2013-05-13

PROVINCIAL CUP—FINALS

The four Provincial Cup finals were held on Saturday, May 11 on Vancouver Island—in Langford, BC. Three VMSL teams—Surrey United, Guildford FC ‘U-21’, and Columbus FC ‘M’—captured three of the 4 coveted titles, while the Richmond All-Blacks—from the Richmond League—won the ‘B” Cup.  Surrey United defeated ‘league-mates’ West Van FC by a narrow 1-0 margin in the ‘A’ Cup final, while—in another VMSL showdown—Guildford FC also edged West Van FC ‘U-21’ by a 1-0 scoreline. In the Masters’ Division final, Columbus FC trounced the North Delta Rangers—from the Fraser Valley Soccer League—by an elaborate 4-0 margin. Finally, in the ‘B’ Cup final, the VMSL’s Sarajevo FC was soundly defeated by the Richmond All-Blacks, thus preventing the VMSL from winning all 4 titles!

SURREY UNITED FIREFIGHTERS  -  WEST VAN FC  1-0:  On Saturday evening, at West Hills Stadium in Langford, BC, the defending Provincial Cup champions—Surrey United Firefighters—repeated last year’s feat by winning the ‘A’ Cup title for the second consecutive season. On this occasion, the Firefighters edged West Van FC by a 1-0 margin after a hard-fought 90 minutes of non-stop action. Very early in the match—at about the 3^rd minute mark—West Van FC was reduced to 10 men after defender Drew Gelley was sent off for having denied Angus Burke an obvious goalscoring opportunity by taking him down inside the West Van penalty area. On the ensuing penalty kick, midfielder Colin Streckmann stepped up to the plate and calmly slotted the back into the back of the West Van net for what proved to be the winning goal of the contest. Despite playing short-handed, the former Trollers bounced back tenaciously and came close to scoring what would have been the equalizer on several occasions. However, Surrey United’s goalkeeper Andrew Fink came up with a few exceptional saves—particularly on headers by Max Baessato and Mike Winter—to deny West Van FC the opportunity to knot the score. At the other end of the pitch, West Van’s goalkeeper Garth Lagasse also pulled off a remarkable save as he thwarted a breakaway effort by the Premier Division’s top goalscorer, Angus Burke. Late in the first half, former Whitecaps captain Jeff Clarke—after having received an excellent pass from Colin Streckmann—fired what appeared to be an unstoppable shot towards the West Van net. Unfortunately for Clarke—and the rest of the Surrey United contingent—the ball sailed just wide of the target. The second half was more or less a repeat of the first as West Van FC—despite playing with only 10 men—attacked ferociously in an attempt to knot the score, while Surrey United defended admirably and counter-attacked dangerously. West Van FC came close to scoring on a couple of occasions, but efforts by Ryan Glanville and Justin Wallace went awry. At about the 65^th minute mark West Van FC once again came extremely close to tying the score when Justin Wallace was fouled by Joseph Martin inside the Surrey United penalty area, resulting in a penalty kick being awarded. However, veteran Paul Dailly’s subsequent spot-shot was brilliantly saved by Andrew Fink, thus keeping the scoreline at 1-0 in Surrey United’s favour. Needless to say, goalkeeper Andrew Fink turned in an amazing performance as he was influential in his team’s narrow victory by making several outstanding saves. Also, central defender Robbie Wilson was rock-solid throughout the match against the very talented and dangerous West Van forwards. Despite the heart-breaking loss, West Van’s midfielders Alan McIndoe and Justin Wallace worked tirelessly and effectively during the entire 90 minutes, while forwards Desmond Tachie and Ryan Glanville caused countless problems to the Surrey United backline. Congratulations to the Surrey United Firefighters for their second consecutive Province Cup victory, and good luck to them in the National Championships!!

GUILDFORD FC ‘U-21’  -  WEST VAN FC ‘U-21’  1-0:  On Saturday afternoon, at West Hills Stadium in Langford, BC, two VMSL teams—Guildford FC and West Van FC—faced off in search of the Provincial Under 21 Cup. At the end of a hard-fought 90 minutes of play, Guildford FC walked away with a hard-earned 1-0 victory. Despite the loss, West Van FC controlled most of the action and created more goalscoring opportunities. In particular, Stashan Coady’s long-range free kick was brilliantly saved by Guildford’s goalkeeper Matt Knees early in the second half. Soon thereafter, shots by Justice Coady and JB McEown were cleared off the line by Guildford defenders Kevin Wong and Nikko Jecanski. As luck would have it, however, it was Guildford FC that scored the lone goal of the contest, just before the final whistle. After having made a fine run down the right flank, Andrew Malamura crossed the ball onto the path of Adam Karrasch who proceeded to volley it from the edge of the penalty area into the West Van far post. Defensively, Nikko Jecanski and Kevin Wong played extremely well for Guildford FC, while midfielders Dhani Sharma and Riley Abreo worked hard throughout the match against the very talented West Van team. Guildford’s goalkeeper Matt Knees also deserves special mention for his admirable performance in earning the clean-sheet. For West Van FC, forwards Stashan Coady and JB McEown drove the Guildford defenders to distraction with their pace and skill, while midfielders Devan Woolley and Scott Menzies also played extremely well, albeit in a losing cause. Congratulations to Guildoford FC for having captured the Provincial Cup in their first year in the VMSL!!!

COLUMBUS FC ‘M’ – NORTH DELTA RANGERS  4-0:  On Saturday afternoon, at Goudy Field in Langford, BC, the VMSL’s Columbus FC easily defeated the Fraser Valley’s North Delta Rangers by an elaborate 4-0 margin, thus laying claim to the Masters’ Provincial Cup title. After dominating most of the action in the early part of the match, Columbus FC finally took the lead at the 30^th minute mark when Craig Richards received a clever pass from Kyle Lee at the top of the Rangers’ box. Without a moment’s hesitation, Richards proceeded to side-foot the ball into the bottom corner of the North Delta net for what proved to be the winning goal. The ‘Italians’ continued to exert pressure on the Delta backline but had to wait till the 70^th minute mark to add to their lead. At this point, Sal Cuccione—after having won the ball in the middle of the park—made a piercing run through the heart of the North Delta defence before slotting the ball into the back of Rangers’ net. Ten minutes later, Vito Lore put the North Delta Rangers out of their misery by scoring Columbus’ third goal with a wicked shot from well outside the penalty area. Late in the match, Craig Richards—after having received a pass from Tony Gaita—found a streaking Scott Walters at the near post with an excellent pass. Walters had no difficulty whatsoever in converting Richards’ pass into Columbus’ 4^th goal with a close-range shot. The entire Columbus FC squad played remarkably well, but special mention should be made of defenders Tony Gaita, Frank Mollica, and Giulio Borella for their superlative efforts. Also, midfielder Craig Richards and forward Scott Walters played extremely well in guiding their team to the all-important victory. Columbus FC will now represent British Columbia in the upcoming Western finals.

RICHMOND ALL-BLACKS  -  SARAJEVO FC  5-0:  On Saturday morning, at Goudy Field in Langford, BC, the Richmond All-Blacks disposed of the VMSL’s Sarajevo FC by a lop-sided 5-0 scoreline in the ‘B’ Provincial Cup final. Needless to say, the entire match was one-sided as the All-Blacks showed a lot more determination, grit, and skill. The Richmond team took the lead at the 35^th minute mark when Justin Hebner found the back of the net with a 25-yard blast. Early in the second half, the All-Blacks doubled their lead on a great header by Daniel Tait. Shortly thereafter, Tait added his second goal of the match on a fine individual effort as he dribbled through several Sarajevo defenders before placing the ball into the old onion bag. Late in the match, Kyle Shury and Mat Campbell rounded out the scoring as they added a couple of goals to the All-Blacks’ margin to seal the victory. Needless to say, Daniel Tait turned in a formidable performance in his central midfield position. Not only did Tait score two excellent goals, but he also he dictated the pace of the match from the opening whistle to the very end. Congratulations to the Richmond All-Blacks for their well-deserved victory.

TEAM OF THE WEEK: SURREY UNITED FIREFIGHTERS for their hard-earned 1-0 victory over the very talented West Van FC in the Provincial ‘A’ Cup final. Led by some outstanding goalkeeping on the part of Andrew Fink, as well as some incomparable leadership by Jeff Clarke, the Firefighters were able to hold on to their 1-0 lead for the duration of the match.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK:  Surrey United’s goalkeeper ANDREW FINK for his remarkable performance in his team’s 1-0 victory over the very gifted West Van FC. Fink made some remarkable saves during the entire contest to fully claim his clean sheet. However, the save that stands out the most is the one that Fink pulled off on a penalty kick taken by Paul Dailly. For his excellent performance this past weekend, ANDREW FINK will receive a prize of a pizza for two, compliments of THE GOLDEN BOOT CAFFE`. The prize is available up to 2013-05-30.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

2013-04-29

PROVINCIAL CUP—SEMI-FINALS

Two VMSL teams—West Van FC and Surrey United—reached the finals of the Provincial ‘A’ Cup this past weekend, by defeating Cowichan FC and UBC Thunderbirds respectively. Furthermore, 4 more VMSL teams reached the finals in the other 3 Provincial Cup competitions! Sarajevo FC will face the Richmond All-Blacks (from the Richmond League) in the ‘B’ Cup final, while Columbus FC ‘M’ will play against North Delta (of the FVSL) in the Masters’ Division final. The Under 21 final will be an all VMSL affair as Guildford FC and West Van FC will battle for the coveted prize. All the finals will be held on May 11 in Victoria.

SURREY UNITED FIREFIGHTERS  -  VANCOUVER THUNDERBIRDS  1-0:  On Friday evening, at UBC Thunderbird Stadium, the reigning BC champions—Surrey United—edged the hosting Vancouver Thunderbirds by a 1-0 margin after a hard-fought and exciting 90 minutes of non-stop action. The Thunderbirds controlled most of the play during the first half and came close to scoring on a few occasions, but some excellent goalkeeping on the part of Surrey’s Andrew Fink kept the vaunted UBC attackers at bay. In particular, efforts by Niall Cousens and Gagan Dosanjh were brilliantly saved by Fink. As luck would have it, Cousens was sent off the field of play near the end of the first half for having received his second caution. As a result, the Thunderbirds had to play the entire second half with only 10 men, thus giving the Firefighters an opportunity to create some goalscoring chances of their own. Surrey United took full advantage of the situation and scored what proved to the lone goal of the match early in the second half when Joseph Martin took a quick throw-in and sent Vinnie Stewart flying down the right flank. Stewart proceeded to make a great run before crossing an impeccable ball into the Thunderbirds’ penalty area where veteran Jeff Clarke was able to finish off the play with a lethal header. Shortly thereafter, another Surrey United veteran—left-back Steve Kindel—unleashed a wicked drive from well outside the penalty area, a shot that seemed destined for the back of the UBC net. However, goalkeeper Luke O’Shea pulled off a miraculous save by tipping the ball over the crossbar. Despite playing short-handed, the Thunderbirds battled hard and came close to scoring on a couple of occasions, but efforts by Steve Johnson and Alex Orasa went awry. The rest of the match was quite evenly played as the Firefighters appeared content with the one-goal margin and defended tenaciously till the final whistle. Holding midfielder Jeff ‘Bucky’ Buchanan played remarkably well for Surrey United, particularly in the second half. Also, defenders Stefan Leslie, Steve Kindel, and Brad Peetoom rose to the occasion and turned in excellent performances. Former Whitecaps captain Jeff Clarke not only scored the winning goal but also contributed enormously to the victory with his inimitable leadership qualities. For the Thunderbirds, central defenders Steve Johnson and Paul Clerc turned in rock-solid performances, while midfielder Harry Lakhan and forward Gagan Dosanjh worked tirelessly all game long, albeit in a losing cause. The Surrey United Firefighters will now face arch-rivals West Van FC in the Provincial ‘A’ Cup final on May 11 in Victoria.

WEST VAN FC  -  COWICHAN FC  3-1:  On Sunday, at McAdam Park in Duncan, the visiting West Van FC defeated the hosting Cowichan FC—from the Vancouver Island Soccer League—by a 3-1 margin. As usual, playing on Vancouver Island was a difficult task for West Van FC as the home team battled hard throughout the match, supported by a large crowd. However, at the end of the day, the better team claimed the victory! Midway through the first half young defender Max Baessato headed home a patented Paul Dailly corner-kick, giving the former Trollers a well-deserved 1-0 lead. Shortly thereafter—at about the 35^th minute mark—another Paul Dailly corner-kick created havoc in the Cowichan penalty area and was eventually converted into what proved to be the winning goal by Mike Winter. Very early in the second half, West Van FC put the island team out of its misery by scoring the insurance marker when a low cross by young veteran Ryan Glanville was finished off by Desmond Tachie with a close-range shot. The West Van lads continued pressing and came close to adding to their elaborate lead on several occasions, but efforts by Des Tachie, Ryan Glanville, Justin Wallace, and Alan McIndoe went awry. Near the end of the match, Cowichan FC was able to narrow the margin when Ryan Andre` converted a long throw-in with an unstoppable header from the edge of the goal-area. The entire West Van FC team played extremely well but special mention should be made of forwards Desmond Tachie, Ryan Glanville, and Justin Wallace who drove the Duncan defenders to distraction with their strength and speed. Also, midfielders Alan McIndoe and veteran Paul Dailly controlled the middle of the park with their inimitable skills, while defenders Drew Gelley and Max Baessato were rock-solid during the entire contest. West Van FC will now take on ‘league-mates’ Surrey United in the Provincial ‘A’ Cup final. Good luck to both VMSL teams!!! 

TEAM OF THE WEEK: SURREY UNITED FIREFIGHTERS for their hard-earned 1-0 victory over the very talented Vancouver Thunderbirds. The rock-solid performance of defenders Steve Kindel, Brad Peetoom, and Stefan Leslie played a huge part in the Firefighters’ victory as they limited the Thunderbirds’ scoring chances to a minimum. Also, former Whitecaps’ captain Jeff Clarke was at his best as he guided his team to victory with his leadership qualities and also by scoring the match’s lone goal.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK:  Surrey United’s forward JEFF CLARKE for his remarkable performance in his team’s 1-0 victory over the UBC Thunderbirds.  Throughout the contest, Clarke led his team with his exemplary performance. Furthermore, Jeff Clarke also scored the game’s only goal with a superb header—off a Vince Stewart cross. For his excellent performance this past weekend, JEFF CLARKE will receive a prize of a pizza for two, compliments of THE GOLDEN BOOT CAFFE`. The prize is available up to 2013-05-16.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><> 

2013-04-23

PROVINCIAL CUP—QUARTER-FINALS

Two VMSL teams—West Van FC and Surrey United—reached the semi-finals of the Provincial Cup this past weekend, while the Premier Divisions champions—Columbus FC—were unceremoniously eliminated due to a 3-1 loss to the Vancouver Thunderbirds.

VANCOUVER THUNDERBIRDS  -  COLUMBUS FC  3-1:  On Saturday, at South Memorial Park in Vancouver, the Vancouver Thunderbirds—of the Pacific Coast Soccer League—upset the reigning VMSL Premier Division champions—Columbus FC—by a clear-cut 3-1 margin. The ‘Italians’ squandered a few glorious chances in the early going, and the missed opportunities ultimately came back to haunt them. Very early in the match, Tino Cucca sent Milad Rahmati on a partial breakaway towards the Thunderbirds’ goal, but goalkeeper Luke O’Shea came up with a sensational save to deny Columbus’ excellent chance to open the scoring. Soon thereafter, it was Kazunori Kikuchi’s turn to set up Rahmati in front of the Thunderbirds’ net. Once again, however, Luke O’Shea stood tall and pulled off another great save on Rahmati’s close-range shot. As luck would have it, it was the Thunderbirds that took the lead at the 18^th minute mark when Niall Cousens flicked a long throw-in towards the Columbus goal. Inexplicably, goalkeeper Erman Ozkan was unable to hold onto the ball and allowed Gagan Dosanjh to pounce on the loose ball and finish off the play from inside the goal area. Columbus FC responded positively and exerted a lot of pressure on the Thunderbirds’ defense during the remainder of the first half, while the visitors seemed content to defend and counterattack. Very late in the first half, the Thunderbirds capitalized on one of their numerous counterattacks when Gagan Dosanjh dribbled his way into the Columbus penalty area before slipping the ball across the goal area onto the path of an unmarked Niall Cousens who had no difficulty whatsoever in depositing it into the back of the net for what proved to be the winning goal. Very early in the second half, the Thunderbirds put the game out of Columbus’ reach with Gagan Dosanjh and Niall Cousens once again involved in the play. On this occasion, a perfectly-placed cross by Dosanjh was headed back across the goal area by Steve Johnson and subsequently finished off  by a wide-open Niall Cousens. To their credit, the Columbus lads didn’t give up and tried desperately to get back into the match. They were rewarded midway through the second half when Rob Giezen’s cross to the far post was headed home by veteran Tiarnan King. Columbus kept pressing and came close to scoring on a few occasions, but goalkeeper Luke O’Shea once again pulled off a couple of extraordinary saves on shots by Rob Giezen and Tiarnan King to keep the score at 3-1 till the final whistle. The entire Thunderbirds team played extremely well, but special mention should be made of goalkeeper Luke O’Shea and defenders Will Hyde, Steve Johnson, Paul Clerc, and Tyler Martens for keeping the vaunted Columbus attackers at bay for most of the 90 minutes of action. Also, forwards Niall Cousens and Gagan Dosanjh deserve special mention for their superlative performances as they were both involved in all 3 goals. Despite the loss, Columbus’ defender Robbie Cairns, midfielder Rob Giezen, and forward Tiarnan King played extremely well. The Thunderbirds’ hard-earned victory allows them to advance to the semi-finals of the Province Cup where they will meet yet another VMSL team—the defending BC champions, Surrey United Firefighters.

WEST VAN FC  -  BAYS UNITED  5-2:  On Sunday, at Ambleside Park in West Vancouver, the hosting West Van FC defeated the visiting Bays United—from the Vancouver Island Soccer League—by a 5-2 margin. The match was very evenly-played until the last few minutes when the former Trollers scored a couple of goals to put the game out of Bays United’s reach. After a rather evenly-played start, the visitors almost scored the opening goal when Jordie Hughes’ wicked drive bounced off the crossbar and out of danger with goalkeeper Garth Lagasse well beaten. The home team responded in kind and took the lead at the 30^th minute mark when Mike Winter finished off a fine individual effort with an unstoppable shot from just inside the Bays United penalty area. Bays United was able to knot the score early in the second half—at about the 55^th minute mark—when Kellen Holden was fouled inside the penalty area by veteran defender Trevor Short. On the ensuing penalty kick, Jordie Hughes restored parity with a well-taken spot shot. Ten minutes later, West Van FC regained the lead when Max Baessato converted one of Paul Dailly’s patented corner kicks from the edge of the goal area. Then—at about the 80^th minute mark—Paul Dailly became the finisher as he easily scored what proved to be the winning goal on a penalty kick. The spot shot was awarded when Jesse Fetterley was fouled inside the penalty area by Bays United defender Kyle Finner. To add insult to the visitors’ injury, Finner was sent off the field for having denied an obvious goalscoring opportunity. Despite playing a man short, Bays United pushed forward in a desperate attempt to get back into the match. At the 83^rd minute mark, the visitors were rewarded when Kellen Holden converted a fine cross from Wesley Barrett and thus narrowed West Van’s margin to 1 goal. However, very late in the game, West Van FC scored two goals in rapid succession and thus walked away with the all-important victory. The fourth goal was scored at the 88^th minute mark by Jesse Fetterley as he tapped the ball into the back of the net after having received a great cross from Cathal O’Connor. Then, just before the full-time whistle, Stefan Crameri scored the final goal in a virtually identical manner as he received a picture perfect cross from Max Baessato and easily converted it in clinical fashion. For West Van FC, veteran defender Trevor Short was rock-solid throughout the contest, while midfielders Mike Winter and Paul Dailly controlled the middle of the park with skill and poise. Forward Jesse Fetterley was his usual, hard-working self as he drove the Bays United defenders to distraction with his indomitable work-rate. Despite the loss, Bays United’s defenders Andrew Ravenhill and Paul Vaunderboomen—as well as forward Kellen Holden—turned in commendable performances. West Van FC will now travel to Vancouver Island to take on Cowichan FC in the semi-finals of the Provincial Cup.

SURREY UNITED FIREFIGHTERS  -  ESTRELLA de CHILE  2-1:  Also on Sunday, at Cloverdale Athletic Park in Surrey, the defending Provincial Cup champions—Surrey United Firefighters—edged the visiting Estrella de Chile by  a narrow 2-1 margin. The two teams exchanged goalscoring chances in the early going with Estrella de Chile’s Eric Ray and Admir Salihovic barely missing the Surrey United net, while—at the other end of the pitch—veteran Jeff Clarke’s wicked shot was brilliant saved by goalkeeper Mike Newton. The Firefighters managed to take the lead at the 20^th minute mark when Ryan Reynolds—after having received a perfect cross from former Whitecap Steve Kindel—headed the ball into the far corner of the Chilean net. Ten minutes later, Surrey United was reduced to 10 players when Colin Streckmann received his second caution of the match and was sent off the field of play. Needless to say, the Chileans threw caution to the wind at this point and attacked relentlessly in search of the equalizer. However, chances by Eric Ray and Vladimir Vukovic went awry and the score remained 1-0 in Surrey United’s favour till the halftime whistle. Early in the second half, Estrella de Chile was also reduced to 10 men when veteran defender Narcisse Tchoumi was expelled for having received his second yellow card. Ironically, the Chileans were able to knot the score shortly thereafter when Eric Ray intercepted a poor Surrey United clearance and immediately proceeded to set up Admir Salihovic who—without a moment’s hesitation—unleashed an unstoppable shot to the top corner of the net from well outside the 18-yard box. Then—at about the 65^th minute mark—Estrella de Chile almost took the lead when Noah Acosta skillfully dribbled past several Surrey United defenders before blasting the ball towards the net from the edge of the penalty area. Unfortunately for Acosta—and the rest of the Chilean contingent—the ball barely missed the net. Shortly thereafter—at the 70^th minute mark—the Firefighters scored the winning goal on a fine individual effort by Joseph Martin, whose wicked shot gave goalkeeper Mike Newton no chance whatsoever. Defensively, Surrey United’ Steve Kindel, Brad Peetoom, Stefan Leslie, and Vince Stewart played remarkably well against the very talented Chilean strikers. For Estrella de Chile, goalkeeper Mike Newton made a few excellent saves, while central defender Stedman Espinoza was rock-solid throughout the contest. As a result of the hard-earned victory the Surrey United Firefighters advance to the semi-final of the Province Cup where they will face the very talented Vancouver Thunderbirds.

TEAM OF THE WEEK: SURREY UNITED FIREFIGHTERS for their hard-earned 2-1 victory over the very talented Estrella de Chile. The rock-solid performance of defenders Steve Kindel, Brad Peetoom, Stefan Leslie, and Vinnie Steward played a huge part in the Firefighters’ victory as they limited Estrella de Chile’s scoring chances to a minimum.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK:  West Van FC’s central defender TREVOR SHORT for his remarkable performance in his team’s 5-2 victory over Bays United.  Throughout the contest, Short was rock-solid as he was able to thwart numerous attacks from Bays United’s skillful and speedy forwards. For his excellent performance this past weekend, TREVOR SHORT will receive a prize of a pizza for two, compliments of THE GOLDEN BOOT CAFFE`. The prize is available up to 2013-05-09.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

2013-04-16

PROVINCIAL CUP—ROUND OF 16

The Provincial Cup playdowns got under way this past weekend, with 7 VMSL teams participating in the coveted ‘A’ Cup competition. Four of the 7 VMSL teams—West Van FC, Columbus FC, Surrey United, and Estrella de Chile—survived and thus advanced to the quarter-finals, while the other 3 teams were eliminated.

ESTRELLA de CHILE  -  ICST PEGASUS  3-2 (OT):  On Friday evening, at Newton Athletic Park in Surrey, the visiting Estrella de Chile upset ICST Pegasus by a 3-2 overtime margin. The home team—ICST Pegasus—got off to a great start and controlled most of the action during the early stages of the match.  Midway through the first half, Pegasus took the well-deserved lead when Javid Khan was fouled at the edge of the Chilean penalty area. On the ensuing free-kick, playing-coach Niko Marcina delivered a precise and accurate shot that found the top corner of the net. The Pegasus lads came close to adding a couple of goals to their margin but efforts by Jag Gill and Sahil Sandhu—both on crosses by Chetan Jhooty—went awry. Then, at about the 35^th minute mark, ICST Pegasus doubled its lead, once again on a goal by Niko Marcina. On this occasion, Sahil Sandhu’s shot was handled inside the box by defender Narcisse Tchoumi, resulting on a penalty kick being awarded. Marcina made no mistake from the penalty mark, thus giving his team a 2-0 halftime lead.  Early in the second half, the Chileans almost narrowed Pegasus’ lead but Habil Otieno’s shot—after having received a great pass from Eric Ray—hit the crossbar and sailed out of danger. At the other end of the pitch, Pegasus’ Javid Khan eluded a couple of Chilean defenders before taking what appeared to be a shot destined for the back of the net. Unfortunately for Khan, the ball barely missed the top corner of the goal. Then, at the 70^th minute mark, Estrella de Chile finally got on the scoreboard when Brian Dottin was fouled at the edge of the Pegasus penalty area. On the ensuing free-kick, Eric Ray sailed his shot over the Pegasus wall and into the net. Late in regulation time, Estrella de Chile tied things up when Eric Ray sent a picture-perfect pass onto the path of a streaking Habil Otieno. Otieno’s subsequent shot was saved by goalkeeper Amar Dhinza, only to have Brian Dottin pick up the rebound and slot the ball home for the equalizer. Midway through the first overtime period, Estrella de Chile scored what proved to be the winning goal when Eric Ray’s pass was controlled by Habil Otieno who cleverly juggled the ball at the top of the 18-yard box and then proceeded to fire an unstoppable shot into the back of the Pegasus net. To add insult to injury, Pegasus’ Jag Sajjan was sent off a few minutes later for a serious foul play infraction. The rest of the match was rather uneventful as the Chileans appeared content with the score, while Pegasus was unable to muster any threats, mostly due to the fact that they were playing short-handed. Midfielders Eric Ray and Vanja Vukovic played extremely well for Estrella de Chile, while defender Stedman Espinoza and goalkeeper Michael Newton also turned in excellent performances. However, special mention must be made of forward Habil Otieno who was a thorn on the side of the Pegasus defenders throughout the contest. For ICST Pegasus, Niko Marcina turned in an outstanding performance as he scored two goals and controlled the middle of the park with his skill and poise. Also, forwards Sahil Sandhu and Chetan Jhooty were very dangerous throughout the match.  Estrella de Chile therefore advances to the quarter-finals of the Provincial Cup against the Surrey United Firefighters.

COLUMBUS FC  -  ABBOTSFORD UNITED  4-3:  On Saturday, at South Memorial Park in Vancouver, the reigning VMSL champions—Columbus FC—struggled to defeat the visiting Fraser Valley team—Abbotsford United—by a narrow 4-3 margin. The ‘Italians’ got off to a great start and took the early lead at the 5^th minute mark when a long-range shot by Rob Giezen found the back of the net. Columbus FC continued pressing and almost doubled its lead shortly thereafter when a fine cross by Stefano Pannu found a wide-open Tiernan King inside the penalty area. Unfortunately for King, his close-range shot was brilliantly saved by Abby’s goalkeeper, Mark Village. Midway through the first half, Tiernan King and Robbie Giezen teamed up to set up Kazunori Kikuchi, who had no difficulty in finishing off the play for his team’s second goal. To their credit, the visitors came storming back during the early part of the first half and managed to score twice, thus knotting the score. Abby’s first goal was scored very early in the second half on a brilliant solo effort by Justin Sekhon, while the tying goal was scored at the 60^th minute mark by Kree Byrne. Columbus FC bounced back tenaciously and regained the lead shortly thereafter when Milad Rahmati beat a couple of Abbotsford defenders before setting up Kazunori Kikuchi with an immaculate pass. Once again, Kikuchi had no difficulty in tapping the ball into the back of the net, thus re-establishing his team’s lead. A few minutes later, Stefano Pannu put the game out of Abby’s reach when he unleashed a wicked drive from the edge of the penalty area, a shot that gave goalkeeper Mark Village no chance whatsoever. Late in the match, Abbotsford narrowed the margin, once again on a goal by Justin Sekhon. The victory advances Columbus FC to the quarter-finals of the Provincial Cup where they will meet either the Westcoast Selects or the Vancouver Thunderbirds.

WEST VAN FC  - DELTA UNITED HURRICANES  3-2 (OT):  Also on Saturday, at John Oliver Park in Delta, West Van FC edged the newly-crowned Imperial Cup champions—Delta United Hurricanes—by  a 3-2 overtime scoreline. The Hurricanes took the early lead when, at the 10^th minute mark, Gagan Josan beat a couple of West Van defenders before unleashing a low, hard drive to the bottom corner of the net, giving goalkeeper Garth Lagasse no change whatsoever. The rest of the first half was very evenly played with both teams taking turns attacking and defending. Early in the second half, the former Trollers tied things up when Jesse Fetterley’s brilliant scissor’s kick—from just outside the goal area—found the back of the net. It should be noted that the play was started by a well-taken free-kick by Will Molloy. Delta United bounced back and immediately thereafter regained the lead when Gagan Josan’s corner was one-timed into the West Van goal by Amar Mandher’s lazer-beam shot. A few minutes later—at about the 55^th minute mark—Delta United’s Gagan Josan was sent off the field of play for having received his second caution, thus reducing the Hurricanes to 10 men for the remainder of the match. West Van FC took full advantage of the situation and took over the reins of the match. The insertion of midfielders Alan McIndoe and Justin Wallace also contributed immensely to West Van’s come-back as they made a huge impact with their skill and speed. However, West Van FC had to wait till the 85^th minute mark to score the equalizer as Alan McIndoe finished off a brilliant individual effort with a cracking left-foot shot from just inside the penalty area. It should be mentioned that McIndoe beat a few Delta United defenders before unleashing his unstoppable shot. Early in the first overtime period, West Van’s Ryan Glanville was sent off for having received his second caution, leaving both teams with only 10 players. However, the visitors kept pressing and midway through the second overtime period were finally able to score the winning goal when Bruno Teixiera made a great run down the left flank before sending the ball onto the path of Justin Wallace who easily converted the pass into the winning goal from close range. As mentioned earlier, second-half substitutes Alan McIndoe and Justin Wallace—both attacking midfielders—played extremely well for West Van FC, while midfielder Mike Winter and centre-back Tim Perry were rock-solid throughout the match. West Van FC will now face the very talented Bays United—from the Vancouver Island Soccer League—in the next round of the Provincial Cup.

BAYS UNITED  -  METRO-FORD WOLVES  2-0:  On Sunday, at Hampton Park in Victoria, Bays United defeated the Metro-Ford Wolves by a clear-cut, and well-deserved, 2-0 margin. The Wolves got off to a good start and created a couple of early chances, but efforts by Carlo Basso and Andrew Veer were well saved by goalkeeper Elliot Mitrou. As luck would have it, it was Bays United that took the early lead when Jordie Hughes was sent in on goal by Greg Fiddick and clinically finished off the play with an unstoppable shot. Midway through the first half, Bays United doubled its lead as Jordie Hughes and Greg Fiddick reversed roles when Fiddick finished off a brilliant through ball by Hughes in what proved to be the insurance marker. The entire Bays United team played extremely well, but special mention should be made of Paul Vanderboomen, Greg Fiddick, Jordie Hughes, and goalkeeper Elliot Mitrou for their outstanding performances. For Metro-Ford, goalkeeper Mathew Bird pulled off some sensational saves, thus keeping the scoreline respectable. Bays United will now face West Van FC in the quarter-finals of the Provincial Cup.

SURREY UNITED FIREFIGHTERS  -  SAANICH FUSION  1-0:  The last game was played on Sunday, at Tyndal Park in Saanich, between the reigning Vancouver Island champions—Saanich Fusion—and the defending Provincial Cup champions—Surrey United Firefighters.  At the end of a very intense, and evenly-contested, 90 minutes of play, Surrey United walked away with a hard-earned 1-0 victory. The Firefighters came out of the starting gates with determination and grit and dominated the early stages of the match, but the Fusion eventually got into the groove and also created numerous goalscoring opportunities. Former Whitecap captain Jeff Clarke had the best chance to open the scoring for Surrey United in the early stages but his close range shot missed the target by inches. Saanich’s best opportunity in the first half came from a direct free-kick, but the low shot just went wide of the net. In the early stages of the second half, Surrey United dominated proceedings and deserved to open the scoring at the 60^th minute mark on a cracking shot by young midfielder Sean Einarsson, after he had received the ball on a corner-kick by veteran Steve Kindel. The remaining 30 minutes of the match consisted mostly of the Fusion attacking furiously in an attempt to knot the score, while Surrey United counter-attacked dangerously in search of the insurance marker. However, neither team was successful and, as a result, the game ended in a 1-0 victory for the visitors. Late in the game, Saanich threw caution to the wind and forced Surrey goalkeeper Andrew Fink to make a couple of massive saves. Needless to say, Fink deserves special mention for his outstanding performance, while midfielders Sean Einarsson and Joseph Martin also played extremely well for the Firefighters. Also, defenders Steve Kindel and Stefan Leslie—as well as forwards Jeff Clarke and Ryan Reynolds—performed admirably in a winning cause. The Surrey United Firefighters will now take on ‘leaguemates’ Estrella de Chile in the next round of the Provincial Cup.

TEAM OF THE WEEK: ESTRELLA de CHILE for their amazing come-from-behind 3-2 overtime victory over the powerful ICST Pegasus. The Chileans trailed 2-0 at halftime, but bounced back tenaciously to even the score before the end of regulation time. Then, during the overtime period, they were able to score the winning goal and thus advance to the quarter-finals of the Provincial Cup.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK:  Estrella de Chile’s forward HABIL OTIENO for his superlative performance in his team’s 3-2 overtime victory over ICST Pegasus. Throughtout the contest, Otieno drove the Pegasus defenders to distraction with his speed and skill. His winning goal in extra time was a thing of beauty as he juggled the ball, with his back to the Pegasus’ goal, before turning and firing an unstoppable shot into the back of the net. For his marvellous performance this past weekend, HABIL OTIENO will receive a prize of a pizza for two, compliments of THE GOLDEN BOOT CAFFE`. The prize is available up to 2013-05-02.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><> 

2013-03-26

  IMPERIAL CUP FINAL

 DELTA UNITED HURRICANES  -  COLUMBUS FC  1-0:  On Saturday, at Trillium Park in Vancouver, the Delta United Hurricanes upset the league champions—Columbus FC—by a narrow 1-0 margin, and thus lay claim on the 100-year old Imperial Cup. The Hurricanes got off to a flying start and created several excellent goalscoring opportunities in the early stages of the match, but some poor finishing—as well as some excellent goalkeeping on the part of Thomas Lindley—kept them off the scoresheet. In particular, Gagan Josan—after having been set up by Oscar Jimenez—just missed the net with a wicked volley at the 2^nd minute mark. Soon thereafter, Josan became the provider as he set up Amar Mander with a picture-perfect pass. Unfortunately for the Delta United contingent, goalkeeper Thomas Lindley pulled off a sensational save as he tipped the ball over the crossbar. Then—at about the 10^th minute mark—Oscar Jimenez’ volley from the edge of the penalty area just barely missed the target. At this point, Columbus FC managed to get back into the game and started to exert some pressure on the Hurricanes. Midway through the first half, central defender Luca Bellisomo sent a great through ball to Milad Rahmati, whose subsequent close-range shot was brilliantly saved by veteran goalkeeper Drew Smiley. Soon thereafter, the ‘Italians’ once again came close to scoring when Tino Cucca unleashed a long-range drive that barely missed the target. Just before the halftime whistle, Cucca again came very close to opening the score as he blasted a shot from well inside the penalty area towards the Delta net. However, Drew Smiley once again stood tall and pulled off yet another remarkable save to keep the game scoreless after 45 minutes of play. The early part of the second half belonged entirely to Columbus FC, but excellent goalscoring chances by Nathan Quan and Milad Rahmati went awry. At the other end of the pitch, the Hurricanes also came close to scoring when—at about the 75^th minute mark—Amar Mander missed the net with his shot from the edge of the penalty area. Then, just before the final whistle, Delta United was able to score the match’s lone goal on a fantastic individual effort by Gagan Josan as he pounced on a loose ball well outside the Columbus penalty area, beat a couple of defenders on his way to the box and eventally blasted an unstoppable left-foot shot to the bottom corner of the net, giving Thomas Lindley no chance whatsoever. The entire Delta United team played extremely well, but special mention should be made of goalkeeper Drew Smiley, defenders Gurj Sandhu and Jesse Dhami, midfielders Gagan Josan and Harpreet Khakh, and forward Amar Mander for their superlative efforts. It should also be mentioned that Gagan Josan was named the match’s Most Valuable Player. For Columbus FC, midfielder Nathan Quan and forward Kazanori Kikuchi performed admirably despite the heart-breaking loss. This marks the first time that the Delta United Hurricanes have won the coveted Imperial Cup! Congratulations!!!

     RELEGATION PLAY-OFF GAME

 NORVAN PACIFIC  -  RICHMOND FC HIBERNIANS  3-2 (PK’s):  On Sunday, at South Memorial Park in Vancouver, Norvan Pacific defeated the Richmond FC Hibernians on penalty kicks since the game could not be settled in regulation time and overtime.  The play-off game became necessary when Norvan and Richmond FC ended the regular season tied for penultimate place in the Premier Division standings. The Hibernians began the match in determined fashion and came close to opening the scoring on several occasions in the early stages. At the 2^nd minute mark, a long throw-in by Mike Revell found Matt Rota inside the Norvan penalty area. Unfortunately for the Hibernian clan, Rota’s header skimmed the outside of the goal-post. Then, at the about the 4^th minute mark, Matt Rota once again came close to scoring, but his shot from the edge of the penalty area bounced off the goal-post and out of danger. Rota came close to scoring again at the 6^th minute mark when he chipped the ball over goalkeeper Giancarlo Martino towards the Norvan net. However, defender Scott Gilroy came to the rescue and cleared the ball off the goal-line and out of danger. As luck would have it, it was Norvan that took the lead shortly thereafter when—at the 10^th minute mark—a corner kick by Nathan Harte found an unmarked Greg Muir at the far post. Muir had no difficulty in converting the well-placed corner-kick into the opening goal with a close-range tap-in. Immediately thereafter, the Hibernians knotted the score when Alan Chivers sent fullback Marcus Brougham flying down the right flank with a superb through ball. Brougham proceeded to cross the ball into the danger zone, where Rory Gattens calmly slotted it home for the equalizer. Richmond FC continued to press and took the well-deserved lead at the 18^th minute mark when Marcus Brougham unleashed a thunderous, curling shot from the top of the box, a shot that gave goalkeeper Giancarlo Martino no chance whatsoever. The second half was more evenly played as Norvan Pacific tried desperately to score the equalizer. Early in the second half, Norvan came very close to achieving its goal, but a great shot by Alex Wilson—after he had been set up by Dave O’Connor—was brilliantly saved by youth call-up goalkeeper Jason Roberts. At the other end of the pitch, Norvan’s goalkeeper Giancarlo Martino also pulled off a phenomenal save on a shot by Matt Rota. The rest of regulation time was a see-saw battle as both teams took turns attacking and defending. Norvan Pacific was finally able to knot the score very late in regulation time when Nathan Harte and Mike Caroll combined to set up Blake Burgon, whose eventual header found the back of the net, thus sending the game into overtime. Both teams tried hard to capture the victory during the 30 minutes of overtime, but Norvan’s Tony Paireo and Alex Wilson were thwarted by goalkeeper Jason Roberts while, at the other end of the field, Darren Prentice and Alan Chivers were unable to beat goalkeeper Giancarlo Martino. As a result of the 2-2 overtime tie, the match had to be settled by the dreaded penalty kicks. Unbelievably, Norvan’s goalkeeper—Giancarlo Martino—saved the first 3 Richmond penalty kicks, on shots by Connor Radil, Rory Gattens, and Alan Chivers. However, Norvan failed to take advantage of the situation as Kyle Guay had his PK saved by Jason Roberts, while Dave O’Connor and Nathan Harte missed the net with their shots. However, both teams were able to score on their last 2 shots as Scott Gilroy and Mike Caroll found the back of the net Norvan, while Matt Rota and Lucas Barrett scored for the Hibernians. The match therefore had to be settled in sudden-death penalty kicks and Norvan’s Tony Seddon scoring on his shot, while Richmond’s Alan Chivers watched agonizingly as his penalty kick bounced off the cross-bar and the goal-post. For Norvan Pacific, goalkeeper Giancarlo Martino deserves special mention for his superlative effort during the entire match—including the penalty-kick shoot-out. Defensively, Tony Seddon, Kyle Guay, Scott Gilroy, and Brent Dodge also turned in excellent performances. Despite the heart-breaking loss, Richmond’s young goalkeeper Jason Roberts once again proved his enormous ability, while defenders Stu Walters, Marcus Brougham, and Connor Radil also performed remarkably well. As mentioned earlier, Richmond FC will be relegated to Division 1 as a result of the loss, while Norvan Pacific will remain in the Premier Division.

 TEAM OF THE WEEK: DELTA UNITED HURRICANES for their hard-fought 1-0 upset victory over the heavily-favoured Columbus FC in the Imperial Cup final. Led by veteran goalkeeper Drew Smiley, as well as attacking midfielder Gagan Josan, the Hurricanes were able to lay claim to the coveted Imperial Cup.

 PLAYERS OF THE WEEK:  Delta United Hurricanes’ goalkeeper DREW SMILEY and midfielder GAGAN JOSAN for their outstanding performances in their team’s 1-0 victory over league champions Columbus FC. Smiley pulled off several remarkable saves to keep his team in the contest, while Josan worked tirelessly in the middle of the park and eventually scored the winning goal very late in the match on a superlative individual effort. For their marvellous performances this past weekend, DREW SMILEY and GAGAN JOSAN will receive a prize of a pizza for two, compliments of THE GOLDEN BOOT CAFFE`. The prize is available up to 2013-04-18.

 <><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

2013-03-19

PREMIER DIVISION MAKE-UP GAMES

Four very important make-up games took place this past week with Provincial Cup qualification on the line, as well as relegation avoidance.  The Metro-Ford Wolves and Croatia SC remained in contention for the last Provincial Cup slot by virtue of their upset victories over West Van FC and Columbus FC respectively. However, on Tuesday evening, the Croatians failed to complete their amazing come-back and dropped a heart-breaking 3-2 decision to the Delta United Hurricanes, thus putting an end to their dreams of qualifying for the coveter Provincial Cup. At the other end of the standings, Norvan Pacific improved its chances of remaining in the Premier Division by defeating the Vancouver Olympics by a 2-0 margin. As a result, Norvan will now have to face the Richmond FC Hibernians in a play-off game to determine which one of the two teams will be relegated.

METRO-FORD WOLVES  -  WEST VAN FC  2-1:  On Thursday evening, at Ambleside Park in West Vancouver, the young Metro-Ford Wolves upset the heavily-favoured West Van FC by a hard-fought 2-1 margin, thus improving Metro-Ford’s chances of qualifying for the Provincial Cup playdowns.  Midway through the first half, the former Trollers took the lead when Metro-Ford’s central defender Kyle Jones passed the ball back to goalkeeper Mathew Bird while being pressured by West Van’s Ryan Glanville. The pass-back caught Bird by surprise and the ball eventually found the back of the Metro-Ford net for the game’s opening goal. The remainder of the first half was quite evenly played as both teams defended tenaciously, thus preventing any real goalscoring chances at both ends of the pitch. In the second half, the Wolves threw caution to the wind in search of the all-important victory and attacked relentlessly in search of the equalizer. At the 60^th minute mark, Metro-Ford was rewarded for its constant pressure when young Andre` Pietramala was fouled well outside the West Van penalty area. Another youngster—Dalibor Plavsic—stepped up to the plate and converted the long-range free-kick into his team’s tying goal by bending his low shot around the wall and into the bottom corner of the net. Then, at the 80^th minute mark, Metro-Ford’s Lucas Reis sent an impeccable cross into the West Van penalty area from the right flank. The ever-present Dalibor Plavsic one-timed the cross towards the opponents’ net, only to have it blocked on the way to the goal. Plavsic picked up the rebound and half-volleyed the ball through a crowd of defenders and into the West Van net for the winning goal. The entire Metro-Ford squad played remarkably well but special mention should be made of forwards Dalibor Plavsic, Chad DeBoer, and Lucas Reis for their tireless performances, particularly during the second half. Despite the loss, veteran playing-coach Paul Dailly played extremely well in his midfield position, while forward Ryan Glanville, winger Stefan Crameri, and goalkeeper Garth Lagasse also performed admirably. The victory solidifies Metro-Ford’s hold on 7^th place and improves the Coquitlam team’s chances of qualifying for the Provincial Cup.

NORVAN PACIFIC  -  VANCOUVER OLYMPICS  2-0:  On Saturday, at Sutherland School in North Vancouver, Norvan Pacific defeated the visiting Vancouver Olympics by a 2-0 score. In so doing, the North Vancouver team ended the regular season tied with the Richmond Olympics in penultimate place, thus forcing a play-off game to decide which of the two teams will be relegated to Division 1.  The home team got off to a good start and controlled most of the action during the first part of the match. However, goalscoring efforts by Martin Nash, Blake Burgon, and Matt Hartwell narrowly missed the target, thus leaving the match scoreless for the entire first half. Led by substitute Mike Caroll, and former Whitecap captain Martin Nash, Norvan Pacific continued to dominate proceedings during the second half and finally took the lead at the 60^th minute mark. On this occasion, Mike Caroll exhibited an enormous amount of skill as he dribbled around a few Olympics’ defenders before chipping the ball to a wide-open Blake Burgon, who proceeded to head it into the net from close range for what proved to be the winning goal. Soon thereafter, Martin Nash set up Blake Burgon with a picture-perfect pass, a pass that Burgon failed to convert as he narrowly missed the net with his subsequent shot. Then, at about the 75^th minute mark, Norvan was able to score the insurance marker with Martin Nash once again involved in the play. In fact, Nash sent Matt Hartwell flying towards the Vancouver Olympics’ goal with a brilliant pass. However, Hartwell was fouled inside the Olympics’ penalty area by goalkeeper Amraj Lally, resulting in a penalty kick being awarded to Norvan. On the ensuing spot shot, Kyle Guay made no mistake and thus put the match out of the Olympics’ reach. Later in the match, Norvan Pacific could have scored a few more goals, but efforts by Matt Hartwell, Martin Nash, and Blake Burgon were either saved by goalkeeper Amraj Lally or missed the target. Norvan’s defenders—Scott Gilroy, Nathan Harte, Tony Seddon, Tony Paireo, and Kyle Guay—played remarkably well throughout the contest, thus making life relatively easy for goalkeeper Giancarlo Martino as he recorded the shutout. For the Olympics, veteran striker Frank Randazzo was a going concern throughout the match, while midfielders Nelson Fernandes and Jeevi Rai—as well as defenders Joseph Lee and Jordan Wong—also performed quite well, albeit in a losing cause. As a result of the very important victory, Norvan Pacific will now face the Richmond FC Hibernians in a ‘relegation-avoidance play-off’ since both teams ended the season tied for penultimate place.

