June 01, 2025...League1 Ontario Men's Premier Division...Vaughan Azzurri vs North Toronto game report by Rocket Robin

Result and details of the Sunday June 01, 2025 League1 Ontario Men's Premier Divison game between Vaughan Azzurri and North Toronto
played at North Maple Regional Park in Vaughan at 7:00pm.

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Vaughan Azzurri (all navy uniforms, white numbers, red trim)

..........................12 Luca Campoli
4 Michael Campoli...15 Matthew Medeiros...16 Jacob Begley...21 Adamo Pantaleo
25 Nick Spittle...14 Danaiel Longo...6 Franz Mella...11 Ryan Robinson (cpt)...13 Justin Santos
............................8 Chris Campoli

Subs:...1 Alesso Carbone (gk)...2 Andy Baquero...5 Raheem Rose...7 Raouf Mohamed
...17 Divraj Sandhu...19 Gabriel Boakye...22 James Fidalgo...23 Kelvin Ramirez...24 Marco Sciortino
team officials:...head coach Antony Vadori...assistant coaches Carm Isacco and Jeff Valcius...goalkeeper coach Domenic Tucci
...physiotherapaist Casey D'Mello...other official Martine Eleuteri

North Toronto (white socks and shirts, black shorts and numbers, green sleeves)

...........................1 Dante Ferraro
21 Benjamin Dunn...5 Ricardo Gonzalez...22 Noah Pickering...18 Liam Rowe
.........20 Filip Arbutina...13 Tadija Vukas (cpt)...15 Nico Barros
.........10 Abdul Babawale...17 Emile Kisse...9 Cyrus Rollocks

Subs:...30 Ryan Tiltack (gk)...3 Lucas Dyck...6 Luca Portfiris...7 Luca Di Marco
...11 Sufyan Fraj...12 Andrew James...14 Roussos Nikolakis...16 Sam Rankin...19 Leo Shrimpton
team officials:...head coach Filip Prostran...assistant coaches Ivan Juric and Kevin Lemonnier
...goalkeeper coach Anthony Greco...team manager Daniela Barillari...athletic trainer Cassandra Booton

Game officials:...referee Roain Satarzadeh...referee's assistants Roshan Mendonca and Luciano Cappotelli
...fourth official Michael Njuakom...(black socks and shorts, red shirts)...match commissioner Elisa Paolucci

First Half:...game starts 6:58pm...Vaughan defends south end on this mild and overcast but very windy evening with a strong gusty wind from the west.
50 sec...VA Santos has cross from left end line blocked.
1 min...NT Kisse on break on slight night rolls 25 yarder that's smothered by diving goalie.
5 min...NT Kisse chips 12 yarder near right end line wide right.
7 min...VA Spittle rolls centering pass from right through 6 yard box unplayed.
9 min...NT Babawale cross from 18 yards on right is headed away by defender.
12 min...VA Mella dribbles from 35 yards between defenders but rolls 12 yarder wide right as he slips up.
15 min...there have been quite a few offsides called already for both teams.
16 min...VA Spittle runs up right wing between players and rolls a short pass to VA Robinson for a cross on right end line that's cleared.
17 min...VA Mella dribbles up middle taps pass to right from 10 yards but NT Pickering slides to poke ball behind end line to concede cornerkick.
18 min...VA Mella taps over and VA Longo blaasts from 22 yards is tipped over net.
19 min...VA Vukas chips cornerkick from right. Play is whistled down for bumping in the box. The NT goalie is on the ground screaming and needs
the trainer.
21 min...NT sub...Tiltack replaces injured Ferraro in goal before play resumes. Ferraro had been injured when a player stepped on his hand.
22 min...NT Gonzalez gets back to brteak up VA 3 v 2 rush conceding cornerkick.
23 min...VA Robinson cornerkick from right is short and upfield. VA Robinson chip into box is cleared.
23 min...VA goalie steps out of box to clear a through ball.
24 min...VA Nick Spittle dribbles into the right side of the box and NT Liam Rowe upends him. Referee Roain Satarzadeh awards VA a Penalty kick.
25 min...Vaughan Ryan Robinson GOAL...Robinson shoots Penalty kick low to left side of net as goalie Ryan Tiltack dives right.
26 min...VA Robinson crosses into box. VA Chris Campoli has 10 yard volley tipped wide right.
26 min...VA Robinson cornerkick from right has NT Rollocks head away on right side of box.
29 min...VA Mella pushes ball over end line on left when given a pass but finds himself on 1 v 3 rush.
31 min...VA Mella passes to VA Chris Campoli for breakaway but NT Gonzalez gets back to tip ball wide right.
31 min...VA Santos cornerkick from right has VA Begley in crowd of players on left head 8 yarder over net.
32 min...North Toronto Abdul Babawale GOAL...NT Emile Kisse rushes down the left and dekes a sliding defender and takes
a low 12 yard shot near the end line that diving goalie Luca Campoli gets a hand to but pushes it across box. Babawale taps
in a 2 yarder on the right post.
35 min...North Toronto Abdul Babawale GOAL...There's a scamble on the right wing with NT Tadija Vukas and NT Cyrus Rollocks
involved. Babawale receives ball and sends low 18 yarder up the middle into the right side of the net.
39 min...Vaughan Chris Campoli GOAL...VA Jacob Begley threads pass from 40 yards forward on left and Campoli shoots low 20 yarder
into right corner of net past diving goalie.
40 min...VA Robinson 40 yard shot up middle is over players and well over net.
42 min...VA Chris Campoli low cross from left end line is cleared by defender in 6 yard box.
44 min...NR Rollocks is called offside again! Maybe his third time tonight?
45 min...NT Kisse eludes defender on run up right to get away 15 yard shot wide right of top corner of net.
47 min...VA Robinson cornerkick from left has VA player's shot blocked in 6 yard box. VA Chris Campoli finishes pressure with 10 yard bouncer
saved by goalie's catch.
48 min...VA Mella low cross from right end line has VA Santos a step behind a left post tap-in from 1 yards.
48 min...half ends 7:46pm. ('E' minutes of added time shown on the fourth official's sign board but he was holding it upside down!)

