MEN’S COVERAGE
The men’s soccer team added to their string of top-notch performances on Sunday, making it four straight matches without a loss. The team beat the Ryerson Rams by a 1-0 count to move to 4-1-1 for the season.
This latest victory means the Blues lead the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) North division with 13 points, one point higher than the Lions of York, their major rival.
The game was packed with action, as if the future of the two teams depended on a win, from kick-off right to the final whistle.
A scoring chance occurred as early as the fourth minute, when Ram forward Hossein Ahmadzadeh pounced on a defensive lapse in the opposition’s end, but could not finish with a goal. He shot the ball to the right of the Blues net. U of T responded with a shot from midfield, which was stopped by Rams goalie Eric Waisman.
The Blues seemed to be dazed by the fast play of the Ryerson Rams for most of the first half, which saw another fantastic play almost result in a goal. In minute 27 Friedman launched an overhead pass to Radu Melnic, who unfortunately lost the ball to the Blues goalie.
The Blues were not fully adapted to the speedy play of the Rams until the last 10 minutes of the first half, when a combined effort of forwards Kwaku Yeboah, Faiz Karim and James Bialy broke the Rams speed barrier and nearly found the net a couple of times before the end of the half.
The second half saw a tactical switch by the Blues. Coach Vidovich brought in Marc Jankovich, took out Yeboah, played Mike Yat at center forward and brought Jose D’amora to play the left flank.
In minute 46 Vidovich’s tactic almost paid off, as Jankovich found an opening and took a shot that sailed just past the net. The Rams responded with a shot from Friedman that hit under the bar of the Blues’ net, in what seemed a goal. It was not counted, though, as the ball bounced out of the net and was never confirmed by match officials.
Four minutes later, a dazzling dribble past three Rams defenders by Mike Bialy resulted in a ground cross to D’amora, who did not waste time in netting it for the Blues. It was now a matter of the Rams playing a game of catch-up.
Tension between the two sides and the speed of play now increased. Three minutes after the Blues’ goal, Ryerson gave Blues goalie Luciano Lombardi a good test, as he was forced to stretch and save a surprising shot that flew in from the midfield.
The increasing tension in the match, caused by the inability of the Rams to get a reply goal, led to a little rough play between Faiz and Friedman in minute 75, which would have become a fight if not for referee intervention.
At this point, the Blues were much in control of the game and nearly scored again in minute 90, when another defensive error on the part of the Rams saw a fantastic play from Myers whose shot was punched away by goalkeeper Waisman.
Penalty-time was fully utilized by the Rams in an attempt to get a reply goal, but they met with a strong-willed Blues squad that had almost every player defending the net and refusing to give up a goal.
So ended another victory for the Blues. They once again proved to be a dynamic team that is able to adapt to almost every style of play employed by their opponents.
The Blues will be playing the Nipissing Voyageurs next weekend in an away match, where they hope to further their recent success.
-Ahmed Ogunsola
WOMEN’S COVERAGE
On a bright Sunday afternoon at Varsity field the women’s soccer team triumphed 3-nil over a stubborn Ryerson team. The result was justified by the complete dominance of the home team, however their superiority was not confirmed until well into the second period.
A positive start from the Blues pushed the Rams right back to the edge of their box, where they remained for almost the entirety of the game, only launching sporadic attempts at counter attacks using the pace of their front two. The Blues main avenues for attack were midfielders Ashleigh Dolbaczuk and Loretta De Thomasis, who both showed good touches.
25 minutes into the match, the pair conspired to put Jennifer Imrie in the clear, resulting in a shot off the bar. And Blues pressure eventually resulted in goals.
The deadlock was broken in a rather surprising fashion, as defensive midfielder Katie Hill’s speculative effort from 30 odd yards, which looked like it was heading for Mr. Sub’s front window, dipped late and found the net. Hill looked rather apologetic, but a goal is a goal.
Ryerson seemed determined to allow the Blues as much space in midfield and down the wings as they wished, and left winger Lauren Karst was having a party tormenting the Rams right full back. However no more goals were added before the interval.
The Blues defence, for whom Erin Osborne stood out as an accomplished and calm figure, was comfortably dealing with any threat that Ryerson posed.
The Blues second goal came from a rebound off the bar and was finished cutely by Oriana Morra, who hooked the ball across the goal and in from an acute angle. With a two-goal advantage, the Blues began to relax. The Rams seemed to have exhausted their resources attempting to contain their city rivals.
The home team inevitably grabbed a third goal with 10 minutes to go, when a fantastic finish from striker Imrie from around 12 yards landed in the net, ensuring a healthy and deserved win margin. This was a solid performance from the women after two consecutive losses, which will serve as a much-needed confidence boost.
-Sam Trusty