CROATIA SC   -  COLUMBUS FC  1-0:  On Sunday, at Vancouver Technical School, Croatia SC pulled off yet another upset by defeating the Premier Division champions—Columbus FC—by a narrow 1-0 margin.  The ‘Italians’ had the best goalscoring opportunity during the first half when midfielder Ylya Malek sent Brandan Campbell on a semi-breakaway, but his shot missed the target. The rest of the first half was rather uneventful as neither team appeared anxious to take any unwarranted chances. Early in the second half, the Croatians took the lead when Johnny Sulentic’s well-struck corner-kick was one-timed towards the Columbus net by young Kresimir Ukalovic. On its way towards the goal, the ball was deflected by defender Jimmy Thompson into the back of the Columbus net, leaving goalkeeper Erman Ozkan in a helpless situation. Midway through the second half, the Croatians almost doubled their lead with Johnny Sulentic once again being the provider. On this occasion, Sulentic’s left-wing cross was headed towards the back post by Cristian Tropeano only to have Robert Rogic’s subsequent header miss the target by mere inches. Needless to say, veteran midfielder Johnny Sulentic once again turned in a superlative performance as he dictated the pace of the match with his skill and work ethic. Central defender Matteo Agnoloni was also very influential in the Croatia victory as he kept the vaunted Columbus attackers at bay throughout the contest, while goalkeeper Ante Boskovic fully deserved the clean-sheet. Despite the loss, Columbus’ backline—composed of Jonathan Poli, Jimmy Thompson, and Stefano Bortolussi—played extremely well.

DELTA UNITED HURRICANES  -  CROATIA SC   3-2:  On Tuesday evening, at John Oliver Park in Delta, the Delta United Hurricanes edged the visiting Croatia SC by a 3-2 margin, thus putting an end to the Croatians’ aspirations of qualifying for the Provincial Cup. The Hurricanes took the early lead when—at about the 15^th minute mark—Gary Badesha found a wide-open Oscar Jimenez at the top of the 18-yard box with an immaculate pass. Without a moment’s hesitation, Jimenez proceeded to drive the ball into the back of the Croatia net, thus giving his team the lead. To their credit, the Croatians bounced back tenaciously and knotted the score at the 25^th minute mark when Johnny Sulentic’s perfectly executed free-kick—from the edge of the penalty area—sailed into the top corner of the net, giving goalkeeper Drew Smiley no chance whatsoever. Then, at the 35^th minute mark, Croatia SC took the lead when Peter Bow made a great run down the right flank before crossing the ball to the far post, where Lucas Sweda finished off the play with an amazing one-time volley. The second half was more or less a repeat of the first as both teams took turns attacking and defending. At the 55^th minute mark, Delta United knotted the score when Gagan Josan converted a nifty pass from Pavi Dhillon with an unstoppable close-range shot. At this point, the Croatians threw caution to the wind in search of the all-important winning goal. However—at about the 75^th minute mark—Lucas Sweda was unable to take full advantage of a goal-mouth scramble as he blasted his shot over the cross-bar. Also—at the 85^th minute mark—Johnny Sulentic fired a wicket drive from the edge of the penalty area, a shot that was miraculously saved by second-half substitute goalkeeper Steve Thomas. As luck would have it, Delta United was able to secure the victory very late in the match when Oscar Jimenez finished off a lethal counter-attack by slotting the ball home, after having raced in on goal on a breakaway. Midfielders Gagan Josan and Oscar Jimenez played extremely well for Delta United, while Johnny Sulentic was his usual brilliant self in the Croatia SC midfield. The Hurricanes’ victory secures 6^th place for the Delta team, with a final record of 9-6-7, while Croatia SC finishes the season in 8^th place, with 7-5-10 record.

TEAM OF THE WEEK: METRO-FORD WOLVES for their hard-fought 2-1 upset victory over the heavily-favoured West Van FC. Led by the goalscoring prowess of young Dalibor Plavsic, the Wolves were able come back from a 1-0 first half deficit and eventually secure the all-important victory, a result that qualifies them for the Provincial Cup playdowns.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK:  Metro-Ford Wolves’ forward DALIBOR PLAVSIC for his magnificent 2-goal performance in his team’s important 2-1 victory over West Van FC. Both of Plavsic’s goals were brilliantly executed as he demonstrated an amazing goalscoring talent. For his marvellous performance this past weekend, DALIBOR PLAVSIC will receive a prize of a pizza for two, compliments of THE GOLDEN BOOT CAFFE`. The prize is available up to 2013-04-11.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

2013-03-12

IMPERIAL CUP – SEMI-FINALS

The two Imperial Cup semi-finals matches were played this past weekend, with both games ending with predictable results. Therefore, Columbus FC and the Delta United Hurricanes have qualified for the Imperial Cup final—an event which will be held on Saturday March 23 at Trillium Park in Vancouver, along with the other 4 League Cup finals.

COLUMBUS FC  -  CROATIA SC  3-1:  On Saturday, at Trillium Park in Vancouver, the heavily-favoured—and newly crowned Premier Division champions—Columbus FC defeated the much-improved Croatia SC by a 3-1 margin and thus qualified for the Imperial Cup final. Very early in the match, the ‘Italians’ came close to taking the lead when Milad Rahmati set up teammate Ylya Malek with an exquisite pass. Unfortunately for the Columbus clan, Malek proceeded to miss the target with his close-range shot. At the other end of the pitch, Peter Bow was sent on a semi-breakaway by Thomas Mallette’s perfect through ball but was unable to finish off the play due to a superlative tackle by Columbus defender Jonathan Poli. At about the 20^th minute mark, Columbus FC took the well-deserved lead with Ylya Malek and Milad Rahmati once again involved in the play. On this occasion, the two Columbus players reversed roles as Malek set up Rahmati in front of the Croatian goal. Rahmati’s initial shot was brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Marko Bajic, but Rahmati picked up the rebound and calmly deposited the ball into the back of the net for the go-ahead goal. The league champions kept pressing and came very close to adding to their lead soon thereafter as Steve DeBlasio and Milad Rahmati combined to set up Ylya Malek, whose subsequent, blistering shot was once again saved by Marko Bajic. Early in the second half, the Croatians came close to equalizing when Thomas Mallette sent Johnny Sulentic towards the Columbus goal on what appeared to be a lethal counter-attack. Unfortunately for the Croatian contingent, Sulentic’s final shot barely missed the net. About 20 minutes into the second half, Croatia SC was able to equalize when young veteran Johnny Sulentic made amends for his previous ‘faux-pas’ as sent one of his patented free-kicks into the Columbus danger area. Goalkeeper Thomas Lindley was able to make a fine save and deflected the ball  unto the path of Thomas Mallette who proceeded to cross it to the far post where Robert Rogic clinically finished off the play with an unstoppable header.  Columbus FC responded in kind and retook the lead shortly thereafter when midfielder Rob Giezen sent a long through ball to Milad Rahmati inside the Croatian penalty area. Rahmati controlled the ball impeccably, beat a couple of Croatia defenders and calmly slotted it  into the back of the net for what proved to be the winning goal. A few minutes later, veteran Tiernan King almost put the game out of Croatia’s reach, but his wicked free-kick rang off the cross-bar and out of danger. Late in the game, Milad Rahmati finished off his hat-trick in sensational fashion as he picked up the ball outside the Croatia penalty area, beat a few defenders and proceeded to chip the ball over an onrushing Marko Bajic for the insurance marker. The entire Columbus team played remarkably well, but special mention should be made of defenders Nathan Quan, Luca Bellisomo, Jonathan Poli, and Stefano Pannu who kept the vaunted Croatian attackers at bay for most of the match. Also midfielder Ylya Malek and, especially,  forward Milad Rahmati turned in superlative performances as they caused numerous problems to the Croatian backline. For Croatia SC, midfielders Johnny Sulentic and Thomas Mallette worked tirelessly throughout the match, albeit in a losing cause. Columbus FC thus advances to the Imperial Cup final, against the Delta United Hurricanes.

DELTA UNITED HURRICANES  -  VANCOUVER OLYMPICS  2-1 OT:  On Friday evening, at South Memorial Park in Vancouver, the Delta United Hurricanes put an end to the Vancouver Olympics’ impressive winning streak by edging the home team by a 2-1 overtime score and, as a result, qualified for the Imperial Cup final. Both teams fought tenaciously during the entire contest in an effort to gain a spot in the Imperial Cup final and in the Provincial Cup playdowns. Midway through the first half, Delta’s veteran goalkeeper—Drew Smiley—pulled off an outstanding save on a point-blank shot by Vikash Chandra, while—at the other end of the pitch—Pavi Dhillon’s perfectly-placed shot was brilliantly saved by Amraj Lally. In the second half, Delta United controlled most of the play, mostly due to the fact that the Vancouver Olympics were reduced to 10 men when Sasa Plavsic was sent off at the 70^th minute mark, for having received his second caution. The Hurricanes took full advantage of the situation and came close to taking the lead on a couple of occasions, but efforts by Joey Brar and Arjan Grewal were once against thwarted by a couple of fine saves by Amraj Lally. After regulation time had ended in a scoreless tie, the match had to be settled in overtime. Midway through the first overtime period, the Delta Hurricanes were finally able to take the lead when Kam Hundal—after having made a great run down the left flank—found a wide-open Oscar Jimenez in the middle of the penalty area with a picture-perfect pass. Jimenez had time to control the ball and subsequently deposit it into the back of the Olympics’ net for the go-ahead goal. At this juncture, a second Vancouver Olympics player—James Farenhorst—was sent off the field of play for having used foul and abusive language, thus reducing his team to 9 players. Once again, Delta United took full advantage of the situation and scored what proved to be the winning goal at the 108^th minute mark when veteran player-coach Steve Millar one-timed a wicked drive from the edge of the penalty area into the back of the Olympics’ net. To their credit, the Olympics fought back tenaciously and narrowed the margin very late in the second overtime period when Rob Sing converted a penalty kick, awarded when Sing himself was fouled inside the penalty area by Jesse Dhami. The entire Delta United team played remarkably well, but special mention should be made of goalkeeper Drew Smiley for his excellent performance. Also, defenders Steve Millar, Gurj Sandhu, Joey Brar, and Jesse Dhami turned in rock-solid efforts. Despite the heart-breaking loss, the Olympics’ midfielders Rob Sing and Vikash Chandra played extremely well, while defenders Yuki Kikuchi, Kevin Heaney, Aniel Sanghera, and James Farehhorst should also be complimented for the fine performances. Delta United will now advance to the Imperial Cup final, against Columbus FC in what promises to be a very exciting match!

PREMIER DIVISION MAKE-UP GAME

ROVERS CCBTU – RICHMOND FC HIBERNIANS  2-1:  On Saturday, at Cloverdale Athletic Park in Surrey, the unpredictable Rovers remained in the running for the last available Provincial Cup spot by narrowly defeating the visiting Richmond FC Hibernians by a 2-1 margin, a result that keeps the Hibernians in the dreaded relegation zone. The Rovers got off to a great start and scored very early in the match when Bobby Jhutty converted a free-kick from the edge of the penalty area into the go-ahead goal. It should be mentioned that the free-kick was awarded when Rizal Ganief was fouled just outside the box. Shortly thereafter, Richmond’ goalkeeper—Jason Roberts—pulled off a semi-miraculous save on a breakaway effort by none other than Rizal Ganief. At the other end of the pitch, the Hibernians also came close to scoring on a couple of occasions, but Jeff Potratz sent his full-volley over the crossbar, while Erik Olson had his shot brilliantly saved by newly-signed goalkeeper Benjamin Goudet. Near the end of the first half, the Rovers appeared to have taken the lead but Rizal Ganief’s goal was called back for an offside infraction. Just before the halftime whistle, the Hibernians were able to knot the score when a long throw-in by Mike Revell was flicked on by Geoff Salt in the direction of Matt Rota, whose fantastic overhead bicycle-kick found the back of the Rovers’ net. The second half was more or less a repeat of the first as both teams took turns creating and missing chances. In particular, Richmond’s Matt Rota and Erik Olsen had their shots saved by Ben Goudet, while the Rovers’ Rizal Ganief and Bobby Jhutty inexplicably missed the net on glorious opportunities. Just before the final whistle, however, the Rovers were able to score the winning goal when a poor clearance by Richmond’s Mike Revell bounced off the back of Bobby Jhutty and landed at the feet of teammate Sam Gill, who proceeded to race in on goal on a breakaway and eventually slot the ball home. Defensively, Derrick Bassi and Sam Gill played exceptionally well for the Rovers, while midfielders Kalem Scott and David Hill worked tirelessly throughout the contest. Forward Bobby Jhutty was dangerous during the entire 90 minutes of play as he drove the Richmond defenders to distraction with his speed and skill. For the Hibernians, youth call-up goalkeeper Jason Roberts once again displayed marvellous qualities, while defenders Marcus Brougham and Connor Radil were rock-solid during the entire match. Midfielder Jeff Potratz, as well as forwards Erik Olsen and Matt Rota also deserve special mention as they worked very hard during the entire 90 minutes. The result helps the Rovers’ chances of qualifying for the Provincial Cup, while the Hibernians remain in the relegation-danger zone.

TEAM OF THE WEEK: COLUMBUS FC for its clinical 3-1 victory over Croatia SC in the Imperial Cup semi-finals. Led by the outstanding 3-goal performance of forward Milad Rahmati, the ‘Italians’ fully deserved the all-important victory. Columbus FC will now take on Delta United in the Imperial Cup final.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK:  Columbus FC’s striker MILAD RAHMATI for his magnificent 3-goal performance in his team’s important 3-1 victory over arch-rivals Croatia SC. All 3 of Rahmati’s goals were things of beauty as he displayed an enormous amount of skill. For his marvellous performance this past weekend, MILAD RAHMATI will receive a prize of a pizza for two, compliments of THE GOLDEN BOOT CAFFE`. The prize is available up to 2013-04-04.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

2013-03-06

IMPERIAL CUP – QUARTER-FINALS

Another couple of huge upsets occurred this past weekend in the Imperial Cup quarter-finals as last year’s Provincial Cup champions—Surrey United Firefighters—were eliminated by the Delta United Hurricanes, while the resurging Croatia SC sent Estrella de Chile packing by virtue of a narrow 3-2 victory. Also, in what might be considered a ‘semi-upset’ the newly-relegated Vancouver Olympics defeated the Metro-Ford Wolves by a 2-1 overtime margin.

COLUMBUS FC  -  WESTSIDE FC  2-0:  On Sunday, at Andy Livingstone Park in Vancouver, the heavily-favoured—and newly crowned Premier Division champions—Columbus FC defeated the newly-promoted Westside FC by a 2-0 margin. The Westsiders—led by midfielders Andre` Herath and Chris Meyhus—controlled most of the action during the first part of the match and came close to taking the lead at about the 25<sup>th</sup> minute mark when Garvin Barrett’s header skidded off the top of the crossbar. At the other end of the pitch, Tino Cucca’s close-range shot—after having been set up by Milad Rahmati—was brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Rowan Anders. However, just before the halftime whistle, Columbus’ Milad Rahmati was fouled inside the penalty area by defender Jacob Quail, resulting in a penalty kick being awarded to the ‘Italians’. Tino Cucca—who had originally set up Rahmati with an impeccable through ball—stepped up to the plate and easily converted the penalty kick into what proved to be the winning goal. The second half was more or less a repeat of the first as both teams took turns attacking and defending. Early in the second half, Columbus FC scored what proved to be the insurance marker, with Milad Rahmati and Tino Cucca once again involved in the play. On this occasion, Rahmati beat a couple of Westside defenders down the right flank and proceeded to find a wide-open Tino Cucca, whose subsequent shot easily found the back of the net. With Westside pushing forward in a desperate attempt to get back into the contest, Columbus FC came close to tripling its lead late in the match when veteran Tiarnan King sent young Jevin Hillis flying in on goal on a breakaway with a picture-perfect pass. However, Hillis’ shot grazed the outside of the post, leaving the score at 2-0 till the final whistle. Needless to say, midfielder Tino Cucca and forward Milad Rahmati played extremely well for Columbus FC, while goalkeeper Thomas Lindley earned the clean-sheet. For Westside FC, midfielders Andre` Herath and Chris Meyhus worked tirelessly throughout the contest, while goalkeeper Rowan Anders pulled off some sensational saves to keep the scoreline respectable. Columbus FC now advances to the semi-finals of the Imperial Cup where they will face Croatia SC, in what promises to be a very interesting match.

CROATIA SC  -  ESTRELLA de CHILE  3-2:  On Friday evening, at Burnaby Lake West Complex, Croatia SC continued its impressive unbeaten streak by defeating Estrella de Chile by a narrow 3-2 margin, thus eliminating the Chileans from the Imperial Cup competition. The Chileans dominated proceedings in the early stages of the match as they created numerous goalscoring opportunities and capitalized on a couple of them. Very early in the match, Admir Salihovic almost gave Estrella de Chile the early lead but—after having been set up by Vladimir Vukovic—he blasted his blistering shot over the crossbar. Soon thereafter, it was Habil Otieno’s turn to miss the target as he raced in on goal on a partial breakaway, but also shot the ball over the bar. Then, at the 8^th minute mark, Estrella de Chile took the well-deserved lead when Vladimir Vukovic sent Admir Salihovic down the left flank with an impeccable pass. Salihovic then proceeded to cut into the middle before rifling an unstoppable shot into the back of the Croatian net. A couple of minutes later, Salihovic took advantage of a poor Croatian clearance and blasted a long-range volley into the back of the net to give Estrella de Chile a 2-0 lead. To their credit, the Croatians did not fold their tents and fought back tenaciously in an attempt to get back into the game. At about the 15^th minute mark, a cross from Peter Bow found David Zaharija at the edge of the penalty area, but Zaharija’s subsequent volley barely missed the target, thus maintaining the Chileans’ 2-goal lead. Finally, at about the 30^th minute mark, the Croatians were able to narrow Estrella de Chile’s margin when David Zaharija intercepted a Chilean free-kick in the middle of the park and quickly slipped a through ball to Johnny Sulentic who proceeded to beat a couple of defenders before clinically finishing off the play with a brilliant, far-post shot. At the other end of the pitch, Brian Dottin missed two golden opportunities to re-establish his team’s 2-goal lead as goalkeeper Marko Bajic pulled off a couple of excellent saves. Then, at the 40^th minute mark, Croatia SC tied things up with Johnny Sulentic becoming the provider as he fired a low cross to the near post, where Matteo Agnoloni was able to convert it into the tying goal with a close-range tap-in. During the second half, Estrella de Chile continued to exert a lot of pressure on the Croatian defence but efforts by Habil Otieno, Brian Dottin, Ricardo Alvarado, and Vladimir Vukovic were either saved by goalkeeper Marko Bajic or missed the target. At the 70^th minute mark, Croatia SC scored the winning goal with Johnny Sulentic once again involved in the play. On this occasion, Sulentic picked up the ball well outside the Chilean penalty area, beat a few defenders, and finally finished off the play with a brilliant shot into the far post of the net. Shortly thereafter, Estrella de Chile was reduced to 10 mean when Admir Salihovic was sent off for having committed a violent conduct infraction. Despite playing short-handed, the Chileans nearly knotted the score late in the game when Habil Otieno’s shot—from a very difficult angle—bounced off the crossbar and out of danger. Former professional Johnny Sulentic played extremely well in the Croatian midfield as he scored two excellent goals and also assisted on his team’s tying goal. Goalkeeper Marko Bajic also turned in a rock-solid performance as he made numerous saves against the very dangerous Chilean attackers. For Estrella de Chile, midfielders Vladimir Vukovic and Habil Otieno were going concerns throughout the match as they exhibited technical as well as tactical qualities. Forwards Admir Salihovic and Brian Dottin were very dangerous on numerous occasions and also deserve special mention for their fine efforts. As a result of the upset victory, Croatia SC will now face Columbus FC in the semi-finals of the Imperial Cup, in what promises to be a very interesting match.

DELTA UNITED HURRICANES  -  SURREY UNITED FIREFIGHTERS  3-0:  On Saturday, at Cloverdale Athletic Park in Surrey, the Delta United Hurricanes upset the defending Provincial Cup champions—Surrey United—by an emphatic 3-0 margin. Despite the elaborate scoreline, the match was quite evenly played, with both teams creating numerous goalscoring chances. However, some unbelievable goalkeeping on the part of Delta’s veteran Drew Smiley kept the vaunted Surrey United forwards off the scoresheet. At the 20^th minute mark, the Firefighters almost took the lead when Colin Streckmann—after having received a great pass from Justin Carvery—blasted the ball towards the Delta net. However, Drew Smiley stood tall and pulled off an excellent save to keep the game scoreless until the 40^th minute mark. At this point, Delta United took the lead when Sarpreet Pahal beat a couple of Surrey United defenders on the right side of the pitch and proceeded to send an impeccable cross into the danger zone. Harpreet Khakh finished off the play with a brilliant, diving header for what proved to be Delta’s winning goal. The second half was more of less a repeat of the first as both teams took turns attacking and defending. At about the 60^th minute mark, the Firefighters came very close to knotting the score when Ryan Reynold curled a wicked free-kick around the Delta wall. The ball appeared to be heaving towards the top corner of the net, but Drew Smiley once again rose to the occasion and pulled off a miraculous save. Shortly thereafter—as luck would have it—the Hurricanes doubled their lead on a lethal counter-attack as Oscar Jimenez finished off a superlative 3-way passing play—also involving Gagan Josan and Pavi Dhillon—in clinical fashion. The Firefighters refused to give up and kept pressing for the all-important first goal and came close once again at the 75^th minute mark when former Whitecap Jeff Clarke’s long-range shot was cleared off the line by Delta’s Joey Brar. Late in the match, Delta United put the Firemen out of their misery by scoring the clinching goal when Oscar Jimenez set up Gagan Josan with an immaculate pass, a pass that Josan had no difficulty in converting into his team’s third goal. Defensively, Jessie Dhami, Joey Brar, and Sarpreet Pahal played very well for Delta United, while midfielders Harpreet Khakh and Gagan Josan worked tirelessly throughout the 90 minutes of action. Needless to say, veteran goalkeeper Drew Smiley was a standout, as he pulled off numerous brilliant saves and fully earned his hard-fought clean-sheet. As a result of the upset victory, the Delta United Hurricanes advance to the semi-finals of the Imperial Cup where they will face either the Vancouver Olympics.

VANCOUVER OLYMPICS  -  METRO-FORD WOLVES  2-1 (PK’s):  On Friday evening, at South Memorial Park in Vancouver, the Vancouver Olympics and the Metro-Ford Wolves fought to a 1-1 tie. Due to the fact that the lights went out shortly after the completion of regulation time, the overtime—and the potential penalty kicks—had to be postponed till Wednesday evening at Vancouver Technical School. The Metro-Ford Wolves had most of the possession during the first half and took the lead at the 30^th minute mark when veteran Russel Huggon took advantage of a goal-mouth scramble—after Matthew Besuschko had crossed a very dangerous ball into the Olympics’ penalty area—and calmly deposited the ball into the back of the net. The home team fought back tenaciously during the second half with Hwang Sang and Sasa Plavsic coming close to scoring. Finally, at the 55^th minute mark, Justin Isidro was able to tie things up as he finished off a fine individual effort in clinical fashion. In the Wednesday evening overtime, both teams played very cautiously during the first 15 minutes, but threw caution to the wind during the second overtime period. The best chance for Metro-Ford came midway through the second period when Russ Huggon fired a low shot towards the far post, a shot that seemed destined for the back of the net. However, much to the Wolves’ chagrin, the shot barely missed the target. At the other end of the pitch, Gianluca Zavarise blasted a long-range drive over the crossbar, thus keeping the score tied till the final few seconds of the match. At this point, the Olympics’ Sasa Plavsic made amends for his previously missed chance when he placed an unstoppable, low shot into the far corner of the net, for what proved to be the winning goal. Vancouver Olympics’ midfielders Rob Sing and Justin Isidro played remarkably well, while defenders Vikash Chandra, James Farenhorst, and Yuki Kikuchi also performed admirably. For the Wolves, defenders Matthew Besuschko and Carson Gill were towers of strength during the entire match, while forward Russel Huggon was a going concern as he drove the Olympics’ defenders to distraction with his skill and tenacity. The Vancouver Olympics now advance to the semi-finals of the Imperial Cup where they will face the Delta United Hurricanes.

TEAM OF THE WEEK: CROATIA SC for its 3-2 upset victory over Estrella de Chile in the Imperial Cup quarter-finals. Led by the outstanding performance of veteran midfielder Johnny Sulentic, the Croatians bounced back from a 2-0 deficit and eventually defeated the heavily-favoured Chileans. Croatia SC will now face powerhouse Columbus FC in the semi-finals of the coveted Imperial Cup.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK:  Delta United Hurricanes’ goalkeeper DREW SMILEY and Croatia SC’s midfielder JOHNNY SULENTIC for their remarkable performances in their teams’ upset victories—over Surrey United and Estrella de Chile respectively. Drew Smiley pulled off some miraculous saves in guiding Delta United to a 3-0 victory over the Firefighters, while Johnny Sulentic led his Croatians teammates to a come-from-behind 3-2 decision over the Chileans, by scoring two excellent goals and setting up the other one. For their stupendous performances this  past weekend, DREW SMILEY and JOHNNY SULENTIC will each receive a prize of a pizza for two, compliments of THE GOLDEN BOOT CAFFE`. The prize is available up to 2013-03-28.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><> 

2013-02-26

IMPERIAL CUP – ROUND of 16 

A couple of huge upsets took place this past weekend in the Imperial Cup Round of 16 as the Division 1 Westside FC edged the Premier Division Rovers CCBTU by a 1-0 margin and the recently-relegated Vancouver Olympics clobbered the heavily-favoured West Van FC by an emphatic 3-0 scoreline.

COLUMBUS FC  -  RICHMOND FC HIBERNIANS  4-3:  On Saturday, at South Memorial Park in Vancouver, the heavily-favoured—and newly crowned Premier Division champions—Columbus FC edged the luckless Richmond FC Hibernians by a 4-3 margin and thus advanced to the quarter-finals of the Imperial Cup. The ‘Italians’ took the lead at the 15^th minute mark when a well-taken free kick by Tino Cucca was finished off by  Robbie Giezen with a brilliant header. A few minutes later, the Hibernians knotted the score as Emile Saimovici—after having made a great run—unleashed an unstoppable, long-range shot into the back of the Columbus net. Late in the first half, Columbus FC regained the lead when Milad Rahmati beat a couple of Richmond defenders before setting up Kazunori Kikuchi with a perfectly-executed cross, a cross that Kikuchi headed home without any difficulty. Early in the second half, the Hiberrnians once again tied things up, on yet another long-range shot, this time by Peter Chivers, after he had received a clever pass from Connor Radil. Ten minutes later, Richmond FC took the lead, once again on a long-range blast by Peter Chivers as he finished off a brilliant 3-way passing play involving Connor Radil, Devon Smith, and Emile Saimovici. Columbus FC came right back and equalized a few moments later when Robbie Giezen sent an impeccable through-ball to Milad Rahmati, who made no mistake in finishing off the play in clinical fashion. Both teams traded numerous goalscoring chances during the remainder of the game, but it was Columbus FC that finally scored the winning goal very late in the match when veteran Mike Gomes and Tino Cucca combined to set up Milad Rahmati inside the penalty area. Rahmati beat a Richmond defender and quickly blasted the ball into the back of the net for what proved to be the winning goal. Needless to say, Columbus’ forward Milad Rahmati turned in a stellar performance, while midfielders Robbie Giezen and Tino Cucca deserve special mention for their indomitable work-rate. Despite the loss, Rcihmond FC’s midfielders Peter Chivers and Emile Saimovici played extremely well, while left-back Connor Radil was a tower of strength on the backline. Columbus FC will now face the newly-promoted Westside FC in the quarter-finals of the Imperial Cup.

WESTSIDE FC  -  ROVERS CCBTU  1-0:  On Sunday, at Musqueam Park in Vancouver, the newly-promoted Westside FC edged the Premier Division Rovers CCBTU by a narrow 1-0 margin, thus proving that they deserve their promotion to the top-ranked division. The Westsiders controlled most of the action during the first half but were unable to take the lead, mostly due to some fine goalkeeping on the part of the Rovers’ Chris Beck. Also, midway through the first half, Paddy Smyth raced in on the Rovers’ goal on a breakaway, but inexplicably missed the net, with Beck well-beaten. However, early in the second half—at about the 50^th minute mark—Westside FC finally took the lead when Liam Patterson-Morris set up Reece Branion with a clever pass, a pass that Branion converted into the lone goal of the contest with a close-range shot. A few minutes later, the Westsiders almost doubled their lead but Reece Branion failed to finish off an excellent cross by Michael Buree as he sailed the ball wide of the net from well inside the penalty area. Also, Alistair Pimlott almost provided Westside FC with some breathing room but was stymied at the last moment by defender Justin Sidhu. At the other end of the pitch, Rizal Ganief was sent on a breakaway by Sunny Bains, but watched agonizingly as his final shot grazed the crossbar. The Rovers kept pressing ferociously in search of the all-important equalizer and came close to succeeding on a couple of occasions near the end of the match. On the first attempt, Rizal Ganief once again raced in on goal on a breakaway—on this occasion on a pass by Gary Chahal—but his shot was miraculously saved by goalkeeper Rowan Anders. Then, just before the final whistle, Gary Chahal’s attempt to finish off a well-taken corner kick by Sunny Bains was thwarted by yet another brilliant save on the part of Rowan Anders. Needless to say, Rowan Anders fully deserved his clean-sheet as he pulled off some sensational saves during the contest. Also, central defender Jacob Quail played brilliantly as he held the vaunted Rovers’ attackers at bay during the entire contest. For the Rovers, goalkeeper Chris Beck, defender Justin Sidhu, midfielder David Hill, and forward Rizal Ganief performed admirably well despite the heart-breaking loss. The hard-earned victory advances Westside FC to the quarter-finals of the Imperial Cup where they will play the Premier Division champions—Columbus FC.

ESTRELLA de CHILE  -  SERBIAN WHITE EAGLES  2-0:  On Friday evening, at Trillium Park in Vancouver, the highly-ranked Estrella de Chile defeated the Serbian White Eagles—a Division 1 squad—by a 2-0 score. Despite the fact that the first half ended scoreless, both teams had a few excellent goalscoring opportunities. In particular, a close-range shot by the White Eagles’ Alex Kosanin barely missed the net, while—at the other end of the pitch—goalkeeper Hugo Vasquez pulled off a couple of incredible saves on efforts by Vanja Vukovic and Vladimir Vukovic. Soon thereafter, it was Paolo Urbina’s turn to miss the Chilean net with yet another close-range shot. Then, near the end of the first half, Estrella de Chile’s Brian Dottin’s blistering shot bounced off the crossbar and out of danger. During the second half, the Chileans started to exert more pressure on the Serbian defence and came close to taking the lead on several occasions. However, goalkeeper Hugo Vasquez once again came to the rescue and pulled off a few sensational saves—in particular on shots by Habil Otieno and Brian Dottin—to keep the game scoreless till the 75^th minute mark. At this juncture, Vladimir Vukovic—after having received a great pass from Ricardo Alvarado—beat a couple of Serbian defenders before cutting the ball back onto the path of Brian Dottin, whose subsequent shot found the back of the White Eagles’ net. Then, just before the final whistle—with the entire White Eagles’ squad (including goalkeeper Hugo Vasquez) in the Estrella de Chile defensive area—Vladimir Vukovic pounced on a defensive clearance and calmly slotted the ball into the empty Serbian net for the insurance marker. Estrella de Chile’s central defender Narcisse Tchoumi was his usual rock-solid self throughout the match, while midfielders Vladimir Vukovic and Ricardo Alvarado worked tirelessly during the entire 90 minutes of non-stop action. Forwards Habil Otieno and Brian Dottin also deserve special mention for their excellent performances. Needless to say, goalkeeper Hugo Vasquez turned in a superlative performance in the White Eagles’ net, albeit in a losing cause. Estrella de Chile will now play Croatia SC in the next round of the Imperial Cup.

CROATIA SC  -  NORVAN PACIFIC  3-1:  On Saturday, at Trillium Park in Vancouver, Croatia SC knocked Norvan Pacific out of the Imperial Cup competition by defeating the visiting team by a 3-1 score. Norvan took the lead early in the match when former Whitecap Martin Nash sent Blake Burgon down the right flank with an impeccable, long-range pass. Burgon raced down the wing before crossing the ball to Matt Hartwell at the edge of the penalty area. Hartwell skillfully controlled the ball and subsequently fired it into the back of the Croatia net for the opening goal. Shortly thereafter, Norvan Pacific almost doubled its lead, but a wicked shot by Blake Burgon barely missed the target. At about the 20^th minute mark the Croatians knotted the score when veteran Johnny Sulentic made a great run down the right wing, beat a couple of Norvan defenders, and eventually crossed the ball to the far post where Pawel Gorzkowski had no difficulty whatsoever in heading it into the Norvan net for the equalizer. Then, at the 35^th minute mark, Croatia SC took the lead when Johnny Sulentic fired home one of his patented free-kicks from just outside the penalty area. It should be mentioned that the free-kick was awarded when Ivan Prpic was fouled at the edge of the box. Midway through the second half, Croatia SC added its third—and final—goal with Johnny Sulentic once again involved in the play. On this occasion, Sulentic’s corner-kick found a wide-open Pawel Gorzkowski who proceeded to head the ball home, in very similar fashion to his first goal. To their credit, the Norvan lads did not throw in the towel, fought back tenaciously and came close to narrowing the margin on a couple of occasions. However, efforts by Martin Nash and Nathan Harte went awry, leaving the score at 3-1 till the final whistle. The entire Croatia SC team played remarkably well, but special mention should be made of central midfielder Johnny Sulentic for his inspiring performance, as he led his team to victory by scoring one goal and setting up two others. Also, forward Pawel Gorzkowski played extremely well as he scored two great goals and created numerous problems for the Norvan defenders. Also, defender Matteo Agnoloni and goalkeeper Marko Bajic turned in rock-solid performances. As a result of the victory, Croatia SC advances to the quarter-finals of the Imperial Cup where they will face Estrella de Chile.

VANCOUVER OLYMPICS  -  WEST VAN FC  3-0:  On Friday evening, at Ambleside Park in West Vancouver, the Vancouver Olympics pulled off the upset of the season as they eliminated the second-place West Van FC from the Imperial Cup race as a result of an elaborate 3-0 victory. The Olympics took the early lead—at about the 15^th minute mark—when Justin Isidro set up teammate Franco Randazzo with a picture-perfect pass just outside the West Van penalty area. Without a moment’s hesitation, Randazzo proceeded to blast the ball into the back of the net, giving goalkeeper Marco Durante no chance whatsoever. To add insult to West Van’s injury, the former Trollers were reduced to 10 men shortly thereafter—at about the 25^th minute mark—when forward Jesse Fetterley was sent off the field of play for having committed a violent conduct infraction. Despite playing short-handed, the home team pressed hard in search of the equalizer, but efforts by Ryan Glanville and Will Molloy went awry, leaving the score at 1-0 till the halftime whistle. Early in the second half, the Vancouver Olympics doubled their lead as Justin Isidro finished off a clever pass from Gianluca Zavarise into what proved to be the insurance marker. Once again, however, the West Vancouverites fought back tenaciously and came close to scoring on a couple of occasions. Unfortunately for the home team, efforts by Jeff Rogers and Cathal O’Connor barely missed the target. Near the end of the match, the Olympics put the home team out of its misery by scoring their third goal as Hwang Sang and Franco Randazzo combined to set up Sasa Plavsic, whose subsequent shot found the back of the West Van net. The entire Vancouver Olympics team played remarkably well, but special mention should be made of defenders Aniel Sanghera, Kevin Heaney, Yuki Kikuchi, James Farenhorst, and Vikash Chandra for their rock-solid performances, as they made life relatively easy for goalkeeper Amraj Lally as he recorded a clean-sheet. Also midfielders Rob Sing, Franco Randazzo, and Justin Isidro worked indefatigably during the entire 90 minutes of play, while forwards Gianluca Zavarise and Hwang Sang drove the West Van defenders to distraction with their speed and skill. Despite the devastating loss, West Van forward Ryan Glanville worked hard during the entire game, as he tried hard to generate some goalscoring opportunities. Also, midfielders Will Molloy and Cathal O’Connor distributed the ball brilliantly and created numerous chances to score. The Vancouver Olympics will now face the Metro-Ford Wolves in the next round of the Imperial Cup.

METRO-FORD WOLVES  -  RINO’S VANCOUVER FC  1-0:  On Saturday, at Coquitlam Town Centre, yet another match between a Premier Division team—Metro-Ford Wolves—and a Division 1 team—Rino’s Vancouver FC—took place. After a rather uneventful 90 minutes of play, the Wolves walked away with a 1-0 victory, a result that places them in the quarter-finals of the Imperial Cup. Both teams exchanged goalscoring opportunities in the early going as Rino’s Matteo Serka—after having received a clever pass from Brett Wiens—had his near-post shot toe-saved by Metro-Ford’s goalkeeper Simon Postma. Soon thereafter—at the other end of the pitch—Luigi Pantusa’s well-taken corner kick was headed towards the Rino’s goal by veteran Andrew Veer, only to have defender James Duff clear the ball off the goal-line. Very late in the first half, the Wolves took the lead when young Luigi Pantusa sent a brilliant cross onto the path of veteran Alfredo Valente. The former Whitecap controlled the ball impeccably, dribbled into open space, and fired an unstoppable, low-shot into the back of Rino’s net for the game’s lone goal. Newly-signed goalkeeper Simon Postma returned to action after a lengthy absence and recorded the shutout for the Metro-Ford Wolves. Veteran midfielders Alfredo Valente and Andrew Veer played exceptionally well, while young midfielders Luigi Pantusa and Otis Sandhu also turned in admirable performances. Despite the loss, Rino’s defenders John Bligh and Corby O’Genski were rock-solid on the backline, while midfielder Tejpaul Randhawa worked tirelessly throughout the contest. The Wolves’ next opponents in the Imperial Cup quarter-finals will be the upstart Vancouver Olympics, in what promises to be a very interesting match!

SURREY UNITED FIREFIGHTERS  -  INTER FC  3-1:  On Saturday, at Cloverdale Athletic Park in Surrey, the Surrey United Firefighters defeated the visiting Inter FC by a 3-1 margin, thus eliminating the newly-promoted team from the Imperial Cup. Surrey United got off to a flying start and took the lead at about the 20^th minute mark when veteran—and former Whitecaps captain—Jeff Clarke curled an unstoppable shot into the top, far corner of the Inter net from the edge of the penalty area. Ten minutes later, the Firefighters doubled their lead when an excellent shot by Sean Einarsson was brilliantly saved by Inter’s goalkeeper, Karm Shergill only to have Angus Burke pick up the rebound and slot the ball home for what proved to be the winning goal. The visitors bounced back during the first part of the second half and were finally able to narrow the margin at about the 70^th minute mark on a brilliantly-executed goal by Marco Visintin, as he finished off a fine individual effort. However, shortly thereafter, Inter’s Andrew Corazza was sent off the field of play for having received his second caution, thus reducing his team to 10 players. Surrey United took full advantage of the situation and scored the insurance marker at about the 80^th minute mark when Angus Burke—after having received a fine pass from Tom Lowndes—beat a couple of Inter defenders before calmly slotting the ball into the back of the net. Defensively, Surrey United’s Stefan Leslie and Scott McEachern were rock-solid throughout the match as they limited Inter’s scoring chances to a bare minimum. Also, veteran midfielder Jeff Clarke dictated the pace of the match with his impeccable passing skills, while Angus Burke not only scored two excellent goals, but was also a going concern during the entire contest. Despite the loss, Inter’s midfielders Alexander Marrello and Joseph Marrello worked very hard during the 90 minutes of play, while goalkeeper Karm Shergill kept the scoreline respectable with some fine saves. The Surrey United Firefighters will now advance to the quarter-finals of the Imperial Cup where they will face the Delta United Hurricanes, in what promises to be a very interesting match.

DELTA UNITED HURRICANES  -  ICST PEGASUS  2-1 PK’s:  On Sunday, at John Oliver Park in Delta, the Delta United Hurricanes defeated ICST Pegasus on penalty kicks, after 120 minutes of non-stop action could not determine a winner. Both teams had a few chances to score in the first half, but were unable to capitalize. In particular, Pegasus’ Jag Gill deflected a shot by Diaz Kambere towards the Delta net, only to have young goalkeeper Auden Schilder pull off a phenomenal save. At the other end of the pitch, Phil Lensky, Harpreet Khakh, and Kam Hundal missed the Pegasus net with their close-range shots. The second half was more or less a repeat of the first, with both teams taking turns attacking and defending. Delta’s best chance in the second half came at the 75^th minute mark when Gagan Josan’s wicked drive hit the crossbar and sailed out of danger. Shortly thereafter, Phil Lensky took advantage of a midfield turnover, raced in on goal on a breakaway, but was thwarted by goalkeeper Amar Dhinsa’s brilliant save. Pegasus also had a couple of excellent chances to open the scoring, but efforts by Ramneet Johal and Azad Palani were denied by Auden Schilder’s fine saves. After a scoreless first period of overtime, Delta United took the lead early in the second overtime period when Gagan Josan sent Kam Hundal on a breakaway with a picture-perfect pass. Hundal then proceeded to race in on goal and slot the ball home for the go-ahead goal. ICST Pegasus, however, responded in kind and restored parity shortly thereafter on a fine individual effort on the part of Javid Khan, whose final shot gave goalkeeper Auden Schilder no chance whatsoever. Needless the say, the match had to be settled by penalty kicks and ended with Schilder making a phenomenal save on Pegasus’ third shot—by David Samra—thus securing the hard-earned victory for the Hurricanes. For Delta United, 18-year old goalkeeper Auden Schilder played an absolutely incredible game as he made numerous outstanding saves during the entire contest. For ICST Pegasus, midfielder Adam Costley was his usual hard-working self as he won several timely tackles and thwarted numerous Delta attacks. The victory advances to Hurricanes to the next round of the Imperial Cup where they will face arch-rivals Surrey United in what promises to be a very exciting match.

TEAM OF THE WEEK: VANCOUVER OLYMPICS for yet another amazing upset victory—this one against the heavily-favoured West Van FC by an elaborate 3-0 margin in an Imperial Cup match. Despite the fact that the Olympics have been relegated to the 1^st Division, the team played with a great deal of tenacity and fully deserved to advance to the quarter-finals of the coveted Imperial Cup.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK:  Delta United Hurricanes goalkeeper AUDEN SCHILDER for his incredible performance in his team’s 2-1 PK’s victory over ICST Pegasus. The 18-year old goaltender pulled off some incredible saves during the entire contest, therefore keeping the vaunted Pegasus attackers at bay. To cap off a brilliant performance, Schilder also made a miraculous save during the penalty kick ‘shoot-out’, a save that clinched Delta’s victory.  For his amazing  performance this past weekend, AUDEN SCHILDER will receive a prize of a pizza for two, compliments of THE GOLDEN BOOT CAFFE`. The prize is available up to 2013-03-21.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

2013-02-19

PREMIER DIVISION – WEEK #22

Despite the fact that 5 out of the 6 games ended in ties, a couple of important issues were finally settled this past weekend. In fact, the Premier Division championship was awarded to Columbus FC and the first of the two relegation spots was also decided. As luck would have it, despite their upset 2-1 victory over the Delta United Hurricanes, the Vancouver Olympics were relegated to the first division. The second relegation spot is still up for grabs as the Richmond FC Hibernians and Norvan Pacific battled to a 3-3 tie, thus leaving both teams in the danger zone.

ESTRELLA de CHILE  -  WEST VAN FC  1-1:  On Friday evening, at Burnaby Lake West Complex, Estrella de Chile and West Van FC battled to a hard-fought 1-1 tie, thus ending the former Trollers chances of conquering the Premier Division championship. The Chileans got off to a good start and controlled most of the action in the early going. They were compensated at the 15^th minute mark when Brian Dottin received a clever through ball from Eric Ray. After stumbling a wee bit, Dottin regained his composure, beat a West Van defender and fired a blistering, unstoppable, low shot into the back of the net for the go-ahead goal. Estrella de Chile continued to exert some pressure on the West Van defence and came close to doubling its lead on a few occasions, but efforts by Vanja Vukovic, Ducivan DeSousa, and Brian Dottin were well-saved by goalkeeper Garth Lagasse. The visiting West Van team got back into the game and started applying some pressure of its own near the middle of the first half, with Jesse Fetterly, Ryan Glanville, and Will Molloy testing goalkeeper Diego Oliveira with some very dangerous shots. Finally, at the 35^th minute mark, West Van FC was able to tie things up on a penalty kick that was called when Ryan Glanville was fouled inside the penalty area by defender Stedman Espinoza. Will Molloy stepped up to the plate and blasted the ball into the back of the net for the equalizer. The second half was a very evenly played affair with both teams taking turns attacking and defending. As time went by, the game became more and more physical as both teams were trying desperately to earn all 3 points. As a result, several yellow cards were issued, resulting in two Estrella de Chile players—Stedman Espinoza and Ducivan DeSousa—being sent off for having accumulated a second caution. West Van’s midfielders Alan McIndoe and Jeff Rogers turned in superlative performances, while forward Jesse Fetterley was his usual hard-working, dangerous self. For Estrella de Chile, central defenders Narcisse Tchoumi and Stedman Espinoza were rock-solid, while midfielder Ricardo Alvarado, forward Vladimir Vukovic, and goalkeeper Diego Oliveira also performed admirably. West Van FC thus remains in second place in the Premier Division standings, with an impressive 12-4-5 record, while Estrella de Chile finishes its season in 4^th place, with 35 points out of 22 games—not bad for a newly-promoted team!!!