Halftime: Only the VA subs stay on the field to warm up.

Second Half:...starts 8:02pm...The setting sun has come out in the north west.
halftime sub:...VA Rose replaces Santos.
46 min...NT Rollocks is called offside again.
47 min...NT Babawale rushes for pass on right at 30 yards line in the clear but pulls up lame. He falls at the far sideline and needs the trainer.
49 min...Play restarts with NT playing short for now.
50 min...NT Kisse holds off two defenders on run up right and rolls 12 yard shot wide left of net.
50 min...NT sub...Nikolakis replalces injured Babawale.
51 min...VA Chris Campoli rushes up left and rolls centering pass but ball isss cleared in box.
53 min...VA Chris Campoli low 15 yarder through crowd of players is stopped by sliding goalie. VA Chris Campoli rebound blast is blocked
by defender.
54 min...VA Mella blasts 20 yarder from right between players and over bar.
55 min...VA Begley is tapped back pass and blasts 30 yarder down middle over bar. NT Barros is injured at the NT 40 yard line and needs trainer.
57 min...NT Nikolakis has sliding defender on right tip his shot for cornerkick.
57 min...NT Kisse high cornerkick from right is over players in box and cleared out left.
59 min...VA sub...Mohamed replaces Mella. Mohamed is introduced that this will be his last game for Vaughan.
63 min...VA Robinson has 12 yard mid air shot from left blocked.
65 min...VA Pantaleo crosss from left has VA Spittle leap but he's a step behind at 3 yards and misses a tap-in.
65 min...VA Rose runs over from right to left and cuts in 15 yard roller that goalie dives to smother on left post.
66 min...VA Chris Campoli gets pass and 15 yard shot up middle has goalie sprawl to save.
67 min...VA Mohamed can't connect on sidewinder of cornerkick from right.
67 min...VA Robinson bends 25 yard shot from slight left thaat flying goalie punches wide right.
70 min...NT sub...Di Marco replaces Arbutina.
72 min...NT Rollocks bends cross from 20 yards on right for goalie to make easy catch.
74 min...NT Dunn 40 yard freekick from left has NT Vukas leap in crowd of players in box and bounces 10 yard header to goalie.
75 min...VA sub...Fidalgo replaces Spittle.
.............VA sub...Baquero replaces Chris Campoli.
77 min...VA Mohamed taps ball over end lilne as he's knocked over on right edge of box.
78 min...NT YELLOW card...Rowe earns it for check at VA 45 yard line.
80 min...Vaughan Ryan Robinson GOAL...VA Raouf Mohamed taps centering pass from left side of box for Robinson
to shoot 15 yarder that sprawling goalie stops on right side of net. Robinson takes midair sidewinder 15 yard shot as he falls
and sends ball into top right of net.
81 min...VA sub...Sciortino replaces Robinson before play resumes.
83 min...North Toronto Cyrus Rollocks GOAL...NT Emile Kisse cornerkick from right has Rollocks in a crowd of players on right
side wide of net head in 4 yarder under the bar.
85 min...NT sub...Rankin replaces Kisse.
86 min...NT player is injured but rolled off field so there was no delay in play.
87 min...NT goalie steps forward to beat VA Begley to possible header then goes down injured after clearing and ball and needs trainer.
89 min...VA Nikolakis chips low 25 yarder that goalie catches on left side of goal.
89 min...VA Longo chips low 25 yarder that goalie catches on left side of goal.
90 min...VA Baquero finishes VA rush with low 12 yarder that is deflected for cornerkick.
90 min...VA Baquero cornerkick from left has NT Rollocks head away.
91 min...VA Baquero cornerkick has VA Begley in crowd wins another cornerkick.
91 min...VA Rose cornerkick has NT Dunn slides to clear behind end line.
92 min...VA Baquero cornerkick is into middle of box is headed away by defender.
93 min...North Toronto Cyrus Rollocks GOAL...Rollocks receives pass and shoots 8 yarder into short right side of net
over sliding goalie.
94 min...NT sub...Fraj replaces Nikolakis.
95 min...NT goalie is out to left side of box to catch shot wide of net.
97 min...NT goalie swats away shot from left. An NT defender had headed away a freekick into the box.
98 min...game ends 8:55pm.

