April 15, 2025...Weekly Review: First Round L1 Cup (from League1 Ontario website)
15 April 2025
Latest News
Weekly Rewind: Cambridge clinch cup upset
The first round of the 2025 L1 Cup is complete, with several sides booking their places in Round Two.
Let the games begin
This year’s action began in the Women’s L1 Cup with Tecumseh United winning 1-0 against Hamilton United on April 6.
A first-half goal from Ava Facchineri ensured the home side began their cup campaign in perfect style.
The midweek matches saw Waterloo United women knock Cambridge United out with an early Marisa Oliveira goal sealing
their 1-0 win. Guelph United sealed their place in the second round after beating Railway City with another 1-0 score.
Although Cambridge didn’t secure the dream start they would have wanted to life in League1 Ontario’s women’s competition,
the men’s team pulled off one of the results of the round.
The new expansion side, who are competing in Men’s League2 this year, won away at the Men’s Premier’s Alliance United
to reach Round Two. Christian Ferraro was a hero on the day as his hat-trick secured a convincing 3-0 victory.
More action at the weekend
Most of the cup action came over the weekend, and Saturday, April 12 saw the first of a busy two days of games with five
women’s matches and three in the men’s bracket.
There were four home wins out of the five women’s games, with Rush Canada providing the biggest victory margin by beating
Sudbury Cyclones 5-0 thanks to a brace from Danielle Wylie and the other three goals coming from Sienna Diblasio,
Gauri Rawat, and Bianca Mazzaferro.
St Catharines Roma Wolves won an entertaining match against Unionville Milliken, running out as 4-2 winners – an injury-time
Hannah Kelly goal stopping any potential Unionville comeback.
Pickering also scored four as the only away winners on the day. They beat Scrosoppi thanks to a first-half Serena McDonald
hat-trick and a Hope Windeback goal, live on League1 Ontario’s YouTube channel.
There were also wins for Whitby who reached last season’s semifinals; they beat Master’s FA 3-0. Oakville won 2-1 against
Burlington thanks to a winner from Sydney Vanderhoef in the seventh minute of injury time.
In the Men’s L1 Cup, Saturday’s action was wrapped up with Whitby also winning, this time against Waterloo with a 2-1 score.
There were wins for the Men’s Premier’s new sides, as FC London defeated Hamilton United 2-0, and St Catharines Roma Wolves
scored four to beat The Borough 4-1.
Sunday sees more drama
Sunday, 13 April saw the remaining Round One men’s teams hunt for their places in the second round. Two games went
to penalties after 0-0 ties, with Windsor City knocking out Guelph and York United Academy beating Sudbury Cyclones
in shootouts.
There was plenty of drama in Pickering’s 3-2 win at Sigma. The away side went into an early 2-0 lead with goals from
Ameer Madden and Thomas Addorisio in the first eight minutes, but Sigma came back to make it 2-2 on the hour mark after
goals from Sebastian Castello and Kyle Walton.
Pickering retook the lead through a stunning solo goal from Ayomide Abobare, before tensions boiled over and Sigma’s
Leshawn Facey was sent off with a second yellow card.
There was a convincing 4-0 win for Oakville who knocked out Railway City thanks to a brace from Michael Maslanka,
and goals from Adam Czerkawski and Daniel Prieto. Wrapping up the action, Unionville Milliken beat Rush Canada 2-0 to seal
their spot in the next round.
Master’s match against North Mississauga was postponed.
Who’s up next?
With some big teams wating in the second round, there are set to be some exciting fixtures on the way in the L1 Cup.
In the men’s competition, last season’s winners Vaughan Azzurri will face Oakville after the latter’s big win against
Railway City. This is a fixture between two teams with lots of history in League1 Ontario with five Men’s Premier titles
between them.
Last year’s Men’s L1 Cup runners-up Simcoe County Rovers will play Cambridge United, who will be looking for another
Premier Division scalp.
The other teams waiting in the second round include North Toronto who will face St Catharines Roma Wolves, Scrosoppi who
are set to play Windsor City, Woodbridge Strikers who will play York United Academy, and Burlington who face Pickering
in Round Two.
Over in the women’s bracket, 2024 champions FC London will play Rush Canada after the latter’s convincing 5-0 win in the
first round. Last season’s runners-up North Toronto are set to face off against Waterloo United.
Pickering will play 2024 semifinalists Simcoe County Rovers, Vaughan Azzurri will face Tecumseh, and NDC Ontario will
take on Oakville in a match between two teams who were knocked out at the Round Two stage last season when Oakville were
named Blue Devils.
Alliance are set for a clash with Guelph United who were knocked out at the quarterfinal stage last year, North Mississauga
are waiting for St Catharines in the next round, and Woodbridge Strikers will play Whitby.
Match dates will be confirmed in due course.
Published On: 15 April 2025
League1 Ontario staff
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