ICST PEGASUS  -  CROATIA SC  2-2:  Also on Friday evening, at Newton Athletic Park in Surrey, the defending Premier Division champions—ICST Pegasus—were held to a 2-2 tie by the hard-working Croatia SC. Needless to say, the Croatians needed the points much more than ICST Pegasus and therefore tried desperately to record the victory. Right from the start of the game, Croatia SC pushed forward in an attempt to get the all-important opening goal. At about the 15^th minute mark, the visiting team came close to scoring the go-ahead goal but a wicked drive by Colin Jacques was brilliantly saved by Pegasus’ goalkeeper Andy Singh. Then, at the 25^th minute mark, the Croatians took the well-deserved lead when Quante Abbott—after having played a clever one-two with David Zaharija—sent Gilbert Kyne in on goal with a perfect through ball. Kyne had no difficulty in finishing off the play with a low, hard shot into the corner of the Pegasus net. Late in the first half, ICST Pegasus equalized when Javid Khan scored on a well-taken penalty kick. The spot shot was awarded when speedy Omari Aldridge was fouled inside the Croatia penalty area by Quante Abbott. In the second half, Croatia SC continued to show more desire and grit and came close to retaking the lead on a few occasions. However, clear-cut efforts by Colin Jacques and Gilbert Kyne were well saved by goalkeeper Andy Singh. Then, at the 80^th minute mark, what appeared to be the turning point of the match occurred when Colin Jacques was fouled inside the Pegasus penalty area by Paul Bahia, resulting in Bahia being sent off and a penalty kick being awarded. David Zaharija calmly slotted the ball into the back of the net for what seemed to be the winning goal. Despite playing short-handed for the remainder of the match, the Pegasus lads pushed hard in search of the equalizer and finally achieved their goal at the 89^th minute when Gurj Dhaliwal finished off a fine individual effort with a close-range shot. The entire Croatia SC team played very well but special mention should be made of midfielders Johnny Sultentic and Colin Jacques for their excellent performances. Also, central defender Quante Abbott was rock-solid as he thwarted the notorious Pegasus strikers time after time. For ICST Pegasus, the insertion of young veteran Niko Marcina in the second half paid enormous dividends as he controlled the middle of the park with skill and poise. Also, defenders Javid Khan, Paul Bahia, and Moe Aziz turned in commendable performances. The single point—coupled with Norvan Pacific’s tie—officially elevates Croatia SC out of the relegation zone, while ICST Pegasus finishes the regular season in 4^th place, with a 10-6-6 record.

VANCOUVER OLYMPICS  -  DELTA UNITED HURRICANES   2-1:  The third Friday evening game was played at South Memorial Park in Vancouver and featured the hosting Vancouver Olympics and the visiting Delta United Hurricanes. At the end of a hard-fought 90 minutes of non-stop action, the Olympics were able to claim all 3 points by defeating the visitors by a narrow 2-1 margin. The Hurricanes got off to a bright start and came close to taking the lead on a several occasions but some excellent goalkeeping on the part of Marco D’Andrea—as well as poor finishing by the Delta strikers—kept the match scoreless until midway through the first half. At this point, as luck would have it, the Olympics took the lead as young Jeevi Rai picked up a rebound—after Hwang Sang’s shot had been saved by  goalkeeper Steve Thomas—and clinically deposited the ball into the back of the Delta net. The Hurricanes replied in kind and came close to tying things up, but Joey Brar’s diving header—off a Gagan Josan corner kick—sailed over the net. Soon thereafter, Danny Badesha flew in on the Olympics’ goal on a breakaway after having beaten a couple of Olympics’ defenders, but also missed the net on the ensuring shot. Early in the second half, Delta United finally knotted the score when David Chohan was fouled inside the Vancouver Olympics’ penalty area by Kevin Heaney, resulting in a penalty kick being awarded. Danny Badesha stepped up to the plate and calmly slotted the ball home for the equalizer. To their credit, the Olympics fought back tenaciously and virtually dominated the remainder of the match. However, shots by Frank Randazzo and Sava Plavsic were brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Steve Thomas. To make matters even worse for Delta United, two Hurricane players—Ryan Dhillon and Arjan Grewal—were sent off for having received their second caution. Needless to say, the Vancouver Olympics took full advantage of the situation and eventually scored the winning goal very late in the match. Just before the final whistle, the  Olympics were rewarded for their tenacity and grit when Hwang Sang headed home a fine cross by Rob Sing.  The entire Olympics team played remarkably well, but special mention should be made of defenders Aniel Sanghera, Yuki Kikuchi, Kevin Heaney, and Hwang Sang for their rock-solid performances. Also, forward Frank Randazzo was a going concern throughout the contest as he drove the Delta United defenders to distraction with his pace and skill. For Delta United, goalkeeper Steve Thomas kept the score respectable with some excellent saves, while midfielders Gagan Josan and Harp Khakh worked tirelessly during the entire 90 minutes, albeit in a losing cause. Despite the victory, the Vancouver Olympics have now been officially relegated to the first division, while Delta United remains in 6^th place, with a 8-6-7 record.

COLUMBUS FC  -  ROVERS CCBTU  2-2:  On Saturday, at South Memorial Park in Vancouver, Columbus FC was finally able to lay claim to the Premier Division championship despite a rather disappointing 1-1 tie against the underdog Rovers CCBTU. The Rovers nearly scored the opening goal early in the match when newly-signed Jeff Dawah was fouled inside the Columbus penalty area by Jimmy Thompson, resulting in a penalty kick being awarded to the visiting team. However, Rizal Ganief—one of the top goalscorers in the Premier Division—had his spot shot brilliantly saved by Columbus’ goalkeeper Thomas Lindley. A few minutes later, Columbus FC took the lead when Milad Rahmati sent defender Blair Robertson flying down the right flank with a picture-perfect pass. Robertson’s subsequent cross found a wide-open Kazunori Kikuchi who proceeded to slot the ball into the back of the Rovers’ net in clinical fashion. Soon thereafter, the Rovers knotted the score when Rizal Ganief made amends for his previous ‘faux-pas’ when he finished off a great pass from yet another newly-signed player—Thomas Kargbo. Then, at about the 35^th minute mark, the Rovers took the lead with Kargbo, Ganief, and Dawah once again in the picture.  On this occasion, Rizal Ganief sent Jeff Dawah towards the Columbus goal with an excellent through ball. Unfortunately for the Rovers, Dawah’s shot bounced off the crossbar, but landed onto the path of Thomas Kargbo who made no mistake in finishing off the play from close range. At this point, the ‘Italians’ threw caution to the wind and started applying some severe pressure on the Rovers’ backline. However, some excellent goalkeeping on the part of Chris Beck kept the score at 2-1 in the Rovers’ favour until the halftime whistle. In particular, a wicked strike from Luca Bellisomo was miraculously saved by Beck in the dying moments of the first half. Columbus FC continued to push forward during the second half, in search of the all-important equalizer. At about the 70^th minute mark, Robbie Giezen converted an excellent cross from Tino Cucca into the tying goal, as he one-timed the ball into the back of the net without a moment’s hesitation. Soon thereafter, the Rovers’ Juan Sanchez was sent off for having received his second caution of the contest, thus leaving his team to finish the match with only 10 men. However, goalkeeper Chris Beck—aided and abetted by defenders Sam Gill and Gary Chahal—was able to keep the very dangerous Columbus strikers—Kaz Kikuchi and Milad Rahmati—off the scoresheet till the final whistle.  The single point, coupled with West Van FC’s tie with Estrella de Chile, secures first place for Columbus FC, with one game to go in the regular season. The Rovers, on the other hand, remain in 8^th place, with a mediocre 7-2-12 record.

RICHMOND FC HIBERNIANS  -  NORVAN PACIFIC  3-3:  Also on Saturday, at Minoru Oval in Richmond, two teams in desperate need of points—the Richmond FC Hibernians and Norvan Pacific—had to settle for a 3-3 tie, a disappointing result for both squads since they both remain in the relegation-danger area. The Hibernians got off to a bright start and almost took the lead very early in the match when Peter Chivers’ free-kick found a wide-open Emile Saimovici at the far post. Unfortunately for the Hibs clan, Saimovici’s subsequent header went wide of the target. At this point, the rather desperate Norvan lads took over the reins of the match and controlled the play for most of the first half. Dave O’Connor came close to scoring what would have been Norvan’s opening goal as he raced in on goal on a breakaway, only to have goalkeeper Brad Caldwell manage to get his toe on the ball, thus preventing a glorious goalscoring opportunity. Led by former Whitecap Martin Nash, Norvan continued to apply pressure on the Richmond backline and created several other good scoring chances. However, shots by Matt Hartwell and Martin Nash were once again brilliantly saved by Brad Caldwell. However, as luck would have it, it was Richmond FC that took the lead late in the first half when defender Marcus Brougham made a great run down the right flank before sending an impeccable cross into the Norvan box, a cross that found a wide-open Matt Rota at the far post. Rota had no difficulty in converting the cross into the opening goal with a an easy tap-in. Norvan Pacific continued to press during the first part of the second half and, once again, created several excellent goalscoring opportunities. Finally, at about the 65^th minute mark, the visitors were rewarded for their constant pressure when Matt Hartwell headed home a fine cross from Dave Andrychuck, thus knotting the score at 1-1. Immediately thereafter, the Hibernians almost re-established their lead, but a wicked shot by Fraser Coppin barely missed the target. Then, at the 70^th mark, Norvan Pacific took the lead when Sebastian Crema finished off a brilliant 3-way passing play—also involving Martin Nash and Dave O’Connor—into the go-ahead goal. At this point, the Hibernians threw caution to the wind in search of the equalizer and finally succeeded at the 80^th minute mark when an excellent corner-kick by Matt Rota was powerfully headed into the Norvan net by Marcus Brougham. Soon thereafter, a defensive blunder by Richmond’s Mike Revell created havoc in the Hibernians’ penalty area, resulting in  Matt Hartwell being fouled by goalkeeper Brad Caldwell. On the ensuing penalty kick, Kyle Guay easily slotted the ball home, thus giving Norvan a 3-2 lead. Just before the final whistle, the Hibernians were able to restore parity, once again off a corner-kick! On this occasion, Matt Rota sent a brilliant ball into the 18-yard box, a cross that Tim Sowerby cleverly converted into the tying goal as he flicked the ball into the net with his head. For Richmond FC, goalkeeper Brad Caldwell pulled off numerous spectacular saves throughout the match, while defender Marcus Brougham  also performed extremely well. Needless to say, forward Matt Rota turned in an excellent performance as his scored one goal and set up the other two. For the visiting Norvan team, Martin Nash deserves special mention as he dictated the pace of the match in his central midfield position. Richmond FC’s record is now 5-7-9, while Norvan Pacific remains in penultimate place—3 points behind the Hibernians—with only one game remaining.

METRO-FORD WOLVES  -  SURREY UNITED FIREFIGHTERRS  1-1:  On Tuesday evening, at Charles Best School in Coquitlam, the young Metro-Ford Wolves hosted the defending Provincial Cup champions—Surrey United—in a match between two very young and talented teams. The Wolves got off to a bright start and took the lead at about the 15^th minute mark when Domenic Delli Santi took advantage of an unusual goalkeeping error by Andrew Fink and calmly deposited the ball into the back of the Surrey United net from close range. The remainder of the first half was a hard-fought affair with neither team taking any risks. Early in the second half, Metro-Ford almost doubled its lead but Andre` Pietramala inexplicably missed a wide-open net from close range, with goalkeeper Andrew Fink well-beaten. The Firefighters responded in kind when former Whitecap Jeff Clarke headed an excellent cross from Justin Carvery towards the Wolves’ goal. However, young goalkeeper Cameron Frost pulled off an amazing save to keep his team in the lead. Surrey United continued pressing and midway through the second half finally scored the tying goal when young Sean Einarsson chested home an immaculate cross from Angus Burke. Late in the game, both teams traded excellent chances to gather all 3 points but failed on both occasions. First, at about the 85^th minute mark, Metro-Ford’s Lucas Reis had his close-range shot brilliantly saved by Andrew Fink, as he once again made amends for his earlier ‘faux-pas’. Then, just before the final whistle, the Firefighters had a glorious opportunity to clinch the victory when they were awarded a penalty kick due to the fact that young Metro-Ford defender Chad DeBoer had prevented a goalscoring opportunity by handling the ball as it was heading towards the back of the Metro-Ford net. Unfortunately for the Firefighters, GOLDEN BOOT leader Angus Burke failed miserably on the ensuing penalty kick as he drove the ball right into the chest of goalkeeper Cameron Frost. For the Surrey United Firefighters, goalkeeper Andrew Fink turned in a solid performance, while defender Scott McEachern and veteran midfielder Jeff Clark also performed admirably. For the young Wolves, central defender Matthew Besuschko was his usual tenacious self as he worked tirelessly throughout the match. The single point enables Surrey United to clinch 3^rd place in the standings, with a final 12-1-9 record, while the Metro-Ford Wolves remain in 7^th place—with 26 points out of 21 games.

TEAM OF THE WEEK: VANCOUVER OLYMPICS for their gutsy and gritty performance in defeating the heavily-favoured Delta United Hurricanes by a slim 2-1 margin. Led by the stellar performances of defender Hwang Sang and forward Frank Randazzo, the Olympics fully deserved the hard-fought victory. Unfortunately  for the hard-working Olympics, the victory was not sufficient for them to avoid relagation!!

PLAYER OF THE WEEK:  Richmond FC Hibernians forward MATT ROTA  for his dynamic performance in his team’s 3-3 tie against Norvan Pacific. Rota was involved in all 3 Richmond FC goals as he scored one and set up the other two.  For his outstanding  performance this past weekend, MATT ROTA will receive a prize of a pizza for two, compliments of THE GOLDEN BOOT CAFFE`. The prize is available up to 2013-03-14.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

2013-02-12

PREMIER DIVISION – WEEK #21

Since the Imperial Cup competition started this past weekend, only 2 Premier Division games were played, both resulting in semi-upsets. The defending champions—ICST Pegasus—defeated the Surrey United Firefighters by a narrow 1-0 margin and, as a result, climbed within 1 point of the Firefighters in the standings. The other game featured Delta United and Estrella de Chile and ended in a 2-1 victory for the Hurricanes, thus dropping the Chileans into 5^th place.

ICST PEGASUS  -  SURREY UNITED FIREFIGHTERS  1-0:  On Saturday, at Cloverdale Athletic Park in Surrey, ICST Pegasus edged the defending Provincial Cup champions—Surrey United—by a 1-0 margin. As the final score indicates, the game was quite evenly played and heavily contested. ICST Pegasus’ Goldy Takhar had the best goalscoring opportunity in the first half when—at about the 20^th minute mark—he stripped the ball from a Surrey United defender, raced in on goal, but fired the ball wide of the net from close range. About 10 minutes later, it was Surrey United that came close to taking the lead when a penalty kick was awarded against ICST Pegasus for a hand-ball infraction inside the box by Adam Costley. Unfortunately for the Firefighters, Tom Lowndes’ subsequent spot kick was brilliantly saved by Pegasus’ goalkeeper Amar Dhinza. Late in the first half, Pegasus missed another couple of chances as Javid Khan and Omari Aldridge missed the target from inside the 18-yard area. Early in the second half, Goldy Takhar once again almost scored Pegasus’ opening goal as he picked up a loose ball inside the penalty area and fired it towards the Surrey United net. However, young goalkeeper Andrew Fink came up with a phenomenal save to keep the game scoreless. Finally, at the 60^th minute mark, ICST Pegasus was able to score what proved to be the winning goal when Azad Palani latched on to a picture-perfect far-post cross by David Samra and calmly deposited the ball into the back of the net. Late in the match, Surrey United almost knotted the score when a shot by Joseph Martin was saved by goalkeeper Amar Dhinsa. Liam Miller picked up the rebound but his subsequent shot was deflected out of danger by a Pegasus defender. For the winning ICST Pegasus team, forward Azad Palani worked tirelessly throughout the match while Adam Costley and Javid Khan controlled the middle of the park with skill and tenacity. For Surrey United, goalkeeper Andrew Fink turned in a superlative performance as he made numerous outstanding saves. Also, centre-back Stefan Leslie was rock-solid while midfielder Joseph Martin made several dangerous runs and crosses. The hard-earned victory elevated the defending Premier Division champions to 4^th place, with a record of 10-5-6, while Surrey United barely remains in 3^rd place—only one point ahead of Pegasus—with 36 points out of 21 games.

DELTA UNITED HURRICANES  -  ESTRELLA de CHILE 2-1:  On Sunday, at John Oliver Park in Delta, the Hurricanes extended their unbeaten streak to 6 games by defeating Estrella de Chile by a narrow 2-1 margin. The Hurricanes carried the vast majority of the play during the first half and were compensated at the 20^th minute mark when Harpreet Khakh’s diving header—off a brilliant cross by Kam Hundal—found the back of the Chilean net. Shortly thereafter, Khakh almost repeated his previous feat, but this time his header hit the crossbar and sailed out of danger. Ten minutes before the halftime whistle, Estrella de Chile came close to knotting the score but Ricardo Alvarado’s shot from inside the penalty area was well-saved by Delta’s goalkeeper Steve Thomas. Midway through the second half, the Hurricanes doubled their lead on yet another diving header, this one by Arjan Grewal. On this occasion, Gagan Josan’s well-placed free-kick found Grewal at the far post, and his subsequent header gave goalkeeper Mike Newton no chance whatsoever. At this juncture, Delta United appeared to go into a sleep mode and allowed Estrella de Chile to get back into the game. However, efforts by Ducivan DeSousa, Eric Ray, and Habil Otieno went awry, leaving the score at 2-0 till the 80^th minute mark. At this point, the Chileans were finally able to narrow the margin when a long clearance by goalkeeper Michael Newton was amazingly headed into the back of the Delta net by Eric Ray. Estrella de Chile continued to press in search of the equalizer and nearly achieved its goal on a few occasions. However, a fabulous shot by Ricardo Alvarado was spectacularly saved by Delta’s goalkeeper Steve Thomas. Shortly thereafter, it was Ami Amiry’s turn to be thwarted by Steve Thomas as the young goalkeeper pulled off yet another fine save. Well into added time, Estrella de Chile had its last chance to tie things up, but Narcisse Tchoumi’s close range shot was once again brilliantly saved by Steve Thomas. Delta United played very well, at least for the first three-quarters of the match, but special mention should be made of goalkeeper Steve Thomas, forward Kam Hundal, and midfielders Harp Khakh and Gagan Josan for their superlative efforts. For Estrella de Chile, goalkeeper Michael Newton played remarkably well, particularly in the first half, while defender Josh Hardy, midfielder Ducivan DeSousa, and centre-back Narcisse Tchoumi were outstanding, albeit in a losing cause. The Hurricanes victory keeps them in 6^th place in the standings, with a respectable 8-6-6 record, while Estrella de Chile slips to 5^th place, with 34 points out of 21 games.

IMPERIAL CUP – PRELIMINARY ROUND

Seven Imperial Cup matches were played this past weekend, with 4 of them ending with a very close and narrow scorelines. No big upsets took place, as all four of the Premier Division teams were able to defeat their Division 1 opponents.

RICHMOND FC HIBERNIANS  -  TSA ROYALS  2-1:  On Saturday, at Winskill Park in Tsawwassen, the Premier Division Richmond Hibernians defeated the first division TSA Royals by a slim 2-1 margin. Despite the narrow margin of victory, the Hibernians controlled most of the proceedings and were unlucky not to have won by a more decisive margin. The visitors opened the scoring at the 30^th minute mark when Devon Smith sent Matt Rota on a lethal breakaway with a magnificent 50-yard pass. Rota proceeded to race in on goal and chip the ball over the head of goalkeeper Valerian Wiebe for the game’s opening goal. Early in the second half, Richmond FC scored what proved to be the winning goal when Marcus Brougham powerfully headed home a well-delivered corner kick by Matt Rota. At the 75^th minute mark, the Hibernians almost tripled their lead,  when Devon Smith was fouled inside the box by Cam Gardner, resulting in a penalty kick being awarded. However, on the ensuing spot shot, Geoff Salt inexplicably missed the net.  To their credit, the TSA Royals kept battling in an effort to get back in the game and came close when Alex Elsey’s wicked, curling shot bounced off the cross-bar and out of danger. Very late in the match, the Royals were finally able to get on the scoreboard when young James Millar scored on a fine individual effort. The Richmond FC Hibernians will now advance to the round of 16 of the Imperial Cup where they’ll face Columbus FC—the Premier Division leaders.

WESTSIDE FC  -  BINGER’S ARMY  1-0 OT:  On Sunday, at Hillcrest Park in Vancouver, the newly promoted Westside FC edged Binger’s Army 1-0 with an overtime goal scored by Jacob Quail. After a scoreless 90 minutes, the game went into overtime and was decided by a penalty kick awarded at the 5^th minute mark when Andre` Hervath was fouled inside the penalty area. On the ensuing penalty kick, Jacob Quail calmly slotted the ball home for the winning goal. Not only did Quail score the winning goal, but he also turned in a brilliant performance in his centre-back position. Forward Brian Reems and goalkeeper Rowan Anders also performed remarkably well in guiding their team to the all-important victory. Westside will now face Rovers CCBTU in the round of 16.

SERBIAN WHITE EAGLES  -  SHAHEEN FC  1-0 (PK’S):  On Sunday, at Windsor School in North Vancouver, two first division teams met in the first round of the Imperial Cup playdowns: the hosting Shaheen FC and the visiting Serbian White Eagles. Despite the fact that Shaheen FC had most of the ball possession, the White Eagles created the better goalscoring chances and came close to taking the lead on a few occasions. Specifically, efforts by Sasa Vucenovic and Johnny Hodnett went awry. Since the result could not be resolved in regulation time, nor in overtime, the match had to be settled on penalty kicks. After 10 rounds of PK’s the White Eagles were finally able to claim the victory when young Paolo Urbina slotted home the winning goal. The White Eagles next opponents in the Round of 16 will be the heavily-favoured Estrella de Chile.

CROATIA SC  -  AC CAMPOBASSO  5-0: On Sunday, at Ambleside Park in West Vancouver, the visiting Croatia SC—of the Premier Division—trounced the first division AC Campobasso by an elaborate 5-0 margin. The Croatians took the early lead when Johnny Sulentic—after a clever 3-way passing play also involving Tom Mallette and Gilbert Kyne—cheekily chipped the ball over the Campobasso’s goalkeeper. Then, at the 10^th minute mark, Croatia SC doubled its lead, once again on a goal by Johnny Sulentic who, on this occasion, finished off a great pass from David Zaharija. Midway through the first half, the Croatians put the game out of Campobasso’s reach by scoring their third goal as Sulentic and Zaharija reversed roles, with Sulentic becoming the provider and Zaharjia the finisher. At the 30^th minute mark, Croatia SC scored its 4^th goal of the contest when Gilbert Kyne set up a wide-open Colin Jacques with an impeccable, low cross, a cross that Jacques finished off brilliantly. Late in the first half, the Croatians rounded out their scoring when Tom Mallette and Colin Jacques played a clever one-two at the top of the box, a play that ended with Mallette firing home an unstoppable shot. Needless to say, the entire Croatia team played remarkably well, but special mention should be made of central defender Quante Abbott and midfielders Johnny Sulentic and Tom Mallette for their superlative performances. Croatia SC will now take on Norvan Pacific in the next round of the Imperial Cup.

VANCOUVER OLYMPICS  -  NK HRVAT  3-2:  On Friday evening, at South Memorial Park in Vancouver, the Premier Division Vancouver Olympics advanced to the next round of the Imperial Cup playdowns by defeating NK Hrvat, a first division team, by a narrow 3-2 margin. The Olympics took the lead at the 35^th minute mark on a goal by Frank Randazzo. Then, at the 60^th minute mark, the home team extended its lead when Gianluca Zavarise scored a brilliant goal. To their credit, the NK Hrvat lads did not give up and fought back tenaciously in an effort to get back into the match. They were rewarded at the 66^th minute mark when Omid Ahmadi narrowed the margin with a fine individual effort. A couple of minutes later, NK Hrvat was able to knot the score on an excellent goal by Domenico Parente. Very late in the contest, the Vancouver Olympics were able to claim the victory on a fine goal by Yukimi Kikuchi as he headed home a great cross from Nelson Fernandes. The Olympics will now face West Van FC in the next round of the Imperial Cup competition.

METRO-FORD WOLVES  -  GN SPORTING CLUB  1-0:  On Saturday, at Dennis Elson Park in Delta, the Premier Division Metro-Ford Wolves managed to beat the hosting GN Sporting Club by a 1-0 scoreline. The lone goal of the contest was scored midway through the first half when Carlo Basso powerfully headed home a perfect cross from Alfredo Valente. Young midfielders Domenic Delli Santi and Andre` Pietramala played very well, while youth call-up goalkeeper—Jun Lee—earned the shutout. The Wolves now advance to the round of 16 in the Imperial Cup playdowns where they will face Rino’s Vancouver FC, another Division 1 team.

INTER FC  -  AKAL FC  1-0:  On Saturday, at Adanac Park in Vancouver, the newly-promoted Inter FC struggled somewhat, but eventually defeated Akal FC by a 1-0 margin. The lone goal of the match was scored midway through the second half by Andrew Corazza as he picked up a loose ball well outside the penalty area, forced his way past a few Akal defenders, and proceeded to blast the ball into the back of the net with an unstoppable shot. Shortly thereafter, Akal came very close to knotting the score, but Pavin Grewal—after having received a superb pass from Joe Mundi—barely missed the net with a close-range shot. Inter’s next opponents will be the Surrey United Firefighters.

TEAM OF THE WEEK: ICST PEGASUS for its excellent performance in defeating the Surrey United Firefighters by a slim 1-0 margin, a result that elevates Pegasus into 4^th spot in the standings. Led by the indefatigable workrate of forward Azad Palani and midfielders Adam Costley and Javid Khan, ICST Pegasus fully deserved the important victory.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK:  ICST Pegasus’ forward AZAD PALANI for his amazing performance in his team’s 1-0 victory over the defending Provincial Cup champions—Surrey United Firefighters. Not only did Palani score the lone goal of the match in brilliant fashion, he also drove the Surrey United defenders to distraction with his pace and skill. For his outstanding  performance this past weekend, AZAD PALANI will receive a prize of a pizza for two, compliments of THE GOLDEN BOOT CAFFE`. The prize is available up to 2013-02-28.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

2013-02-05

PREMIER DIVISION – WEEK #20

Once again, a few upsets took place this past weekend as the 3 top teams in the Premier Division standings—Columbus FC, West Van FC, and Estrella de Chile--were defeated by Surrey United, ICST Pegasus, and Metro-Ford respectively. At the bottom of the table, 5 teams remain in the danger zone, with only 2 games to play, making the last part of the season very interesting!

METRO-FORD WOLVES  -  ESTRELLA de CHILE  3-2:  On Friday evening, at Burnaby Lake West Complex, the heavily-favoured Estrella de Chile dropped a 3-2 decision to the visiting Metro-Ford Wolves in a game than can be described as interesting, exciting, but mostly bizarre. The young Wolves dominated proceedings in the early going and only some excellent goalkeeping on the part of Estrella de Chile’s Diego Oliveira kept the visitors off the scoreboard. In particular—at about the 15^th minute mark—Carlo Basso’s header, on a cross from Alfredo Valente, seemed destined for the bottom corner of the net but was miraculously saved by Oliveira. Soon thereafter, the first bizarre moment of the match occurred as a long, low free-kick by Carlo Basso went through the Chilean wall and was mishandled by Oliveria before ending up in the back of the net, for Metro-Ford’s opening goal. Five minutes later—at the 30^th minute mark—the Wolves doubled their lead with two youngsters involved in the play. On this occasion, Brayden Gant set up Alex Rowley with an excellent pass, a pass that Rowley converted into Metro-Ford’s second goal with a wicked, left-foot shot from the edge of the penalty area.  The second Metro-Ford goal seemed to be the incentive that the Chileans needed as they came storming back in a desperate attempt to get back into the match. However, an excellent shot by young Bryan Barahona—after having been set up by Ricardo Alvarado—was brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Dennis Kindel. Also, a wicked drive by Josh Hardy went wide of the Metro-Ford net, with Kindel well beaten. The Chileans were finally able to narrow the margin at the 40^th minute mark, when Habil Otieno raced down the right flank, beat a couple of Metro-Ford defenders, and sent a perfect cross into the penalty area, where Admir Salihovic rose above all defenders and headed the ball into the back of the net. Just before the halftime whistle, Estrella de Chile was able to knot the score with Salihovic again in the picture, this time as the provider as he set up an unmarked Bryan Barahona, who proceeded to one-time his shot into the back of the Metro-Ford net for the equalizer. The second half belonged almost entirely to Estrella de Chile as the Wolves seemed content with the tie. The Chileans, on the other hand, pushed forward relentlessly and came close to taking the lead on several occasions. However, opportunities by Habil Otieno, Admir Salihovic, Josh Hardy, and Ricardo Alvarado all went awry, leaving the game tied till the 85^th minute mark. At this point, just after goalkeeper Diego Oliveira had been replaced by Mike Newton, Metro-Ford was able to score the winning goal, once gain in bizarre fashion. This time, Carlo Basso received a clever pass from Anthony DiNicolo, dribbled past the halfway line into the Chilean territory and hit a dipping shot that bounced off the ground just in front of the goalkeeper, Mike Newton. Inexplicably, the ball then skipped over Newton’s shoulder and landed into the back of the net for the winning goal. To add insult to Chile’s injury, forward Admir Salihovic was sent off very late in the match for having received his second caution. For the Metro-Ford Wolves, forward Carlo Basso not only scored two goals, but he also created a lot of headaches for the Chilean defenders, particularly during the first half. Midfielders Alex Rowley and Anthony DiNicolo also turned in very solid performances and deserve special mention for their efforts. For the luckless Chileans, left back Josh Hardy defended very well and also attacked frequently, and dangerously, down the left flank. Forwards Habil Otieno and Admir Salihovic were going concerns, particularly in the second half, as they drove the Metro-Ford defenders to distraction with their speed and skill. The hard-earned victory elevates the Metro-Ford Wolves out of the relegation zone, with a 7-4-9 record. Estrella de Chile, on the other hand, drops to 4^th place in the standings, two points behind Surrey United, with 34 points out of 20 matches.

 ICST PEGASUS  -  WEST VAN FC  3-2:  Also on Friday evening, at Newton Athletic Park in Surrey, the defending champions—ICST Pegasus—upset the aspiring West Van FC by a narrow 3-2 margin, thus reducing the former Trollers chances of winning the 2012-13 Premier Division championship to a minimum. West Van FC took the lead very early in the game—at about the 2^nd minute mark—when Will Molloy made a great run down the right wing and proceeded to send a great cross onto the path of Mike Winter whose subsequent shot was saved by goalkeeper Amar Dhinsa. Cathal O’Connor took advantage of the ensuing goalmouth scramble and slotted the ball home from close range for West Van’s go-ahead goal. Midway through the first half, Pegasus was able to tie things up when Paul Bahia’s long clearance sent Azad Palani racing towards the West Van goal. Palani beat a couple of defenders and eventually slotted the ball into the back of the net past goalkeeper Marco Durante. Ten minutes later—at about the 35^th minute mark—Pegasus took the lead as Azad Palani became the provider as he played an immaculate square ball onto the path of Goldie Takhar who calmly placed the ball into the West Van goal from inside the penalty area.  Early in the second half, West Van FC knotted the score when Max Baessato placed a picture-perfect cross from the left flank into the Pegasus box where Jesse Fetterley chested the ball down to Will Molloy who, without a moment’s hesitation, proceeded to volley it into the back of the net with an unstoppable shot. The visitors continued to press in search of the go-ahead goal and came close on a few occasions, particularly on efforts by Ryan Glanville, Jesse Fetterley, and second half substitute Justin Wallace. However, some excellent goalkeeping on the part of Amar Dhinsa kept the scoreline at 2-2 till midway through the second half. At this point, ICST Pegasus took full advantage of a counter-attack as Cheetan Jhooty beat a couple of West Van defenders before passing the ball to playing-coach Niko Marcina, whose proceeded to play a clever give-and-go with Azad Palani before firing the ball into the back of the net for the winning goal. Needless to say, West Van threw caution to the wind during the remaining 15 minutes of the match and created several excellent goalscoring chances. But, some poor finishing—coupled with some excellent saves on the part of Amar Dhinsa—kept the scoreline at 3-2 in Pegasus’ favour till the final whistle. Pegasus’ defender Diaz Kambere, as well as midfielders Niko Marcina and Omari Aldridge, played extremely well during the entire match. Forward Azad Palani also deserves special mention for having scored a goal and having assisted in the other 2. For West Van FC, midfielders Alan McIndoe and Will Molloy turned in excellent performances, while forward Jesse Fetterley caused numerous problems for the Pegasus defence throughout the match with his tenacity, speed, and skill. Young winger Justin Wallace also played extremely well when he entered the field in the second half as he drove the Pegasus defenders to distraction with his speed and perseverance. The hard-earned victory keeps ICST Pegasus in 5^th place in the standings, with a 9-5-6 record, while West Van FC remains in 2^nd place, with 39 points out of 20 matches.

VANCOUVER OLYMPICS  -  ROVERS CCBTU  2-0:  The third Friday evening game was played at South Memorial Park in Vancouver and featured two unpredictable teams: the hosting Vancouver Olympics and the visiting Rovers CCBTU. At the end of 90 interesting minutes, the last-place Olympics walked away with a hard-fought 2-0 victory, thus extending the Rovers’ winless streak to 11 games. The Rovers got off to a positive start and came close to opening the score on a few occasions in the early stages of the contest. However, the Olympics’ goalkeeper—Amraj Lally—came up with a few phenomenal saves, much to the Rovers’ chagrin. In particular, Lally denied Sunny Bains a golden opportunity very early in the match as Bains raced in on goal on a breakaway, only to have Lally pull off a miraculous save. At about the 15^th minute mark, the Rovers were reduced to 10 men when defender Helge Neumann suffered a serious knee injury and was unable to continue playing. Since the Rovers did not have any substitutes, they had to play the remainder of the match with only 10 players. The Olympics took advantage of the situation and gradually got back into the game. Midway through the first half, the Vancouver Olympics took the lead when Gianluca Zavarise received a pass from Hwang Sang in the middle of the park. Zavarise controlled the ball with his chest, chipped it over the head of a Rovers’ defender, and volleyed it towards the goal from about 40 metres. Unbelievably, the ball found the back of the net, giving goalkeeper Chris Beck no chance whatsoever. The Rovers replied tenaciously and came close to tying thing up on a couple of occasions. In particular, Sunny Bains and Garret Traversy missed the net with their shots while goalkeeper Amraj Lally pulled off another sensational save on a bicycle-kick shot by Juan Sanchez. However, late in the first half, the Olympics doubled their lead when veteran Frank Randazzo played a one-two with Hwang Sang before clinically placing the ball into the bottom corner of the net from the edge of the penalty area. Despite the fact that they were playing short-handed, the Rovers tried very hard to get back into the match during the second half and created several good scoring chances. However, efforts by Rizal Ganief and Bobby Jhutty went awry, keeping the score at 2-0 in the Olympics’ favour till the final whistle. Defensively, Aniel Sanghera and Yuki Kikuchi played extremely well for the Vancouver Olympics, while Arnel Naidu and Frank Randazzo were very dangerous on the forward line. Midfielder Gianluca Zavarise also deserves special mention, not only for his amazing goal, but also for his poised and skillful performance in the middle of the park. Needless to say, goalkeeper Amraj Lally was the main reason the Olympics were able to claim all 3 points as he pulled off numerous outstanding saves throughout the match. For the short-handed Rovers, midfielders Rupinder Birring and Juan Sanchez worked tirelessly throughout the match, while forward Bobby Jhutty created numerous and dangerous chances. The victory keeps the Olympics’ slim chances of staying in the Premier Division alive as it improves their record to 4-3-13. The Rovers, on the other hand, slip to 8^th place with only 23 points out of 20 games.  

RICHMOND FC HIBERNIANS  -  CROATIA SC  1-1:  On Saturday afternoon, at Minoru Oval in Richmond, two teams in desperate need of all 3 points—Richmond FC Hibernians and Croatia SC—settled for a 1-1 tie, a result that keeps both squads in the relegation-danger zone. The Hibernians got off to a bright start and came very close to taking the lead very early in the match when Stu Walters’ header narrowly sailed over the crossbar. Soon thereafter—at about the 8^th minute mark—Richmond FC was able to take the lead when a long throw-in by Alan Chivers was flicked on by Darren Prentice and eventually volleyed into the top corner of the Croatian net by Erik Olsen. To their credit, the Croatians bounced back and were able to equalize at the 20^th minute mark when Johnny Sulentic sent David Zaharija flying down the right flank with one of his patented through balls. Zaharija then proceeded to cross the ball into the box, a ball that found an unmarked Kresimir Ukalovic at the far post. Ukalovic made no mistake from close range and tapped the ball into the net for the equalizer. The rest of the first half was very evenly played as both teams took turns attacking and defending. At about the 25^th minute mark, Richmond FC almost re-established its lead but a wicked volley by Emile Saimovici barely missed the net. Ten minutes later, at the other end of the pitch, Richmond’s goalkeeper—Jason Roberts—came up with a semi-miraculous save on a great shot by Kres Ukalovic. The second half was more or less a repeat of the first, as both teams fought very hard in a tireless effort to earn all three points. For the Hibernians, Peter Chivers and Craig McMillan came close to giving their team the lead, but their efforts barely missed the net. At the other end of the pitch, Croatia’s Paris Gee also came close to scoring, but his long-range shot missed the target by inches. At about the 65^th minute mark, Richmond FC’s Erik Olsen was sent off the field of play for having committed a violent conduct infraction, thus reducing his team to 10 players for the duration of the match. The Croatians took advantage of the situation and nearly took the lead a few minutes later and came very close to scoring what would have been the winning goal when Johnny Sulentic’s clever chip shot eluded goalkeeper Jason Roberts, but bounced off the crossbar and out of play. Then, at the 80^th minute mark, player-parity was restored when Croatia’s Ali Al-Chaer was sent off for having received his second caution of the match. The rest of the match was rather uneventful, as both teams appeared satisfied with the result. For Richmond FC, young goalkeeper Jason Roberts—a youth call-up—turned in yet another impressive performance as he made numerous outstanding saves. Also, midfielders Peter Chivers and Emile Saimovici worked tirelessly during the entire 90 minutes of play. Defensively, Connor Radil, Darren Suderman, Stu Walters, and Geoff Salt were rock-solid. For Croatia SC, young midfielder Kresimir Ukalovic and even younger defender Quante Abbott must be complimented for their outstanding efforts. As mentioned earlier, the draw keeps both teams near the bottom of the table, still in the relegation-danger zone. Croatia sits in 9^th place, with a 6-4-9 record, while the Hibernians are in 10^th place, with 21 points out of 20 matches.

SURREY UNITED FIREFIGHTERS  – COLUMBUS FC  3-2:  Also on Saturday, at South Memorial Park in Vancouver, the defending Provincial Cup champions—Surrey United—upset the league-leading Columbus FC by a narrow 3-2 margin, thus postponing Columbus’ celebrations! The ‘Italians’ got off to a great start and took the early lead when veteran defender Mike Gomes sent Milad Rahmati on a semi-breakaway with an exquisite pass. Rahmati proceeded to race in on goal and eventually slotted the ball into the back of the Surrey United net in clinical fashion. Midway through the first half, the ‘Italians’ doubled their lead when Kazunori Kikuchi deflected a cross from Blair Robertson into the Surrey United net. The second half, however, told a totally different story as the Firemen controlled proceedings from start to finish. Very early in the second period, Surrey United narrowed the margin when Colin Streckmann calmly converted a penalty kick, sending the Columbus goalkeeper—Erman Ozkan—the wrong way. The spot shot was called when defender Jonathan Poli handled the ball inside the Columbus penalty area. Ten minutes later, Surrey United knotted the score when Angus Burke received a great pass from young Sean Einarsson and finished off the play with an unstoppable shot to the far post. At the 70^th minute mark, Surrey United scored the winning goal when Tommy Lowndes made an immaculate cross into the 6-yard box where Angus Burke one-timed the ball into the Columbus net. It should be mentioned that, as a result of his second goal of the match, Angus Burke regained the lead in the race for the GOLDEN BOOT AWARD, one goal ahead of Miland Rahmati. Colin Streckmann and Justin Carvery also performed brilliantly in the Surrey United midfield, as they controlled the middle of the park with skill and tenacity. Defensively, veteran Steve Kindel returned to action after a lengthy lay-off and turned in a rock-solid performance, limiting Columbus’ chances to a minimum. Despite the loss,  Columbus FC’s goalkeeper Erman Ozkan pulled off some excellent saves, while forwards Milad Rahmati and Kaz Kikuchi worked tirelessly throughout the match, albeit in a losing effort. The victory improves Surrey United’s record to 12-0-8,  and leap-frogs the Firefighters into 3^rd place in the standings. On the other hand, Columbus FC remains in first place, with 43 points out of 20 games, still 4 points ahead of West Van FC.

DELTA UNITED HURRICANES  -  NORVAN PACIFIC   2-2:  The final game of Week #20 was played on Sunday at John Oliver Park in Delta between the hosting Delta United Hurricanes and the visiting Norvan Pacific. The visitors were in desperate need of all 3 points in order to keep their chances of avoiding relegation alive. However, a very late goal by Delta United spoiled Norvan’s hopes as the 2-2 result keeps the North Shore team in penultimate place in the standings. The first half was very evenly played as both teams took turns creating chances. However, none of the opportunities came to fruition and the match remained scoreless until the halftime whistle. Norvan’s best chance came midway through the first half when Sebastian Crema raced in on goal on a partial breakaway, only to have his shot cleared by defender Arjan Grewal. At the other end of the pitch, Norvan’s goalkeeper—Giancarlo Martino—pulled off a couple of excellent saves on shots by Ryan Dhillon and Gagan Josan, also midway through the first half. The visiting Norvan team took over the reins of the match in the early part of the second half and, led by the brilliant midfield play of former Whitecap Martin Nash, started applying pressure on the Delta defence. Norvan was rewarded for its dominance at the 55^th minute mark when a long cross by Blake Burgon was headed home by Tony Seddon, who was making a comeback after a long absence due to a severe injury. Shortly thereafter—at the 60^th minute mark—Norvan Pacific doubled its lead when Sebastian Crema set up Blake Burgon with a clever pass. Burgon beat a couple of Delta United defenders before slotting the ball into the back of the net, past young goalkeeper Auden Schilder. At this point, the Hurricanes threw caution to the wind in an effort to get back into the match. They succeeded in narrowing the margin at about the 70^th minute mark when Gagan Josan’s nifty back-heal pass found a wide-open Danny Badesha, whose subsequent long-range thunderous shot hit the underside of the crossbar and landed in the Norvan net, giving goalkeeper Giancarlo Martino no chance whatsoever. Delta United continued to press and eventually tied things up in the very late stages of the match with Danny Badesha once again in the picture. On this occasion, Phil Lensky and Harpreet Khakh combined to set up Badesha, who repeated his previous feat by blasting the ball into the top corner of the net from the edge of the penalty area. Delta United’s young goalkeeper—Auden Schilder—played extremely well in his 2012-13 Premier Division debut, while defenders Arjan Grewal and midfielder Oscar Jimenez also deserve special mention for their outstanding performances. For Norvan Pacific, midfielders Martin Nash and Sebastian Crema, as well as forwards Blake Burgon and Tony Seddon, turned in superlative performances. As mentioned earlier, the single point does not help Norvan Pacific’s attempt to avoid relegation, as the North Shore team remains in penultimate place, with a 5-3-12 record. Delta United, on the other hand, solidifies its hold on 6^th place, with 27 points out of 19 games.

TEAM OF THE WEEK: SURREY UNITED FIREFIGHTERS for their brilliant performance in defeating the Premier Division leaders—Columbus FC—by a narrow, but well-earned 3-2   margin. Led by veteran defender Steve Kindel forward Angus Burke, and midfielders Colin Streckmann and Justin Carvery, the Firefighters climbed into 3^rd place in the standings as a result of the upset victory 

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK:  Surrey United’s forward ANGUS BURKE and Vancouver Olympics’ goalkeeper AMRAJ LALLY for their superlative efforts in their teams’ respective upset victories over Columbus FC and Rovers CCBTU. Not only did Angus Burke score two brilliant goals, but he also worked tirelessly during the entire contest. Amraj Lally, on the other hand, pulled off several phenomenal saves to secure his team’s victory.   For their outstanding  performances, ANGUS BURKE and AMRAJ LALLY will each receive a prize of a pizza for two, compliments of THE GOLDEN BOOT CAFFE`. The prize is available up to 2013-02-28.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><> 

2013-01-29

PREMIER DIVISION – WEEK #19

Five of the 6 games played this past weekend ended with 2-1 scorelines! The only lopsided result was Delta United’s 4-0 victory over the hot-and-cold Rovers CCBTU, while the lone major upset took place at Cloverdale Athletic Park where the visiting Richmond FC Hibernians edged the aspiring Surrey United Firefighters by a 2-1 margin. At the top of the table, Columbus FC remained securely in first place by narrowly defeating the second-place West Van FC, also by a 2-1 margin.

On a different note, congratulations to Simon Thomas—goalkeeper of the Richmond FC Hibernians—for having made his international debut as he played for Canada against the United States on Tuesday evening. This is the first time in many years that a VMSL player has made an appearance on the Canadian National team! It should also be mentioned that Thomas recorded the shut-out in the 0-0 tie.

COLUMBUS FC  -  WEST VAN FC  2-1:  On Friday evening, at Ambleside Park in West Vancouver, Columbus FC extended its lead at the top of the Premier Division table by defeating West Van FC by a narrow 2-1 margin.  The match was an intense and hard-fought affair as both teams tried desperately to gain all 3 points in an effort to win the league title. The former Trollers got off to a good start, exerted some early pressure on the Columbus defence, and created a few excellent goalscoring chances in the early going. In particular, efforts by Jesse Fetterley, Michael Nonni, and Stefan Crameri either hit the woodwork or were brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Thomas Lindley. As luck would have it, however, it was Columbus FC that took the lead midway through the first half when Milad Rahmati picked up a loose ball outside the West Van penalty area, beat a defender, and fired a low shot towards the far post of the net. Goalkeeper Garth Lagasse pulled off an excellent save, but the ball bounced off the post onto his head and into the net. A few minutes later, Columbus FC would add insult to West Van’s injury when Tino Cucca fired an unstoppable long-range shot into the top corner of the net for what proved to be the winning goal. To their credit, the West Van lads refused to give up and continued applying pressure on the Columbus backline in search of their opening goal. However, Jesse Fetterley, Ryan Glanville, and Cathal O’Connor were thwarted by some excellent goalkeeping on the part of Thomas Lindley. Finally, at about the 75^th minute mark, West Van FC was able to narrow the margin when a shot by Jesse Fetterley was handled inside the box by veteran defender Mike Gomes. Will Molloy stepped up to the plate and easily converted the ensuing penalty kick for West Van’s lone goal of the contest. Needless to say, the home team threw caution to the wind at this point but the Columbus defence held on strongly till the final whistle. Defensively, Columbus’ Mike Gomes and Luca Bellisomo played extremely well, while midfielder Tino Cucca not only scored the winning goal in brilliant fashion, but he also worked tirelessly throughout the 90 minutes of play. For West Van FC, Leo Nash, Tim Perry, Max Baessato, and Drew Gelley turned in superlative performances as they limited Columbus’ goalscoring chances to a minimum. Also, forwards Jesse Fetterley, Michael Nonni, and Ryan Glanville—as well as midfielder Will Molloy—worked very hard throughout the match. As a result of the victory, Columbus FC remains in first place, with an admirable record of 13-4-2. West Van FC, on the other hand, is now 4 points behind the ‘Italians’, with 39 points out of 19 games.