Final Score:......Vaughan Azzurri........3........North Toronto.........4........

Attendance picked up to over 200 by halftime. It was very windy and sunny before the game started but a dark cloud pulled over and the wind slowed down greatly. The temperature dropped quickly as the game wore on and since many fans knew this would happen blankets and warm coats were worn.

At the beginning of the season I didn't expect to be at a League1 Ontario game today but the CPL moved the York United FC home game away from York Lions Stadium this afternoon and placed it last night in Quebec City to promote the league to potential investors in that locale; it left an opening to see a L1O game today.

Referee Roain Satarzadeh gave out only one Yellow card this game and that was to a North Toronto player. He also awarded Vaughan a Penalty kick but that was so textbook to spot that there were few complaints.

Three starters named Campoli on Vaughan tonight. Thanks to head coach Anthony Vadori for clearing the up the family tree. Forward Chris is 23, defender Michael is 19, and Luca age 17 is not related to them. Older brother Fabio is a coach with the team currently with their League2 team.

It was a rough night injury wise for North Toronto with them having to swap goaltenders after only 21 minutes for a hand injury (I confirmed this with the NT trainer after the game). Also just after the second half started, two-goals-tonight forward Abdul Babawale rushed for a pass that would have put him open all alone on the right but pulled up lame and then fell at the sideline and needed the trainer. He was not on the field so the game was restarted and NT had to play short for a few minutes.

A similar play happened to an NT player at 86 minutes with again the player being so close to the sideline that he was rolled out for treatment. While there was a generous component of travelling North Toronto fans here tonight, there was a subgroup of player-age males here also shouting support but also advising NT players to 'stay down' and laughing as if they would have been happy with a tie.

Cyrus Rollocks the hero! He scored three goals on Wednesday night as North Toronto came from behind to beat St Catharines Roma Wolves and advance to the quarterfinals of the League1 Cup. Two goals tonight both after the 80 minute mark. He was a starter tonight and played the full game. He's had a history of returning after a series of injuries. I have watched him since 2015 (only the second year of League1 Ontario) when he was with Toronto FC III. In 2017 he was named the league's 'Young Player of the Year'. He also was credited with scoring the first ever CPL goal in the first game in 2019 for York 9 FC against Forge FC in Hamilton for all of two minutes until TV replays showed it was Ryan Telfer who scored. Fast/strong/tall but a string of injuries derailed his career. He's still only age 27.

Vaughan had won here last week 4-0 over FC London but two weeks ago lost to Sigma FC 4-3. This was a surprise as Sigma at that time had only scored two goals all season. Vaughan leads the eleven team division with 20 goals in seven games but has allowed 16 which is second worst and a big dropoff in defending since last season.

By the time I got home all the Men's Premier Division games were finished.

The loss drops Vaughan's record to 3 wins, 3 losses, 1 tie for 10 points.

They stay in third place but now in a three way tie with defending champion Scrosoppi FC (who tied second place Woodbridge today and have two games in hand) and Oakville SC (surprising losers today but who still have one game in hand).

North Toronto wins their first league game of the season and improves their record to 1 win, 5 losses, 1 tie for 4 points and a tie for tenth. The other team they are tied with is FC London who also won their first game of the season earlier this afternoon by upsetting Oakville SC. FC London have one game in hand. The cellar dwellers this season should expect a break because the league plans to have twelve Premier Division teams (late dropping out of ProStars FC left the division with only eleven this year) so only the bottom club will automatically be relegated and tenth place will face the third place team in the Championship Division (ie second tier) in a playoff to see who plays at premier level in 2026.

This is my first time visiting North Maple Regional Park this year. There had been construction going on for years to the property in general. The site now has its own traffic light at the exit to Keele Street. It's now a two lane paved driveway into the parking lot. There's also a two lane bicycle lane and hiking trail beside the route for autos. That's the good news.

The dressing rooms for players and referees and washrooms for patrons of the park have been operational for a few years but now it can be seen how limiting they are. The men's washroom has a trough sink for five or six patrons to wash their hands at once...great...but there is only one urinal and two toilets to do your business. Halftime there was quite a lineup with three in line being players from a community soccer game (in the field beside the L1O game)...I expect they don't have access to the dressing rooms. From what I heard last year, there are to be three more soccer fields constructed soon and also the cricket pitch will start being used (or it may already be functional this year). That will create BMO Field level lineups depending on how many event take place at once.

Vaughan Azzurri co-head coach Anthony Vadori

My post game interview with Vaughan Azzurri co-head coach Anthony Vadori (5 min, 10 sec)

Your thoughts on tonight's game?
Do you still have players from York University and elsewhere?
Have most have your players been developed on Vaughan youth teams?
Are all those Campoli's related?
Your leading scorer last season Reshaun Walkes left but you've spread out the scoring this year?
Walkes left for Simcoe County Rovers but you got 'The Cubans' back?
Why was this Raouf Mohaamed last game?
What are your goals this season, league vs cup?

Rocket Robin
robin.glover.1958@gmail.com

Vaughan Azzurri starters