 18 yards.
62 min...HFX Timoteo is injured near York bench.
.........York Ferrazzo appeared also to be injured away from that play.
63 min...York sub...Altobelli replaces Reid.
.........York sub...Jimoh replaces Ferrin.
.........York sub...Kibato replaces Ferrazzo.
63 min...HFX Timoteo crosses after run down left and HFX Probo sends header downward into dirt at 8 yards and ball bounces
over net.
64 min...HFX sub...Bai replaces Bahamboula.
65 min...York Jimoh runs on left and taps centering pass. York Bitar spins anad rolls 12 yarder thaat goalie dives to smother
near left post.
66 min...HFX Telfer chips pass from 20 yards too far forward on 3 v 2 rush and goalie picks up ball.
68 min...HFX sub...Rampersad replaces Johnston and immediately becomes captain.
...........HFX sub...Dias replaces Rea.
70 min...HFX YELLOW card...Probo earns it for pushing match in front of York bench.
..........York YELLOW card...Bitar earns it for pushing match in front of York bench.
71 min...York Yeates 35 yard freekick from right is well over box.
72 min...HFX Rampersad 22 yard shot is blocked by defender.
73 min...York Ferrari runs up right and rolls centering pass. York Altobelli shoots 22 yard roller well wide left of net.
73 min...York sub...Accettola replaces Bitar.
75 min...HFX Telfer earns freekick when York Ferrari slides to check him.
76 min...HFX Timoteo 22 yard freekick from left is sent well over net.
77 min...York YELLOW card...Higgins earns it for sliding tackle of HFX Telfer at York 50 yard line.
79 min...HFX sub...Biello replaces Telfer.
..........HFX sub...Coimbra replaces Probo.
80 min...Wanderers Tiago Coimbra GOAL...HFX Kareem Sow from HFX 45 yard line on left chips long pass
to York 25 yard line where charging Coimbra gets ball on bounce on short breakaway on slight left has goalie out
to top left of 6 yard box to cut down angle but Coimbra chips 10 yarder over sliding goalie to right corner of open net
on bounce.
80 min...HFX YELLOW card...Coimbra earns it for pulling off his shirt to celebrate his goal as he runs into a crowd
of HFX subs warming up near the left cornerflag.
82 min...HFX goalie dives forward to smother loose ball and is injured and needs trainer when York players almost
break through up middle.
84 min...York sub...Lopez replaces Leon.
85 min...York YELLOW card...Ferrari earns it for sliding tackle on HFX Biello near sideline.
.........York YELLOW card...Adekugbe earns it for a foul. HFX Coimbra is injured in middle of field.
.........HFX YELLOW card...Mekidecha earns it for leaving the bench and coming onto the field to join in a pushing match.
87 min...HFX Callegari 30 yard freekick from left is sent into box where York Yeates partially whiffs on clearance and HFX Bai
blasts 28 yarder up middle that flying goalie pushes wide left.
91 min...HFX Coimbra is injured at HFX 45 yard line.
92 min...York Higginss chips high 40 yard shot that lands on top of net.
93 min...HFX YELLOW card...Goalie Yesli earns it for timewasting taking a goal kick.
95 min...York Ferrari recovers loose ball at top right of box and blasts low 10 yard shot that deflects off shin of retreating defender
and wide right for cornerkick.
95 min...York Yeates and Jimoh quickly work out short cornerkick and Jimoh's cross from 20 yards into 6 yard box is headed away
by defender.
96 min...game ends 5:05pm.
Final Score:...York United FC.........1..........HFX Wanderers FC..........2..........
Attendance wasn't announced and I was worried when before gametime it still looked empty but it filled in nicely. There was the largest crowd I've ever seen in the endzone at halftime with fans buying food and drinks and shopping for team swag. (Late edit: On the message boards a fan found there were 2087 in attendance). The day turned out mild on the temperture front as we had snow falling during the morning rush hour of Thursday morning causing plenty of accidents. It still gets cold at night leaving me marooned in just a hoodie and not enough time to rush six blocks away to my car after the press conference ended to grab my parka to watch the Academy game starting at 7:00pm.
Referee Renzo Villanueva gave out 10 Yellow cards (four to York although the extra cards to Wanderers were to Tiago Coimbra for pulling off his jersey after scoring his goal and goalie Rayane Yesli for time wasting taking too much time for a goalkick during injury time). Those are the ones you regret some day in August when your Yellows are accumulating towards suspension.