RICHMOND FC HIBERNIANS  -  SURREY UNITED FIREFIGHTERS 2-1: On Saturday, at Cloverdale Athletic Park, the struggling Richmond FC Hibernians upset the aspiring Surrey United Firefighters by a well-deserved 2-1 margin.  The defending Provincial Cup champions—Surrey United—got off the starting blocks with a vengeance and came close to scoring on a couple of occasions in the early going. However, on the first attempt, defender Andrew Reed—after having been set up by Ryan Reynolds—missed the net from close range. Shortly thereafter, Ryan Reynolds received a brilliant pass from Roman Doutkevitch and fired a shot towards the Richmond net, a shot that was subsequently deflected out of danger by defender Stu Walters. Shortly thereafter, at about the 18^th minute mark, Richmond FC took the lead on a wonderful play involving Erik Olson, Emile Saimovici, and Darren Prentice. Olson initiated the play by making an impressive run down the right flank and eventually crossing the ball to the far post where Saimovici laid it back onto the path of Prentice, whose subsequent volley found the back of the Surrey net. Truly a thing of beauty!! Shortly thereafter, the Hibernians almost doubled their lead when a well-delivered free-kick by Connor Radil was powerfully headed towards the Surrey United goal by Mike Revell. Unfortunately for Revell—and the rest of the Hibernian lads—the ball sailed over the cross-bar and out of danger. The Firefighters replied in kind and came very close to knotting the score at about the 30^th minute mark when Joseph Martin headed a well-taken free kick by Tommy Lowndes towards the bottom corner of the Richmond net. However, young goalkeeper Jason Roberts came up with a sensational save, thus keeping the Hibernians in the lead. A few minutes later, it was Richmond FC’s turn to come close to scoring when Emile Saimovici—after having been set up by Geoff Salt—unleashed a wicked shot from the edge of the penalty area, only to have veteran Jeff Clarke deflect the ball out of danger. Then, it was Erik Olson’s turn to miss the Surrey United net, after he had been sent in on goal on a semi-breakaway by Geoff Salt. Early in the second half, the Hibernians finally doubled their lead when Darren Prentice took advantage of a long throw-in by Alan Chivers, controlled the ball with his chest, made a quick turn, and volleyed the ball into the roof of the Surrey United net for what could easily be described as the goal of the week. Surrey United battled back tenaciously, but the Hibernians were more dangerous throughout the second half, mostly on counter-attacks. Just before the final whistle, Surrey United finally got on the score-board when Justin Carvery impeccably crossed the ball into the goal-area where young Sean Einarsson headed it into the net. The entire Richmond FC team played remarkably well, but special mention should be made of central defenders Stu Walters and Mike Revell for their rock-solid performances. As well, midfielder Emile Saimovici and forwards Darren Prentice and Erik Olson turned in remarkable performances as they guided their team to the all-important victory. As a result of the victory, the Hibernians have now climbed out of the relegation zone, with a record of 5-5-9, while Surrey United slips to 4^th place, with a 33 points out of 19 games.

ESTRELLA de CHILE  -  NORVAN PACIFIC  2-1:  Also on Saturday afternoon, at Confederation Park in North Vancouver, the visiting Estrella de Chile edged Norvan Pacific by a 2-1 margin, a result that keeps Norvan in penultimate place in the Premier Division standings. The home team got off to a positive start and created numerous chances in the early going. In particular, a close-range header by Sebastian Crema was well-saved by goalkeeper Mike Newton. Soon thereafter, Newton pulled off another couple of fine saves as he stymied efforts by Greg Muir and Jamie Casey. At the other end of the pitch, Estrella de Chile also came close to taking the lead, as Habil Otieno—after having been set up by Ducivan DeSousa—had his breakaway thwarted by goalkeeper Giancarlo Martino. Norvan Pacific took the well-deserved lead at about the 22^nd minute mark when a long clearance by Martino was flicked on by Blake Burgon onto the path of former Whitecap Martin Nash, who proceeded to race in on goal and deposit the ball into the back of the net with a well-placed left-footed drive. The Norvan goal seemed to inspire the Chileans as they responded very positively and started taking control of the action. However, some excellent defending on the part of Scott Gilroy and Tony Paiero—as well as some brilliant goalkeeping by Giancarlo Martino—kept the score at 1-0 till the halftime whistle. The Chileans continued to push forward during the second half and came close to knotting the score on several occasions, but efforts by Brian Dottin and Habil Otieno went awry. Finally, at the 65^th minute mark, Mynor Campos took advantage of a Norvan defensive blunder and slotted a low, hard shot into the back of the net for the equalizer. Soon thereafter—at about the 70^th minute mark—Brian Dottin made up for his previous missed chances as he scored the winning goal, after having been set up by defender Josh Hardy.  Needless to say, the home team threw caution to the wing at this point, in a desperate effort to get back into the game. However, goalkeeper Mike Newton stood tall—particularly on a shot by Matt Hartwell—and Estrella de Chile walked away with all 3 points. For the winning team, defenders Gustavo Ramirez, Stedman Espinoza, and Josh Hardy played extremely well, while forward Brian Dottin was a going concern throughout the match. For Norvan Pacific, goalkeeper Giancarlo Martino pulled off numerous excellent saves and, as a result, kept the scoreline respectable. The victory—coupled with Surrey United’s defeat—elevates Estrella de Chile into 3^rd place, with a 10-4-5 record. Norvan Pacific, on the other hand, remains in the dreaded relegation zone, with only 17 points out of 19 matches.

ICST PEGASUS  -  METRO-FORD WOLVES  2-1:   The third Saturday game was played at Coquitlam Town Centre between the hosting Metro-Ford Wolves and the defending Premier Division champions—ICST Pegasus. At the end of a hard-fought 90 minutes of action, the visitors walked away with a well-earned 2-1 victory.  Both teams defended well during the entire first half, thus limiting the goalscoring chances—at both ends of the pitch—to a bare minimum. However, midway through the first half, both teams came close to opening the score. On the initial effort, Pegasus’ Azad Palani was unable to convert a great cross from Omari Aldridge and thus squandered his team’s first opportunity to take the lead. Shortly thereafter, Metro-Ford’s Carlo Basso raced in on the Pegasus’ goal on a breakaway, but missed the net with his close-range shot. Late in the first half, the Wolves once again came close to scoring, when Brayden Gant took advantage of a goalmouth scramble but, once again, his shot missed the target. Early in the second half—at about the 50^th minute mark—Pegasus took the lead when Azad Palani redeemed himself from his earlier ‘faux pas’ as he headed home another excellent cross from Omari Aldridge for the game’s opening goal. Ten minutes later, the visitors doubled their lead, once again on a goal by Azad Palani. On this occasion, Palani received a great pass from Chetan Jhooty, latched onto the ball at the edge of the Metro-Ford penalty area, and chipped it over the head of goalkeeper Richard Causton for what proved to be Pegasus’ winning goal. Shortly thereafter, Pegasus almost scored again, but Nico Marcina’s wicked drive from well outside the penalty area bounced off the crossbar and out of danger. The young Metro-Ford team fought back tenaciously and was able to narrow the margin at the 80^th minute mark when Domenic Delli Santi blasted a wicked shot into the top corner of the Pegasus net from the edge of the penalty area. The Wolves continued to press for the equalizer during the remaining few minutes but some excellent defending on the part of Deep Toor and David Samra kept the speedy Metro-Ford attackers at bay. Pegasus’ midfielder Chetan Jhooty played remarkably well during the entire contest as he distributed the ball impeccably on numerous occasions. Also, Jag Gill and Nico Marcina turned in outstanding midfield performances and were influential in the hard-earned victory. For the Metro-Ford Wolves, late substitute Matthew Besuschko was rock-solid on the backline, while midfielder Dom Delli Santi not only scored his team’s lone goal, but he was also a going concern throughout the match. The victory improves Pegasus’ record to 8-5-6, good for 5^th place in the Premier Division standings. The Wolves, on the other hand, remain in 8^th place, with only 22 points out of 19 games.

DELTA UNITED HURRICANES  -  ROVERS CCBTU   4-0:   Also on Saturday, at Newton Athletic Park in Surrey, the Delta United Hurricanes trounced the hosting Rovers CCBTU by an elaborate 4-0 margin. Despite the rather emphatic final score, the first three-quarters of the game were quite evenly played as both teams took turns attacking and defending. The Rovers had the best chance to open the scoring in the early going when—at about the 15^th minute mark—David Hill missed the net with a well-struck volley, after Sunny Bains had fed him the ball. Shortly thereafter—at the other end of the pitch—the Hurricanes also came close to opening the score but Harp Khakh watched agonizingly as his splendid header—off a cross by Ryan Dhillon—barely missed the target as the ball sailed over the crossbar. A few minutes later, Delta United again came close to scoring, when David Chohan raced in on the Rovers’ net on a breakaway, only to have his final shot barely miss the net. Finally, at the 35^th minute mark, the Hurricanes were able to take the lead when Pavi Dhillon raced down the right wing before crossing the ball to a wide-open Ryan Dhillon whose subsequent long-range shot found the back of the Rovers’ net, for what proved to be the winning goal. The first part of the second half was more or less a repeat of the first as both teams tried hard to score the all-important second goal. At about the 60^th minute mark, the Rovers came very close to tying things up when David Hill’s wicked shot from the edge of the penalty area bounced off the goalpost and out of danger. A few minutes later, the Rovers’ Rizal Ganief was robbed by Drew Smiley as the veteran goalkeeper pulled off a miraculous save on Ganief’s thunderous shot. That appeared to be the turning point of the match, as the Hurricanes took control of the proceedings from that moment till the end of the contest. In fact, at about the 70^th minute mark, Delta United scored its second goal when veteran player-coach Steve Millar one-timed a well-placed corner kick by Oscar Jimenez into the back of the Rovers’ net. Then, at the 80^th minute mark, Joti Thind sent Ryan Dhillon racing down the middle of the park with an immaculate through pass. Dhillon finished off his breakaway clinically by slotting the ball into the back of the Rovers’ net. Near the end of the match, Delta United added its 4^th goal to the scoresheet on yet another breakaway, this one by Harpreet Khakh. Defender Joey Brar and midfielders Ryan Dhillon and Oscar Jimenez played superlatively well for the Delta United Hurricanes, as they led the way to victory. Despite the rather embarrassing loss, the Rovers’ goalkeeper Chris Beck, defender Helge Neumann, midfielder David Hill, and forward Bobby Jhutty turned in excellent performances. The victory solidifies Delta United’s hold on 6^th place, with a respectable 7-5-6 record. The Rovers, on the other hand, slip to 7^th place, with 23 points out of 19 games.

CROATIA SC  -  VANCOUVER OLYMPICS  2-1:  The final game of Day 19 was also played on Saturday at Trillium Park in Vancouver and featured two teams in desperate need of points:  the hosting Croatia SC and the visiting Vancouver Olympics. After 90 minutes of non-stop action, the Croatians walked away with a hard-earned 2-1 victory, a result that increases their hopes and chances of avoiding relegation. The Olympics, on the other hand, remain mired in last place, with only 12 points out of 19 games. The Vancouver Olympics almost opened the scoring in the early going, but Frank Randazzo’s shot—a shot that seemed destined for the back of the net—was miraculously cleared off the line by young defender Ali Al-Chaer. The Croatians replied in kind and started applying some heavy pressure on the Olympics’ defence. At the 20^th minute mark, Croatia SC almost took the lead when Paris Gee’s cross found Colin Jacques inside the penalty area, but Jacques’ subsequent header went just wide of the net. Then—at the 35^th minute mark—Jacques once again came close to scoring the opening goal,  but his wicked drive from the edge of the box bounced off the goal-post and into the hands of goalkeeper Amraj Lally. Finally—at the 40^th minute mark—Croatia SC took the well-deserved lead on a great individual effort by young Colin Jacques. After having received a great through ball from Matteo Agnoloni, the 18-year old Jacques flew down the right flank, cut inside, beat a couple of Olympics’ defenders and unleashed an unstoppable shot from well outside the penalty area and into the top corner of the net. Early in the second half, Croatia SC came very close to doubling its lead when Matteo Agnoloni received a great pass from Pawel Gorzkoswki before blasting the ball towards the Olympics’ net from the top of the box. However, goalkeeper Amraj Lally once again pulled off a splendid save. Soon thereafter, however, Croatia SC was able to double its lead when Rob Rogic’s shot ricocheted onto the path of Pawel Gorzkowski, who had no difficulty whatsoever in finishing off the play with a close-range shot. Despite the 2-goal deficit, the Vancouver Olympics demonstrated a lot of resilience and battled back vigorously for the remainder of the match. They were finally rewarded late in the contest when midfielder Rob Sing scored their lone goal on a fine individual effort. Needless to say, forward Colin Jacques turned in a superlative performance in the Croatia SC line-up as he scored a marvellous goal and created numerous other chances with his skill, speed, and tenacity. Also, midfielder Matteo Agnoloni played remarkably well as he controlled the middle of the park with skill and poise. For the Olympics, defenders Jamie Farenhorst and Yuki Kikuchi were standouts, while midfielders Rob Sing and Frank Randazzo worked tirelessly during the entire 90 minutes.  The hard-earned victory improves Croatia SC’s record to 6-3-9, good for 9^th place in the Premier Division standings, while the Vancouver Olympics are still in last place, with a 3-3-13 record.

TEAMS OF THE WEEK:  COLUMBUS FC and RICHMOND FC HIBERNAINS for their narrow, and very important, 2-1 victories over West Van FC and Surrey United respectively. Columbus’ victory over West Van almost clinches first place for the ‘Italians’, while Richmond FC’s upset victory over Surrey United elevates the Hibernians out of the relegation zone.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK:  Richmond FC Hibernians’ striker DARREN PRENTICE for his amazing 2-goals performance in his team’s upset victory over the defending Provincial Cup champions—Surrey United. Both of Prentice’s goals were things of beauty as he displayed an enormous amount of skill. For his excellent performance this past week-end, DARREN PRENTICE will receive a prize of a pizza for two, compliments of  THE GOLDEN BOOT CAFFE`. The prize is available up to 2013-02-20.

 <><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

2013-01-22

 PREMIER DIVISION – WEEK #18

 Five of the 6 scheduled games were played this past weekend, with only one ‘semi-upset’ taking place. The afore-mentioned ‘semi-upset’ occurred on on Saturday when the desperate Norvan Pacific defeated the unpredictable Rovers CCBTU by a 2-0 margin at Confederation Park. Columbus FC remained at the top of the table by the slimmest of margins by edging the young Metro-Ford Wolves by a 1-0 score, while West Van FC stayed one point behind the ‘Italians’ by virtue of a narrow 2-1 decision over the Richmond Hibernians.

 ESTRELLA de CHILE - ICST PEGASUS  2-0:  On Friday evening, at Burnaby Lake West Complex, Estrella de Chile continued to impress by defeating the defending VMSL champions—ICST Pegasus—by a well-earned 2-0 margin. The Chileans controlled most of the play during the first half and created numerous goalscoring chances against a rather lethargic Pegasus team. At the 12^th minute mark, Estrella de Chile appeared to take the lead when Habil Otieno slotted the ball home, after having received a great through ball from Eric Ray. However, the goal was disallowed since Otieno was in an offside position when he received the pass. A couple of minutes later, Estrella de Chile once again came close to taking the lead, but Eric Ray’s shot was cleared off the line by defender Deep Toor. Finally, at the 19^th minute mark, the Chileans took the lead when Eric Ray and Brian Dottin combined to set up Vladimir Vukovic, whose shot was inadvertently deflected into the Pegasus net by Deep Toor, for what proved to be the winning goal. Then, at the 25^th minute mark, Estrella de Chile doubled its lead with Brian Dottin and Eric Ray once again involved in the play. On this occasion, Dottin and Ray played a clever one-two, a play that was eventually finished off by Ray as he cleverly chipped the ball over the head of goalkeeper Amar Dhinza. Near the end of the first half, the home team almost scored again, but Habil Otieno’s close-range shot—after he had been set up by Josh Hardy and Brian Dottin—was brilliantly saved by Amar Dhinza. During the second half, ICST Pegasus showed a lot more determination in an effort to get back into the match. However, several efforts by Sahil Sandhu were either brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Diego Olieveira or narrowly missed the target. Also, Azad Palani set up Ryan Powell with a great pass, only to have Powell miss the net with his subsequent shot. At about the 65^th minute mark, two players—one from each team—were sent off the field of play. The initial red card was given to Estrella’s Vladimir Vukovic for a serious foul play infraction, while Pegasus’ Ryal Powell was also sent off for having received his second caution. Late in the game, the Chileans almost tripled their lead on a counter-attack initiated by Eric Ray as he sent Ducivan DeSouza towards the Pegasus net with a great pass. DeSousa then proceeded to cut the ball back onto the path of Habil Otieno, whose final shot barely missed the Pegasus net. The entire Estrella de Chile team played remarkably well, but special mention should be made of midfielders Ducivan DeSousa, Ricardo Alvarado, and Eric Ray as they controlled the middle of the park with their skill and poise. Also, defenders Josh Hardy and Stedman Espinoza were rock-solid during the entire contest, making life relatively easy for goalkeeper Diego Olieveria as he recorded yet another clean-sheet. Despite the disappointing and frustrating loss, Pegasus’ midfielder Adam Costley played extremely well against his talented opponents. The result keeps Estrella de Chile in 4^th place in the standings, with a 9-4-5 record, while ICST Pegasus remains in 5^th place, with 26 points out of 18 games.

 SURREY UNITED FIREFIGHTERS - VANCOUVER OLYMPICS  4-2:  Also on Friday evening, the Surrey United Firefighters brought the Vancouver Olympics back to earth—since they had upset West Van FC last week—by defeating the home team by a 4-2 scoreline in a game played at South Memorial Park in Vancouver. The visiting Surrey United team controlled most of the action during the first half, while the Olympics got back into the match and played quite well in the second half. The Firefighters took the lead at about the 15^th minute mark when Ryan Reynolds set up Angus Burke inside the Olympics’ penalty area with a picture-perfect pass. Without a moment’s hesitation, Burke finished off the play in clinical fashion, thus giving his team the early lead. Ten minutes later, Surrey United doubled its lead when an excellent cross by Andrew Reed found Tom Lowndes at the top of the box. Lowndes’ subsequent shot was deflected by an Olympics’ defender onto the feet of Colin Streckmann who managed to fire the ball into the back of the net from close range. The Vancouver Olympics fought back tenaciously and came close to scoring shortly thereafter, but Jeevi Rai’s goal was called back because of an offside infraction. However, near the end of the first half, the Olympics managed to narrow the margin when Frank Randazzo scored a brilliant goal on a fine individual effort. Early in the second half, the Firefighters re-established their 2-goal lead with Angus Burke switching roles and becoming the provider as he set up Sean Einarsson inside the 18-yard box with an excellent pass. Einarsson then proceeded to slot the ball home for what proved to be the winning goal. To their credit, the Olympics fought back with grit and determination and once again narrowed the margin on a goal by Hwang Sang. At this point, the home team threw caution to the wind in search of the equalizer, but it was Surrey United that scored the final goal near the end of the game when newly-signed Coulton Jackson set up Angus Burke with a great pass, a pass that Burke converted into Surrey United’s insurance marker with an unstoppable shot from the edge of the penalty area. Needless to say, Angus Burke not only scored two great goals, but he played magnificently during the entire match as he drove the Vancouver Olympics defenders to distraction with his speed and skill. It should be mentioned that Burke’s two goals have placed him in first place in the GOLDEN BOOT race. Also, midfielder Colin Streckmann and veteran central defender Jeff Clarke played extremely well in their respective roles. For the Olympics, midfielders Rob Sing and Justin Isidro—as well as forwards Sasa Plavsic, Frank Randazzo, and Gianluca Zavarise—deserve special mention for their tireless performances. Surrey United thus remains in 3^rd place in the Premier Division standings, with a 11-0-7 record, while the Vancouver Olympics are still in last place, with only 12 points out of 18 games.

 NORVAN PACIFIC  -  ROVERS CCBTU  2-0:  On Saturday, at Confederation Park in North Vancouver, the struggling Norvan Pacific won their first game after 3 successive losses by defeating the visiting Rovers CCBTU by a decisive 2-0 margin. The unpredictable Rovers got off to a bright start and controlled most of the action in the early going. However, chances by Rizal Ganief, Bobby Jhutty, Sunny Bains, and Helge Neumann all went awry. On the first attempt at goal—at about the 10^th minute mark—Rizal Ganief was sent in on goal on a breakaway by Gary Chahal but missed the net with his shot. A few minutes later, Bobby Jhutty’s wicked free kick was brilliantly saved by Norvan’s goalkeeper, Giancarlo Martino. Sunny Bains picked up the rebound but had his close-range shot once again miraculously saved by Martino. Then, midway through the first half, Helge Neumann missed the target with a header that seemed destined for the top corner of the net. As luck would have it, it was Norvan Pacific that took the lead before the halftime break when Kyle Guay converted a kick from the penalty spot. The penalty kick was awarded when Sebastian Crema was  fouled inside the penalty area by Sam Gill. Early in the second half, it was the Rovers’ turn to have a penalty kick awarded to them when Rizal Ganief was fouled inside the penalty box by Norvan’s Tony Paiero. Ganief himself stepped up to the plate, but his shot was once again brilliantly saved by Giancarlo Martino. With about 10 minutes to go in the match, Norvan Pacific put the game out of the Rovers’ reach by scoring again, this time when speedy Blake Burgon raced down the right flank before crossing the ball into the danger area, where an unmarked Sebastian Crema had no difficulty in finishing off the play into his team’s insurance marker. Norvan’s new central defensive partnership—Scott Gilroy and Brent Dodge—was rock-solid throughout the match and helped Giancarlo Martino immensely as he earned his first clean-sheet of the season. Kyle Guay and Tony Paiero also played very well in their outside back positions, while Sebastian Crema was influential in both of his team’s goals. For the Rovers, goalkeeper Chris Beck made numerous fine saves, while defenders Helge Neumann and Joel Malouf—as well as midfielders Bobby Jhutty and Phil Kotter—also turned in outstanding performance, albeit in a losing cause. The victory raises Norvan Pacific to a penultimate place tie with Richmond FC, with a record of 5-2-11, while the Rovers are still in 6^th place, with 23 points out of 17 matches.

 COLUMBUS FC  -  METRO-FORD WOLVES  1-0:  Also on Saturday, at South Memorial Park in Vancouver, the league-leading Columbus FC remained in first place by virtue of a narrow—and had-fought—1-0 decision over the young Metro-Ford Wolves.  The match was very evenly played with both teams playing a very defensive style, thus limiting the scoring chances to a bare minimum. Very early in the game, Metro-Ford came very close to opening the scoring but Brayden Gant’s low shot to the far post went just wide of the target. Columbus’ best chance in the scoreless first half came at about the 25^th minute mark when Milad Rahmati found Luca Bellisomo in front of the Metro-Ford net. However, Bellisomo’s subsequent shot was well-saved by goalkeeper Mat Bird. A few minutes later, it was Milad Rahmati’s turn to come close to scoring when he was sent in on goal on a semi-breakaway by Steve DeBlasio. Once again, however, Mat Bird rose to the occasion as he rushed out of his goal area and thwarted Rahmati’s golden opportunity. Early in the second half, Columbus FC took the lead when Steve DeBlasio’s corner kick was brilliantly headed home by veteran defender Mike Gomes. The young Wolves fought back tenaciously and created a few chances of their own, but were unable to knot the score, due mainly to some poor finishing and also because of some excellent goalkeeping on the part of Erman Ozkan. In particular, Metro-Ford’s Lucas Reis missed the net from inside the 6-yard box, after having been set up by Matthew Fuji who had previously made an excellent run down the right flank. Also, Carlo Basso was unable to convert a fine cross from Luigi Pantusa as he looped the ball over the crossbar with Ozkan apparently well beaten. Very late in the game, Columbus FC almost doubled its lead when veteran Tiernan King set up Milad Rahmati in front of the Metro-Ford goal with a splendid pass. However, Mat Bird once again pulled off an excellent save to keep the score respectable for the visiting team. Defensively, Columbus’ Jonathan Poli and Jimmy Thompson were rock-solid throughout the contest, as they made life relatively easy for goalkeeper Erman Ozkan as he recorded the clean-sheet. Also, midfielder Luca Bellisomo  turned in an excellent performance in a winning cause. For the Wolves, young midfielder Alex Rowley, defender Matthew Fujji, and goalkeeper Mat Bird deserve special mention for their fine performances. The narrow—and hard-fought—victory keeps Columbus in first place in the Premier Division standings, with a 12-4-2 record, while the Metro-Ford Wolves remain in 8^th place, with 22 points out of 18 matches.

 WEST VAN FC  --  RICHMOND FC HIBERNIANS  2-1:  The fifth, and final, game of the weekend was played on Saturday at Minoru Oval in Richmond and featured two teams in desperate need of points, albeit for totally different reasons: the hosting Richmond FC Hibernians and the visiting West Van FC. At the end of the day, West Van FC walked away with a 2-1 victory, a result that keeps the former Trollers in contention for the league title and the Hibernians near the bottom of the table. The game was very evenly-played and fast-paced as both teams threw caution to the wind right from the opening whistle in search of the all-important 3 points. Very early in the game, West Van FC almost scored the opening goal when a patented Paul Dailly corner kick was headed towards the Richmond net by Max Baessato. Unfortunately for West Van, the header barely missed the net. Shortly thereafter, it was Will Molloy’s turn to miss the Richmond net with a short-range shot. The Hibernians bounced back tenaciously and took the lead at about the 20^th minute mark when Emile Saimovici beat a couple of West Van defenders down the left flank before delivering a pin-point cross into the opponents’ box where Alan Chivers proceeded to powerfully head the ball into the back of the net. The visitors replied in kind and came close to tying things up on a couple of occasions, but shots by Justin Wallace and Michael Nonni were brilliantly saved by youth call-up goalkeeper Jason Roberts. The second half was more or less a repeat of the first as both teams took turns attacking and defending. At the 55^th minute mark West Van FC was finally able to knot the score when a great left-wing cross by Will Molloy was headed home by Ryan Glanville from the edge of the goal area. The Hibernians came close to regaining the lead at the 75^th minute, but Craig McMillan’s well-struck shot was brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Marco Durante. Shortly thereafter, it was Erik Olsen’s turn to come close to scoring for Richmond FC, but his final shot—after having beaten a couple of West Van defenders—just missed the target. At the other end of the pitch, Michael Nonni and Justin Wallace once again had glorious opportunities to give their team the lead but their shots went wide of the net. Very late in the game—at about the 87^th minute mark—the Hibernians’ Craig McMillan raced down the right flank, beat a couple of West Van defenders, and crossed the ball onto the path of an unmarked Erik Olson, whose subsequent close-range shot was once again brilliantly saved by Marco Durante. As luck would have it—well into injury time—West Van FC scored the winning goal when a well-executed corner kick by Will Molloy was headed home by Michael Nonni from inside the 6-yard box. Forwards Ryan Glanville, Michael Nonni, and Justin Wallace played very well for the winning team as they created numerous problems for the Richmond FC backline with their speed and energy. Midfielders Will Molloy and Cathal O’Connor also played remarkably well for West Van FC as they controlled the middle of the park with poise and skill. Also, veteran goalkeeper Marco Durante was very solid in the West Van net during the entire 90 minutes of play.  For Richmond FC, the entire team battled relentlessly, albeit in a losing cause. As mentioned earlier, the hard-fought victory keeps West Van FC one point behind Columbus FC at the top of the Premier Division standings, with an impressive 12-3-3 record. The Richmond FC Hibernians, on the other hand, slip into penultimate place with only 17 points out of 18 matches.

 TEAM OF THE WEEK:  NORVAN PACIFIC for its amazing 2-0 victory over the heavily-favoured Rovers CCBTU. Led by some remarkable saves on the part of goalkeeper Giancarlo Martino, as well as some rock-solid defending by Scott Gilroy and Brent Dodge, Norvan Pacific worked extremely hard to earn the very important victory, a result that keeps Norvan’s hopes  of avoiding  relegation alive.

 PLAYER OF THE WEEK:  Surrey United’s forward ANGUS BURKE for his brilliant 2-goal performance in his team’s 4-2 victory over the Vancouver Olympics. Not only did Burke score two of his team’s goals, he also set up another one in capping off a magnificent performance. It should also be noted that Burke’s two goals put him in first place in the GOLDEN BOOT contest. For his excellent performance this past week-end, ANGUS BURKE will receive a prize of a pizza for two, compliments of  THE GOLDEN BOOT CAFFE`. The prize is available up to 2013-02-13.

 <><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

2013-01-15

PREMIER DIVISION – WEEK #17

Three major upsets took place this past weekend and, as a result, the standings remained more or less the same, particularly at the top of the table. In fact, the 3 top teams—Columbus FC, West Van FC, and Surrey United—lost their matches—coincidentally by identical 2-1 scores—to ICST Pegasus, Vancouver Olympics, and Delta United respectively. At the bottom of the standings, Norvan Pacific suffered its third consecutive loss—this time to Croatia SC—and thus slipped even deeper into the relegation zone.

ICST PEGASUS  -  COLUMBUS FC  2-1:  On Friday evening, at Newton Athletic Park in Surrey, the defending Premier Division champions—ICST Pegasus—defeated the visiting Columbus FC by a 2-1 margin in what could be considered a huge upset, since Columbus FC has been sitting all alone in first place for quite some time. The ‘Italians’ got off to a good start and came close to taking the lead very early in the game when Milad Rahmati took advantage of a defensive blunder, raced in on goal, but had his shot brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Amar Dhinza. Furthermore, Tino Cucca picked up the rebound but his subsequent effort was once again thwarted by Dhinza. Columbus continued to apply pressure and a few minutes later again came close to opening the scoring when Jonathan Poli’s header—off a well-taken corner-kick by Steve DeBlasio—was cleared off the goal-line by Paul Bahia. As luck would have it, it was ICST Pegasus that took the lead midway through the first half when Sahil Sandhu was fouled inside the Columbus penalty area by Blair Robertson. Sandhu himself took the ensuing penalty kick and easily converted it for the go-ahead goal. Soon thereafter, Pegasus almost doubled its lead but a cracking shot by Javid Khan was phenomenally saved by Columbus goalkeeper Erman Ozkan. The Pegasus lads continued to press during the early part of the second half in search of their second goal. They were finally rewarded at the 65^th minute mark when Jag Gill—after having received a great pass from Sahil Sandhu—unleashed an unstoppable shot into the back of the Columbus net from just outside the penalty area for what proved to be the winning goal. Late in the game—at about the 80^th minute mark—Columbus FC narrowed the margin when Steve DeBlasio picked up a loose ball outside the penalty area, beat a couple of Pegasus defenders, and clinically placed the ball into the bottom corner of the net. Despite the fact that Columbus FC continued to press during the remaining few minutes of the match, ICST Pegasus held on to the narrow lead and eventually claimed all 3 points. Forwards Jag Gill and Ryan Powell—as well as midfielder Chetan Jhooty—played extremely well for ICST Pegasus as they led their team to the all-important victory. For Columbus FC, defenders Jonathan Poli and Jimmy Thompson also turned in rock-solid performances, while midfielder Robbie Giezen was a going concern throughout the contest. Despite the loss, Columbus FC remains in first place with 37 points from 17 matches, while ICST Pegasus’ victory improves the defending champions’ record to 7-5-5, good for 5^th place in the Premier Division standings.

VANCOUVER OLYMPICS  -  WEST VAN FC  2-1:  On Saturday, at Ambleside Park in West Vancouver,. West Van FC failed to take advantage of Columbus’ loss—and thus take over first place in the standings—by dropping a 2-1 decision to the last-place Vancouver Olympics in what could easily be considered to be the upset of the season. Despite the fact that West Van FC dictated the pace of the game for most of the 90 minutes of play, the visiting Olympics deserve full credit for their victory—for having defended tenaciously and counter-attacked dangerously. The former Trollers, on the other hand, displayed a large degree of over-confidence and—as a result—turned in a rather lethargic performance. After defending sternly for the first 25 minutes, the Olympics took the lead when Frank Randazzo took advantage of a defensive ‘faux-pas’ by Leo Nash and quickly deposited the ball into the net, past goalkeeper Garth Legasse. Early in the second half, the Vancouver Olympics added to their lead with Frank Randazzo becoming the provider as he set up Sasa Plavsic with a picture-perfect cross, a cross that Plavsic converted into what proved to be the winning goal. It should be mentioned that Justin Isidro had previously set up Randazzo with a fine pass. Late in the match, West Van was able to narrow the margin when Paul Dailly scored his team’s lone goal on a penalty kick, after Michael Nonni had been fouled inside the penalty area by Yeo Won Yoon, after Nonni had ‘nut-megged’ him on his way to the Olympics’ goal. At this juncture, West Van FC threw caution to the wind in an attempt to knot the score and came close of 3 occasions but shots by Michael Nonni, Cathal O’Connor, and Alan McIndoe were cleared off the goal-line by Hwang Sang, Jeevi Rai, and Arnel Naidu. Defensively, Aniel Sanghera, Jamie Farenhorst, Yukki Kikuchi, and Kevin Heaney were rock-solid in the Olympics’ line-up, while Rob Sing and Justin Isidro performed admirably in their midfield positions. Forward Frank Randazzo also contributed enormously to his team’s upset victory by scoring one goal and setting up the other. For West Van FC, defender Mike Winter and young midfielder Justin Wallace played extremely well, despite the rather embarrassing loss. The Vancouver Olympics thus improve their record to 3-3-11 and maintain their slight hopes of avoiding relegation alive, while West Van FC remains in second place—1 point behind Columbus FC—with 36 points out of 17 games.

DELTA UNITED HURRICANES   -  SURREY UNITED FIREFIGHTERS   2-1:   Also on Saturday, at Cloverdale Athletic Park in Surrey, the Delta United Hurricanes defeated the aspiring Surrey United Firefighters by a narrow 2-1 margin, thus reducing the Firefighters’ chances of winning the Premier Division title to a bare minimum. The Hurricanes fully deserved the victory as they dominated proceedings from start to finish, limiting the Surrey United chances to a bare minimum. Early in the game, Delta United almost took the lead when Gagan Josan’s shot hit the inside of the goal-post, with goalkeeper Andrew Fink clearly beaten. The Firefighters responded in kind and also had a golden opportunity to open the scoring when former Whitecap captain Jeff Clarke unleashed an excellent long-range shot that seemed destined for the back of the net. However, the shot was deflected over the cross-bar by a Delta United defender. Late in the first half, the Hurricanes’ Gagan Josan once again came close to scoring but—on this occasion—goalkeeper Andrew Fink came up with a sensational save to keep the game scoreless till the halftime whistle. Delta United opened the scoring at the 60^th minute mark when Pavi Dhillon—after having received a great pass from Gagan Josan—raced down the right flank before crossing the ball onto the path of Oscar Jimenez. Jimenez then controlled the ball with his chest and volleyed it into the Surrey United net for the game’s opening goal. A few minutes later, the Hurricanes added insult to the Firefighters’ injury with Oscar Jimenez becoming the provider as he beat a couple of defenders along the goal-line before cutting the ball back to Gagan Josan whose subsequent close-range shot easily found the back of the net. A couple of minutes later, the Hurricanes almost added a third goal to their tally but goalkeeper Andrew Fink came up with yet another excellent save, this time on a wicked shot by Gagan Josan. The Firefighters bounced back and also came close to scoring when Tommy Lowndes curled a free-kick from the edge of the penalty area towards the Delta United goal. Unfortunately for Lowndes, and the rest of the Surrey United contingent, the ball bounced off the goal-post and out of danger. Shortly thereafter, Delta United was reduced to 10 men when Danny Badesha was sent off the field of play for having received his second caution of the match. The Firefighters took full advantage of the situation and narrowed the margin just before the final whistle when Kyree Melo’s cleverly-taken free-kick was slotted home by defender Andrew Reed. The entire Delta United team played extremely well, but special mention should be made of defenders Gurj Sandhu, Steve Millar, Jason Gill, and Joey Brar for their rock-solid performances. Also, forwards Oscar Jimenez and Harp Khakh were going concerns as they drove the Surrey United to distraction with their pace and skill. Needless to say, forward Gagan Josan was instrumental in the Hurricanes’ victory as he turned in an unbelievably amazing performance. As a result of the well-deserved victory, the Delta United Hurricanes climb into 6^th place in the Premier Division standings, with an even 6-5-6 record, while Surrey United remains in 3^rd place, with 30 points from 17 games.

CROATIA SC  -  NORVAN PACIFIC  5-2:  The third Saturday game was played at Trillium Park in Vancouver, and featured two teams in desperate need of points: the hosting Croatia SC and the visiting Norvan Pacific. At the end of 90 minutes of play, the Croatians walked away with a well-deserved 5-2 victory, thus improving their chances of avoiding relegation. Norvan Pacific got off to a bright start and tested Croatia’s young goalkeeper—Simon Cohen—on two occasions in the early going. However, shots by Matt Hartwell and Dave Andreychuck were well saved by Cohen. Then, midway through the first half, Croatia SC took the lead when Paris Gee and Lucas Sweda combined with a clever give-and-go that resulted in Gee firing an unstoppable, low shot into the back of the Norvan net, a shot that gave young goalkeeper Danny Vaughn no chance whatsoever. The visiting Norvan team bounced back and knotted the score a few minutes later when former Whitecaps captain Martin Nash sent Sebastian Crema flying towards the Croatia net with an impeccable through ball. Crema proceeded to beat a couple of defenders before depositing the ball into the back of the net for the equalizer. However, a couple of minutes later, veteran Johnny Sulentic re-established Croatia’s lead when he fired one of his patented free kicks—from well outside the penalty area—into the top corner of net. Croatia’s go-ahead goal seemed to deflate the Norvan squad and the home team took full advantage of the situation by scoring two more goals before the halftime whistle. On the first goal, Lucas Sweda took advantage of a goalmouth scramble and fired a close-range shot into the back of the Norvan net for what proved to be the winning goal. Then, at about the 40^th minute mark, Pavel Gorzkowski sent a picture-perfect cross onto the path of Colin Jacques who brilliantly volleyed the ball into the back of the Norvan net from the edge of the penalty area. To their credit, the Norvan lads re-organized themselves in the second half and exerted a lot of pressure on the Croatian backline. However, efforts by Dave O’Connor, Matt Hartwell, and Martin Nash were well-saved by goalkeeper Simon Cohen.  The visitors were finally rewarded at about the 75^th minute mark when Sebastian Crema was brought down inside the Croatian 18-yard box by Paris Gee, resulting in a penalty kick being awarded to Norvan Pacific. Kyle Guay made no mistake on the ensuing spot shot, thus narrowing the margin to 4-2. At this point, Norvan Pacific threw caution to the wind in a desperate attempt to get back into the match. As luck would have it, however, it was Croatia SC that re-established its 3-goal lead in the late going  when Matteo Agnoloni headed home another amazing free kick by Johnny Sulentic and thus put the game out of Norvan’s reach. Midfielder Johnny Sulentic, defender Paris Gee, and forward Colin Jacques played remarkably well for Croatia SC, as they guided their team to the all-important victory. Despite the loss, veteran midfielder Martin Nash and young attacker Sebastian Crema turned in admirable performances in the Norvan Pacific line-up. The victory improves Croatia SC’s record to 5-3-9, good for 9^th place in the Premier Division standings. Norvan Pacific, on the other hand, remains mired in the dreaded relegation zone, with only 14 points out of 17 matches.

METRO-FORD WOLVES  -  RICHMOND FC HIBERNIANS  2-0:  The fourth, and final, Saturday match was played at Coquitlam Town Centre and featured two teams in desperate need of points to remain out of the dreaded relegation zone: the hosting Metro-Ford Wolves and the visiting Richmond Hibernians. After a rather uneventful—and poorly-played—90 minutes of play, the home team was able to claim all 3 points by scoring two late goals. The visiting Hibernians created the better chances during the first half, but efforts by Craig McMillan and Geoff Salt were brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Mat Bird. The insertion of young midfielder Luigi Pantusa midway through the second half paid huge dividends to the Metro-Ford Wolves as he was influential in their victory. In fact, at the 70^th minute mark, Pantusa’s wicked free-kick was deflected by Richmond’s Devon Smith into the net, for what proved to be the winning goal. The Hibernians responded positively and almost knotted the score on a couple of occasions, but Erik Olson’s shot was well-saved by Mat Bird, while Geoff Salt’s free-kick sailed over the bar. At the other end of the pitch, Metro-Ford’s Brayden Gant made a terrific run into the Richmond penalty area before crossing the ball to Luigi Pantusa, whose subsequent volley was deflected out of play by a Richmond defender. Very late in the match, Pantusa was fouled inside the Richmond penalty area by Mike Revell, resulting in a penalty kick being awarded to the Wolves. Pantusa himself stepped up to the plate and slotted the ball home for the insurance marker. Midfielders Anthony DiNicolo and Luigi Pantusa played extremely well for Metro-Ford, while goalkeeper Mat Bird fully deserved the clean-sheet as he made several remarkable saves. For the Hibernians, midfielders Geoff Salt and Emile Saimovici also performed admirably, while defenders Stu Walters, Mike Revell, Connor Radil, and Rory Gattens held the skillful Metro-Ford attackers at bay for most of the contest. The very important victory improves the Wolves’ record to 6-4-7, good for 8^th place in the standings, while the Hibernians slip to 10^th place, with 17 points out of 17 games.

ESTRELLA de CHILE  -  ROVERS CCBTU  2-2:   The lone Sunday game was played at Newton Athletic Park in Surrey and featured the hot-and-cold Rovers CCBTU and the 4^th place Estrella de Chile. After a hard-fought—and evenly-played—90 minutes of non-stop action, both teams had to settle for a 2-2 tie. Both teams exchanged several goalscoring chances in the early stages of the match, but the game remained scoreless till the halftime whistle. Estrella de Chile’s midfielder Eric Ray had the best opportunities to open the scoring but his shots were either saved by goalkeeper Chris Beck or barely missed the net. Also, forward Admir Salihovic came close to scoring for the visitors on a couple of occasions, but his shots went wide of the target. At the other end of the pitch, Dever Orgill was sent on a breakaway by Bobby Jhutty very early in the game, but his final shot went wide of the Estrella net. A few minutes later, Rizal Ganief blasted a full-volley towards the Chilean goal only to have goalkeeper Diego Oliveira pull off a semi-miraculous save. The second half was more or less a repeat of the first, as both teams created several excellent scoring chances. The only difference, of course, was that in the second half each team was able to score on a couple of occasions. Early in the second period—at about the 50^th minute mark—Estrella de Chile was finally able to take the lead when Eric Ray and Admir Salihovic combined to set up Habil Otieno who finished off the play clinically from close range. Shortly thereafter, Otieno almost doubled the Chileans lead, this time after having received a great pass from Ducivan DeSouza. However, Otieno’s subsequent shot barely missed the target. The Rovers replied in kind and came very close to knotting the score at the 55^th minute mark when Bobby Jhutty once again sent Dever Orgill on a semi-breakaway with a brilliant pass. Once again, however, Orgill’s shot went wide of the net. At the 60^th minute mark, the Rovers were finally able to tie things up when Juan Sanchez sent Dever Orgill sailing down the right flank with a great through ball. After beating a couple of Chilean defenders, Orgill sent a perfect cross into the box, a cross that Rizal Ganief one-timed perfectly into the net for the equalizer.  A few minutes later, Estrella de Chile was able to re-establish its lead on a great individual effort on the part of Eric Ray as he gained possession of the ball in the middle of the park, beat several Rovers on his way towards goal, and proceeded to blast an unstoppable shot into the back of the net for the go-ahead goal. At the 77^th minute mark, the Chileans almost increased their lead when Mynor Campos’ header—on a cross by Habil Otieno—was brilliantly saved by Chris Beck. However, just before the final whistle, the Rovers were able to tie things up with Bobby Jhutty and Rizal Ganief once again involved in the play. On this occasion, Jhutty sent Ganief flying towards the Estrella goal with a brilliant pass. Ganief raced in on goal and easily deposited the ball into the back of the net to earn his team the hard-earned point. For the Rovers, defenders Helge Neumann and Kevan Cameron were towers of strength throughout the match, while midfielders Juan Sanchez, Bobby Jhutty, Sunny Bains, and Rizal Ganief worked tirelessly against the very speedy and skillful Chileans. It should also be mentioned that forward Gary Chahal turned in an impressive performance as he drove the Estrella defenders to distraction throughout the match. For Estrella de Chile, midfielders Ducivan DeSouza, Ricardo Alvarado, and Eric Ray—as well as forward Habil Otieno—played remarkably well during the entire contest. As a result of the draw, Estrella de Chile remains in 4^th place in the Premier Division standings—with an 8-4-5 record. The Rovers, on the other hand, are still in 6^th place, with 23 points out of 17 games 

TEAM OF THE WEEK:  VANCOUVER OLYMPICS for their incredible 2-1 upset victory over the aspiring West Van FC.  Led by the remarkable performance of forward Frank Randazzo, the Olympics were able to defeat the heavily-favoured West Van FC by a narrow 2-1 margin. Randazzo was involved in both goals as he scored the first and set up Sasa Plavlic for the second. The hard-earned victory keeps the Olympics’ chances of avoiding  relegation alive.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK:  Metro-Ford Wolves’ young midfielder LUIGI PANTUSA for his 2-goal performance in his team’s 2-0 victory over the Richmond FC Hibernians. Not only did Pantusa score both of his team’s goals, but he also made a huge difference in the outcome of the game when he was inserted into the line-up in the second half. For his excellent performance this past week-end, LUIGI PANTUSA will receive a prize of a pizza for two, compliments of  THE GOLDEN BOOT CAFFE`. The prize is available up to 2013-02-06.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><> 

2013-01-08

 PREMIER DIVISION – WEEK #16

 Four of the 6 Premier Division games played this past weekend ended in ties, meaning that very little changed in the standings. The only significant change occurred at the bottom of the table where Croatia SC bounced out of the dreaded relegation zone by defeating the hot-and-cold Rovers CCBTU and thus leap-frogged over Norvan Pacific into 10^th place.

 ESTRELLA de CHILE  -  COLUMBUS FC  1-1:  On Friday evening, at Burnaby Lake West Complex, the league-leading Columbus FC was held to a 1-1 draw by the hosting Estrella de Chile after a very physical and emotional 90 minutes of play. Despite the fact that the ‘Italians’ had most of the possession in the early going, it was the Chileans that almost took the lead at the 17^th minute mark when a well-executed free-kick by Ducivan DeSousa was re-directed towards the Columbus goal by Brian Dottin, forcing goalkeeper Thomas Lindley to make a great save. The ensuing rebound was picked up by Narcisse Tchoumi whose subsequent shot was cleared off the goal-line by Ylya Malek. Shortly thereafter, Estrella de Chile once again came close to scoring when Admir Salihovic—after beating a couple of Columbus defenders down the left flank—crossed the ball onto the path of Brian Dottin inside the penalty area. Dottin skillfully controlled the ball and proceeded to blast it towards the Columbus goal, only to have Thomas Lindley pull off yet another wonderful save. A few minutes later—at about the 30^th minute mark—Columbus FC took the lead when veteran Tiernan King—after receiving a great pass from Blair Robertson—was fouled inside the Chilean penalty area by Marlon Palomo, resulting in a penalty kick being awarded to the ‘Italiand’. Tiernan King himself stepped up to the plate and easily converted the spot shot in clinical fashion. A few minutes later, King almost scored his second goal of the match as he was set up by Steve DeBlasio before blasting a shot towards the Chilean goal, a shot that was consequently saved by goalkeeper Diego Oliveira in brilliant fashion.  The second half turned out to be a rather chippy affair as both teams found it difficult to concentrate on the ‘real’ game of soccer. At about the 75^th minute mark, Estrella de Chile equalized when Narcisse Tchoumi and Ducivan DeSousa combined to set up Admir Salihovic whose subsequent close-range shot gave Thomas Lindley no chance whatsoever. Shortly thereafter, Estrella de Chile appeared to have taken the lead, but Murtada Almatrood’s apparent goal was nullified because of an offside infraction. Late in the game, Chile’s Stedman Espinoza was sent off for having received his second caution of the match. At this point, things got even uglier as both coaches—Chile’s Claudio Ramirez and Columbus’ Carmine D’Onofrio—were expelled from the game for having participated in a physical confrontation. Estrella de Chile’s central defender Narcisse Tchoumi and goalkeeper Diego Oliveira played extremely well throughout the match, while midfielders Ricardo Alvarado and Ducivan DeSousa also performed admirably. For Columbus FC, midfielder Ylya Malek—as well as defenders Mike Gomes and Jimmy Thompson—also deserve special mention for their excellent performances. As a result of the tie, Columbus FC remains in first place, with a 11-4-1 record, while Estrella de Chile is still in 4^th place, with 27 points out of 16 matches.

 VANCOUVER OLYMPICS  -  METRO-FORD WOLVES  2-2:  Also on Friday evening, at South Memorial Park in Vancouver, the last-place Vancouver Olympics held the visiting Metro-Ford Wolves to a 2-2 tie, a result that does neither team any favours. The Olympics controlled most of the action in the first half, while the Wolves took over the reins of the match during the second part of the match. The home team took the lead early in the game when Sasa Plavsic unleashed an unstoppable free-kick from the edge of the penalty area, a free-kick that curled inside the top corner of the Metro-Ford goal. Despite the fact that the Olympics continued to press in search of a second goal, it was Metro-Ford that scored the equalizer at the 35^th mark when veteran Russel Huggon converted a fine cross by Domenic Delli Santi with a brilliant volley—after having made a late run into the box. However, the Olympics restored their lead just before the halftime whistle when Gianluca Zavarise scored on a fine individual effort. The second half told a totally different story as the Wolves dominated the action with some excellent passing. Unfortunately for the Wolves, goalkeeper Marco D’Andrea pulled off some phenomenal saves—particularly on shots by Luigi Pantusa and Russ Huggon—to maintain the Olympics’ lead till the 70^th minute mark. At this point, Metro-Ford’s Anthony DiNicolo played a brilliant through ball to Russel Huggon. The veteran Metro-Ford forward shook off a couple of Olympics’ defenders and calmly placed the ball into the back of the net for the equalizer. The Wolves continued to press in search of the winning goal, but were once again denied by D’Andrea as he pulled off a sensational save late in the game—on yet another powerful shot by Huggon. Needless to say, Russel Huggon was a going concern on the Metro-Ford forward line during the entire game, as he created numerous goalscoring chances. Midfielder Anthony DiNicolo also turned in a remarkable performance for the Wolves as he controlled the play with poise and skillful technique. For the Olympics, goalkeeper Marco D’Andrea should be complimented for his superb performance as he made several outstanding saves throughout the match, particularly in the second half. Defensively, Yukimi Kikuchi, Vikash Chandra, and Franco Randazzo also turned in excellent performances. The disappointing result leaves the Wolves in 8^th place, with a 5-4-7 record, while the Vancouver Olympics are still mired in last place, with only 9 points out of 16 games.

 RICHMOND FC HIBERNIANS   -  ICST PEGASUS   1-1:   On Saturday, at Minoru Oval in Richmond, the hosting Richmond FC Hibernians held the defending champions—ICST Pegasus—to a 1-1 tie, after a rather dull and uneventful 90 minutes of play. The Hibernians got off to a good start and caught the visitors flat-footed on a couple or occasions, but were unable to finish off their chances. In particular, Craig McMillan’s cracking volley from the edge of the penalty area was well-saved by Pegasus’ goalkeeper Serge Djekanovic, while Peter Chiver’s thundering shot was cleared off the goal-line by Diaz Kambere, with Djekanovic well-beaten. Then, at about the 20^th minute mark, Richmond FC finally took the lead when a well-executed corner-kick by Peter Chivers was brilliantly headed home by central defender Mike Revell for the go-ahead goal. The remainder of the first half was a rather dull affair as both teams concentrated mostly on defending and, as a result, created very few goalscoring opportunities. ICST Pegasus took over the reins of the match in the second half in a desperate effort to even the score. However, chances by Javid Khan and Adam Costley went awry, leaving the score at 1-0 for Richmond till the 65^th minute mark. At this point, Javid Khan set up Jag Gill with a brilliant ball, a pass that Gill converted into the tying goal with a blistering shot to the top corner of the net. Late in the match, both teams threw caution to the wind in an effort to lay claim to all 3 points. However, Pegasus’ Javid Khan hit the inside of the post with his close-range shot while—at the other end of the pitch—Matt Rota was twice denied excellent chances to score by goalkeeper Serge Djekanovic. For Richmond FC, central defenders Mike Revell and Stu Walters played extremely well, while midfielder Peter Chivers and forward Craig McMillan worked tirelessly throughout the contest. For ICST Pegasus, defender Deep Toor, midfielder Adam Costley, forward Chetan Jhooty, and goalkeeper Serge Djekanovic turned in superb performances. ICST Pegasus thus remains in 5^th place, with a record of 6-5-5, while Richmond FC now has 17 points from 16 games, good for 9^th place in the Premier Division standings.

 SURREY UNITED FIREFIGHTERS  -  NORVAN PACIFIC  3-0:  Also on Saturday, at Confederation Park in North Vancouver, the defending Provincial Cup champions—Surrey United Firefighters—defeated the struggling Norvan Pacific by an elaborate 3-0 margin. The home team got off to a bright start and came close to scoring on a couple of occasions in the early stages of the match, but efforts by Matt Hartwell and Sebastian Crema barely missed the Surrey United net. However, as the game progressed, the Firefighters started exerting some pressure of their own and they were rewarded at the 20^th minute mark when Colin Streckmann converted a clever pass from Ravinder Jammu into the opening—and what eventually proved to be the winning—goal. The remainder of the first half belonged almost entirely to the Firefighters as they continued to put enormous pressure on the Norvan defence. However, efforts by Tommy Lowndes and Jeff Clarke barely missed the net and the score remained at 1-0 till the halftime whistle. The second half insertion of former Whitecap Martin Nash in the Norvan lineup had a huge impact on the flow of the game as the veteran midfielder took control of the situation with his impeccable passing skills. Unfortunately for Norvan, several opportunities created by Nash went awry, mostly due to some poor finishing on the part of the Norvan forwards. Also, shots by Sebastian Crema, Matt Hartwell, and Dave Andreychuk were well saved by young goalkeeper Andrew Fink. As luck would have it, it was the Firefighters that added to their lead—at about the 65^th minute mark—when a speculative shot by Colin Streckmann—after having received an immaculate pass from former Whitecap Jeff Clarke—caught young goalkeeper Torben Jensen off guard and sailed into the back of the net. However, Norvan Pacific kept pressing and almost succeeded in narrowing the margin on a couple of occasions, but efforts by Omar Adlani and Matt Gardner were brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Andrew Fink. Just before the final whistle, Surrey United added insult to Norvan’s injury when newly-signed Tommy Lowndes whipped a great cross into the penalty area, a cross that was subsequently headed home by veteran Jeff Clarke for the game’s final goal. Defender Scott McEachern was a tower of strength in the Surrey United backline, while midfielder Colin Strechmann not only scored two excellent goals, but  also controlled the middle of the park with skill and poise. For Norvan Pacific, Martin Nash turned in a superlative midfield performance, while young Matt Gardner made a very successful Premier Division debut on the forward line. The victory solidifies Surrey United’s hold on third place—with a 10-0-6 record, while Norvan Pacific slips to 11^th place, with only 14 points from 16 games.

 CROATIA SC  -  ROVERS CCBTU 4-1:   Also on Saturday, at Newtpn Athletic Park in Surrey, the rejuvenated Croatia SC soundly defeated the hosting Rovers CCBTU by a 4-1 margin and thus climbed into 10^th place and out of the relegation zone. Very early in the match—at about the 10^th minute mark—the Rovers took the lead when Rizal Ganief converted a free-kick from just outside the penalty area with an unstoppable, curling shot into the top corner of the Croatia net. It should be mentioned that the free-kick was awarded when Dever Orgill was fouled just outside the box by Ryan Zaharija. Ten minutes later, the Croatians knotted the score on a wonderful individual effort by Johnny Sulentic, as he beat a few Rovers’ defenders before depositing the ball into the back of the net with a hard, low shot. The Rovers responded in kind and almost retook the lead a couple of minutes later with Dever Orgill once again involved in the play. On this occasion, Orgill picked up a rebound—after Gary Chahal’s shot was brilliantly saved by Simon Cohen—but barely missed the net from close range. Then, at the 25^th minute mark, Croatia SC took the lead when Kreso Ukalovic set up young Colin Jacques with an exquisite pass. Jacques calmly controlled the ball inside the 18-yard box and clinically finished the play with an unstoppable shot. At the 35^th minute mark, the Croatians added to their lead when Lucas Sweda finished off a great, low cross from Tom Mallette for the insurance marker. Late in the first half, the Rovers almost narrowed the margin, but Rizal Ganief’s wicked drive was marvellously saved by goalkeeper Simon Cohen. Early in the second half, Croatia SC almost scored again, but Luka Rupcic’s wicked drive bounced off the goalpost. At the other end of the pitch, Dever Orgill missed a glorious chance as he was sent in on goal by Bobby Jhutty, but missed the net after having dribbled around goalkeeper Simon Cohen. Shortly thereafter, Cohen pulled off yet another miraculous save as he denied Rizal Ganief’s excellent chance. Then, at the 78^th minute mark, Croatia SC put the game out of the Rovers’ reach when Stephen Yuan picked up a loose ball and quickly slotted it home from close range. To their credit, the Rovers refused to quit and came close to narrowing the margin in the late stages of the match when Sunny Bains’ rocket bounced off the goalpost and out of danger. Needless to say, Croatia’s midfielder Johnny Sulentic turned in a brilliant performance in the middle of the park as he dictated the pace of the match with his skill and experience. Tom Mallette also performed admirably in the Croatian midfield, while goalkeeper Simon Cohen rose to the occasion several times with some magnificent saves. For the Rovers, midfielders Rupi Birring, Sunny Bains, and Rizal Ganief played extremely well, while forwards Dever Orgill and Bobby Jhutty were their usual dangerous selves during the entire contest. The all-important victory improves Croatia SC’s record to 4-3-9, good for 10^th place in the Premier Division standings. The Rovers, on the other hand, slip to 6^th place, with 22 points out of 16 games.

 DELTA UNITED HURRICANES  -  WEST VAN FC   1-1:   On Sunday, at John Oliver Park in Delta, West Van FC had to settle for a 1-1 tie against the hosting Delta United Hurricanes, and thus failed to take over sole possession of first place in the Premier Division standings.  The former Trollers came out of the starting gate with vigour and determination and came close to scoring on a few occasions in the early going. In particular, efforts by Jesse Fetterly, Cathal O’Connor, Max Baessato and Michael Nonni all barely missed the target. Midway through the first half, the Hurricanes started to get into the match and created a few goalscoring chances of their own. On the first opportunity, Oscar Jimenez watched agonizingly as his blistering shot sailed over the crossbar, after he had received an excellent square ball from Gurj Sandhu. Soon thereafter, Delta United’s Harpreet Khakh appeared to score the opening goal, only to have the referee disallow it because of an offside infraction. Near the end of the first half, Ryan Dhillon beat a couple of West Van defenders before unleashing a tremendous shot, a shot that forced goalkeeper Garth Legasse to pull off a semi-miraculous save. West Van FC replied in kind and appeared to score the go-ahead goal just before the halftime whistle when Cathal O’Connor finished off a great cross from Michael Nonni, only to have the referee once again nullify the goal because of an offside infraction. Early in the second half, West Van FC took the lead when Cathal O’Connor finished off a great play—involving Jesse Fetterley, Alan McIndoe, and Drew Gelley—with an unstoppable half-volley. The visitors continued to press in search of the all-important insurance marker but some rock-solid defending on the part of Delta’s Gurj Sandhu, Steve Millar, and Joey Brar kept the vaunted West Van attackers off the scoresheet. At the other end of the pitch, Delta United came close to knotting the score when Gagan Josan’s corner-kick was headed towards the West Van goal by Harp Khakh. Unfortunately for Khakh—and the rest of the Delta United contingent—veteran Paul Dailly was able to clear the ball off the goal-line, with goalkeeper Garth Legasse well-beaten. Soon thereafter, a Steve Millar flick-on header was also cleared off the line by a West Van defender, thus maintaining the visitors’ narrow lead. Finally, at about the 80^th minute mark, Delta United was able to tie things up when a corner-kick by Oscar Jimenez was flicked onto the path of Joey Brar by playing-coach Steve Millar.  Brar made no mistake in slamming the ball into the back of the net from close range, thus earning his team the well-deserved tie. Both teams exchanged chances in the last moments of the match, when Delta’s Gagan Josan had his excellent shot saved by Lagasse, and Paul Dailly’s dangerous free-kick was cleared out of danger by Steve Millar. As mentioned earlier, Delta United’a defenders—Gurj Sandhu, Steve Millar, and Joey Brar played exceptionally well throughout the contest, while forwards Harp Khakh, Ryan Dhillon, and Gagan Josan worked tirelessly and created numrerou problems for the West Van defence. For the visiting team, defenders Drew Gelley, Mike Winter, Leo Nash, and Max Baessato were rock-solid for the entire 90 minutes, while forward Jesse Fetterley and midfielder Cathal O’Connor also deserve special mention for their excellent performances. The rather disappointing result keeps West Van FC in second place, with a 11-3-2 record, only point behind Columbus FC. On the other hand, Delta United remains in the middle of the pack, with 20 points out of 16 games.

 TEAM OF THE WEEK:  CROATIA SC for its amazing 4-1 victory over the heavily-favoured Rovers CCBTU.  After surrendering and early goal, the Croatians bounced back tenaciously and controlled virtually the entire remainder of the match.  Once again led by the splendid performance of  former professional Johnny Sulentic, the Croatians fully deserved the victory, a result that leap-frogs them over Norvan Pacific and out of the relegation zone.

 PLAYER OF THE WEEK:  Surrey United’s midfielder COLIN STRECKMANN for his 2-goal performance in his team’s clear-cut 3-0 victory over Norvan Pacific. Not only did Streckmann score two great goals, but he also contributed immensely in his defensive midfield role. For his excellent performance this past week-end, COLIN STRECKMANN will receive a prize of a pizza for two, compliments of  THE GOLDEN BOOT CAFFE`. The prize is available up to 2013-01-30.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><> 

2012-12-19

 PREMIER DIVISION – WEEK #15

 Seven Premier Division games were played this past week, including a Monday evening make-up game between Surrey United and Norvan Pacific. No big upsets took place and, as a result, Columbus FC remained at the top of the table, with West Van FC still trailing by only 1 point. At the bottom of the standings, the Vancouver Olympics and Croatia SC remained in the dreaded relegation zone.

 WEST VAN FC  -  NORVAN PACIFIC  3-0:  On Friday evening, at Ambleside Park in West Vancouver, the aspiring West Van FC soundly defeated the hot-and-cold Norvan Pacific by a decisive 3-0 margin in the North Shore derby. As the scoreline indicates, the game was rather one-sided, mostly due to the fact that Norvan played 80% of the match with only 10 players, due to the early sending off of Michael Carroll for a foul and abusive language infraction.  Just before the sending off, Norvan’s Blake Burgon missed a golden opportunity to open the scoring, but missed his chance after flying in on goal all by himself. Soon after Carroll’s ejection, West Van FC took the lead when Ryan Glanville converted a great, low cross from Jesse Fetterley with an unstoppable one-timer from the top of the box. Ten minutes later—at about the 30^th minute mark—Michael Nonni emulated Glanville’s brilliant finish as he also one-timed a cross by Jesse Fetterley into the back of the Norvan net. It should be mentioned that Fetterley had originally made a great run down the right flank and beaten a couple of Norvan defenders before making his immaculate cross into the penalty area. In the second half, the former Trollers continued to press and missed several excellent opportunities to add to their lead when shots by Michael Nonni, Ryan Glanville, Jesse Fetterley, and Cathal O’Connor went wide of the net. Then, at the 75^th minute mark, West Van put the game out of Norvan’s reach with Jesse Fetterley once again involved in the play. On this occasion, Fetterley became the finisher as he received a great pass from Justin Wallace, beat a couple of Norvan defenders and proceeded to chip the ball into the net, over the goalkeeper’s outstretched hands. The entire West Van team played extremely well, but special mention should be made of defenders Paul Dailly, Drew Gelley, Mike Winter, and Stefan Crameri as they made life relatively easy for goalkeeper Garth Lagasse as he earned yet another clean-sheet. Midfielder Will Molloy also worked very hard throughout the match, while forward Jesse Fetterley was involved in all 3 of his team’s goals, as a provider and as a finisher. For Norvan Pacific, midfielder James Casey worked tirelessly and performed admirably despite the loss. The well-earned victory improves West Van FC’s record to 11-2-2, good for second place in the Premier Division standings, while Norvan Pacific remains in 10^th place, only 2 points out of the relegation zone.

 ICST PEGASUS  -  VANCOUVER OLYMPICS  1-0:  Also on Friday evening, at Newton Athletic Park in Surrey, the defending Premier Division champions—ICST Pegasus—edged the visiting, and last-place, Vancouver Olympics by a narrow 1-0 margin. As expected, the Pegasus lads controlled most of the action, while the Olympics relied mainly on defending and counter-attacking whenever the occasion arose. Early in the match, the Olympics almost profited from one of their counter-attacks, but Kevin Heaney’s wicked, long-range drive was brilliantly saved by Pegasus’ goalkeeper, Serge Djekanovic. The remainder of the first half was played in the same fashion, with ICST Pegasus having a lot of difficulty in penetrating the very well-organized Olympics’ defence. The first part of the second half as more or less a repeat of the first, the only exception being that the home team was finally able to score at about the 60^th minute mark when a shot by Ronny Johal—from the edge of the penalty area—was inadvertently deflected into his own net by Aniel Sanghera. At this point, the Olympics threw caution to the wind and started exerting pressure on the Pegasus defenders in a desperate attempt to score the equalizer. However, chances by Yeo Yoon, Sasa Plavsic, and Gianluca Zavarise were once again brilliantly saved by Serge Djekanovic. Very late in the match, both teams traded extraordinary goalscoring chances. On the first, the Olympics’ Dalibor Plavsic had his shot cleared off the line by Pegasus’ Deep Toor. Soon thereafter, Pegasus’ Ronny Johal raced in on goal on a breakaway, only to have goalkeeper Amraj Lally come up with a superlative save. The entire Pegasus backline—composed of Moe Aziz, Deep Toor, Paul Bahia, and Jag Sajan played remarkably well, while goalkeeper Serge Djekanovic had to make a few exceptional saves to maintain his clean-sheet. For the Olympics, midfielders Rob Sing, Justin Isidro, Hwang Sang Yoon, and Yeo Yoon played extremely well, while forward Gianluca Zavarise was a going concern throughout the contest as he drove his opponents to distraction with his speed and skill. The hard-earned victory elevates Pegasus to 5^th place in the standings, with a 6-4-5 record, while the Vancouver Olympics remain at the bottom of the pile, with only 8 points from 15 games.

 SURREY UNITED FIREFIGHTERS   -  ROVERS CCBTU   3-2:   On Saturday, at Cloverdale  Athletic Park in Surrey, the Surrey United Firefighters came back from a 2-0 deficit and eventually  were able to defeat the visiting Rovers by a 3-2 margin. The Rovers came out of the starting blocks with a vengeance and nearly took the lead on a few occasions in the first half. However, efforts by Gibson Bardsley, Bobby Jhutty, and Rizal Ganief were brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Andrew Fink. At the other end of the pitch, Surrey United also had a golden opportunity to open the scoring, but Sean Einarsson’s shot barely missed the target. After a scoreless first half, the Rovers continued to apply pressure at the beginning of the second half and came close to scoring when Rizal Ganief set up Gibson Bardsley with a great through ball. However, goalkeeper Andrew Fink rose to the occasion and pulled off a sensational save to keep the match scoreless. Finally—at the 55^th minute mark—the Rovers took the well-deserved lead when Bobby Jhutty stole the ball from a Surrey United defender just outside the penalty area and, without a moment’s hesitation, blasted it into the bottom corner of the net. Ten minutes later, the Rovers doubled their lead when Danny Chahal and Sidd Achtukin combined to set up Dever Orgill, whose subsequent shot from well inside the penalty area found the back of the Firefighters’ net. The Rovers continued to attack and almost extended their lead on a couple of occasions, but Andrew Fink once again came up with two excellent saves on shots by Sunny Bains. At this point, the match took a bizarre twist as the Firefighters threw caution to the wind and began to take control of the match in a desperate attempt to get back into the game. Surrey United was rewarded at the 75^th minute mark when young Kyree Melo set up Sean Einarsson—at the edge of the goal area—with an immaculate pass. Einarsson had no difficulty in slotting the ball home from a short distance, thus reducing the Rovers’ lead to one goal. Ten minutes later—at the 85^th minute mark—the Firemen knotted the score with a goal that much resembled their earlier one. On this occasion, it was Justin Carvery that sent a dangerous ball into the Rovers’ 6-yard box, where Angus Burke calmly converted it into the tying goal from close range. Just before the final whistle, Surrey United added insult to the Rovers’ injury by scoring the winning goal when Colin Streckmann converted a well-taken corner kick by Justin Carvery with a low, unstoppable shot. The entire Surrey United team should be congratulated for their gutsy performance but special mention should be made of goalkeeper Andrew Fink, midfielder Justin Carvery, and defenders Stefan Leslie and Colin Streckmann for their outstanding performances. Despite the heart-breaking loss, forward Dever Orgill, defenders Danny Chahal and David Hill, as well as midfielders Phil Kotter and Bobby Jhutty, played extremely well for the Rovers. The victory improves Surrey United’s record to 8-0-6, while the Rovers slip to 5^th place, with 22 points from 15 games.

 DELTA UNITED HURRICANES  -  METRO-FORD WOLVES  2-1:  Also on Saturday, at Coquitlam Town Centre, the Delta United Hurricanes edged the Metro-Ford Wolves by a 2-1 scoreline after a hard-fought 90 minutes of action. The first half was quite evenly played with both teams taking turns attacking and defending. Metro-Ford took the lead midway through the first half when a couple of youngsters—Domenic Delli Santi and Jules Chopin—played a clever one-two that resulted in Chopin making a great run towards the Delta goal before depositing the ball into the back of the net, behind veteran goalkeeper Drew Smiley. Near the end of the first half, the Wolves almost doubled their lead, but young veteran Andrew Veer watched agonizingly as his long-range blast bounced off the cross-bar and out of danger, with Smiley well-beaten. The second half, on the other hand, was totally dominated by the Hurricanes, mostly due to the fact that the Wolves were reduced to 10 men at the 55^th minute mark when young defender Kyle Jones was sent off for having denied an obvious goalscoring opportunity. The infraction occurred when Delta’s Cam Hundal was fouled by Jones just outside the Metro-Ford penalty area as he was streaking towards goal on a breakaway. This proved to be the turning point of the match as the Hurricanes took full control of the situation and created numerous goalscoring chances. In particular, Oscar Jimenez, Rylan Sangha, and Cam Hundal had their excellent opportunities go awry as their shots barely missed the target. Finally, at the 80^th minute mark, Delta United was able to knot the score when Dave Chohan took advantage of a goalmouth scramble, pounced on the loose ball, and quickly deposited it into the back of the net for the equalizer. A few minutes later, the Hurricanes put the Wolves out of their misery by scoring the winning goal when Dave Chohan became the provider as he set up a wide-open Oscar Jimenez with a picture-perfect pass. Jimenez proceeded to unleash a wicked drive from the edge of the penalty area, a shot that gave goalkeeper Dennis Kindel no chance whatsoever. Defensively, Gurj Sandhu played extremely well for the Hurricanes, while midfielders Cam Hundal and Gagan Josan—as well as strikers Cam Hundal and Dave Chohan—also turned in excellent performances. For Metro-Ford, Andrew Veer was solid in his midfield—and subsequently defensive—position, albeit in a losing cause. Delta United improves its record to 5-4-6 and thus catapults over the Wolves into 7^th place. Metro-Ford, on the other hand, slips to 8^th place, with a mediocre 5-3-7 record.

 CROATIA SC  -  ESTRELLA de CHILE  3-3:   Also on Saturday, at Trillium Park in Vancouver,  Croatia SC gained a valuable point in holding the heavily-favoured Estrella de Chile to a 3-3 draw . Believe it or not, the Chileans took a 3-0 halftime lead but surrendered 3 second half goals, thus allowing the Croatians to secure the tie. Estrella de Chile dominated the first part of the match and created several goalscoring opportunities in the early stages. In particular, Habil Otieno, Eric Ray, and Narcisse Tchoumi missed clear-cut chances, thus leaving the game scoreless until the 31^st minute mark. At this point, the Chileans were finally able to take the lead on Habil Otieno’s diving header—on a fine cross by Eric Ray, subsequently flicked on by Murtada Almatrood. Shortly thereafter, Estrella de Chile added a second goal, once again on a header by Habil Otieno and, once again, on a cross by Eric Ray—this time on a corner kick. Just before the halftime whistle, Brian Dottin scored what appeared to be the Chileans’ insurance marker after he was sent on a breakaway by none other than Eric Ray.  Very early in the second half, Estrella de Chile almost added to their apparent insurmountable lead when Habil Otieno’s header—on a cross from Vanja Vukovic—barely missed the net. Shortly thereafter, at about the 55^th minute mark, the match took a sharp turn when Chile’s Adrian Francisco received his second caution of the contest and was therefore dismissed from the match. Immediately thereafter, the Croatians took advantage of the situation and narrowed the margin when Matteo Agnoloni headed home a well-taken free kick by Johnny Sulentic. Ten minutes later, Sulentic became the finisher as he blasted a long-range shot into the back of the Estrella net. Late in the match, the luckless Chileans gave up the tying goal—in bizarre fashion—as  Lucas Sweda’s rather harmless cross bounced off Gustavo Ramirez and into the net. Estrella de Chile’s central defender Narcisse Tchoumi was a tower of strength throughout the match, while midfielder Eric Ray and forward Habil Otieno also played very well, albeit in a disappointing result. Needless to say, former professional Johnny Sulentic was his usual skillful self in the Croatian midfield as he led his team throughout the match with his ball control and passing ability. The result drops Estrella de Chile to 4^th place in the Premier Division standings, with a 8-2-5 record, while Croatia SC remains in penultimate place, with only 12 points out of 15 matches.

 COLUMBUS FC  -  RICHMOND FC HIBERNIANS  1-0:  The last Saturday match was played at South Memorial Park in Vancouver and featured two very talented teams: the hosting Columbus FC and the visiting Richmond FC Hibernians. After an exciting 90 minutes of play, the ‘Italians’ walked away with a hard-earned 1-0 victory, thus preserving their narrow lead at the top of the table. The Hibernians came out of the starting gate with vigour and almost took the lead very early in the match when Geoff Salt sent Cam Stokes flying towards the Columbus net with a sublime pass. Unfortunately for the Hibernian clan, Stokes’ shot barely missed the target as it sailed over the crossbar. The visitors kept pressing and shortly thereafter they once again came close to scoring when Devon Smith narrowly missed the top corner of the net with a cracking free-kick. At this point, the league-leading Columbus squad appeared to wake up and started applying some pressure on the Richmond backline. As a result, Columbus FC was able to create some goalscoring chances of its own. In particular, Milad Rahmati had a clear-cut opportunity brilliantly saved by young goalkeeper Jason Roberts, while Kaz Kikuchi’s header—from a brilliant cross by Ylya Malek—sailed just wide of the net. At the other end of the pitch, the Hibernians also came close to scoring when Marco Sammarco—after having received a great through ball from Cam Stokes—had his wicked shot amazingly saved by Erman Ozkan. Then, at the 40^th minute mark, Columbus FC was awarded a penalty kick when Kaz Kikuchi was fouled inside the penalty area by Stu Walters and/or Connor Radil. Steve DeBlasio stepped up to the plate but Jason Roberts pulled off yet another outstanding save to keep the match scoreless till the halftime whistle. The second half was more or less a repeat of the first as both teams tried hard to score the opening goal. However, some excellent goalkeeping by Columbus’ Erman Ozkan and Richmond’s Jason Roberts kept both teams off the score-sheet. However, just before the final whistle, Columbus FC was able to lay claim to all 3 points when a Steve DeBlasio cross found a wide open Stefano Pannu inside the Richmond penalty area. Without a moment’s hesitation, Pannu calmly deposited the ball into the back of the net for the game’s lone goal. Forwards Milad Rahmati and Kazunori Kikuchi played very well for Columbus FC, while goalkeeper Erman Ozkan fully earned his clean-sheet with some excellent saves. The entire Richmond team also played well, but special mention should be made of youth call-up goalkeeper Jason Roberts for keeping the vaunted Columbus forwards at bay with some miraculous saves. Columbus FC thus remains in first place, with a remarkable 11-3-1 record, while the Richmond Hibernians remain in 9^th place, with 16 points out of 15 games.

 SURREY UNITED FIREFIGHTERS  -  NORVAN PACIFIC  2-1:  On Monday evening, at Cloverdale Athletic Park in Surrey, a make-up game between the hosting Surrey United Firefighters and the visiting Norvan Pacific took place. At the end of a hard-fought 90 minutes of play, the defending BC Provincial Cup champions walked away with a 2-1 victory, a result that leap-frogs them into third place, one point ahead of Estrella de Chile. At about the 20^th minute mark, Surrey United took the lead when Justin Carvery’s free-kick was converted into the go-ahead goal by Scott McEachern’s fine header. Late in the first half, Norvan Pacific almost tied things up but Matt Hartwell—after having been sent on a breakaway by Jamie Casey—was thwarted by goalkeeper Andrew Fink’s amazing save. The visitors threw caution to the wind in the second half and—led by the excellent play of former Whitecap Martin Nash—took over the reins of the match. However, chances by Blake Burgon, Jordan Miller, and Greg Muir were either saved by Andrew Fink or barely missed the target. As luck would have it, its was Surrey United that succeeded in scoring the next goal when, at the 75^th minute mark, Andrew Reed took a quick free kick and sent Angus Burke flying towards the Norvan net on a breakaway. Burke—last season’s GOLDEN BOOT AWARD winner clinically finished off the play, giving the Firefighters a 2-0 lead. To their credit, the Norvan lads did not give up and bounced back a few minutes later when Matt Hartwell narrowed the margin as he headed home one of Martin Nash’s patented crosses. Norvan Pacific pressed hard during the remaining few minutes but the Firefighters held on to their narrow margin of victory. Defensively, Surrey United’s Stefan Leslie, Scott McEachern, Matt Rosenlund, and Andrew Reed played extremely well as they limited Norvan’s chances to a minimum. For the visiting Norvan team, midfielder Martin Nash turned in a superlative performance, while forwards Matt Hartwell and Blake Burgon worked tirelessly throughout the contest. Surrey United’s record thus improves to 9-0-6, good for 3^rd place in the standings, while Norvan Pacific remains in 10^th place, with 14 points out of 15 games.

 TEAM OF THE WEEK:  CROATIA SC for its incredible come-back 3-3 tie against the heavily-favoured Estrella de Chile. After surrendering 3 first-half goals, the Croatians battled back tenaciously during the second half and were able to score 3 unanswered goals to secure the all-important draw. Led by the excellent performance of former professional Johnny Sulentic, Croatia SC fully deserved the tie!

 PLAYER OF THE WEEK:  West Van FC’s forward JESSE FETTERLEY for his remarkable  performance in his team’s elaborate 3-0 victory over Norvan Pacific in the much acclaimed ‘North Shore Derby’. Not only did Fetterley score a great goal, but he also set up the other two with great passes—after having made fantastic runs down the flank. For his outstanding performance this past week, JESSE FETTERLEY will receive a prize of a pizza for two, compliments of  THE GOLDEN BOOT CAFFE`. The prize is available up to 2013-01-16.

 <><><><><><><><><><><><><><> 

2012-12-10

PREMIER DIVISION – WEEK #14

Oddly, 5 of the 6 Premier Division games played this past weekend resulted in victories for the visiting teams. So much for home team advantage! One of the ‘away’ victories was also a major upset as the Richmond Hibernians edged the highly-ranked Estrella de Chile by a 1-0 margin on Friday evening at Burnaby Lake West Complex. This coming weekend—December 14/15/16, 2012—will be the last one before the Christmas break as play will resume on January 4/5/6, 2013.

RICHMOND FC HIBERNIANS  -  ESTRELLA de CHILE  1-0:  On Friday evening, at Burnaby Lake West Complex, the visiting Hibernians upset the highly-rated—but somewhat unpredictable—Estrella de Chile by a narrow 1-0 margin. The match was fast-paced and evenly-played with both teams taking turns attacking and defending during the entire 90 minutes. Early in the contest—at about the 10^th minute mark—Estrella de Chile almost took the lead when Brian Dottin raced in on goal on a breakaway only to have goalkeeper Jason Roberts—a youth call-up—come up with an excellent save. Immediately thereafter, Richmond FC also came close to scoring when Brad Caldwell flicked Roberts’ clearance onto the path of Devon Smith whose subsequent shot barely missed the target. Then, at the 17^th minute mark, Brian Dottin was once again denied a goalscoring opportunity by Jason Roberts as the youngster pulled off yet another splendid save. Shortly thereafter, it was the Hibernians’ turn to almost take the lead when Devon Smith’s excellent shot sailed just wide of the net. The two teams continued to trade goalscoring chances as Estrella de Chile’s Admir Salihovic blasted a dangerous shot towards the Richmond goal, only to have Jason Roberts punch the ball over the bar. Then, at the 35^th minute mark, the Chileans once again came close to taking the lead, but Eric Ray’s shot sailed over the crossbar. The second half was more or less a repeat of the first as both teams had several golden opportunities to score. Very early in the second half, Vladimir Vukovic was brilliantly set up by Eric Ray and proceeded to fire a wicked shot towards the Richmond goal. However, Jason Roberts once again came to the rescue and made a fine save. At the other end of the pitch, Devon Smith sent a dangerous cross/shot towards the Chilean goal from long-range, a shot that eventually skimmed the outside of the goal-post. Then, at the 57^th minute mark, it was the Chileans’ turn to almost open the scoring when Eric Ray’s long-range shot caught Jason Roberts out of position. However, the youngster was able to retreat quickly and clear the ball over the cross-bar. At the 70^th minute mark, an excellent cross by Richmond’s Matt Rota found a wide-open Peter Chivers who proceeded to head the ball towards the Chilean net. Unfortunately for Chivers, and the rest of the Hibernian clan, the ball sailed over the cross-bar. A few minutes later, Estrella de Chile appeared to take the lead when Eric Ray sent a streaking Murtada Almatrood on a breakaway with an exquisite pass. Almatrood raced in on goal and calmly slotted the ball into the back of the Richmond net, only to have the referee nullify the goal because of an offside infraction called by the assistant referee. As luck would have it, only a few minutes later, the Hibernians scored the lone goal of the contest when Cam Stokes made a great run down the right flank, cut inside and blasted a low, hard drive into the bottom corner of the net. The Hibernians defended tenaciously for the remainder of the match and were able to hold on to their narrow lead till the final whistle. The entire Richmond FC team played remarkably well in securing the upset victory, but special mention should be made of goalkeeper Jason Roberts, defender Darren Suderman, and midfielders Matt Rota, Devon Smith, and Geoff Salt for their remarkable performances. Despite the heart-breaking loss, Estrella de Chile’s midfielders Narcisse Tchoumi and Eric Ray—as well as forward Admir Salihovic and defender Josh Hardy—played extremely well. The Hibernians’ upset victory improves their record to 4-4-6, good for 8^th place in the Premier Division standings, while Estrella de Chile remains in 3^rd place, with 25 points from 14 matches.

COLUMBUS FC  -  VANCOUVER OLYMPICS  4-0:  Also on Friday, at South Memorial Park in Vancouver, the clash between the league leading Columbus FC and the last place Vancouver Olympics ended in predictable fashion as the ‘Italians’ walked away with a clear-cut 4-0 victory after a rather interesting 90 minutes of action. The Olympics got off to a bright start and—led by Gianluca Zavarise and Franco Randazzo—carried most of the play during the entire first half. As luck would have it, however, it was Columbus FC that took the lead midway through the first half on a lethal counter-attack as Milad Rahmati sent Tino Cucca flying towards the Olympics goal with a great through ball. Cucca made no mistake and finished the play clinically as he slotted the ball into the back of the Olympics’ net for what proved to be the winning goal. Early in the second half, Columbus added insult to the Olympics’ injury when young Jevin Hillis sent Brendan Campbell down the right flank with a picture-perfect pass. Campbell’s subsequent shot was saved by goalkeeper Amraj Lally, only to have Milad Rahmati pick up the rebound and slot the ball home from close range. A few minutes later, Columbus put the game out of the Olympics’ reach as Tino Cucca—after having been set up by Jonathan Poli—scored his team’s third goal from well inside the 18-yard box. Late in the game, Sheu Fortunato sent Brendan Campbell on a breakaway with yet another perfect pass. Campbell was then fouled inside the penalty area by goalkeeper Amraj Lally, resulting in a penalty kick being awarded to Columbus FC. Campbell himself stepped up to the plate and easily converted the spot shot into his team’s foruth, and final, goal. Defenders Jonathan Poli, Jimmy Thompson, Stefano Pannu, and young Stefano Bortolussi played extremely well for Columbus FC as they made life relatively easy for goalkeeper Erman Ozkan as he earned yet another clean sheet. Also, forward Jevin Hillis and midfielders Brendan Campbell and Tino Cucca played remarkably well for the victors. For the Vancouver Olympics, midfielders Robert Sing and Justin Isidro worked tirelessly throughout the entire match, while forwards Gianluca Zavarise and Franco Randazzo also played very well, albeit in a losing cause. The victory maintains Columbus’ narrow 1-point lead at the top of the table—with a 10-3-1 record--, while the Olympics slip further into the relegation abyss, with only 8 points out of 14 games.

WEST VAN FC  -  ROVERS CCBTU   2-1:   On Saturday, at Newton Athletic Park in Surrey, West Van FC defeated the hosting Rovers CCBTU by a hard-earned 2-1 margin, thus keeping alive their hopes of catching league leading Columbus FC.  The former Trollers got off to a good start and came close to scoring on a few occasions, but efforts by Jesse Fetterley and Ryan Glanville were brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Chris Beck. Then, at the 25^th minute mark, West Van FC finally took the lead when veteran midfielder Paul Dailly sent Jesse Fetterley on a breakaway with a magnificent through ball. Fetterley’s initial shot, however, was once again saved by Beck. However, on this occasion, Ryan Glanville pounced on the rebound and slotted the ball home for West Van’s go-ahead goal. The Rovers replied tenaciously and came close to knotting the score shortly thereafter when Dever Orgill took possession of the ball in the middle of the field, raced towards the West Van goal, beat the goalkeeper, but had his shot blocked by defender Alan McIndoe. Early in the second half, the Rovers once again came close to tying things up but Gibson Bardsley—after having been set up by Rizal Ganief—watched agonizingly as his goal-bound shot was saved by goalkeeper Garth Lagasse. Soon thereafter—at about the 60^th minute mark—West Van FC extended its lead when Paul Dailly scored directly from a corner kick, in typical Paul Dailly fashion! The Rovers refused to give up and once again bounced back, this time successfully. In fact, at about the 80^th minute mark, the Rovers narrowed the margin when Rizal Ganief took advantage of a scramble inside the West Van 18-yard box—resulting from a cross by Helge Neumann—and slotted the ball home from long range for the Rovers’ lone goal. The entire West Van team played very well, but special mention should be made of the defensive backline—comprised of Jeff Rogers, Trevor Short, Leo Nash, and Drew Gelley—for holding off the skillful and speedy Rovers attackers for most of the match. Striker Ryan Glanville was a going concern all game long, as he drove the Rovers defenders to distraction with his size, strength, and pace. For the Rovers, goalkeeper Chris Beck once again turned in an admirable performance as he made numerous excellent saves during the match. Defensively, Helge Neumann, Joel Malouf, and Derrick Bassi gave their all in an effort to keep the vaunted West Van strikers at bay, while midfielders Juan Sanchez and Rizal Ganief worked tirelessly throughout the contest. The victory keeps West Van FC in second place, with a 10-2-2 record, one point behind Columbus FC. The Rovers, on the other hand, remain in 4^th place, with 22 points from 14 games.

SURREY UNITED FIREFIGHTERS  -  CROATIA SC  4-2:  The second Saturday game took place at Trillium Park in Vancouver between the hosting Croatia SC and the visiting Surrey United Firefighters. After a very interesting and rather exciting 90 minutes of non-stop action, the Firemen walked away with a hard-earned 4-2 victory, a result that leaves the Croatians in penultimate place in the Premier Division standings. Very early in the contest, Croatia’s newly-signed youngster—Gilbert Kyne—was fouled inside the Surrey United penalty area by goalkeeper Andrew Fink, resulting in a penalty kick being awarded to the Croatians. Pawel Gorzkowski stepped up to the plate to take the spot shot, but Andrew Fink redeemed himself for his earlier ‘faux pas’ and pulled off a great save to keep the game scoreless. Then, midway through the first half, Surrey United took the lead when Liam Miller made a great run down the right flank before crossing the ball onto the path of Angus Burke who had no difficulty in finishing off the play with a clinical shot. The Croatians bounced back and came close to tying things up shortly thereafter, once again on a penalty kick. On this occasion, Lucas Sweda was tripped inside the Surrey United 18-yard box by defender Andrew Reed. Once again, however, goalkeeper Andrew Fink pulled off another diving save, this time on a penalty kick taken by Ryan Zaharija. The Firefighters took full advantage of the situation and added to their lead a few minutes later with a goal that fully resembled their first one. This time, it was Ryan Reynolds that made a dangerous run down the right wing before crossing the ball to none other than Angus Burke, whose final touch was magical and lethal. Late in the first half, Surrey United scored what proved to be the winning goal in bizarre fashion as Ivan Prpic attempted to pass the ball to a teammate, but inadvertently placed it in the back of his own net. Despite their unlucky first 45 minutes, the Croatians rallied energetically during the second half and made life miserable for the visitors. At about the 55^th minute mark, the Croatians were rewarded for their grit and determination when David Zaharija converted a fine pass from Gilbert Kyne into his team’s first goal.. About 15 minutes later, Croatia SC was able to draw within a goal of the Firefighters when a patented Johnny Sulentic corner kick found a diving Ross Clark, whose subsequent header gave goalkeeper Andrew Fink no chance whatsoever.  Things turned ugly at about the 80^th minute mark when a hockey-style brawl broke out, a brawl involving several players from both teams. As a result, 2 players from each team—Croatia’s Gilbert Kyne and David Zaharija, and Surrey United’s Joseph Martin and Andrew Proctor—were sent off. Five minutes later, Surrey United put the game out of Croatia’s reach when Angus Burke competed his hat-trick, this time on a breakaway, after receiving a fine pass from young Kyree Melo. Needless to say, Surrey United’s Angus Burke turned in a superlative performance as he scored 3 excellent goals, while goalkeeper Andrew Fink pulled off a couple of miraculous penalty kick saves. For Croatia SC, young veteran—and former professional—Johnny Sulentic was his usual composed self in the middle of the park as he distributed the ball impeccably to his teammates. The hard-earned victory improves the Firefighters’ record to 7-0-6, good for 5^th place in the Premier Division standings, while Croatia SC remains near the bottom of the table, with only 1 points from 14 matches.

NORVAN PACIFIC  -  METRO-FORD WOLVES  2-1:   Also on Saturday, at Confederation Park in North Vancouver, Norvan Pacific climbed out of the dreaded relegation zone by defeating the unpredictable Metro-Ford Wolves by a 2-1 margin. The first part of the match was very evenly played as neither team took any serious risks in fear of leaving themselves exposed. However, midway through the first half, Norvan took the lead when Blake Burgon raced down the left wing, cut back quickly, and delivered an immaculate right-foot cross into the Metro-Ford box, a cross that found a wide-open Matt Hartwell at the edge of the goal area. Harwell’s subsequent volley was placed precisely into the bottom corner of the net for the game’s opening goal. Near the end of the first half, the home team scored what proved to be the winning goal when Nick Seddon flicked a long throw-in to the far post, where Matt Hartwell had no difficulty in tapping the ball into the back of the Metro-Ford net for his second tally of the match and what proved to be the winning goal. It should be noted that this was Hartwell’s 9^th goal of the season! The young Wolves played much better during the second half—mostly due to the insertion of young veterans Aaron Beattie and Andrew Veer—and pushed forward tenaciously. However, some excellent defending on the part of Nick Seddon, as well as some steady goalkeeping by Giancarlo Martino kept Metro-Ford off the score-sheet until the 70^th minute mark. At this point, a well-executed corner kick by Aaron Beattie created havoc inside the Norvan goal area and allowed Kyle Jones to head a bouncing ball into the net from very close range. The Wolves continued to press for the remainder of the match in search of the all-important equalizer and came close to succeeding at about the 80^th minute mark on yet another magical cross from Aaron Beattie. However, on this occasion, Anthony DiNicolo’s header bounced off the cross-bar and out of danger, with Giancarlo Martino well-beaten. At the other end of the pitch, the Norvan forwards were very dangerous on the counter-attack and came close to scoring on a couple of occasions, but some excellent goalkeeping on the part of Dennis Kindel kept the scoreline at 2-1 till the final whistle. Defender Nick Seddon, midfielder Sebastian Crema, and particularly forward Matt Hartwell played extremely well for Norvan Pacific as they guided their team to the all-important victory. For Metro-Ford, young veteran Aaron Beattie turned in a superlative performance in his right full-back position, while midfielder Andrew Veer dictated the pace of the match when he entered the field in the second half. As a result of the victory, Norvan Pacific’s record improves to 4-2-7, good for 10^th place in the Premier Division standings, while the Metro-Ford Wolves drop to 7^th place, with 18 points from 14 games.