York had a good start to the game with posession anda the play seemed to be in the Wanderers end for the first 25 minutes but then the game evened out. York stopped pressing and Wanderers were able to chip the defenders setting up the breakaway on the winning goal. It was mentioned at the press conference that the York defenders were tiring. York had few chances the second half even after making their subs at the same time as last week (Altobelli and Jimoh).
Wanderers make the greatest sub with Tiago Coimbra being put into the game at 79 minutes to replace goal scorer Giorgio Probo and scoring what turned out to be the winning goal one minute later.
It was an even more interesting day of homecomings as York picked up players from last year's Wanderers lineup in defender Riley Ferrazo and forward Massimo Ferrin who were convinced to return and play for their hometown team. Hometown defender Adam Pearlman was loaned to Wanderers by Toronto FC II who will have their home opener at this stadium next Friday night. It was the first game on HFX for midfielder Isaiah Johnston who played for York from 2020 to 2022 before moving on to play for US teams until this year. Hometown forward Julian Altobelli signed outright with York during the offseason from that TFC II roster. The record of TFC II is currently a very respectful 2 wins, 2 losses with all games on the road so far. HFX head coach Patrice Gheisar went to York University. Captain Ryan Telfer was also a student here and played for the University team as well as TFC, TFC II, and York 9 during their first years in the league. He scored the first CPL goal ever! In the stands some of our press box guys saw hometown guys Jordan Hamilton who is out of contract after years with Forge FC sitting with goalie Dayne St Clair who must have been allowed to stay an extra day in Toronto after shutting out TFC for his Minnesota United MLS team yesterday afternoon.
Because Diego Urtiaga's paperwork had been cleared quickly, his arrival from Mexico to become York's main goalie meant that today he could at least watch the game as their backup (assuming he hasn't had many/any practices with the team). That left expected backup Michael Williams able to return to York United Academy who were readying to play their inaugural game in League1 Ontario tonight right here in a first round L1 Cup game. He would be the starter in that game and earn a shutout. Forward Joshua Lopez who subbed in today at 84 minutes started the Academy game tonight as well and played the first half. I expect there's some rule limiting his total game time in a day like the old Toronto FC/Toronto FC II before the MLS and MLS NEXT Pro days when games would be played right after the MLS game finished.
York's record falls to 1 win and 1 loss in Week 2 of the new season. By the time I got home the other games had ended. They fall into a fourth place tie with Pacific FC. There were only three games played this weekend as Cavalry FC and Valour FC, who both lost last week, had this week off. I had seen some media predictors place York as seventh in their season ending tables. Since Vancouver FC was ranked eighth (bottom) and that's who they beat last week, maybe I'm too optimistic about their goal of finishing higher than fourth this season.
Wanderers record improves to 1 win and 1 tie for a tie for second place with Atletico Ottawa. Most impressive is that these results were earned for playing on the road. Last season HFX only earned seven points on the road all of 2024.
Rocket Robin
robin.glover.1958@gmail.com
X @RocketRobin01
York United FC starters
HFX Wanderers FC starters
York United FC starters
HFX Wanderers FC starters
York Massimo Ferrin (11) takes opening kickoff.
York Steffen Yeates (7) will bend in this freekick into the box.
HFX Lorenzo Callegari (6) swings on clearance attempt of cornerkick.
The HFX cornerkick is upfield for HFX Wes Timoteo (17) to send ball into box.
York Luke Singh (3) lines up freekick.
It's a crowded endzone at halftime.
HFX Sean Rea (10) takes second half kickoff.
HFX Giorgio Probo (27) is ready to send in a freekick.
HFX Ryan Telfer (7) ducks out of the way and the freekick bounces into the net.
Handshakes after the game.
Game stats (from canpl.ca)
York United FC HFX Wanderers FC
Possession 47.6% 52.4%
Duels success rate 51.1% 48.9%
Aerial duels won 35.3% 64.7%
Interceptions 8 7
Offsides 3 2
Corners won 4 6
Passes 421 468
Long passes 50 44
Passing accuracy 84.3% 85.0%
Passing acc in opp' half (%) 67.1% 71.2%
Crosses 20 14
Crossing accuracy 15.0% 28.6%
Goals 1 2
Shots 6 13
Shots on target 4 5
Blocked shots 0 1
Shots outside the box 3 5
Shots inside the box 3 8
Shooting accuracy 66.7% 38.5%
Tackles 12 15
Tackles success rate 83.3% 60.0%
Clearances 19 22
Fouls conceded 15 19
Yellow cards 4 6
Red cards 0 0
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