ICST PEGASUS  -  DELTA UNITED HURRICANES  2-1:  The last match of the weekend was played on Sunday at John Oliver Park in Delta between two ‘middle-of-the-pack’ teams: the hosting Delta United and the defending Premier Division champions, ICST Pegasus. At the end of 90 minutes of play, the visiting Pegasus lads walked away with a hard-fought—but well-deserved—2-1 victory. The first half was evenly-played with both teams defending very well. At the 20^th minute mark, Pegasus took the lead when Ryan Powell finished off a brilliant 3-way passing play—which also involved Jag Gill and Omari Aldridge—from close range. The Hurricanes tied things up a few minutes later when young Gagan Josan unleashed a wicked long-range shot from the edge of the penalty area, a shot that was subsequently saved by goalkeeper Serge Djekanovic. Unfortunately for Pegasus, the ball then bounced off the back of Jag Sajan into his own net. The second half told a totally different story as the Pegasus lads threw caution to the wind in search of the all-important 3 points and, in so doing, created numerous goalscoring chances. In particular, Mo Aziz hit the crossbar with a wicked long-range shot, while opportunities by Omari Aldridge, Javid Khan, and Jag Gill were magnificently saved by veteran Delta goalkeeper, Drew Smiley. However, midway through the second half, ICST Pegasus re-established its lead when Gurjit Dhaliwal muscled his way through numerous Delta defenders and finally slotted the ball into the net from close range, thus scoring the winning goal. The visitors kept pressing and came close to adding to their lead late in the game, but chances by Sahil Sandhu, Jag Gill, Javid Khan, and Gurjit Dhaliwal all went awry. Defenders Sat Dhaliwal and Deep Toor played extremely well for ICST Pegasus, while forward Gurjit Dhaliwal was a going concern throughout the match as he caused the Delta defenders endless problems. For Delta United, goalkeeper Drew Smiley pulled off some brilliant saves, thus keeping the scoreline respectable. The victory elevates ICST Pegasus to sole possession of 6^th place, with an even record of 5-4-5. The Delta Hurricanes, on the other hand, slip to 8^th place, with 16 points out of 14 games.

TEAM OF THE WEEK:  RICHMOND FC HIBERNIANS for their 1-0 upset victory over Estrella de Chile. Led by the brilliant performances of defender Darren Suderman, midfielders Matt Rota, Devon Smith, and Geoff Salt, and most particularly of young goalkeeper Jason Roberts, Richmond FC was able to defeat the very talented Chileans, albeit by the narrowest of margins.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK:  Norvan Pacific’s forward MATT HARTWELL for his amazing 2-goal performance in his team’s upset 2-1 victory over the Metro-Ford Wolves, and Surrey United’s ANGUS BURKE for his hat-trick performance against Croatia SC. All five goals were things of beauty and led the two teams to all-important victories.   For their outstanding performances this past week, MATT HARTWELL  and ANGUS BURKE will each receive a prize of a pizza for two, compliments of  THE GOLDEN BOOT CAFFE`. The prize is available up to 2013-01-09.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

2012-12-03

PREMIER DIVISION – WEEK #13

A couple of ‘semi-upsets’ took place this past weekend as the Metro-Ford Wolves demolished the aspiring Rovers CCBTU by an embarrassing 7-1 margin, while the last place Vancouver Olympics defeated the Richmond Hibernians by a 3-1 score. At the top of the table, Columbus FC remained in first place by virtue of its narrow 1-0 victory over the Delta United Hurricanes.

ICST PEGASUS  -  NORVAN PACIFIC  2-2:  On Friday evening, at Newton Athletic Park in Surrey, the defending VMSL Premier Division champions—ICST Pegasus—continued to struggle and had to settle for a 2-2 tie with the lowly Norvan Pacific.  Pegasus controlled most of the play throughout the first half, while the visiting North Shore team mostly defended and counter-attacked. After a scoreless initial 45 minutes, the home team started to apply more pressure on the Norvan defence in the second half and created a few excellent goalscoring opportunities. However, efforts by Jag Gill and Omari Aldridge went awry and the game remained scoreless until the 60^th minute mark. At this point, ICST Pegasus finally took the lead when Jag Gill finished off a fine individual effort as he rifled an unstoppable shot from the edge of the penalty area into the top corner of the Norvan net. The visitors bounced back immediately and knotted the score shortly thereafter when a well-taken free-kick by Nathan Harte was powerfully headed into the Pegasus goal by Nick Seddon. Then, at about the 70^th minute mark—Norvan Pacific added insult to Pegasus’ injury by scoring the go-ahead goal as a result of yet another Nathan Harte free-kick. On this occasion, Harte’s free-kick hit the cross-bar and landed at the feet of Blake Burgon who had no difficulty in picking up the rebound and slotting the ball home from close range. The Pegasus lads responded in kind and tied things up at the 80^th minute mark when Omari Aldridge picked up a rebound and slotted the ball into the back of the net for the equalizer. Norvan tried hard to regain the lead and almost succeeded in injury time when Matt Hartwell had his rocket of a shot brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Andy Singh. Greg Muir and Sebastian Crema played extremely well in the Norvan midfield while, Nick Seddon and Brent Dodge were rock-solid on the visitors’ backline. Also, forward Matt Hartwell was a constant threat—particularly in the second half.  For ICST Pegasus, goalkeeper Andy Singh had to be sharp on several occasions in the second half, while Omari Aldridge worked indefatigably throughout the contest in his midfield position. Defender Moe Aziz also deserves special mention for his stellar performance on the Pegasus backline. The result leaves Pegasus in a disappointing 7^th place, with a 4-4-5 record, while Norvan Pacific climbs to 10^th place, with 11 points out of 12 games.

COLUMBUS FC  -  DELTA UNITED HURRICANES  1-0:  On Saturday, at Trillium Park in Vancouver, Columbus FC remained in first place in the Premier Division standings by edging the visiting Delta United Hurricanes by a 1-0 scoreline, after a hard-fought and exciting 90 minutes of non-stop action. The ‘Italians’ got off to a positive start and came close to scoring in the early going on a few occasions, but chances by Kaz Kikuchi and Steve DeBlasio went awry, while veteran goalkeeper Drew Smiley was forced to make a phenomenal save on a close-range shot by Ylya Malek, after he had been set up by Stefano Bortolussi.  Delta United bounced back and also came close to scoring—at about the 30^th minute mark—when Gagan Josan—after having beaten a couple of Columbus defenders—unleashed a wicked shot that seemed destined for the back of the net. Unfortunately for the Hurricanes, Josan’s shot barely missed the net, probably due to a slight deflection on the part of defender Devon Greenside. Late in the first half, Columbus FC scored what proved to be the winning goal when a well-taken corner kick by Steve DeBlasio was converted into the lone goal of the match by Kazunori Kikuchi from close range.  Just before the halftime whistle, Delta United nearly tied things up when Joti Thind—after having received a great pass from young Rylan Sangha—blasted a shot towards the Columbus net, a shot that barely missed the target with goalkeeper Thomas Lindley well beaten. In the second half, the Hurricanes attacked in determined fashion, but the Columbus backline—composed of Jonathan Poli, Jimmy Thompson, Blair Robertson, and young Stefano Bortolussi—defended tenaciously, thus limiting the Delta United scoring chances to a minimum. However, just before the final whistle, the Hurricanes came very close to knotting the score but a well-taken shot by Cam Hundal was partially saved by Thomas Lindley and eventually cleared off the goal-line by Stefano Pannu, thus preserving Columbus’ victory and Lindley’s clean-sheet. As mentioned earlier, Columbus’ defenders Blair Robertson, Stefano Bortolussi, Jimmy Thompson, and Jonathan Poli were rock-solid throughout the contest, while goalkeeper Thomas Lindley recorded yet another shutout. For the Hurricanes, defenders Gurj Sandhu and Jesse Dhami played extremely well as they held off Columbus’ vaunted attackers for most of the match, while forwards Harp Khakh and Cam Hundal also performed admirably, albeit in a losing cause. As a result of the hard-earned victory, Columbus FC remains in first place, with a remarkable 9-3-1 record, while Delta United slips to 7^th place with 16 points out of 13 matches.

METRO-FORD WOLVES  -  ROVERS CCBTU   7-1:  Also on Saturday, at Coquitlam Town Centre, the Metro-Ford Wolves won their second consecutive game, this one at the expense of the visiting Rovers CCBTU by an elaborate 7-1 margin.  The first half was very evenly played as both teams used a great degree of caution and, as a result, only one goal was scored. Early in the match, Metro-Ford almost took the lead when Dom Delli Santi raced in goal on a breakaway but his effort was stymied by goalkeeper Chris Beck. Soon thereafter, Delli Santi had to be substituted due to an injury and he was replaced by Luigi Pantusa. At the 20^th minute mark, the Wolves took the lead when Luigi Pantusa—with his first touch of the match—sailed an immaculate free-kick into the Rovers’ penalty area where veteran Russel Huggon was able to rise above several defenders and head the ball home for the go-ahead goal. Soon thereafter, the Rovers almost knotted the score when Jacob Lensky sent Justin Sidhu sailing towards the Metro-Ford goal on a breakaway with a picture-perfect pass. However, goalkeeper Dennis Kindel rose to the occasion and pulled off a magnificent save, thus keeping the score at 1-0 for Metro-Ford till the halftime whistle. Early in the second half the Wolves doubled their lead when Anthony DiNicolo unleashed a rocket of a shot from well outside the Rovers penalty area, a shot that found the top corner of the net, giving goalkeeper Chris Beck no chance whatsoever. Then—at the 60^th minute mark—goalkeeper Chris Beck collided with a Metro-Ford forward and went to the ground injured. Play continued and youth pick-up Mitchell Popadynetz was eventually able to slot the ball into the net from close range with Beck still on the ground. Due to the controversy of the goal, the Wolves applied the ‘fair-play’ rule and allowed the Rovers to score from the subsequent kick-off as Rizal Ganief waltzed in on goal and deposited the ball into the Metro-Ford net without being challenged. A few minutes later—at the 65^th minute mark—Adam Jones restored Metro-Ford’s 3-goal lead when he received another great cross from Luigi Pantusa, controlled the ball skillfully and slotted it into the back of the Rovers’ net from close range. Five minutes later, Adam Jones added his second goal of the contest, this time on a pass from defender Carson Gill. Then, at the 75^th minute mark, Adam Jones completed his hat-trick as he played a brilliant one-two with teammate David Suh and finished off the play with a clever chip shot over the head of goalkeeper Chris Beck. Shortly thereafter, Adam Jones scored his 4^th goal of the match as he took advantage of a great pass from Luigi Pantusa, raced down the left flank and eventually bent the ball around the goalkeeper with a far-post shot. Needless to say, Adam Jones was instrumental in his team’s clear-cut victory as he scored 4 beautiful goals and also controlled the middle of the park with his wonderful skills. Not bad for an 18-year old! Midfielders Luigi Pantusa and Anthony DiNicolo also played a large part in their team’s success, while central defender Kyle Jones was rock-solid during the entire 90 minutes of play. Despite the rather humiliating loss, the Rovers’ goalkeeper Chris Beck and defender Derrick Bassi played quite well. The victory elevates the Wolves to 6^th place in the Premier Division standings, with an even 5-3-5 record. The Rovers, on the other hand, remain in 4^th place, with 22 points from 13 games.

WEST VAN FC  -  CROATIA SC  2-1:  The third Saturday game took place at Ambleside Part in West Vancouver and featured two teams at opposite ends of the table: the second place West Van FC and the penultimate Croatia SC. At the end of the day, the heavily-favoured former Trollers walked away with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over the visiting Croatians. As expected, the home team started applying pressure on the Croatia defence right from the opening whistle and came close to scoring on several occasions. However, some excellent goalkeeping on the part of Ante Boskovic—as well as some missed opportunities by the West Van forwards—kept the game scoreless until the 30^th minute mark. At this point—as luck would have it—it was Croatia SC that took the lead when Johnny Sulentic crossed the ball across the West Van penalty area to Kreso Ukalovic who immediately proceeded to cross it back into the box to an onrushing Pawel Gorzkowski. Gorzowski rose above several West Van defenders and proceeded to head the ball into the back of the West Van net. The home team continued to press for the rest of the first half in search of the equalizer, but efforts by Michael Nonni, Cathal O’Connor, and Jesse Fetterley all went awry. In the second half, West Van FC continued to dominate proceedings and applied a lot of pressure on the Croatian backline. However, headers by Ryan Glanville and Max Baessato—was well as a shot by Leo Nash—were cleared off the line by Croatian defenders. At the 55^th minute mark West Van FC finally equalized when a predictable Paul Dailly cross from the right flank found Michael Nonni  at the edge of the goal area. Nonni’s finishing touch was immaculate, tying the score at 1-1. Needless to say, West Van FC continued to press in search of the all-important winning goal and, in so doing, created numerous chances. However, young goalkeeper Ante Boskovic continued to amaze with some incredible saves. Late in the match—at about the 85^th minute mark—West Van FC was finally able to score the winning goal when veteran Paul Dailly blasted a long-range shot towards the Croatia goal. On its way to the goal, the ball was inadvertently deflected by defender Maarten Koorn into the net. The entire West Van team played very well but special mention should be made of central midfielder Will Molloy as he was very solid in his holding role and of forward Michael Nonni as he created problems for the Croatian defenders throughout the match. For Croatia SC, midfielders Johnny Sulentic and David Zaharija worked tirelessly during the entire 90 minutes, while goalkeeper Ante Boskovic was the main reason the score remained respectable. As a result of the victory, West Van FC remains in second place in the Premier Division standings—one point behind Columbus FC—with a remarkable 9-2-2 record. Croatia SC, on the other hand, slips to penultimate place with only 11 points from 13 games.

SURREY UNITED FIREFIGHTERS – ESTRELLA de CHILE   1-0:   Also on Saturday, the defending Provincial Cup champions—Surrey United—edged the visiting Estrella de Chile by a narrow 1-0 margin in a match played at Cloverdale Athletic Park in Surrey. The Firemen got off to a bright start and almost took the early lead when Justin Carvery’s wicked drive—from inside the penalty area—was brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Diego Oliveira. At this point both teams took turns creating goalscoring chances but the game remained scoreless till the 40^th minute mark when Surrey United took the lead as Andrew Reed and Justin Carvery combined to set up Colin Streckmann who finished off the play with a rocket of a shot that gave Oliveira no chance whatsoever. In the second half, the Chileans started to exert more pressure in search of the equalizer and came close to achieving their goal on several occasions. However, efforts by Habil Otieno, Narcisse Tchoumi, Admir Salihovic, Murtada Almatrood, and Vanja Vukovic either missed the target or were saved by Surrey United goalkeeper Andrew Fink. At the other end of the pitch, the Firefighters also came close to scoring what would have been their second goal, but Colin Streckmann had his excellent shot saved by Diego Oliveira and Justin Carvery barely missed the net on a full volley. Surrey United’s defender Colin Streckmann turned in a magnificent performance at both ends of the pitch. Not only did he score the game’s lone goal in phenomenal fashion, but he also defended tenaciously throughout the contest. Midfielder Justin Carvery and goalkeeper Andrew Fink also played very well for the victors. For the luckless Chileans, defenders Gustavo Ramirez and Josh Hardy turned in rock-solid performances, while midfielders Ricardo Alvarado and Habil Otieno worked tirelessly, albeit in a losing cause. The victory improves the Firefighters’ record to an even 6-0-6, while Estrella de Chile—despite the loss—remains in third place, with 25 points out of 13 matches.

VANCOUVER OLYMPICS  -   RICHMOND FC HIBERNIANS  3-1:  The last match of the weekend featured two teams in desperate need of points—the hosting Richmond FC Hibernians and the visiting Vancouver Olympics. The match was played at Minoru Oval in Richmond and ended in a 3-1 victory for the last-place Vancouver Olympics in what could be considered an upset.  The Hibernians got off to a positive start and almost took the lead early in the game when an Erik Olsen free-kick from the edge of the penalty area was brilliantly saved by the Olympics’ goalkeeper Marco D’Andrea. The Olympics replied in kind as Adrian Kekec’s terrific half-volley was well-saved by Richmond’s Simon Thomas. Near the end of a scoreless first half, things took a turn for the worst for the Hibernians when Erik Olsen was sent off the field for having received his second caution, thus reducing his team to 10 men. The Olympics took advantage of the situation and scored the opening goal very early in the second half on a wonderful passing play that involved 5 players: Frank Randazzo, Brinderjit Kang, Jeevi Rai, Hwang Sang, and Adrian Kekec. Sang’s final cross was cleverly one-touched into the net by Kekec for the Olympics’ go-ahead goal. Ten minutes later, the Vancouver Olympics doubled their lead with Hwang Sang finishing off an excellent pass from Yeo Yoon. Shortly thereafter—at the 63^rd minute mark—the Olympics put the game out of Richmond’s reach when Adrian Kekec scored his second goal of the match when he converted a fine pass from teammate Tony Dall’Antonia into his team’s third and final goal. To their credit, the Hibernians did not give up and were able to narrow the margin at the 75^th minute mark when Devon Smith took advantage of a messy goalmouth scramble and eventually slotted the ball into the back of the net, thus spoiling D’Andrea’s potential shutout. Late in the game, two more Richmond players—Rory Gattens and Marcus Brougham—were sent off the field of play, thus reducing their team to 8 players for the final few minutes. Defensively, the Olympics played extremely well as Frank Randazzo, Kevin Heaney, and Arnel Naidu  turned in rock-solid performances. Forward Adrian Kekec also deserves special mention for his goalscoring prowess and indomitable work-rate. The Olympics’ second victory of the season improves their record to 2-2-9, while the Hibernians remain in 9^th place, with 13 points from 13 games.

TEAM OF THE WEEK:  SURREY UNITED FIREFIGHTERS for their 1-0 upset victory over Estrella de Chile. Led by the brilliant performances of defender Colin Streckmann, midfielder Justin Carvery, and goalkeeper Andrew Fink, the Firefighters were able to defeat the very skilled and talented Chileans, albeit by the narrowest of margins.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK:  Metro-Ford Wolves’ 18-year old midfielder ADAM JONES for his amazing 4-goal performance in his team’s 7-1 victory over the Rovers CCBTU. Not only did Jones score four brilliant goals, but he also dictated the pace of the game in his central midfield position.   For his outstanding performance this past week, ADAM JONES  will receive a prize of a pizza for two, compliments of  THE GOLDEN BOOT CAFFE`. The prize is available up to 2012-12-30.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><> 

2012-11-27

 PREMIER DIVISION – WEEK #12

 No big upsets took place this past weekend and, as a result, the standings remained more or less the same. The one minor upset took place on Saturday at Newton Athletic Park where the visiting ICST Pegasus disposed of the previously high-flying Rover CCBTU by a rather clear-cut 3-1 margin.

 ESTRELLA de CHILE  -  VANCOUVER OLYMPICS  2-1:  On Friday evening, at Burnaby Lake West Complex, Estrella de Chile edged the visiting Vancouver Olympics by a narrow 2-1 margin. As the scoreline indicates, the game was hard-fought and evenly-played—despite the fact that it featured two teams at opposite ends of the Premier Division standings. The Chileans controlled the match during its early stages and had a few glorious goalscoring chances before they took the lead at the 39^th minute mark. Very early in the contest, Estrella’s Eric Ray unleashed a blistering shot from well outside the penalty area, a shot that forced goalkeeper Amraj Lalli to make a brilliant save. Then, at the 17^th minute mark, Eric Ray became the provider as he sent a picture-perfect corner kick into the Olympics’ box. Unfortunately for the Chileans, Narcisse Tchoumi’s subsequent header barely missed the target. With 5 minutes to go in the first half, Estrella de Chile finally took the well-deserved lead when Brian Dottin took advantage of an Olympics defensive blunder—on yet another Eric Ray corner kick—and buried the ball into the empty net from close range. The Vancouver Olympics bounced back in the second half and started exerting some pressure on the Chilean defence in search of the equalizer. However, Adrian Kekec’s header barely missed the net, while Rob Sing was robbed by goalkeeper Michael Newton. Also, Sasa Plavsic’s wicked free kick bounced off the cross-bar and out of danger. At the other end of the pitch, Admir Salihovic—back in action after a 2-week lay-off due to injury—caused numerous problems to the Olympics’ defence, but failed to finish off a couple of excellent scoring chances. Very late in the match—at about the 87^th minute mark—the Olympics were able to knot the score when Gianluca Zavarise took full advantage of a goal-mouth scramble, pounced on the loose ball and easily found the back of the net. However, a couple of minutes into injury time, Estrella de Chile restored its lead when Eric Ray—after having been set up by Mynor Campos—made a deep run down the right flank and sent an impeccable cross into the Olympics’ goal-area where Stephane Kemtcheu rose above all others before heading the ball into the  net for what proved to be the winning goal. For Estrella de Chile, goalkeeper Michael Newton had to be sharp on several occasions, while defender Ricardo Alvarado, midfielder Eric Ray, and forward Brian Dottin also played extermely well. Despite the loss, defender Hwang Sang—as well as midfielders Justin Isidro, Gianluca Zavarise, Jeevi Rai, and Tony Dahl—turned in positive performances for the Vancouver Olympics. The result keeps Estrells de Chile in third place in the Premier Division standings—with a 8-1-3 record, while the luckless Olympics remain mired in last place, with only 5 points from 12 games.

 COLUMBUS FC  -  NORVAN PACIFIC  6-1:  On Saturday, at Confederation Park in North Vancouver, the heavily-favoured Columbus FC predictably disposed of the struggling Norvan Pacific by an elaborate 6-1 margin. The match got off to a slow and rather lethargic start as neither team seemed interested in taking unwarranted risks. However, at about the 15^th minute mark, Norvan Pacific opened the scoring when a well-struck corner kick by Sebastian Crema found a wide-open Matt Hartwell who had no difficulty whatsoever in converting it into the opening goal from close range. This seemed to be the wake-up call that the ‘Italians’ needed as they bounced back tenaciously in search of the equalizer. However, some excellent defending on the part of Norvan’s Nick Seddon, Nathan Harte, Hee Young, and Kyle Guay kept the vaunted Columbus attackers at bay until the 35^th minute mark. At this point, Columbus finally knotted the score when Tino Cucca sent an immaculate through ball onto the path of Kazunori Kikuchi who proceeded to get behind the Norvan backline before unleashing an unstoppable shot into the back of the net, from just inside the penalty area. The second half told a totally different story as both teams threw caution to the wind and took turns attacking and creating goalscoring chances. Unfortunately for Norvan Pacific, not only were they not able to convert their chances, but they also allowed Columbus to counter-attack lethally on several occasions. Specifically, chances by Norvan’s Blake Burgon, Dave O’Connor, and Sebastian Crema—all orchestrated by former Whitecaps’ captain Martin Nash—went awry. Also, a great free kick by Martin Nash was brilliantly saved by Columbus’ goalkeeper Thomas Lindley. On the other hand—at the other end of the pitch—Columbus was able to convert its opportunities with no difficulty whatsoever. In fact, early in the second half, Columbus scored what proved to be the winning goal when Robbie Giezen and Kaz Kikuchi combined to set up Nathan Quan, whose subsequent one-timer found the back of the Norvan net. Soon thereafter, Robbie Giezen became the finisher as he completed an excellent give-and-go with veteran Tiarnan King to give Columbus a 3-1 lead. Then, midway through the second half, Tiarnan King sent Kaz Kikuchi on a breakaway with a perfectly-executed pass. Kikuchi raced in on goal all by himself and easily scored his second goal of the contest. Then, at about the 80^th minute mark, King sent Robbie Giezen on yet another breakway. Needless to say, Giezen easily tucked the ball into the back of the Norvan net, for his second goal of the game. Late in the match, Robbie Giezen completed his hat-trick as he picked up a loose ball inside the Norvan penalty area and blasted it into the net. Midfielders Nathan Quan and Robbie Giezen turned in superlative performances for the league-leaders, while forwards Tiarnan King and Kazunori Kikuchi also played remarkably well in a winning cause. The victory keeps Columbus FC in first place—one point ahead of West Van FC—with an impressive 8-3-1 record. Norvan Pacific, on the other hand, remains in penultimate place, with only 10 points out of 11 matches.

 METRO-FORD WOLVES  -  CROATIA SC   2-1:  Also on Saturday, at Trillium Park in Vancouver, the visiting Metro-Ford Wolves managed to squeak out a 2-1 victory over the hosting Croatia SC in a game between two teams in desperate need of points. The match between the two young teams was very evenly played with very few clear-cut goalscoring chances being created at both ends of the field. Croatia SC had most of the play in the early going and came close to scoring at the 5^th minute mark when veteran Johnny Sulentic set up young Kreso Ukalovic, whose subsequent shot from inside the 18-yard box was well saved by Metro-Ford’s goalkeeper Dennis Kindel. A few minutes later, the Croatians were able to take the lead with Johnny Sulentic once again in the picture. On this occasion, the former professional’s long-range free kick was brilliantly headed into the Metro-Ford net by young Tomislav Tomic. The rest of the first half was very evenly played with neither team taking any major risks. Early in the second half, the Wolves were able to knot the score when 18-year old Adam Jones exhibited some excellent skills as he dribbled past a few Croatia defenders before unleashing a brilliant shot from well outside the penalty area into the top far corner of the net. At about the 75^th minute mark, two Metro-Ford veterans—Alfredo Valente and Russel Huggon—demonstrated their experience and skill as they combined to score the winning goal. The play started when Valente won the ball in the middle of the  field, dribbled to the left side of the pitch and found a streaking Huggon at the near post with a picture-perfect cross. Huggon proceeded to head the ball home from close range, thus giving his team the all-important 3 points. Both Metro-Ford goalscorers—midfielder Adam Jones and forward Russ Huggon—played extremely well during the entire contest. For Croatia SC, Johnny Sulentic once again dictated the pace of the match from his midfield position, with his immesurable skill and work ethic. The victory improves the Wolves’ record to 4-3-5, good for a 7^th place tie with ICST Pegasus, while Croatia SC remains in 10^th place, with 11 points out of 12 games.

 WEST VAN FC  -  SURREY UNITED FIREFIGHTERS  2-0:  The third Saturday game took place at Cloverdale Athletic Park in Surrey and featured two very talented and aspiring teams: the hosting—and defending BC champions—Surrey  United Firefighters and the visiting West Van FC. At the end of the day, the former Trollers walked away with a hard-earned 2-0 victory, a result that keeps them in contention for the Premier Division title. The visitors took the lead midway through the first half when Jesse Fetterley headed home a great cross from defender Max Baessato. West Van continued pressing and almost added a second goal shortly thereafter when Cathal O’Connor raced in on a semi-breakaway, only to have goalkeeper Andrew Fink come up with a brilliant save. Also, Ryan Glanville, Michael Nonni, and Jesse Fettersley came close to scoring for West Van, but their efforts went awry. The second half was more or less a repeat of the first 45 minutes, as West Van FC continued to press and came close to scoring on several occasions. The insertion of Stefan Crameri into the West Van line-up was an added bonus as the youngster caused the Surrey United defence numerous problems. Not only did Crameri battle hard in the middle of the park, but he also forced goalkeeper Andrew Fink to make a couple of phenomenal saves on wonderful shots. Finally, at the 65^th mark, West Van FC doubled its margin when Michael Nonni—after having been set up by Ryan Glanville—blasted a wicked shot from the edge of the penalty area past a helpless Andrew Fink. To their credit, the Firefighters did not give up and came close to narrowing the margin in the late stages of the game, but a great effort by Sean Einarsson barely missed the target. West Van forwards Jesse Fetterley, Ryan Glanville, and Michael Nonni were going concerns throughout the contest, while midfielder Cathal O’Connor also turned in an excellent performance. Goalkeeper Garth Lagasse recorded the shutout, with yet another solid performance. For Surrey United, defenders Scott McEachren, Stefan Leslie, Andrew Reed, and Matt Rosenlund played remarkably well, while goalkeeper Andrew Fink rose to the occasion a few times, thus keeping the scoreline respectable. The victory keeps West Van FC in the hunt for the league title, with a record of 8-2-2, only one point behind Columbus FC. Surrey United, on the other hand, slips to 6^th place, with a 5-0-6 record.

 ICST PEGASUS  -  ROVERS CCBTU  3-1:   The last Saturday game was played at Newton Athletic Park in Surrey between the aspiring Rovers CCBTU and the defending Premier Division champions, ICST Pegasus. The Pegasus lads snapped out of their recent slump and were able to defeat the Rovers by a rather clear-cut 3-1 margin. Pegasus took the lead at the 15^th minute mark when Omari Aldridge slotted the ball home after having picked up a rebound from a header by Ryan Powell, a shot that had initially hit the crossbar. It should be mentioned that Powell’s header was also executed off a rebound, this one off a shot by Sahil Sandhu that had been saved by the Rovers’ goalkeeper Chris Beck. Immediately thereafter, the Rovers came close to knotting the score, but a fine shot by Dever Orgill was well saved by goalkeeper Andy Singh. At the 30^th minute mark, Pegasus doubled its lead when Jag Gill calmly converted a breakaway opportunity with an unstoppable shot from close range. Things did not change much during the early part of the second half as Pegasus continued to control the match and to press in search of yet another goal. However, goalkeeper Chris Beck stood tall and denied numerous Pegasus chances with some magnificent saves. In particular, shots by Javid Khan and Sahil Sandhu were brilliantly saved by Beck. As luck would have it, however, the Rovers narrowed the margin at the 73^rd minute mark when Rizal Ganief received a great through ball from Sidd Achuton, raced down the right flank, beat a couple of Pegasus defenders, and crossed the ball onto the path of Dever Orgill, who had no difficulty whatsoever in finding the back of the net from close range. However, about 5 minutes later, Pegasus restored its 2-goal lead on a play orchestrated by Omari Aldridge and Jag Gill and finished off brilliantly by Sahil Sandhu’s overhead kick. ICST Pegasus’ forwards Sahil Sandhu and Jag Gill were dangerous throughout the contest and created havoc to the Rovers’ backline. Defensively, Paul Bahia was his usual tower of strength as he thwarted most of the Rovers’ threats, while midfielder Adam Costley was also rock-solid as he won many tackles and distributed the ball exceptionally well. For the Rovers, defenders Kevan Cameron and Kalen Scott played extremely well against the vaunted Pegasus strikers, while midfielders Jacob Lensky and Sunny Bains worked tirelessly throughout the match, albeit in a losing cause. Special mention should also be made of forward Rizal Ganief for his indefatigable performance. The victory keeps ICST Pegasus in 7^th place, with a mediocre 4-3-5 record, while the Rovers slide down to 4^th place, with 22 points from 12 games.

 DELTA UNITED HURRICANES  -  RICHMOND FC HIBERNIANS  1-1:  The lone Sunday game was played at John Oliver Park in Delta between the Delta United Hurricanes and the visiting Richmond Hibernians. At the end of 90 minutes of play, the two teams had to settle for a 1-1 tie, a score that is probably disappointing to both of them. The Hibernians took the lead early in the match when Alan Chivers—after beating a Delta defender—sent a pin-point cross onto the path of Darren Prentice, whose subsequent header found the back of the net. Shortly thereafter, the Hurricanes came very close to knotting the score, but Gagan Josan—after having been sent in on goal on a breakaway by Hapreet Khakh—was thwarted by goalkeeper Simon Thomas. At the other end of the pitch, Richmond FC also came close to scoring when Darren Prentice and Craig McMillan played an excellent one-two, only to have goalkeeper Steve Thomas (not to be confused with Richmond’s goalkeeper Simon Thomas!) pull off a sensational save on McMillan’s powerful shot. Delta United finally tied things up midway through the second half when Gagan Josan worked his way down the left flank before crossing the ball to Harp Khakh, whose subsequent diving header gave Simon Thomas no chance whatsoever. In the 75^th minute, Harry Lakhan almost put the Hurricanes in the lead but his thunderous shot from the edge of the penalty area was magnificently saved by Simon Thomas. A few moments later, Simon Thomas repeated his earlier feat as he pulled off yet another miraculous save, this one on a shot by Jesse Dhami. Delta’s forwards Harpreet Khakh and Gagan Josan drove the Richmond defenders to distraction throughout the contest with their speed and skill, while defenders Gurj Sandhu, Jesse Dhami, and Steve Millar were rock-solid. For Richmond FC, defenders Darren Suderman and Rory Gattens played very well, while forwards Darren Prentice and Craig McMillan also performed admirably. Needless to say, Richmond’s goalkeeper—Simon Thomas—was the main reason the match ended in a tie as he pulled off several incredible saves during the 90 minutes of play. The single point elevates Delta United to 5^th place in the standing, with an even 4-4-4 record, while the Hibernians drop to 9^th place, with 13 points out of 12 games.

 TEAM OF THE WEEK:  COLUMBUS FC for its second consecutive emphatic victory—this one  over Norvan Pacific by a 6-1 score. Led by the goalscoring prowess of Kaz Kikuchi and Robbie Giezen—as well as the briolliant playmaking of veteran Tiarnan King, the ‘Italians’ fully deserved their elaborate victory, a victory which keeps them in first place in the Premier Division standings.

 PLAYER OF THE WEEK:  Richmond FC’s goalkeeper SIMON THOMAS for his incredible performance in his team’s 1-1 tie against the heavily-favoured Delta United Hurricanes. Time after time, Simon Thomas pulled off some incredible saves to keep his team in the game.  For his outstanding performance this past week, SIMON THOMAS  will receive a prize of a pizza for two, compliments of  THE GOLDEN BOOT CAFFE`. The prize is available up to 2012-12-18.

 <><><><><><><><><><><><><><> 

2012-11-20

PREMIER DIVISION – WEEK #11

Columbus FC took over sole possession of first place this past weekend, with a convincing 6-0 victory over Rovers CCBTU. A contributing factor to Columbus’ rise was the 1-1 draw between two other contenders—West Van FC and Estrella de Chile. At the bottom of the table, things also got more interesting as the Vancouver Olympics won their first game of the season, while Croatia SC climbed out of the relegation zone as a result of an upset 2-1 victory over ICST Pegasus.

WEST VAN FC  -  ESTRELLA de CHILE  1-1:  On Friday evening, at Ambleside Park in West Vancouver, two of the top teams in the VMSL’s Premier Division—West Van FC and Estrella de Chile—settled for a 1-1 draw. The Chileans got off to an horrific start as Gustavo Ramirez was sent off at the 2^nd minute mark for a violent conduct infraction. Despite the fact that the visitors were playing short-handed the rest of the match was very evenly played as both teams created numerous goalscoring opportunities. In the early going, West Van’s forwards—Jesse Fetterley, Ryan Glanville, Michael Nonni, and Will Molloy—all had great opportunities to open the scoring, but they were unable to finish their chances. At the other end of the pitch, Estrella de Chile also came close to scoring but Adrian Francisco, Vladimir Vukovic, and Habil Otieno missed the target with their shots. At the 30^th minute mark, the former Trollers took the lead as a result of a great passing play between Jeff Rogers and Alan McIndoe. McIndoe’s final pass found Will Molloy whose terrific shot bounced off the back of teammate Michael Nonni before landing in the Chilean net. The visitors refused to throw in the towel and bounced back with incredible tenacity in search of the equalizer. Once again, however, efforts by Murtada Almatrood, Adrian Francisco, and Vladimir Vukovic went awry. The Chileans continued to press for the equalizer in the second half and were finally rewarded at the 56^th minute mark when Narcisse Tchoumi sent Brian Dottin flying down the left flank with a picture-perfect pass. Dottin proceeded to beat a couple of West Van defenders, cut into the middle, and rifled an unstoppable shot into the net. The rest of the match was a rather lethargic affair as both teams seemed satisfied with the tie and appeared reluctant to throw caution to the wind. Defensively, Adrian Francisco and Narcisse Tchoumi were towers of strength for Estrella de Chile, while midfielder Ricardo Alvarado and goalkeeper Diego Oliveira also performed remarkably well. For West Van FC, wingers Michael Nonni and Will Molloy created several chances with their speed and skill, while central defenders Leo Nash and Trevor Short were their usual rock-solid selves. Midfielder Alan McIndoe also deserves special mention for his tireless work rate. The result drops West Van FC to second place in the standings, one point behind Columbus FC, while Estrella de Chile remains in third place, with a 7-1-3 record.

SURREY UNITED FIREFIGHTERS  -  METRO FORD WOLVES  2-1:  On Saturday, at Cloverdale Athletic Park in Surrey, the defending BC Provincial Cup champions—Surrey United Firefighters—edged the visiting Metro-Ford Wolves by a 2-1 margin. The match was very evenly played as both teams played very cautiously throughout the contest and thus created very few goalscoring opportunities. Midway through the first half, Metro-Ford’s Alfredo Valente unleashed a thunderous shot from long range, a shot that forced Surrey goalkeeper Andrew Fink to come up with an outstanding save. Shortly thereafter—at about the 30^th minute mark—the Wolves took the lead when veteran Russel Huggon converted a well-taken corner kick by young Adam Jones into the opening goal with a fine header. In the second half, Surrey United started taking control of the match and eventually scored the equalizer at the 61^st minute when Stefan Leslie made a great run down the right flank before crossing the ball onto the path of Angus Burke, whose subsequent pass found a wide-open Ryan Reynolds in front of the Metro-Ford net. Reynolds finished off the play in  clinical fashion, thus knotting the score at 1-1. Soon thereafter—at the 70^th minute mark—the Firefighters scored the winning goal with Stefan Leslie and Ryan Reynolds once again involved in the play. On this occasion, Leslie and Reynolds combined to set up Justin Carvery who managed to score from inside the 6-yard box. Defensively, Nick Perugini was rock-solid in the Firefighters’ line-up, while attacking defender Stefan Leslie and forwards Justin Carvery, Angus Burke, and Ryan Reynolds caused the Metro-Ford defenders headaches during the entire game. For the Wolves, young midfielder Adam Jones and veteran striker Russel Huggon worked very hard throughout the contest, albeit in a losing cause. The victory improves Surrey United’s record to an even 5-0-5, good for 5^th place in the standings, while the Wolves are now in a 7^th place tie with ICST Pegasus and Richmond FC Hibernians, with only 12 points out of 11 games.

CROATIA SC  -  ICST PEGASUS  3-2: Also on Saturday, at Trillium Park in Vancouver, Croatia SC upset the defending Premier Division champions—ICST Pegasus—by a narrow 3-2 margin. The Croatians took the lead at the 18^th minute mark when Kresimir Ukalovic set up teammate David Zaharija in the middle of the Pegasus penalty area with an exquisite pass. Zaharija had no difficulty in finishing off the play with a close-range shot, thus giving his team the early lead. A couple of minutes later, Johnny Sulentic almost doubled Croatia’s lead, but his long-range free-kick barely missed the target. Immediately thereafter, Pegasus’ Azad Palani restored parity as he finished off a brilliant cross by Sahil Sandhu with an unstoppable header. Then, at the 33^rd minute mark, Croatia SC retook the lead when veteran Johnny Sulentic fired a long-range shot towards the Pegasus goal, a shot that forced goalkeeper Amar Dhinsa to make a remarkable save. However, Lucas Sweda picked up the rebound and calmly placed the ball in the net for Croatia’s second goal. The Pegasus lads fought back tenaciously and came close to tying things up late in the first half when young Ramneet Johal raced in on a breakaway, only to be stymied by goalkeeper Marko Bajic. Early in the second half, Pegasus managed to knot the score once again when Chetan Jhooty set up Jag Gill with a picture-perfect pass, a pass that Gill easily converted into the tying goal from close range. Then, at the 70^th minute mark, Croatia SC scored the winning goal when Michael DeVico twice took advantage of a goal-mouth scramble and managed to place the ball into the back of the Pegasus net on his second attempt.  The Croatians held on for the victory despite some late pressure from ICST Pegasus. Midfielders Johnny Sulentic, Kresimir Ukalovic, and Pawel Gorzkowski played extremely well for Croatia SC as they guided their team to the all-important victory. For ICST Pegasus, Sahil Sandhu was a going concern in his midfield position as he worked extremely hard throughout the contest. Also, 18-year old Ramneet Johal made his Premier Division debut and played extremely well in his forward position. The victory improves Croatia SC’s record to 3-2-6, good for 10^th place in the standings. ICST Pegasus, on the other hand, drops to 7^th place, with 12 points from 11 games.

COLUMBUS FC  - ROVERS CCBTU  6-0:   The third  Saturday game was played at Newton Athletic Park in Surrey, as Columbus FC took over sole possession of first place by virtue of an emphatic 6-0 victory over the Rovers CCBTU. The Rovers almost took the lead very early in the game when Dever Orgill unleashed a wicked drive from well outside the penalty area, a shot that forced Columbus goalkeeper Erman Ozcan to make a semi-miraculous save. Soon thereafter—at the other end of the pitch—Columbus also came close to opening the score but Robbie Giezen’s finishing touch—after a brilliant 3-way passing play also involving Mike Gomes and Ylya Malek—was nullified because of an offside infraction. At about the 35^th minute mark, the Rovers’ Gibson Bardsley was sent off the field of play for having committed a serious foul play infraction. Then, very late in the first half, the Rovers were reduced to 9 players when Derrick Bassi was also ejected for having denied an obvious goalscoring opportunity as he prevented Milad Rahmati’s breakaway—from Steve DeBlasio’s long through pass—by handling the ball.  Early in the second half—at about the 50^th minute mark—Columbus’ central defender Jonathan Poli was also sent off, after having received his second caution. Moments later, Columbus FC finally opened the scoring when Milad Rahmati found a wide-open Tiarnan King inside the penalty area. The veteran Columbus forward proceeded to calmly chip the ball into the back of the net for what proved to be the winning goal. A few minutes later, Blair Robertson pounced on a loose ball inside the Rovers’ penalty area and—without a moment’s hesitation—found the back of the net with a remarkable strike. Midway through the second half, Tiarnan King put the game out of the Rovers’ reach by scoring Columbus’ third goal when he picked up a rebound—after goalkeeper Estivan Garcia had deflected Steve DeBlasio’s cross—and easily tapped the ball into the net from close range. Then, in rapid succession, Milad Rahmati scored two goals of his own—the first on a semi-breakaway and the second on a goalmouth scramble. Late in the match, Tiarnan King finished off his hat-trick as he raced in on goal and had no difficulty in placing the ball into the corner of the Rovers’ net. The entire Columbus squad played extremely well—particularly in the second half—but special mention should be made of forwards Tiarnan King and Milad Rahmati for having scored a total of five goals, as well as defenders Jimmy Thompson and Blair Robertson for having made life relatively easy for goalkeeper Erman Ozkan as he recorded a clean-sheet. Despite the humiliating loss, goalkeeper Estivan Garcia and midfielder Justin Sidhu performed remarkably well in the Rovers’ line-up. The victory improves Columbus’ record to an impressive 7-3-1, good for first place in the standings. The Rovers, on the other hand, drop to a third place tie with Estrella de Chile, with 22 points from 11 games.

RICHMOND FC HIBERNIANS  -  NORVAN PACIFIC  2-0:  The last Saturday game was played at Confederation Park in North Vancouver where the visiting Richmond Hibernians defeated Norvan Pacific by a 2-0 margin after a hard-fought 90 minutes of non-stop action. The Hibs got off to a great start, caught the visitors on their heels with a lot of early pressure, and eventually scored the opening goal—at about the 10^th minute mark—when defender Marcus Brougham took advantage of a goal-mouth scramble, pounced on a loose ball inside the Norvan goal-area and hammered it into the back of the net for what proved to be the winning goal. Even though Richmond FC continued to control most of the possession for the remainder of the first half, Norvan also had a few excellent opportunities to tie the score. However, a couple of excellent saves on the part of goalkeeper Simon Thomas—on a long shot by Mike Carroll and a breakaway by Matt Hartwell—kept the visitors off the scoresheet. At the other end of the pitch, Brad Caldwell and Alan Chivers were stymied by goalkeeper Giancarlo Martino, while Emile Saimovici and Peter Chivers barely missed the target with their shots. Early in the second half, Richmond FC came close to doubling its score when Emile Saimovici set up Alan Chivers with an excellent through ball. Unfortunately for the Hibernian clan, Chivers’ subsequent shot was brilliantly saved by Giancarlo Martino. Soon thereafter, it was Norvan’s turn to miss a golden opportunity to score when Mike Carroll received a brilliant pass from Brent Dodge and fired a wicked shot just wide of the Richmond net. The Hibs also had a few chances of their own, but efforts by Brad Caldwell and Devon Smith were well saved by Giancarlo Martino. With about 10 minutes to go in the match, Norvan Pacific was reduced to 10 men when Tony Paiero was sent off for having denied an obvious goalscoring opportunity. The visitors took full advantage of the situation and scored their insurance marker at the 82^nd minute mark when Matt Rota and Erik Olsen played a great give-and-go before Rota curled an immaculate shot into the far corner of the Norvan net. To their credit, the Norvan lads refused to give up and nearly narrowed the margin very late in the game when Sebastian Crema fired a shot past the Richmond goalkeeper, only to see it bounce off the post and out of danger. Richmond’s goalkeeper Simon Thomas fully deserved the clean-sheet as he made a few phenomenal saves during the match, while defenders Connon Radil, Rory Gattens, Stu Walters, and Marcus Brougham also played remarkably well as they were rock-solid throughout the contest.. Midfielders Peter Chivers and Geoff Salt also deserve special mention for their indomitable work rate during the entire 90 minutes of play. Despite the loss, Norvan’s goalkeeper Giancarlo Martino turned in an excellent performance, while forwards Mike Carroll and Matt Hartwell tried very hard to break down the stubborn Hibernian defence, but to no avail. The victory elevates the Hibernians into a 7^th place tie with Metro-Ford and Pegasus, with a 3-3-5 record, while Norvan Pacific remains in 11^th place, with 10 points out of 10 matches.

VANCOUVER OLYMPICS  -  DELTA UNITED HURRICANES   2-1:  The lone Sunday game was played at John Oliver Park in Delta between the Delta United Hurricanes and the winless Vancouver Olympics. At the end of 90 minutes of very interesting and entertaining action, the visiting Olympics walked away with a hard-earned 2-1 victory—their first win of the season. As expected, Delta United controlled the play in the early going and came close to scoring at the 22^nd minute mark when Rylan Sangha’s fine cross found Harp Khakh in the middle of the box. Unfortunately for the Hurricanes, Khakh’s subsequent header barely missed the net. Soon thereafter, Delta United took the lead when a well-delivered corner kick by Gagan Josan was headed home by Joey Brar. The early goal seemed to have a reverse effect on both teams as the Olympics fought back tenaciously while the Hurricanes displayed a certain degree of overconfidence and played in a rather lethargic fashion for the rest of the match. Midway through the second half, the Vancouver Olympics suffered yet another blow as young Kevin Heaney was sent off for using foul and abusive language. The Hurricanes almost took advantage of the situation but missed a couple of golden opportunities in rapid succession. On the first, Joey Brar’s excellent one-time shot—on a pass from Cam Hundal—barely missed the net. Then, it was Cam Hundal’s turn to miss the target as he was unable to convert a semi-lethal breakaway. Despite being down to 10 mean, the visitors bounched back in search of the equalizer and finally accomplished their task at the 70^th minute mark when Sasa Plavsic set up Justin Isidro, whose initial shot bounced off the goalpost. Isidro himself picked up the rebound and deposited the ball into the back of the Delta net from a very difficult angle. Very late in the match, the Olympics were able to lay claim on all 3 points when Adrian Kekec capped off an excellent individual performance by scoring an excellent goal on a semi-breakaway. Veteran Vikash Chandra was outstanding on the Olympics’ backline as he directed traffic and organized his young teammates in impeccable fashion. Midfielders Justin Isidro and Rob Sing also played very well for the visitors as they worked tirelessly throughout the contest. Forward Adrian Kekec also deserves special mention, not only for having scored the winning goal, but mostly for his relentless work rate throughout the match. Despite the disappointing loss, Delta defenders Gurj Sandhu and Jesse Dhami performed admirably, while forward Cam Hundal drove the Vancouver Olympics’ defenders to distraction with his pace and skill. The Olympics’ first victory improves their record to 1-2-8, while the Hurricanes drop to 6^th place, with 15 points out of 11 games.

TEAM OF THE WEEK:  COLUMBUS FC for its emphatic 6-0 victory over Rover CCBTU. As the scoreline indicates, Columbus dominated the entire 90 minutes of play and fully deserved the lop-sided victory. Led by the goalscoring prowess of forwards TIARNAN KING and MILAD RAHMATI, the ‘Italians’ climbed to sole possession of first place as a result of the victory.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK:  Columbus FC’s forward TIARNAN KING for his impressive 3-goal performance in his team’s 6-0 victory over Rovers CCBTU. All 3 of King’s goals were brilliant as he demonstrated his renowned skills and goalscoring prowess.  For his outstanding performance this past week, TIARNAN KING  will receive a prize of a pizza for two, compliments of  THE GOLDEN BOOT CAFFE`. The prize is available up to 2012-12-11.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><> 

2012-11-13

PREMIER DIVISION – WEEK #10

West Van FC and Rovers CCBTU leapfrogged over Estrella de Chile into first place by virtue of their identical 2-0 victories over Metro-Ford Wolves and Richmond FC respectively. Columbus FC also remained in the hunt for first place by edging the struggling Croatia SC by a 2-1 margin while the defending champions—ICST Pegasus—defeated the reigning BC champions—Surrey United—by a slim 1-0 score.

ICST PEGASUS  -  SURREY UNITED FIREFIGHTERS  1-0:  On Friday evening, at Newton Athletic Park in Surrey, the defending Premier Division champions—ICST Pegasus—snapped out of their slump by defeating the visiting Surrey United Firefighters by a narrow 1-0 margin. Surrey United came close to opening the score early in the game—at about the 15^th minute mark—when former Whitecap Jeff Clarke sent Angus Burke flying towards the Pegasus goal with one of his patented passes. However, goalkeeper Amarjit Dhinsa rose to the occasion and prevented Burke from scoring with a remarkable save. Just before the halftime whistle, Burke once again came close to opening the score but his near-range shot barely missed the target. ICST Pegasus—led by newly appointed coach Niko Marcina—fought back tenaciously in the second half and took the lead at the 65^th minute mark when Javid Khan clinically finished off an excellent give-and-go with Azad Palani with an unstoppable close-range shot. Shortly thereafter, Surrey United almost tied things up when Justin Carvery won the ball well outside the Pegasus penalty area and proceeded to unleash a thundering shot, a shot that forced Amarjit Dhinsa to make yet another sensational save. Late in the game, ICST Pegasus appeared to have doubled their lead, but Herman Sidhu’s goal was called back because of an offside infraction. Pegasus’ forward Azad Palani was a going concern as he worked tirelessly and relentlessly throughout the contest. Midfielder Javid Khan also played very well as he dictated the pace of the game with his passing and dribbling skills. Needless to say, goalkeeper Amarjit Dhinsa also deserves special mention for having made a few excellent saves and, therefore, earn the clean-sheet. The hard-earned victory elevates ICST Pegasus to a 6^th place tie with Surrey United, both with 12 points.

DELTA UNITED HURRICANES  -  ESTRELLA DE CHILE  3-2:  Also on Friday evening—at Burnaby Lake West Complex—the visiting Delta Hurricanes defeated Estrella de Chile by a narrow—and hard-fought—3-2 margin in what could be considered an upset. In so doing, the Hurricanes climbed into 5^th place in the standings, while the Chileans dropped out of 1^st place and into 3^rd spot. Despite the fact that Estrella de Chile carried most of the play during the first part of the match, it was Delta United that took the lead at the 25^th minute mark when newly-signed Rylan Sangha raced down the left flank, beat a couple of Chilean defenders before crossing the ball into the box, where Harpreet Khakh made no mistake in finishing the play with a brilliant header, a header than gave goalkeeper Diego Oliveira no chance whatsoever. Early in the second half, the Hurricanes doubled their lead, once again on a great effort by Harp Khakh as he volleyed the ball into the Chilean net after Gurj Sandhu had sent a well-delivered free-kick into the box. Estrella de Chile refused to give up and bounced back by narrowing the margin soon thereafter when second half substitute Murtada Almatrood got his foot on an Eric Ray corner-kick and scored from close range. The Chileans continued to press and eventually knotted the score at the 78^th minute mark when Eric Ray, Ricardo Alvarado, and Murtada Almatrood combined to set up a wide-open Habil Otieno who had no difficulty whatsoever in finishing the play in clinical fashion. Estrella de Chile continued to press for what would have been the winning goal, but efforts by Habil Otieno, Ricardo Alvarado, and Adrian Francisco all went awry. As luck would have it, however, it was Delta United that managed to score the winner when—very late in the game—Joti Thind’s cross found Harp Khakh at the edge of the penalty area. Without a moment’s hesitation, Khakh one-timed a perfectly-placed volley into the back of the Estrella net for the winning goal. Defensively, Gurj Sandhu and Jesse Dhami were towers of strength on the Delta United backline, while Gagan Josan and particularly Harpreet Khakh were thorns on the side of the Estrella de Chile defenders during the entire match. Despite the loss, Estrella de Chile’s forwards Habil Otieno and Murtada Almatrood played remarkably well and deserve special mention for thair admirable performances. The victory places Delta United in 5^th place in the Premier Division standings, with a 4-3-3 record. Estrella de Chile, on the other hand, drops to a 3^rd place tie with Columbus FC, with 21 points from 10 games—a very good record for a newly-promoted team!!

NORVAN PACIFIC  -  VANCOUVER OLYMPICS  3-1:  The third Friday evening game was played at South Memorial Park in Vancouver and featured two teams in desperate need of all 3 points—the visiting Norvan Pacific and the last-place Vancouver Olympics. At the end of the day, Norvan walked away with a hard-fought 3-1 victory, keeping the Olympics mired in last place in the standings. The Olympics got off to a great start and nearly took the lead very early in the match when a blistering shot by Sasa Plavsic bounced off the Norvan goalpost and out of danger. However, a few minutes later, the Olympics managed to score the opening goal when Justin Isidro was brought down inside the Norvan penalty area by Tony Paiero, resulting in a penalty kick being awarded. On the ensuing spot shot, Adrian Kekec slotted the ball home, thus giving the Vancouver Olympics the early 1-0 lead. The Olympics’ goal served as a wake-up call for the visitors as they bounced back and knotted the score midway through the first half when Sebastian Crema’s free-kick from the edge of the penalty area was saved by goalkeeper Marco D’Andrea, only to have Norvan’s Matt Hartwell pick up the rebound and slot the ball into the back of the Olympics’s net from the edge of the goal area. The two teams exchanged a couple of great goalscoring chances during the remainder of the first half but the Olympics’ Sava Plavsic barely missed the target with his close-range shot while Norvan’s Matt Hartwell’s shot hit the post, with Marco D’Andrea well-beaten. In the second half, Norvan started applying more pressure and eventually took the lead at about the 65^th minute mark when Brent Dodge capitalized on a goalmouth scramble—resulting from a Sebastian Crema corner-kick—and scored what proved to be the winning goal. The visitors continued to press and scored the insurance marker soon thereafter, with Sebastian Crema once again involved in the play. On this occasion, Crema delivered a low, hard cross from the left flank, a cross that was converted into Norvan’s third goal by Matt Hartwell as he one-timed the ball into the back of the Olympics’ net. At this point, the Vancouver Olympics threw caution to the wind in an effort to get back into the match, but efforts by Sang Yoon Hwang and Sasa Plavsic were brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Giancarlo Martino. Norvan’s forward Matt Hartwell played extremely well throughout the match, scoring two goals and creating several other opportunities. As well, midfielders Sebastian Crema and Greg Muir deserve special mention for their tireless work. The all-important victory improves Norvan Pacific’s record to 3-1-5, good for 9^th place in the standings, while the Vancouver Olympics remain in last place, with only 2 points from 10 matches.

WEST VAN FC  -  METRO-FORD WOLVES  2-0:   On Saturday, at Coquitlam Town Centre, West Van FC easily defeated the hosting Metro-Ford Wolves by a 2-0 margin, thus climbing into a first place tie with the Rovers CCBTU. The former Trollers took an early 2-0 lead but were reduced to 10 men midway through the first half when goalkeeper Garth Lagasse was sent off for having denied an obvious goalscoring opportunity. At the 12^th minute mark, the visitors took the early lead when Alan McIndoe unleashed an unstoppable rocket of a shot from well outside the penalty area, after a corner kick by Will Molloy was poorly cleared by a Metro-Ford defender. Soon thereafter—at about the 16^th minute mark—Michael Nonni made a great run down the left wing, beat 3 Metro-Ford defenders, and cut the ball back onto the path of Cathal O’Connor who had no difficulty in tapping the ball into the open net from a short distance. Midway through the first half, Metro-Ford was denied an obvious goalscoring opportunity when a long ball by Dom Delli Santi sent Luigi Pantusa flying towards the West Van net. Goalkeeper Garth Lagasse came rushing out of his penalty area only to have Pantusa lob the ball over his head and towards the goal. Instinctively, Lagasse jumped up and handled the ball, thus resulting in the red card been issued for denying the obvious goalscoring chance. At this point the match became much less one-sided and much more evenly played! In the second half, both teams had a few excellent goalscoring chances, but West Van efforts by Jesse Fetterley and Michael Nonni were well-saved by goalkeeper Richard Causton, while Metro-Ford’s Luigi Pantusa hit the cross bar with a blistering free-kick. Defensively, Leo Nash, Trevor Short, Drew Gelley, and Max Baessato played remarkably well for West Van FC, particularly when their team was playing short-handed. Midfielders Alan McIndoe, Will Molloy, Jeff Rogers, and Michael Nonni worked tirelessly and played a huge part in West Van’s victory. Goalkeepers Garth Lagasse and Marco Durante shared the rather easy West Van clean-sheet. For the Wolves, defender Anthony DiNicolo was rock-solid against the vaunted West Van attackers. The victory elevates West Van FC to a first place tie with Rovers CCBTU, both with identical 7-1-2 records, while Metro-Ford slips to 7^th place, with 12 points from 10 games.

ROVERS  CCBTU  -  RICHMOND FC HIBERNAINS  2-0:  Also on Saturday, at McNair School in Richmond, the Rovers climbed into a first place tie with West Van FC by defeating the hosting Richmond Hibernians by a hard-fought 2-0 score. The Hibs almost took the lead in the early going when midfielder Cam Stokes made a fantastic run towards the Rovers’ goal, beat a couple of defenders, and set up teammate Brad Caldwell with an immaculate pass. Unfortunately for the Richmond lads, Caldwell’s subsequent shot bounced off the goalpost and out of danger. Midway through the first half, the home team came close to breaking the deadlock once again in a very similar manner. On this occasion, Cam Stokes’ cross was redirected towards the Rovers’ goal by Erik Olsen, only to have the ball bounce off the cross-bar. Shortly thereafter, the Rovers took the lead when Gibson Bardsley converted a well-taken free-kick by Sunny Bains into the opening goal with a fine header. The Hibernians bounced back tenaciously and almost tied things up immediately thereafter, but Erik Olsen—after having been set up by Cam Stokes—watched agonizingly as his excellent shot was brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Estivan Garcia. Early in the second half, the Hibernians were once again stymied by yet another great save on the part of Garcia on a shot by none other than Erik Olsen. A few minutes later—as luck would have it—the Rovers doubled their margin on a lethal counter-attack when Rizal Ganief sent Dever Orgill racing in on the Hibs’ goal with a brilliant pass. Orgill proceeded to outrace a few defenders before chipping the ball over goalkeeper Simon Thomas and into the back of the net. To their credit, the Hibernians continued to attack and came close to narrowing the margin on a few occasions. In particular—at the 80^th minute mark—forward Brad Caldwell fired an amazing shot towards the Rovers’ net, a shot that unfortunately bounced off the goalpost. On the ensuing counter-attack, Rizal Ganief had his excellent shot saved by Simon Thomas. Soon thereafter, Dever Orgill also came close to increasing the Rovers’ margin of victory, but his shot was cleared by defender Darren Suderman. The Rovers’ goalkeeper Estivan Garcia turned in a superb performance and fully earned the clean-sheet, while defenders Sidd Atchukin and Derrick Bassi contributed enormously to their team’s victory. Forwards Dever Orgill, Gibson Bardsley, and Rizal Ganief were ongoing concerns throughout the match, particularly on counter-attacks. For Richmond FC, midfielders Connor Radil and Cam Stokes worked tirelessly, while defenders Rory Gattens and Darren Suderman were rock-solid during the entire game. The victory improves the Rovers’ record to 7-1-2, good for a first place tie with West Van FC. The Hibernians, on the other hand, slip to 10^th place, with 9 points out of 10 matches.

COLUMBUS FC  -  CROATIA SC  2-1:  The third Saturday game—the ‘Adriatic Derby’ between Columbus FC and Croatia SC—was played at South Memorial Park in Vancouver and ended with a 2-1 victory for the heavy favourites—Columbus FC. The ‘Italians’ got off to a bright start and took control of the match from the opening whistle. But, as luck would have it, it was Croatia SC that took the lead at the 10^th minute mark when Ryan Zaharija’s well-taken free-kick from the middle of the park sailed into the Columbus 18-yard box where Tomislav Tomic rose above the Columbus defenders and headed the ball into the bottom corner of the net. Columbus FC responded positively and bounced back tenaciously in search of the equalizer. In fact, soon after Croatia’s goal, veteran defender Mike Gomes sent Steve DeBlasio down the left flank with a brilliant through ball. DeBlasio beat a couple of  defenders and raced in all alone towards the Croatia goal before unleashing a great shot that found the back of the net. Columbus FC continued to press and came close to scoring what would have been the winning goal on several occasions during the remainder of the first half. However, forward Milad Rahmati had difficulty finishing off his numerous goalscoring chances and the score remained tied at 1-1 till the halftime break. Very early in the second half, Columbus FC scored what proved to be the winning goal when veteran Tiarnan King crossed an impeccable ball into the Croatia 18-yard box, a ball that was subsequently headed towards the goal by Mike Gomes. Gomes’ header caused some havoc in the goal area and Milad Rahmati took advantage of the confusion, pounced on the loose ball, and clinically found the back of the net. The Croatians responded in kind and came close to equalizing a few minutes later when Johnny Sulentic acrobatically scissor-kicked a fine cross by David Zaharija towards the Columbus goal, unfortunately just wide of the net. Late in the match, both teams came close to scoring, but Columbus’ Tiarnan King hit the goalpost with his shot, while Kazunori Kikuchi was also unable to finish off a golden opportunity to score. At the other end of the pitch, Ryan Zaharija’s wicked volley was blocked by Columbus’ defender Mike Gomes, thus keeping the scoreline at 2-1 till the final whistle. Defensively, Jimmy Thompson and Mike Gomes played extremely well for Columbus FC, while forward Steve DeBlasio was his usual dangerous self throughout the match. For Croatia SC, midfielder Johnny Sulentic and forward David Zaharija also played extremely well, albeit in a losing cause. Columbus’ victory improves the ‘Italians’ record to 6-3-1, good for 3^rd place in the Premier Division standings, while Croatia SC remains in the dreaded relegation zone with only 8 points out of 10 games.

TEAM OF THE WEEK:  DELTA UNITED HURRICANES for their upset 3-2 victory over the league-leading Estrella de Chile. Led by the hat-trick performance of Harp Khakh, as well at some rock-solid defending on the part Gurj Sandhu and Jesse Dhami, the Hurricanes managed to take home all 3 points despite the fact that they were missing several of their key players!

PLAYER OF THE WEEK:  Delta United’s forward HARPREET KHAKH for his impressive 3-goal performance in his team’s 3-2 victory over the heavily-favoured Estrella de Chile. All 3 of Khakh’s goals were things of beauty as he used his clinical finishing prowess to full advantage.   For his outstanding performance this past week, HARP KHAKH  will receive a prize of a pizza for two, compliments of  THE GOLDEN BOOT CAFFE`. The prize is available up to 2012-12-04.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

2012-11-05

PREMIER DIVISION – WEEK #9

Only one major upset took place this past weekend, as the ‘middle-of-the-table’ Metro-Ford Wolves edged the league-leading Estrella de Chile by a 3-2 margin. In the meantime, West Van FC climbed to within a point of first place by defeating the defending Premier Division champions—ICST Pegasus—by a 2-0 score. Columbus FC continued its remarkable unbeaten streak by disposing of the Surrey United Firefighters by an impressive 4-1 margin.

WEST VAN FC  -  ICST PEGASUS  2-0:  On Friday evening, at Ambleside Park in West Vancouver, West Van FC shut out the defending Premier Division champions—ICST Pegasus—by  a 2-0 margin after a very entertaining and exciting 90 minutes of non-stop action. The visiting Pegasus team got off to a bright start and had a couple of golden goalscoring opportunities in the early part of the match, but efforts by Ryan Powell and Azad Palani went awry. The former Trollers responded in kind and also came close to taking the lead on a few occasions. However, Alan McIndoe missed the target from close range, while Ryan Glanville and Michael Nonni were stymied by goalkeeper Andy Singh as he pulled off a couple of brilliant saves. Early in the second half, however, West Van FC took the lead on a long-range shot by Jesse Fetterley, a fluttering shot that sailed into the top corner of the net over the head of a bewildered Andy Singh. It should be mentioned that fellow forward Ryan Glanville and midfielder Jeff Rogers contributed immensely to the goal as they  combined to set up Fetterley. About 10 minutes later, West Van doubled its lead when veteran Paul Dailly whipped one of his patented corner kicks into the Pegasus penalty area where Leo Nash flicked the ball from the near post to the middle of the box. Defender Max Baessato proceeded to place the ball into the back of the net with a brilliant header, thus putting the game out of Pegasus’ reach. To their credit, the visitors did not give up and applied a lot of pressure on the West Van defence for the remainder of the match, particularly on several dangerous crosses by Deep Toor. However, the Pegasus forwards were unable to convert any of the above-mentioned crosses and the scoreline remained at 2-0 till the final whistle. The entire West Van FC squad played extremely well, but special mention should be made of central midfielder Jeff Rogers as he was rock-solid throughout the contest, both defensively and offensively. Defensively, Trevor Short, Leo Nash, Max Baessato, and Drew Gelley were also rock-solid, limiting Pegasus’ chances to a minimum and making life relatively easy for goalkeeper Garth Lagasse as he recorded the clean-sheet. Forward Jesse Fetterley was his usual self, as he drove the Pegasus defensive core to distraction with his incredible work rate. For ICST Pegasus, defender Deep Toor turned in an amazing performance as he defended well and also sent numerous dangerous crosses into the West Van penalty area. The victory improves West Van’s record to 6-1-2, good for a second place tie with Rovers CCBTU, while ICST Pegasus drops to 9^th place, with a disappointing 9 points from 9 games.

CROATIA SC  -  RICHMOND FC HIBERNIANS   2-1:  On Saturday, at Trillium Park in Vancouver, Croatia SC won its second consecutive game by edging the visiting  Richmond FC Hibernians by a 2-1 score.  The Croatians got off to a good start and took the early lead—at about the 5^th minute mark—when David Zaharija gained possession of the ball in the middle of the park and went sailing towards the Richmond goal before firing an unstoppable shot—from well outside the penalty area—into the back of the visitors’ net. Soon thereafter—at about the 10^th minute mark—Croatia SC almost scored again, but Johnny Sulentic’s brilliant long-range free-kick was miraculously saved by goalkeeper Simon Thomas. At this point, the Hibernians started to exert some pressure of their own and were also able to create some goalscoring opportunities. Unfortunately for the visitors, efforts by Erik Olsen, Alan Chivers, and Emile Saimovici all sailed wide of the Croatia net. The second half started more or less the same way as the first half ended, with Richmond FC trying desperately to score the equalizer. The Hibernians finally succeeded at the 60^th minute mark when an excellent free-kick by Erik Olsen was inadvertently headed into his own net by defender Tomislav Tomic. At this point, both teams threw caution to the wind in a desperate effort to gain the all-important 3 points. The Croatians had 3 great chances in rapid succession midway through the second half, but were unable to score on any one of them as David Zaharija and Johnny Sulentic barely missed the net with their shots. Also, Sulentic’s subsequent effort was well-saved by goalkeeper Simon Thomas. At the other end of the pitch, more or less the same things occurred as Richmond’s Erik Olsen, Craig McMillan, Matt Rota, Brad Caldwell, and Marcus Brougham were unable to finish off their excellent goalscoring chances. Finally, at the 85^th minute mark, Croatia SC lay claim to all 3 points when Pawel Gorzkowski cut in from the right wing and fired a wicked shot from the edge of the penalty area towards the Hibernians’ net. Unfortunately for the Richmond lads, the ball deflected off Mike Revell’s foot and into the far post for the winning goal. Croatia’s veteran midfielder Johnny Sulentic was his usual self as he controlled the midfield with poise and skill. Also, striker David Zaharija was a thorn on the side of the Richmond defenders throughout the match, using his speed and perseverance to full advantage. For Richmond FC, midfielder Erik Olsen and forward Craig McMillan played remarkably well, despite the heart-breaking loss. Croatia SC improves its record to 2-2-5, good for 10^th place in the standings, while Richmond FC drops to 9^th place, with 9 points from 9 games.

METRO-FORD WOLVES  -  ESTRELLA de CHILE  3-2:  Also on Saturday, at Charles Best School in Coquitlam, the Metro-Ford Wolves recorded their second consecutive upset victory by beating the league-leading Estrella de Chile by a narrow, and hard-fought, 3-2 margin. The Chileans got off to a bright start and had the best goalscoring opportunities in the early going, but squandered a couple of excellent chances as Habil Otieno missed the net from close range and Chris Kyd’s weak shot was easily saved by Metro-Ford’s goalkeeper—Richard Causton. As luck would have it—and, as it often happens—it was the Wolves that took the lead shortly thereafter when a long goal-kick by Richard Causton was flicked by Andrew Veer onto the path of a streaking Russel Huggon. The young veteran proceeded to beat a couple of Estrella de Chile defenders before slotting the ball into the net in clinical fashion, from just inside the 18-yard box. The Chileans bounced back and were able to knot the score a few minutes later when a well-executed corner kick by Eric Ray was headed towards the far post by Narcisse Tchoumi. Adrian Francisco then rose above several Metro-Ford defenders and headed the ball to Habil Otieno whose final header found the back of the Wolves’ net. Metro-Ford bounced back tenaciously and regained the lead at the 25^th minute mark when former Whitecap Alfredo Valente won the ball in the middle of the park and quickly passed it to young Adam Jones. Jones, after taking a few strides towards the Chilean net, then passed the ball back to a streaking Valente who quickly slotted the ball home with a left-footed, far post shot. Shortly thereafter, the Wolves added to their lead with Alfredo Valente and Russel Huggon once again involved in the play. On this occasion, Valente sent a long cross towards the far post where Huggon proceeded to head it back into the top corner of the net, giving goalkeeper Diego Oliveira no chance whatsoever. The Chileans, however, refused to give up and once again narrowed the margin at about the 35^th minute mark when Vladimir Vukovic took advantage of a Metro-Ford defensive blunder, gained possession of the ball, and raced down the left flank before sending a picture-perfect cross into the Metro-Ford penalty area. Habil Otieno then calmly slipped the ball into the back of the Wolves’ net, thus narrowing the margin to 3-2 till the halftime whistle. Estrella de Chile continued to attack during the entire second half, in a desperate attempt to tie things up, but some excellent defending on the part of Metro-Ford’s Anthony DiNicolo and Carson Gill—as well as some brilliant goalkeeping by Richard Causton—kept the vaunted Chilean forwards at bay. Just before the final whistle, the Chileans had their best chance to tie things up when Eric Ray sailed an impeccable corner kick into the penalty area where Estrella’s goalkeeper Diego Oliveira rose above all Metro-Ford defenders and headed the ball towards the far post of the Metro-Ford goal. However, unfortunately for the Chileans, goalkeeper Richard Causton came up with a spectacular save to maintain his team’s slim margin of victory. As mentioned earlier, Metro-Ford’s defenders Carson Gill and Anthony DiNicolo played extremely well in a winning cause, while goalkeeper Richard Causton, midfielder Alfredo Valente, and forward Russel Huggon also turned in outstanding performances. For Estrella de Chile, midfielder Vladimir Vukovic worked extremely hard throughout the match, while forward Habil Otieno not only scored both of his team’s goals, but also created numerous other chances, with his skill and speed. The victory improves Metro-Ford’s record to 3-3-2, good for 5^th place in the Premier Division standings, while Estrella de Chile—despite the loss—remains in 1^st place, with 21 points from 9 games.

COLUMBUS FC  -  SURREY UNITED FIREFIGHTERS  4-1:   The third Saturday game was played at Hjorth Road Park in Surrey and featured two of the top teams in the VMSL: the hosting Surrey United Firefighters and the visiting Columbus FC. The match turned out to be quite an one-sided affair as the ‘Italians’ dominated proceedings from start to finish and walked away with a well-deserved 4-1 victory over the reigning BC Provincial Cup champions. Columbus FC took the early lead when midfielder Nathan Quan sent Milad Rahmati on a ‘semi’ breakaway with an impeccable through ball, a pass that Rahmati easily converted into the go-ahead opening goal. Midway through the first half, Columbus FC doubled its lead as Nathan Quan once again played a major part in the goal. On this occasion, Quan and Steve DeBlasio combined to set up Milad Rahmati who calmly slotted the ball into the bottom corner of the net from the edge of the penalty area. Late in the first half, Columbus put the game out of the Firemen’s reach when none other that Milad Rahmati picked up a loose ball just inside the 18-yard box and unleashed a great strike into the back of the Surrey United net, thus completing his hat-trick. In the second half, the Firefighters demonstrated more urgency and eventually succeeded in narrowing Columbus’ margin when Andrew Proctor took advantage of a scramble inside the goal area and promptly placed the ball into the back of the visitors’ net. Then, midway through the second half, Surrey United came very close to scoring again, on yet another goal-mouth scramble. On this occasion, however, forward Angus Burke had his close-range shot brilliantly saved by Columbus’ goalkeeper Thomas Lindley. Surrey United refused to give up and continued to press in search of the second goal, and once again came very close to scoring at about the 80^th minute mark when Columbus’ Robbie Cairns committed a hand-ball infraction inside the 18-yard box, resulting in a penalty kick being awarded to the Firefighters. Last season’s GOLDEN BOOT AWARD winner—Angus Burke—stepped up to the plate, but his shot barely missed the target, thus ending Surrey United’s chances. Very late in the game, Columbus FC added insult to the Firemen’s injury when Steve DeBlasio sent defender Blair Robertson down the right flank with a clever pass. Robertson proceeded to cross the ball onto the path of forward Kazunori Kikuchi, who brilliantly one-timed the ball into the back of the Surrey United net for Columbus’ fourth goal. Needless to say, Columbus’ forward Milad Rahmati played magnificently as he scored 3 great goals and continually gave Surrey’s defenders headaches with his speed and skill. Midfielders Luca Bellisomo and Nathan Quan worked indefatigably throughout the contest and contributed enormously to the clear-cut victory. Also, central defenders Jonathan Poli and Mike Gomes had strong games as they limited Surrey United’s scoring chances to a minimum. The victory improves Columbus’ record to 4-3-1, good for 4^th place, while Surrey United drops to 5^th place, with an even 4-0-4 record.

DELTA UNITED HURRICANES  -  NORVAN PACIFIC  3-0:  Also on Saturday, at Confederation Park in North Vancouver, the visiting Delta United Hurricanes easily defeated the unpredictable Norvan Pacific by a lop-sided 3-0 margin, thus keeping the home team in the dreaded relegation zone. The Hurricanes got off to a bright start and almost took the lead at the 9^th minute mark when Gurj Sandhu sent Cam Hundal flying down the right wing with an exquisite pass. Hundal’s subsequent cross found a wide-open Joey Brar whose one-time shot bounced off the post and out of danger. Soon thereafter, Delta United opened the scoring when playing-coach Steve Millar fed the ball to Joey Brar who proceeded to send Cam Hundal on a lethal breakaway. The newly-signed Hundal made no mistake in finishing off the play, thus giving his team the 1-0 lead. The second goal came at the 30^th minute mark with Cam Hundal once again involved in the play. This time, Hundal dribbled around a few Norvan defenders and sent a perfect flick/cross into the box, where a diving Harpreet Khakh headed the ball home. To their credit, the Norvan lads fought back tenaciously during the remainder of the first half and created a couple of opportunities of their own. However, shots by Nathan Harte—on a free-kick—and Sebastian Crema—on a breakaway—were well-saved by veteran goalkeeper Drew Smiley. At the other end of the pitch, Gurj Sandhu’s wicked free kick—from well outside the penalty area—was brilliantly saved by Norvan’s goalkeeper Giancarlo Martino. The Hurricanes added their third, and final, goal early in the second half when Amar Mander—after beating 3 defenders—flew in on goal on a breakaway and put the final nail in Norvan’s coffin with a clinical finish.  Defensively, Delta’s Gurj Sandhu, Steve Millar, and Woody Bradford played extremely well, making life relatively easy for goalkeeper Drew Smiley as he recorded a clean-sheet. Also, midfielders Harpreet Khakh and Amar Mander worked tirelessly during the entire match, while forward Cam Hundal was a going concern from the beginning to the very end. The victory improves Delta United’s record to an even 3-3-3, while Norvan Pacific slides down to 11^th place, with only 7 points from 8 matches.

ROVERS CCBTU  -  VANCOUVER OLYMPICS  3-1:  The final match of the weekend—between Rovers CCBTU and the Vancouver Olympics—was played on Saturday at Newton Athletic Park in Surrey and resulted in a predictable victory for the home team. The Rovers took the early lead—at about the 8^th minute mark—when Sunny Bains received a great ball from Phil Kotter, beat an Olympics defender, and unleashed a wicked drive from well outside the penalty area towards the visitors’ goal. On its way to the goal, the ball deflected off the head of defender Vikash Chandra and into the top corner of the net. The visitors responded tenaciously and came close to tying things up on a couple of occasions, but efforts by Sasa Plavsic and Tony Dall’Antonia barely missed the net. Then, at the 22^nd minute mark, the Olympics were finally able to knot the score when a well-driven shot by Adrian Kekec—from the edge of the penalty area—found the back of the Rovers’ net. The Rovers bounced back tenaciously and came close to retaking the lead shortly thereafter but efforts by Rizal Ganief and Jorge Angel Mira went awry. However, near the end of the first half, the Rovers regained possession of the lead after David Hill and Sunny Bains combined to set up Rizal Ganief, whose subsequent shot was blocked by an Olympics’ defender and picked up by Gibson Bardsley who made no mistake in depositing the rebound into the Olympics’ goal from close range. In the second half, the Vancouver Olympics threw caution to the wind in search of the equalizer and came close on several occasions. However, some excellent defending on the part of David Hill and Derrick Bassi—as well as some marvellous goalkeeping by Chris Beck—kept the luckless Olympics off the scoresheet. In particular, Adrian Kekec, Dalibor Plavsic, Rob Sing, and Arnel Naidu had splendid chances to knot the score, but were unable to do so. As luck would have it, as the Olympics were exerting a lot of pressure on the Rovers’ defence, the home team took advantage of the situation and scored the final goal as a result of a lethal counter-attack when Kevan Cameron chipped an immaculate ball over the Olympics defence to Gibson Bardsley who, without a moment’s hesitation, half-volleyed it into the back of the net for the insurance marker.  The victory keeps the Rovers in a second-place tie with West Van FC, only 2 points behind league-leading Estrella de Chile. The Olympics, on the other hand, remain mired in last place with a 0-2-7 record.

TEAM OF THE WEEK:  METRO-FORD WOLVES for their upset 3-2 victory over the league-leading Estrella de Chile. Led by young veterans Russel Huggon, Andrew Veer,  and Alfredo Valente—as well as young defenders Anthony DiNicolo and Carson Gill—the Wolves fought very hard in search of the all-important 3 points. The victory elevates Metro-Ford to 5^th place in the standings, with 12 points out of 8 matches.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK:  Columbus FC’s forward MILAD RAHMATI for his impressive 3-goal performance in his team’s 4-1 victory over the Surrey United Firefighters. All 3 of Rahmati’s goals were things of beauty as he used his clinical finishing prowess to full advantage.   For his outstanding performance this past week, MILAD RAHMATI  will receive a prize of a pizza for two, compliments of  THE GOLDEN BOOT CAFFE`. The prize is available up to 2012-11-27.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

2012-10-31

PREMIER DIVISION – WEEK #8

A few upsets took place this past weekend, resulting in Estrella de Chile extending its lead to a comfortable 5 points at the top of the table. The biggest upset took place on Saturday when the desperate Richmond Hibernians disposed of the Surrey United Firefighters by a narrow 3-2 margin. At the bottom of the table, Croatia SC climbed out of last place by defeating the Vancouver Olympics 2-0, leaving the Olympics all alone in last place.

ESTRELLA de CHILE  -  NORVAN PACIFIC  3-1:  On Friday evening, at Burnaby Lake West Complex, Estrella de Chile remained in sole possession of first place in the Premier Division standings by defeating the visiting Norvan Pacific by a hard-earned 3-1 margin. The Chileans got off to a bright start and controlled most of the play in the early going, but some excellent defending on the part of Norvan’s Graeme Tingey and Nathan Harte kept the vaunted Estrella attackers at bay. The visitors also created some excellent goalscoring opportunities of their own—mostly on counter-attacks by Jamie Casey, Dave Andreychuck, and Matt Hartwell—but the match remained scoreless till the 37^th minute mark. At this point, Estrella de Chile took the lead when Eric Ray slipped a through ball to a streaking Admir Salihovic who—after having beaten Norvan’s offside trap—sailed in on goal and slotted the ball home, giving goalkeeper Giancarlo Martino no chance whatsoever. The second half was more or less a replica of the first as Estrella de Chile did most of the attacking, and Norvan Pacific relied mainly on counter-attacks. At about the 55^th minute mark, Estrella de Chile scored what proved to be the winning goal when Admir Salihovic converted a great cross by Chris English in clinical fashion. To their credit, the visiting Norvan team did not give up and fought back tenaciously in an effort to get back into the match. In one particular case, Norvan had four clear-cut chances in rapid succession as JimYung Oh (twice), Matt Hartwell, and Alex Wilson had their close-range shots either saved by goalkeeper Diego Oliveira or cleared off the line by  defender Josh Hardy. Finally, at the 75^th minute mark, Norvan Pacific was able to narrow the margin when Matt Hartwell converted a fine cross from Sebastian Crema with a wicked left-footed volley that gave goalkeeper Diego Oliveira no chance whatsoever. At this point, Norvan Pacific threw caution to the wind and started attacking furiously in search of the equalizer. As often happens, however, the Chileans took advantage of the situation and—with 5 minutes remaining in the contest—put the match out of Norvan’s reach with a lethal counter-attack. On this occasion, Eric Ray sent yet another excellent through ball onto a flying Admir Salihovic who proceeded to race in on goal and calmly slot the ball into the back of the Norvan net for the insurance marker. Estrella de Chile’s forward Admir Salihovic was a going concern throughout the 90 minutes of play, scored three excellent goals and drove the Norvan defenders to distraction with his pace and skill. Also, defender Narcisse Tchoumi and midfielder Eric Ray contributed immensely to their team’s hard-earned victory. Despite the loss, Norvan’s defender Graeme Tingey, midfielder Jamie Casey, and forward Matt Hartwell played extremely well. The victory solidifies Estrella de Chile’s hold on first place, with an admirable 7-0-1 record, while Norvan Pacific slips to 10^th place, with 7 points from 7 games.

CROATIA SC  -  VANCOUVER OLYMPICS  2-0:  Also on Friday evening, at South Memorial Park in Vancouver, Croatia SC climbed out of last place by defeating the Vancouver Olympics by a 2-0 margin, a result that leaves the Olympics all alone at the bottom of the table. The Croatians got off to a good start and controlled most of the play in the early stages of the match. However, their first really good goalscoring opportunity came at the 25^th minute mark when Peter Bow fired a low shot from the edge of the penalty box towards the Olympics’ goal. Goalkeeper Marc D’Andrea rose to the occasion and pulled off a superlative save to keep the game scoreless until the 35^th minute mark. At this point, the Croatians finally took the lead when David Zaharija finished off a blocked clearance by Pawel Gorzkowski in clinical fashion. In the second half, the Olympics threw caution to the wind in search of the equalizer but were unable to create any really good goalscoring chances. In fact, it was Croatia SC that came close to doubling its lead at about the 70^th minute mark when Peter Bow—after having been set up by Steven Yuan—raced in on goal all alone, but his excellent opportunity was thwarted by goalkeeper Marc D’Andrea. Veteran Johnny Sulentic picked up the rebound and fired the ball towards the Olympics’ goal. However, D’Andrea once again stood tall and pulled off a remarkable save to keep the score at 1-0. Soon thereafter—at about the 78^th minute mark—Peter Bow scored the Croatian insurance marker, after having been set up by a fine cross on the part of David Zaharija. Very late in the game, the Vancouver Olympics almost narrowed the margin but a fine header by Vikash Chandra was brilliantly saved by Croatia’s goalkeeper Marko Bajic, thus keeping his clean sheet intact. Midfielder Johnny Sulentic turned in yet another excellent performance for Croatia SC, while striker David Zaharija and midfielder Peter Bow played admirably in leading their team to its first victory of the season. For the Vancouver Olympics, goalkeeper Marc D’Andrea made some excellent saves, particularly during the second half, while defenders Vikash Chandra and Brinder Kang, as well as midfielders Adrian Kekec and Frank Randazzo also played very well, albeit in a losing cause. Croatia’s victory improves the team’s record to 1-2-5, while the Olympics remain in last place, with only 2 points from 8 games.

METRO-FORD WOLVES  -  ICST PEGASUS  4-1:  The third, and last, Friday evening game was played at Newton Athletic Park and resulted in an upset 4-1 victory for the visiting Metro-Ford Wolves over the defending VMSL champions, ICST Pegasus, in what could be described as the ‘Suspended Coaches’ derby! The Wolves controlled most of the action in the first half, against a rather lethargic Pegasus team. At about the 25^th minute mark, the visitors took the lead when former Whitecap Alfredo Valente sent an impeccable cross from the left side of the field to a streaking Domenic Delli Santi who proceeded to control the ball flawlessly before firing it into the back of the net with a far-post shot. Ten minutes later, Delli Santi repeated his early feat—but in different fashion—as he tapped a great cross from Luigi Pantusa into the back of the net from close range, after Pantusa had received a great through ball from none other than Alfredo Valente. The early part of the second half told a totally different story as the Pegasus lads came out with much more passion, energy, and desire. The home team was rewarded at about the 60^th minute mark when Chetan Jhooty’s wicked shot bounced off the goalpost only to have teammate Azad Palani tap the ball into the back of the Metro-Ford net, thus narrowing the score to 2-1. Pegasus continued to press in search of the equalizer, but it was the Wolves that added to their margin at the 75^th minute mark when veteran Russel Huggon took advantage of a Pegasus defensive blunder and cleverly lobbed the ball into the top part of the net from long range. Metro-Ford’ third goal seemed to deflate Pegasus’ aspirations and, as a result, the Wolves had no difficulty in walking away with the victory. In fact, at the 85^th minute mark, the visitors added to their margin of victory when young Lucas Reis scored his first VMSL goal by very calmly bending a shot into the top corner of the net after having been set up by Adam Jones. The entire Metro-Ford team played very well but special mention should be made of young midfielder Adam Jones who worked tirelessly throughout the 90 minutes of play. Also, veterans Russel Huggon and Alfredo Valente contributed enormously to the victory as they continually guided their young teammates. Meanwhile young Domenic Delli Santi not only scored two brilliant goals but he also drove the Pegasus’ defenders to distraction with his skill and pace on the right flank. For ICST Pegasus, midfielder Chetan Jhooty worked extremely hard in his midfield role, albeit in a losing effort. The upset victory improves Metro-Ford’s record to 2-3-2, good for a 6^th place tie with the idle Delta United Hurricanes. Meanwhile, ICST Pegasus slips to 8^th place, with 9 points from 8 games.

RICHMOND FC HIBERNIANS  -  SURREY UNITED FIREFIGHTERS  3-2:   On Saturday afternoon, at Minoru Oval in Richmond, another upset took place as the struggling Richmond Hibernians made amends for last week’s disastrous loss to West Van FC by edging the reigning BC champions—Surrey United Firefighters—by a hard-fought 3-2 margin. The Hibernians got off to a bright start and took the early lead at the 5^th minute mark when striker Craig McMillan powerfully headed home a well-struck corner kick on the part of Alan Chivers. The Hibernians continued to press for the remainder of the first half but were unable to convert any of their numerous chances. The home team did manage to put the ball into the back of the Firefighters’ net midway through the first half, but Darren Suderman’s thundering header was called back due to an offside infraction. At the other end of the pitch, central defender Mike Revell and right fullback Connon Radil kept the Surrey United forwards at bay with some tenacious and gritty defending, thus limiting their chances to virtually zero. On one occasion, however, last season’s GOLDEN BOOT AWARD WINNER—Angus Burke—set up Ryan Reynolds with an outstanding cross. Unfortunately for the Surrey United contingent, Reynolds subsequent header barely missed the target. The insertion of speedy forward Joseph Martin into the Surrey United line-up in the second half made a huge difference as the Firefighters began to create some goalscoring chances of their own. At about the 55^th minute mark, Surrey United knotted the score when Ravi Jammu sent Joseph Martin down the right flank with a brilliant pass. Martin, after having beaten a few Richmond defenders, then whipped the ball into the 6-yard box, a pass that Ryan Reynolds easily converted into the tying goal. The Hibernians responded in kind and, shortly thereafter, regained the lead when Peter Chivers pounced on a loose ball and magnificently chipped it over the Surrey United goalkeeper from well outside the penalty area. However, at the 65^th minute mark, Richmond FC recaptured the lead, once again on a play involving Joseph Martin and Ryan Reynolds. The goal was almost an exact replica of Surrey’s first goal as Martin flew down the wing before crossing the ball to a wide-open Reynolds inside the goal area. Once again Reynolds tapped the ball into the net without a moment’s hesitation, thus restoring parity—at least temporarily! Near the end of the contest—at about the 85^th minute mark—the Hibernians were able to score the well-deserved winning goal when a great through ball by Peter Chivers sent Emile Saimovici flying towards the Surrey United goal. Saimovici outpaced a couple of Surrey United defenders before calmly placing his shot into the bottom corner of the net for the final—and winning—goal. Forwards Craig McMillan and Emile Saimovici played extremely well in the Richmond FC line-up as they created numerous scoring chances with their skill, speed, and tenacity. As mentioned earlier, defenders Mike Revell and Connor Radil were towers of strength during the entire contest, while midfielder Peter Chivers worked tirelessly and played a huge part in the Hibernians’ success. Richmond’s goalkeeper—Simon Thomas—also deserves special mention for having made a few excellent saves during the second half. Despite the loss, Surrey United’s forwards Ryan Reynolds and Joseph Martin performed extremely, particularly during the second half. The victory improves Richmond’s record to 2-3-3, while Surrey United remains in 4^th place with 12 points out of 7 matches.

COLUMBUS FC  -  WEST VAN FC  4-0:  Also on Saturday, at South Memorial Park in Vancouver, Columbus FC—with coach Carmine D’Onofrio back at the helm—defeated the aspiring West Van FC by an elaborate 4-0 margin in what could be called a ‘semi-upset’. The first half of the match was fairly evenly played with both teams displaying a great deal of caution. The best goalscoring chance in the opening 45 minutes came at about the 30^th minute mark when Columbus’ Milad Rahmati—after having been set up by teammate Tino Cucca—watch agonizingly as his wicked shot from the edge of the penalty area bounced off the goalpost and out of danger. Very late in the first half, West Van’s Will Molloy was sent off the field of play for having committed a violent conduct infraction, thus reducing his team to 10 men for the rest of the match. Needless to say, Columbus took full advantage of the situation and dominated the entire second half against the depleted West Van team. The ‘Italians’ almost got on the score board early in the second half as Steve DeBlasio raced down the right flank before crossing the ball onto the path of Tino Cucca, whose subsequent one-time shot was brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Marco Durante. Then, at the 55^th minute mark, Columbus FC scored the opening goal when Milad Rahmati picked up a loose ball just outside the 18-yard box and unleashed an unstoppable shot into the back of the West Van net. Five minutes later, Steve DeBlasio sent a long ball down the left flank to a streaking Jonathan Poli who quickly crossed it to a wide-open Milad Rahmati who had no difficulty in depositing it into the net from close range. At the 65^th minute mark, Columbus FC put the game out of West Van’s reach when veteran defender Mike Gomes headed home a well-taken free-kick by newly-signed Robbie Giezen. Late in the game, Robbie Giezen and Mike Gomes reversed roles as Giezen became the finisher as he took advantage of a great through ball from Gomes, raced in on goal on a breakaway, and calmly deposited the ball into the back of the net for his team’s 4^th and final goal. Forward Milad Rahmati was a thorn on the side of the West Van defenders, mostly during the second half, while midfielder Robbie Giezen made a very impressive debut in a Columbus uniform as he demonstrated a high level of skill and pace. Central defenders Jonathan Poli and Mike Gomes also had very strong games for Columbus FC, while goalkeeper Thomas Lindley was not tested very often, but was there when called upon and thus earned his clean sheet. For the visiting West Van team, forwards Jesse Fetterley and Michael Nonni worked tirelessly throughout the match, as did midfielder Alan McIndoe. The victory improves Columbus’ record to 3-3-1, good for a 4^th place tie with Surrey United, while West Van remains in second place, 5 points behind Estrella de Chile.

ROVERS CCBTU  -  DELTA UNITED HURRICANES  2-0:  On Tuesday evening, at Holly Park in Ladner, the Rovers CCBTU climbed back into a second place tie with West Van FC by defeating the hosting Delta United by a 2-0 margin. The two very talented teams traded goalscoring opportunities in the first half, but neither one was able to finish off any of them. Early in the match, the Rovers’ Gibson Bardsley came close to scoring on a free kick but veteran Delta goalkeeper Drew Smiley pulled off a fantastic save to prevent the visitors from taking the lead. Shortly thereafter, it was Delta’s turn to miss a golden opportunity when Pavi Dhillon raced in all alone, after having been set up by Harp Khakh. Unfortunately for Dhillon—and the rest of the Delta squad—the Rovers’ goaltender—Chris Beck—came up with one of his usual amazing shaves, thus keeping the match scoreless till the halftime break. Delta responded in kind and came close to opening the score late in the first half, but efforts by Oscar Jimenez and Harp Khakh barely missed the net. Early in the second half, the Rovers took the lead when Rupi Birring and Sidd Atchukin combined to set up Gibson Bardsley, whose subsequent half-volley found the back of the net, giving Drew Smiley no chance whatsoever. Ten minutes later, the Rovers put the game out of the Hurricanes’ reach when Sunny Bains—after blocking a free-kick in his own end of the park—sent Rizal Ganief flying down the left flank with an immaculate pass. Ganief proceeded to outrun a couple of Delta defenders and finished off the play with a lethal shot from a very difficult angle. Delta United replied positively and came close to narrowing the margin on a few occasions, but efforts by Joey Brar, Sarpreet Chahal, and Oscar Jimenez went awry. At the other end of the pitch, Rizal Ganief was stymied by another great save on the part of Drew Smiley, while Gibson Bardsley missed the target after having received a great pass from Phil Kotter. The entire Rovers team played very well, but special mention should be made of goalkeeper Chris Beck, defenders Derrick Bassi and Jonas Fritsch, and forwards Rizal Ganief and Gibson Bardsley for their outstanding performances. For Delta United, Harp Khakh was a threat throughout the entire contest, while defender Jason Gill and midfielder Oscar Jimenez turned in excellent performances, albeit in a losing cause. As mentioned earlier, the victory elevates the Rovers into second place, with a 5-1-2 record, while the Hurricanes remain in 6^th place, with 9 points out of 7 games.

TEAM OF THE WEEK:  RICHMOND FC HIBERNIANS for their upset 3-2 victory over the reigning BC champions—Surrey United Firefighters. The entire Richmond team worked tirelessly throughout the contest, but special mention should be made of forwards Emile Saimovici and Craig McMillan, midfielder Peter Chivers, and defenders Mike Revell and Connon Radil for their superb efforts. The all-important victory elevates the Hibernians out of the dreaded relegation zone!

PLAYER OF THE WEEK:  Estrella de Chile’s forward ADMIR SALIHOVIC for his hat-trick performance in his team’s 3-1 victory over the hard-working Norvan Pacific. Not only did Salihovic score all 3 of his team’s goals in clinical fashion, but he also continuously drove his opponents to distraction with his pace and skill.  For his outstanding performance this past week, ADMIR SALIHOVIC  will receive a prize of a pizza for two, compliments of  THE GOLDEN BOOT CAFFE`. The prize is available up to 2012-11-20.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

2012-10-23

PREMIER DIVISION – WEEK #7

With the exception of one game—Rovers vs Norvan—the rich got richer this past weekend, while the poor got poorer! Estrella de Chile stayed at the top of the standings by defeating last season’s champions—ICST Pegasus—by a hard-fought 2-0 margin, while West Van FC and Surrey United remained in contention for the league title by virtue of their elaborate victories over Richmond FC and Vancouver Olympics respectively. At the bottom of the table, the Olympics and Croatia SC are still looking for their first victory of the season with only 2 points each, out of 7 games.

ESTRELLA de CHILE  -  ICST PEGASUS   2-0:  On Friday evening, at Newton Athletic Park in Surrey, Estrella de Chile remained all alone in first place by virtue of a hard-fought 2-0 victory over ICST Pegasus.  The entire match was heavily-contested and quite evenly played, with ICST Pegasus  having most the ball possession, while Estrella de Chile had more goalscoring chances and capitalized on a couple of them. Early in the match, with Pegasus exerting some pressure, the Chileans counter-attacked almost lethally with Chris Kyd and Brian Dottin setting up Eric Ray whose subsequent shot was saved brilliantly by goalkeeper Andy Singh. A few minutes later, on yet another breakaway, Brian Dottin’s header barely missed the net after he had received a fine cross from Habil Otieno. Then, at the 15^th minute mark, Estrella de Chile took the lead when Brian Dottin headed home a well-executed corner kick by Eric Ray, for what proved to be the winning goal. Pegasus continued to retain possession of the ball, but failed to create any real goalscoring chances for the remainder of the first half. In fact, near the end of the first half, it was Estrella de Chile that came close to doubling its lead when Habil Otieno barely missed the net with a wicked shot. The second half was more or less a repeat of the first, with ICST Pegasus attacking relentlessly in search of the equalizer, while the Chileans defended and counter-attacked astutely. However, counter-attack chances by Adrian Francisco, Chris Kyd, Eric Ray, and Brian Dottin all went awry. Finally, at the 85^th minute mark, Estrella de Chile put the match out of Pegasus’ reach by scoring its second goal—once again on a counter-attack. On this occasion, Brian Dottin set up Eric Ray, whose subsequent shot was well saved by Andy Singh, only to have Adrian Francisco pick up the rebound and smash the ball into the wide open net. The entire Estrella de Chile team played very well, using the same tactics during the whose game. However, special mention should be made of goalkeeper Diego Oliveira for having earned a very difficult clean sheet, central defender Narcisse Tchoumi, midfielders Adrian Francisco and Eric Ray, as well as forward Brian Dottin for their excellent performances. For ICST Pegasus, central defender Jag Sajan, holding midfielder Adam Costley, and attacking midfielder Omari Aldridge performed admirably, albeit in a losing cause. As a result of the victory, Estrella de Chile maintains its hold on first place in the Premier Division standings, with a 6-0-1 record, while ICST Pegasus is now in 6^th place, with 9 points out of 7 games.

WEST VAN FC  -  RICHMOND FC HIBERNIANS  7-2:  Also on Friday evening, at Ambleside Park in West Vancouver, West Van FC stayed in contention for first place in the Premier Division standings by defeating the visiting Richmond Hibernains by a rather embarrassing 7-2 margin. The former Trollers took the early lead—at the 1^st minute mark—when Jesse Fetterley brilliantly one-timed a great cross from defender Drew Gelley into the back of the Hibs’ net. Shortly thereafter—at about the 7^th minute mark—Will Molloy doubled West Van’s lead with a fine header off a patented Paul Dailly free-kick. Then—at the 18^th minute mark—Paul Dailly became the finisher as he curled his long-range free-kick into the visitors’ net. It should be mentioned that the free-kick was awarded when Jesse Fetterley—after having beaten a couple of Richmond defenders—was fouled well outside the penalty area. At about the 26^th minute mark, West Van FC scored again—with Jesse Fetterley once again involved in the play. On this occasion, Fetterley beat a couple of Richmond defenders down the right flank and proceeded to send an immaculate low cross onto the feet of Michael Nonni who controlled the ball brilliantly and—without a moment’s hesitation—left-footed it into the Hibs’ goal. At the 38^th minute mark, West Van FC scored its 5^th goal when Will Molloy’s corner kick was headed back across the goal by Max Baessato and eventually converted by Jesse Fetterley. To their credit, the Hibernians did not give up and were able to narrow the margin just before the halftime whistle as Erik Olsen’s free-kick sailed over the West Van wall and into the net. Early in the second half—at about the 52^nd minute mark—West Van FC re-established it 5-goal lead when Alan McIndoe set up Michael Nonni with a brilliant pass, resulting in Nonni lobbing the ball over the Richmond goalkeeper. Then, at the 75^th minute mark, West Van FC scored again, this time on a close-range finish by Corey Birza, after he had been set up by Michael Nonni. Just before the final whistle, the Hibernians scored the final goal of the match when Peter Chivers headed the ball into the far corner of the West Van net after being set up by Erik Olsen. Needless to say, the entire West Van FC team played remarkably well, but special mention should be made of forwards Jesse Fetterley and Michael Nonni for their excellent performances, as they scored 2 goals each and worked tirelessly throughout the 90 minutes of play. Also, midfielders Alan McIndoe and Stefan Crameri turned in excellent performances as they controlled the middle of the park with tenacity, grit, and skill. Fullback Drew Gelley should also be mentioned for his stellar performance as he not only defended brilliantly, but also set up two of his team’s goals. Despite the lop-sided loss, Richmond’s Erik Olsen worked tirelessly during the entire match in his forward position. The victory elevates West Van FC into sole possession of second place, with a 5-1-1 record and only 2 points behind Estrella de Chile. Richmond FC, on the other hand, slips to 9^th place, with 6 points from 7 games.

NORVAN PACIFIC  -  ROVERS CCBTU   2-1:  On Saturday, at Newton Athletic Park in Surrey, Norvan Pacific climbed into sole possession of 8^th place by upsetting the Rovers CCBTU by a narrow—and hard-fought—2-1 margin. The Rovers got off to a bright start and almost took the lead on a couple of occasions in the early going, but Norvan goalkeeper—Giancarlo Martino—pulled off two great saves on chances by top-goalscorer Dever Orgill. Unfortunately for the Rovers, Orgill suffered what appeared to be a serious ankle injury midway through the first half and had to be substituted.  Soon thereafter, the Rovers almost took the lead when newly-signed Gibson Bardsley had his excellent shot brilliantly saved by Giancarlo Martino. Norvan Pacific replied in kind and came close to scoring late in the first half, but Rovers’ goalkeeper—Chris Beck—pulled off an outstanding save on a breakaway opportunity by Jamie Casey. The second half was more or less a repeat of the first, with both teams pressing hard in search of the go-ahead goal. Chris Beck came to the Rovers’ rescue once again at the 55^th minute mark when he was able to thwart a goalscoring opportunity by Norvan’s Greg Muir with yet another fine stop. Shortly thereafter, the Rovers took the lead when Bobby Jhutty received the ball from Phil Kotter, played a clever one-two with Gibson Bardsley before blasting the ball into the Norvan net from well outside the penalty area. Norvan Pacific replied in kind and forced Chris Beck to make another couple of fine saves on shots by Dave Andreychuck and Blake Burgon. With about 9 minutes to go in the match, Norvan knotted the score when Andreychuck—a second half substitute—fired a low cross into the Rovers’ goal area, a cross that was subsequently converted into the tying goal by a wide-open Matt Hartwell. Five minutes later, Norvan added insult to the Rovers’ injury by scoring the winning goal, once again on a close-range shot. On this occasion, a Nathan Harte free-kick found an unmarked Alex Wilson inside the goal area. Needless to say, Wilson had no difficulty in slotting the ball home for the winning goal. Norvan’s centre-backs Nathan Harte and Brent Dodge contributed enormously to their team’s hard-earned victory as they defended tenaciously throughout the contest. Also, midfielders Blake Burgon and Sebastian Crema turned in excellent performances as they demonstrated a great deal of skill and grit. Despite the heart-breaking loss, defenders Sam Gill and Derrick Bassi played very well for the Rovers, as did forwards Dalvir Mahli and Gibson Bardsley. The upset victory improves Norvan’s record to 2-1-3, while the Rovers drop to 3^rd place with 13 points from 7 games.

CROATIA SC  -  DELTA UNITED HURRICANES  2-1:   Also on Saturday, at Beaconsfield Park in Vancouver, Croatia SC held the heavily-favoured Delta United Hurricanes to a 2-2 draw, after an exciting and well-played 90 minutes of non-stop action. Early in the match, former professional Johnny Sulentic crossed the ball to Ivan Prpic, whose subsequent header almost gave Croatia SC the lead. However, a splendid save on the part of veteran Delta goalkeeper—Drew Smiley—kept the Croatians off the scoreboard. Shortly thereafter—at the other end of the pitch—Hamzah Gurung fed a beautiful pass to Amar Mander who—after racing down the left flank—impeccably crossed the ball onto the path of Harp Khakh, whose one-timer barely missed the target as the ball sailed over the net. Midway through the first half, Delta United took the lead when Oscar Jimenez’ well-placed free-kick was headed into the net by Joey Brar. A couple of minutes later, Croatia SC knotted the score in a bizarre manner as Johnny Sulentic’s free-kick—from the halfway line—was inexplicably misjudged by goalkeeper Drew Smiley as it sailed over his head and into the net for the equalizer. Late in the first half, the Hurricanes almost regained their lead but Pavi Dhillon’s shot—after he had been set up by Oscar Jimenez—barely missed the net. The second half was more or less a repeat of the first as both teams tried hard to score what might have been the winning goal. Very late in the match—at about the 87^th minute mark—Delta United was finally able to score what appeared to be the winning goal when veteran player-coach Steve Millar sent Amar Mander flying down the left flank with a great pass. Mander then proceeded to set up Oscar Jimenez who quickly one-timed the ball to Danny Badesha who then fired the ball into the back of the net from the edge of the penalty area. As luck would have it—just before the final whistle—the Croatians were able to tie things up when Ryan Zaharija beat a few Delta defenders in the middle of the park before sending a long ball onto the path of Johnny Sulentic who raced in on goal and scored the equalizer with a clever shot. Delta midfielder Oscar Jimenez played extremely well throughout the match, while Croatia’s Johnny Sulentic was outstanding as he scored both his team’s goals and contributed immensely in the middle of the park. The tie elevates the Delta Hurricanes to a 6^th place tie with ICST Pegasus, with a 2-3-2 record, while Croatia SC remains mired in last place—tied with the Vancouver Olympics—with only 2 points from 7 games.

SURREY UNITED FIREFIGHTERS  -- VANCOUVER OLYMPICS  5-2:   The third Saturday game was played at Cloverdale Athletic Park in Surrey and resulted in a 5-2 victory for the heavily-favoured Surrey United Firefighters over the visiting Vancouver Olympics. The defending BC champions—Surrey United—dominated proceeding from start to finish and clearly earned the 3 points. The Firefighters took the lead at the 20^th minute mark when Andrew Reed—after having made a great run down the right flank—passed the ball to Ryan Reynolds who proceeded to one-time it to a streaking Angus Burke, last season’s GOLDEN BOOT AWARD winner. Without a moment’s hesitation, Burke blasted the ball into the back of the Olympics’ net for the game’s first goal. A few minutes later, Surrey United doubled its lead, once again on an Angus Burke goal, this time after having been set up by Sean Einarsson. At the 30^th minute mark, Surrey United put the game out of the Olympics’ reach with Angus Burke once again in the limelight. This time, Ravi Jammu was the provider as he set up Burke at the edge of the goal area. Burke then slotted the ball home past a helpless goalkeeper. Very late in the first half, the Vancouver Olympics narrowed the margin when Robert Sing unleashed a wicked, long-range drive, a shot that gave goalkeeper Andrew Fink no chance whatsoever. Very early in the second half, the Firefighters re-established their 3-goal lead when Ryan Reynolds finished off an excellent pass from former Whitecap Steve Kindel with a picture-perfect shot. Then, at the 70^th minute mark, Reynolds became the provider as he combined with Sean Einarsson to set up Liam Miller for Surrey’s 5^th, and final, goal. Late in the match, the Olympics narrowed the margin by scoring their second goal, this one on a penalty kick after Rob Sing had fouled by goalkeeper Andrew Fink inside the Surrey United penalty area. Sing himself stepped up to the plate and drilled the ball home to keep the score semi-respectable. Obviously, Angus Burke deserves special mention for his hat-trick performance, while defensively Jeff Clarke, Steve MacAuley, Ravi Jammu, and Andrew Reed kept the Olympics’ goalscoring chances to a minimum.  As a result of the rather easy victory, Surrey United now sits all alone in 4^th place, only 1 point behind Rovers CCBTU and with a game in hand. The Olympics, on the other hand, are now in a last place tie with Croatia SC, with a 0-2-5 record.

COLUMBUS FC  -  METRO-FORD WOLVES  2-0 (ABANDONED):   The last game of the weekend was also played on Saturday—at Coquitlam Town Centre—between the hosting Metro-Ford Wolves and the visiting Columbus FC. Unfortunately, the match was abandoned early in the second half due to the misbehaviour of the Wolves’ officials. Columbus FC almost opened the scoring early in the match, when Milad Rahmati sent a great through ball to a streaking Ylya Malek down the left flank. Malek’s subsequent shot, however, hit the outside of the net keeping the game tied until late in the first half. At this point Rahmati and Malek once again combined with a similar situation, but this time Malek was able to finish off the play with a wicked drive from just inside the penalty area. Just before the halftime whistle, Columbus FC doubled its lead when Milad Rahmati picked up a loose ball—after Steve DeBlasio and Metro-Ford defender Kyle Jones collided—and deposited it into the back of the Metro-Ford net. At this point, Metro-Ford coach Carlo Corazzin was ejected from the game for overly disputing the fact that a foul should have been called against Columbus. Early in the second half, the referee abandoned the game due to the fact that Corazzin refused to leave area near the field of play. A decision will be made by the VMSL executive committee regarding the outcome of the match.

TEAM OF THE WEEK:  NORVAN PACIFIC for its upset victory over Rovers CCBTU by a narrow, but well-deserved 2-1 margin. Very late in the game, Norvan came back from a 1-0 deficit and gained all 3 important points by scoring two late goals. The entire Norvan squad played exceptionally well, but special mention should be made of defenders Nathan Harte and Brent Dodge, midfielders Sebastian Crema and Blake Burgon, and goalscorers Matt Hartwell and Alex Wilson for their brilliant performances.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK:  Surrey United’s forward ANGUS BURKE for his hat-trick performance in his team’s 5-2 victory over the hard-working Vancouver Olympics. Not only did Burke score 3 goals, he also drove the Vancouver Olympics’ defence to distraction with his pace, skill, and tenacity!  For his outstanding performance this past week, ANGUS BURKE  will receive a prize of a pizza for two, compliments of  THE GOLDEN BOOT CAFFE`. The prize is available up to 2012-11-06.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><> 

2012-10-16

 PREMIER DIVISION – WEEK #6

 The newly-promoted Estrella de Chile gained sole possession of first place with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over the previous leaders—Rovers CCBTU. At the bottom of the table, the Vancouver Olympics and Croatia SC continued to struggle and remained winless as they both lost their games—to West Van FC and Norvan Pacific respectively. This coming weekend should be very interesting as the defending Premier Division champions—ICST Pegasus—will face off with the present leaders—Estrella de Chile.

ESTRELLA de CHILE  -  ROVERS CCBTU  2-1:  On Friday evening, at Burnaby Lake West, Estrella de Chile pulled off a minor upset by defeating the previously undefeated Rovers CCBTU by a narrow 2-1 margin. The two very talented teams exchanged goalscoring chances in the early going with Dever Orgill coming close to scoring for the Rovers, while Adrian Francisco and Brian Dottin also missed the target at the other end of the pitch. Dever Orgill then redeemed himself for his earlier missed opportunity when—at the 15^th minute mark—he received a great pass from Sam Gill, beat a couple of Chilean defenders on his way to the goal and calmly slotted the ball home for the opening goal. It should be noted that this was Orgill’s 7^th goal of the season, good for first place in the Golden Boot standings. Estrella de Chile bounced back tenaciously and started applying pressure on the Rovers’ defence in search of the equalizer. Unfortunately for the home team, chances by Narcisse Tchoumi, Chris Kyd, and Brian Dottin went awry, keeping the score at 1-0 for the Rovers till the halftime whistle. Early in the second half, both teams once again came close to scoring but Chile’s Admir Salihovic and the Rovers’ David Hill missed glorious goalscoring opportunities as their shots missed the elusive target. The Chileans continued to press in search of the equalizer and came close to succeeding on a few occasions. In particular, Eric Ray’s free-kick barely missed the net, while Stephane Kamtcheu’s shot also narrowly missed the target. Finally, at the 75^th minute mark, Estrella de Chile was able to knot the score when an Eric Ray’s cross was handled in the box by the Rovers’ Danny Chahal, resulting in a penalty kick being awarded. Eric Ray himself stepped up to the plate and clinically converted the spot shot into the tying goal. Five minutes later, Estrella de Chile scored the game winner on a great header by Stephane Kamtcheu, on a picture-perfect cross by Habil Otieno. The entire Estrella de Chile team played exceptionally well, but special mention should be made of forward Habil Otieno, central defender Narcisse Tchoumi, and midfielders Eric Ray and Adrian Francisco for their superlative performances. Despite the loss, the Rovers’ goalkeeper Chris Beck kept the score respectable with some fine saves throughout the contest, while defender Derrick Bassi and midfielders David Hill and Sidd Achuthon also played very well. The victory elevates Estrella de Chile into sole possession of first place in the Premier Division standings, with a 5-0-1 record, while Rovers CCBTU drop to  second place with 13 points from 6 games.

WEST VAN FC  -  VANCOUVER OLYMPICS  3-1:  Also on Friday evening, at South Memorial Park in Vancouver, West Van FC stayed in contention for first place in the Premier Division standings by defeating the struggling Vancouver Olympics by a 3-1 margin. As expected, the former Trollers controlled most of the play from start to finish, while the underdog Olympics defended tenaciously and counter-attacked whenever the opportunity arose. West Van took the lead late in the first half—at about the 40^th minute mark—when veteran midfielder Paul Dailly cracked an unstoppable long-range shot into the Olympics’ net after having been set up by Mike Nonni and Alan McIndoe. Shortly thereafter—just before the halftime whistle—the Olympics restored parity when a long ball by Robert Sing found a wide-open Frank Randazzo whose subsequent well-placed shot found the back of the net for the equalizer. The second half was more or less a carbon-copy of the first as the visitors controlled most of the action and maintained a large percentage of the ball possession. However, the Olympics came close the taking the lead at the 55^th minute mark when Frank Randazzo’s header was cleared off the goal-line by defender Leo Nash. Then, at the 60^th minute mark, West Van FC re-established its lead when Paul Dailly scored his second goal of the match, this time on a penalty kick. The spot shot was awarded when Jesse Fetterley was fouled inside the Olympics’ penalty area by defender Ashif Ismail. To add insult to injury, the Olympics were reduced to 10 men at the 65^th minute mark when Arnel Naidu was sent off for having received his second caution of the match. West Van FC took full advantage of the situation and added the insurance marker at the 75^th minute mark, when Paul Dailly completed his hat-trick thus putting the match out of the Olympics’ reach. On this occasion, Dailly took advantage of a great pass from Jesse Fetterley and calmly finished the play with an unstoppable close-range shot. Needless to say, Paul Dailly turned in a remarkable performance not only because he scored his team’s 3 goals, but also because he controlled the middle of the park with his usual composure and passing ability. Forward Jesse Fetterley was a work-horse throughout the contest as he caused numerous problems for the Olympics’ defence. For the Olympics, defender Sang Hwang and midfielder Yeo Yoon played very well despite the loss. West Van FC thus improves its record to 4-1-1, good for a second place tie with Rovers CCBTU while the Vancouver Olympics remain in penultimate place with only 2 points out of 6 games.

NORVAN PACIFIC  -  CROATIA SC  3-1:  On Saturday, at Inter River Park in North Vancouver, the struggling Norvan Pacific registered its first victory of the season by defeating the last place Croatia SC by a 3-1 margin. The Croatians almost took the lead in the early going when Michael DeVico’s shot was tipped over the bar by goalkeeper Giancarlo Martino, after DeVico had been set up by Pawel Gorzkowski. Soon thereafter—at about the 10^th minute mark—Norvan took the lead when Matt Hartwell pounced on a sloppy Croatian clearance and finished off the play with an unstoppable shot from close range. Late in the first half, Croatia SC restored parity when Cristian Tropeano set up a streaking Kreso Ukalovic who proceeded to beat a couple of Norvan defenders before blasting a low shot into the back of the net from the edge of the penalty area. Soon thereafter, Croatia SC almost took the lead but Giancarlo Martino once again came to the rescue as he made another fantastic save, this time on a shot by Peter Bow. Early in the second half, Norvan Pacific restored its lead when Sebastian Crema worked his way to the Croatia goal-line before sending an immaculate cross onto the path of a wide-open Dave Andreychuk who had no problem whatsoever in finishing off the play and thus score what proved to be the winning goal. After both teams exchanged some excellent goalscoring chances, Norvan’s Blake Burgon scored the insurance goal at about the 75^th minute mark when he rocketed a vicious volley from well outside the penalty area into the Croatia net. Soon thereafter, Croatia’s Kreso Ukalovic almost scored his second goal of the match but his shot—after having been set up by Peter Bow—sailed over the crossbar. Very late in the match, Norvan’s Sebastian Crema also came very close to scoring but his well-executed free kick struck the Croatia crossbar. Norvan’s central defender Nathan Harte, midfielder Sebastian Crema, and forward Blake Burgon played extremely well in leading their team to victory. For Croatia SC, midfielders Peter Bow and Kreso Ukalovic worked tirelessly throughout the 90 minutes, albeit in a losing cause. The victory improves Norvan’s record to 1-1-3, while Croatia SC remains mired in last place with only 1 point from 6 games.

RICHMOND FC HIBERNIANS  -  METRO-FORD WOLVES  1-1:   On Saturday, at Minoru Ovan in Richmond, two teams in desperate need of points—the hosting Richmond Hibernians and the visiting Metro-Ford Wolves—settled for a disappointing 1-1 tie.  The Hibernians got off to a bright start and almost took the lead very early in the game when striker Brad Caldwell took advantage of a Metro-Ford defensive blunder, raced in on goal, but blasted his shot just wide of the net. A couple of minutes later, Caldwell once again missed the net, this time on a header after Peter Chivers had delivered an impeccable free-kick into the penalty area.  Metro-Ford responded positively and took the lead at the 20^th minute mark when Lucas Reis sent Domenic Delli Santi towards goal with a picture-perfect pass. Delli Santi made no mistake on the ensuing shot, thus giving the visitors the 1-0 lead—a lead that lasted till the halftime whistle and beyond. The Hibernians continued to dominate proceedings in the second half and tied things up at the 55^th minute mark when Peter Chivers sent yet another excellent free-kick into the Metro-Ford box. On this occasion, Brad Caldwell’s header found the back of the net, thus knotting the score. The Hibs continued to press in search of the winning goal, but efforts by Matt Rota, Stu Walters, and Erik Olson barely missed the target. Defender Connor Radil, midfielder Peter Chivers, and forwards Brad Caldwell and Erik Olson played extremely well for the Richmond Olympics, albeit in a disappointing result. Both teams remain tied in 8^th place in the Premier Division standings with identical 1-3-2 records.

COLUMBUS FC  -  ICST PEGASUS  1-1:  The third Saturday game was played at Cedar Park in Port Coquitlam and featured two of the strongest teams in the VMSL: Columbus FC and last season’s champions ICST Pegasus. After a rather lacklustre 90 minutes of play, both teams had to settle for a 1-1 draw. The match was evenly played as both teams demonstrated more caution than a daring willingness to lay claim to all 3 points. Columbus had the better chances in the first half with veteran Tiernan King coming close on a couple of occasions, only to have Pegasus’ goalkeeper Andy Singh pull off two excellent saves. After a scoreless first half, Pegasus took the lead at the 60^th minute mark when Azad Palani raced in on the Columbus goal on a breakaway and calmly slotted the ball into the back of the net past goalkeeper Thomas Lindley for the go-ahead goal. The ‘Italians’ responded in kind and tied things up 10 minutes later when Steve DeBlasio fed a brilliant through ball to Tiernan King who proceeded to chip it over an onrushing Andy Singh, only to have it bounce off the goalpost. Fortunately for Columbus, Milad Rahmati picked up the rebound and slammed the ball into the empty net for the equalizer. Columbus’ forward Milad Rahmati not only scored his team’s lone goal, but he was also a thorn on the Pegasus backline all game long with his dazzling speed and immaculate ball control. For Pegasus, defenders Paul Bahia and Deep Toor played extremely well, while midfielders Adam Costley and Satinder Dhaliwal worked tirelessly throughout the match. The draw keeps both teams tied for 5^th place with identical 2-3-1 records.

SURREY UNITED FIREFIGHTERS  -  DELTA UNITED HURRICANES  1-0:  The lone Sunday game was played at John Oliver Park in Delta between the Delta United Hurricanes and the Surrey United Firefighters. At the end of 90 minutes of non-stop action, the reigning BC champions—Surrey United—walked away with a hard-earned 1-0 victory. The Hurricanes came out of the starting gate with fire and brimstone and almost took the lead at the 5^th minute mark when Harp Khakh—after having beaten 3 Surrey United defenders—found a wide-open Oscar Jimenez at the edge of the penalty area. Without a moment’s hesitation, Jimenez one-timed the ball towards the Surrey net, only to have goalkeeper Andrew Fink pull off a sensational save. The Firefighters responded in kind and also came close to scoring at the 15^th minute mark, but Matt Rosenlund watched agonizingly as his excellent header was brilliantly saved by veteran Delta goalkeeper Drew Smiley. Soon thereafter—at about the 30^th minute mark—Andrew Proctor took advantage of a great cross from former Whitecap Jeff Clarke and headed the ball into the back of the net from close range, giving Drew Smiley no chance whatsoever. Early in the second half, Surrey United almost doubled their lead but Scott McEachern’s shot bounced off the crossbar and out of danger, after he had been set up by Justin Carvery. At the 70^th minute mark, Delta’s Arjan Grewal was sent off the pitch for having received his second caution of the match. Despite playing with only 10 men, Delta United continued to press and came close to knotting the score on a couple of occasions, but some brilliant defending on the part of veteran Jeff Clarke kept the scoreline at 1-0 till the final whistle. Surrey United’s goalkeeper—Andrew Fink—fully deserved the clean-sheet as he pulled off several outstanding saves during the contest. Also, centre-back Jeff Clarke was at his very best as he limited Delta’s goalscoring opportunities with some tenacious defending. Midfielders Colin Streckmann and Justin Carvery worked tirelessly in the middle of the park and contributed enormously to the Firefighters’ victory. Finally, forward Andrew Proctor also deserves special mention for creating havoc for the Delta defenders during the entire match. For Delta United, goalkeeper Drew Smiley, defender Gurj Sandhu, midfielder Oscar Jimenez, and forward Phil Lensky played extremely well, albeit in a losing cause. The hard-fought victory elevates Surrey United to 4^th place in the Premier Division standings, with a 3-0-2 record, while the Hurricanes drop to 7^th place, with 8 points out of 6 games.

TEAM OF THE WEEK:  ESTRELLA de CHILE for yet another amazing performance in defeating the Rovers CCBTU by a 2-1 margin, thus taking over sole possession of first place—not bad for a newly-promoted team! Led by the excellent efforts of forward Habil Otieno, defender Narcisse Tchoumi, and midfielders Eric Ray and Adrian Francisco, the Chileans fully deserved the hard-fought upset victory.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK:  West Van FC’s veteran midfielder PAUL DAILLY for his hat-rick performance in his team’s 3-1 victory over the hard-working Vancouver Olympics. Not only did Dailly control the middle of the park, in his own patented manner, but he also scored all 3 of his team’s goals!  For his outstanding performance this past week, PAUL DAILLY  will receive a prize of a pizza for two, compliments of  THE GOLDEN BOOT CAFFE`. The prize is available up to 2012-10-30.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

2012-10-09

 PREMIER DIVISION – WEEK #5

Week #5 provided a few surprising results with the Rovers CCBTU remaining the only unbeaten team in the Premier Division and in sole possession of first place, albeit only one point ahead of the red-hot Estrella de Chile. At the bottom of the table, Croatia SC is still winless while Norvan Pacific had its game—against Surrey United—postponed due to the fact that the Firefighters were in Winnipeg, representing British Columbia in the annual National Championship. On a sad and disappointing note, Surrey United finished in fifth place in the Canadian championship tournament.

 WEST VAN FC  -  DELTA UNITED HURRICANES  2-2:  On Thursday evening, at Ambleside Park in West Vancouver, the visiting Delta Hurricanes held the hosting West Van FC to a 2-2 tie, after a hard-fought 90 minutes of solid action. The former Trollers dominated proceedings during the first 15 minutes of the match but were unable to create any really clear-cut goalscoring opportunities. As luck would have it, it was the Hurricanes that took the lead at about the 16^th minute mark when Harp Khakh—after having received a clever pass from Pavi Dhillon—blasted an unstoppable shot into the West Van net from well outside the penalty area. The home team replied positively to Delta’s opening goal and knotted the score at the 30^th minute mark when veteran Paul Dailly converted a penalty kick in his usual clinical fashion. The spot shot was awarded when Jesse Fetterley—after having been set up by Drew Gelley—was fouled inside the penalty area by veteran Woody Bradford. Shortly thereafter, Delta United regained the lead, once again on a great goal by Harp Khakh. On this occasion, Khakh received a fantastic cross from Amar Mander before one-timing the ball into the back of the West Van net. Midway through the second half, West Van FC was finally able to knot the score when Cathal O’Connor tapped the ball into the net from close range after having been set up by Jesse Fetterley, who had originally been sent down the left flank by young Stefan Crameri. The home team kept pressing for what would have been the winning goal, but efforts by Jesse Fetterley, Alan McIndoe, Will Molloy, Cathal O’Connor, and Paul Dailly were either blocked by the Delta defenders or saved by goalkeeper Drew Smiley. Midfielders Alan McIndoe and Cathal O’Connor played extremely well for West Van FC, as they controlled the middle of the park and created numerous goalscoring opportunities. Forwards Jesse Fetterley and Stefan Crameri were very dangerous throughout the match as they drove the Delta defenders to distraction with their work rate and skill. For Delta United, forwards Phil Lensky and Harp Khakh—as well as midfielders Pavi Dhillon and Arjun Grewal turned in excellent performances. The tie drops West Van FC to 3^rd place in the standings—with a 3-1-1 record—while Delta United climbs to a 4^th place tie with Columbus FC and ICST Pegasus.

 RICHMOND FC HIBERNIANS    -  ICST PEGASUS  2-1:  On Friday evening, at Newton Athletic Park in Surrey, the defending Premier Division champions—ICST Pegasus—suffered an upset 2-1 loss at the hands of the visiting Richmond Hibernians, in a match that could be described as a tough and emotional battle. Pegasus had the first chance to score early in the game but a well-taken free kick by Niko Marcina—from just outside the 18-yard box—curled over the defensive wall but barely missed the net. Shortly thereafter, at the other end of the pitch, Richmond FC also came close to scoring when Brad Caldwell set up Peter Chivers with an excellent pass, only to have Chivers’ subsequent shot go wide of the Pegasus’ goal. Then, at the 30^th minute mark, Pegasus took the lead when Azad Palani put a brilliant through ball onto the path of Omari Aldridge, a pass that caught the Richmond defence off guard. Aldridge then proceeded to slide the ball into the net for the go-ahead goal. The Hibs fought back tenaciously and almost knotted the score on a couple of occasions late in the first half. On the first attempt, forward Erik Olson—after having been set up by Alan Chivers—had his excellent shot brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Amar Dhinsa. Then, midfielder Peter Chivers broke through the Pegasus backline with a great run, only to watch agonizingly as his shot just sailed over the crossbar. The second half was more or less a carbon-copy of the first as both teams worked extremely hard in an effort to secure all 3 points. At around the 65^th minute mark, the Hibernians were able to knot the score when second half substitutes Craig McMillan and Emile Saimovici combined to score the equalizer. Initially, McMillan beat a couple of Pegasus’ defenders, dribbled along the goal-line, and cut the ball back onto the path of Saimovici who—without a moment’s hesitation—blasted it into the roof of the net. Shortly thereafter—at about the 70^th minute mark—Richmond FC scored what proved to be the winning goal when a well-delivered corner kick by Matt Rota was volleyed into the back of the net by Marcus Brougham. Both teams came close to scoring in the late stages of the match with the Hibernians being denied their third goal by an offside call against Emile Saimovici and Pegasus’ Azad Palani—after beating a couple of Richmond defenders—hit the goalpost with a clever shot. The Richmond backline—composed of Marcus Brougham, Mike Revell, Rory Gattens, and Connor Radil—played extremely well against the vaunted Pegasus attackers. Also, midfielders Matt Rota, Peter Chivers, and Graeme Poole turned in excellent performances. For ICST Pegasus, midfielders Adam Costley, Omari Aldridge, and CJ Jhooty deserve special mention for their excellent efforts, albeit in a losing cause. The Hibernians’ hard-earned victory improves their record to 1-2-2, while ICST Pegasus remains in 4^th place with 8 points from 5 games.

 ESTRELLA de CHILE  -  COLUMBUS FC  2-0:  On Saturday, at Cedar Park in Port Coquitlam, the visiting Estrella de Chile defeated Columbus FC by a 2-0 margin in what might be considered a huge upset. The newly-promoted Chileans got off to a good start and almost took the early lead on a couple of occasions, but efforts by Bryan Barahona and Habil Otieno went awry. The ‘Italians’ responded in kind and also came close to scoring when Milad Rahmati’s shot was brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Diego Oliveira. At the 35^th minute mark, Estrella de Chile took the lead when Chris Kyd took advantage of an unusual defensive blunder on the part of Luca Bellisomo before slipping the ball to a streaking Habil Otieno who proceeded to score an excellent goal with an amazing strike, giving goalkeeper Erman Ozkan no chance whatsoever. The Chileans almost doubled their lead late in the first half, but Adrian Francisco—after having received an excellent pass from Eric Ray—blasted the ball over the net from close range. During the entire second half, Estrella de Chile defended very well—mostly due to the outstanding performances of Narcisse Tchoumi and Josh Hardy. As a result, Columbus’ chances to get back into the match were scarce. Midway through the second half, Estrella de Chile doubled its lead when Habil Otieno flicked the ball to Admir Salihovic in the middle of the park. Salihovic raced in on goal, but was fouled inside the Columbus penalty area by defender Devon Greenside. Salihovic himself took the ensuing penalty kick, but goalkeeper Erman Ozkan pulled off a sensational save. However, Salihovic pounced on the rebound and slotted the ball home for the insurance marker. Shortly thereafter, Estrella’s defender Marlon Palomo was sent off the field of play for having committed a violent conduct infraction. However, Estrella de Chile continued to defend very well, limiting Columbus’ chances to a minimum. On one occasion, Ylya Malek came close to narrowing the margin, but his shot barely missed the target. Late in the match, two more Chilean players—Vanja Vukovic and Vladimir Vukovic—were sent off, thus reducing their team to 8 players for the last few minutes of play. However, the ‘Italians’ were unable to capitalize on their numerical advantage and the game ended with a 2-0 victory in favour of the underdog Chileans. As mentioned earlier, the Estrella de Chile backline played extremely well, making life relatively easy for goalkeeper Diego Oliveira as he recorded the clean-sheet. Midfielders Eric Ray and Adrian Francisco dictated the pace of the match in the middle of the park, while forwards Admir Salihovic and Habil Otieno were going concerns throughout the contest. Despite the loss, Columbus’ forwards Milad Rahmati, Ylya Malek, and Steve DeBlasio worked extremely hard during the entire 90 minutes, but were unable to penetrate the rock-solid Estrella defense. The victory allows Estrella de Chile to remain in second place in the Premier Division standings, with a 4-0-1 record. Columbus’ record, on the other hand, is now 2-2-1, good for 8 points from 5 games.

 ROVERS CCBTU  -  CROATIA SC  4-1:  On Saturday, at Beaconsfield Park in Vancouver, the red-hot Rovers emphatically defeated the struggling Croatia SC by a 4-1 margin. The Croatians got off to a good start and almost took the lead early in the game on a couple of occasions. However, efforts by Johnny Sulentic and Pawel Gorzkowski were brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Chris Beck. As luck would have it, the Rovers took the lead at about the 20^th minute mark when Bobby Jhutty converted a well-taken corner kick by Sunny Bains into the game’s opening goal. Shortly thereafter, Chris Beck punted the ball all the way to the edge of the Croatian penalty area where Dever Orgill magnificently volleyed it into the back of the net for the Rovers’ second goal. Just before the halftime whistle, the Rovers added their third goal, once again from the foot of Dever Orgill. On this occasion, Orgill—after some hard work on the part of Rizal Ganief—took full advantage of a goalmouth scramble and slotted the ball home to give his team a 3-0 halftime lead. To their credit, the Croatians did not give up and tried hard to get back into the game with some early second half pressure. They were finally rewarded at the 55^th minute mark when Cristian Tropeano scored from close range after a bizarre goalmouth scramble. Tropeano came very close to scoring his second goal a few minutes later, but his wicked shot from the edge of the 18-yard box bounced off the goalpost and out of danger. Several other chances by the Croatian strikers were thwarted by some fine saves on the part of Chris Beck. Late in the match, the Rovers re-established their 3-goal lead when Rizal Ganief fired a fantastic free-kick into the back of the net from well outside the penalty area, after Bobby Jhutty had been fouled on his way to the Croatia goal. Forward Dever Orgill celebrated the birth of his daughter in fine fashion by leading his team to victory by scoring 2 goals and turning in an excellent performance. Goalkeeper Chris Beck, defenders Derrick Bassi and Kevan Cameron, and midfielders Phil Kotter and Bobby Jhutty also played very well for the Rovers in a winning cause. Despite the loss, Croatia’s defenders Ivan Prpic and Darko Jelic played very well, while forward Cristian Tropeano was a going concern throughout the match. The Rovers thus remain in first place, with an undefeated 4-1-0 record, while Croatia SC is still mired in last place, with only 1 point out of 5 games.

 METRO-FORD WOLVES  -  VANCOUVER OLYMPICS   3-3:  Also on Saturday, at Charles Best School in Coquitlam, two struggling teams—the Metro-Ford Wolves and the Vancouver Olympics—settled for a 3-3 draw after a very bizarre 90 minutes of action. The Olympics dominated the first half of play and took a 3-0 lead into the dressing room, while the young Wolves fought back tenaciously in the second half and were able to knot the score in the late stages of the match. The Olympics took the well-deserved lead at the 10^th minute of the game when Gianluca Zavarise was fouled inside the Metro-Ford penalty area by goalkeeper Mathew Bird. Adrian Kekec calmly and clinically converted the ensuing penalty kick, giving his team an early 1-0 lead. About 15 minutes later, Gianluca Zavarise doubled the Olympics’ lead when his long-range shot was mishandled by Bird and the ball ended up in the back of the net. At this point, the Wolves substituted Mat Bird for young goalkeeper Richard Causton. The Olympics, however, continued to press relentlessly and added their third goal before the halftime whistle when Adrian Kekec flew in on the Metro-Ford goal on a breakaway and deposited the ball into the net behind an onrushing Causton. The second half told a totally different story as the Olympics appeared to be content with the result and turned in a rather lacklustre and lethargic performance. The Wolves, on the other hand, never gave up and took full control in an effort to get back into the match. Their tenacious second half performance paid enormous dividends as they were able to score 3 goals to earn a valuable point. The first Metro-Ford goal was scored at the 65^th minute mark when young Domenic Delli Santi—after having beaten a couple of defenders down the left flank—sent a great crss into the Olympics’ penalty area. Youth call-up Giovanni Carida proceeded to head the ball towards the goal but his header was deflected by teammate Adam Day into the back of the Olympics’ net. Then, at the 80^th minute mark, a shot by Metro-Ford’s Carson Gill was saved by goalkeeper Amraj Lally only to have Adam Day pick up the rebound and slot the ball home. Late in the match, young Giovanni Carida capped off a brilliant individual performance when he converted a great cross by Carson Gill into the tying goal with a superlative header. Forward Adrian Kekec was the only bright light in the Olympics’ line-up as he worked relentlessly throughout the entire 90 minutes. For the Wolves, youth call-up Giovanni Carida and veteran Alfredo Valente deserve special mention for their outstanding performances. The result elevates the Vancouver Olympics out of last place—with a 0-2-3 record—while the Metro-Ford Wolves remain in 8^th place, with 5 points from 5 games.

TEAM OF THE WEEK:  ESTRELLA de CHILE for their amazing performance in defeating the very talented Columbus FC by a 2-0 margin. Led by the excellent efforts of forward Admir Salihovic, as well as defenders Narcisse Tschoumi and Josh Hardy, the Chileans fully deserved their victory, a result that keeps the newly-promoted team in second place in the Premier Division standings.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK:  Estrella de Chile’s forward ADMIR SALIHOVIC for his extraordinary performance in his team’s 2-0 victory over the very skillful Columbus FC.  Time after time, Salihovic was a threat to the Columbus backline with his tenacious and indomitable work rate.  For his outstanding performance this past week, ADMIR SALIHOVIC  will receive a prize of a pizza for two, compliments of  THE GOLDEN BOOT CAFFE`. The prize is available up to 2012-10-23.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><> 

  2012-10-03

PREMIER DIVISION – WEEK #4

Rovers CCBTU lay claim to sole possession of first place by virtue of their 3-0 ‘semi-upset’ victory over the reigning BC champions, Surrey United Firefighters, while the newly promoted Estrella de Chile climbed into a second place tie with West Van FC by defeating the struggling Croatia SC by a 2-0 margin. At the bottom of the table, Norvan Pacific, Vancouver Olympics, and Croatia SC remain winless, with only 1 point each after 4 games.

ESTRELLA de CHILE  -  CROATIA SC  2-0:  On Friday evening, at Burnaby Lake West Complex, the newly promoted Estrella de Chile easily defeated the visiting Croatia SC by a 2-0 margin. Very early in the match, the Chileans almost took the lead when At this point, Stephane Kamtcheu took advantage of some great work on the part of Habil Otieno and finished off the play with a close-range shot. At about the 74^th minute mark, the Chileans doubled their lead when Admir Selihovic, took advantage of a Croatian defensive blunder and solidified his team’s lead with yet another close-range goal. It should be noted that the play initiated with a great long ball on the part of Gustavo Ramirez. The entire Estrella de Chile team played extremely well with midfielders Ricardo Alvarado and Eric Ray leading the way with some excellent ball control a creative passing. Forwards Admir Salihovic and Habil Otieno were constant threats to the Croatian backline, while defender Adrian Francisco was rock-solid throughout the contest. As mentioned earlier, the well-deserved victory placed the ‘Chilean Stars’ in a second place tie, with a 3-0-1 record, while Croatia SC remains at the bottom of the table, with only 1 point from 4 games.

ICST PEGASUS  -  VANCOUVER OLYMPICS  2-1:  On Saturday, at South Memorial Park in Vancouver, the defending Premier Division champions—ICST Pegasus—edged the newly-promoted Vancouver Olympics by a hard-fought 2-1 margin. The visiting Pegasus team took the lead late in the first half when Niko Marcina converted a penalty kick that was awarded when Gurj Dhaliwal was fouled inside the Olympics’ penalty area. Midway through the second half, ICST Pegasus doubled its lead, once again on a goal by Niko Marcina. On this occasion, Marcina curled an impeccable free-kick from well outside the penalty area into the top, far corner of the Olympics’ goal. A few minutes later, the Vancouver Olympics were awarded a penalty kick of their own when Pegasus’ Jag Sajan committed a hand-ball infraction inside the penalty area. Adrian Kekec stepped up to the plate and calmly deposited the ball into the back of the net, thus narrowing Pegasus’ margin. The Olympics continued to press in search of the equalizer, but some excellent goalkeeping on the part of Pegasus’ Andy Singh—particularly on efforts by Adrian Kekec—kept the score at 2-1 till the final whistle. Despite the loss, the Olympics’ midfielders Arnel Naidu and Jeevi Rai played extremely well while defender Franco Rendazzo also performed admirably. Needless to say, Pegasus’ goalkeeper Andy Singh pulled off some amazing saves, mostly in the second half. ICST Pegasus thus remains undefeated—with a 2-2-0 record—while the Olympics are still searching for their first victory in the Premier Division. 

ROVERS CCBTU  -  SURREY UNITED FIREFIGHTERS  3-0:   Also on Saturday, at Newton Athletic Park in Surrey, the Rovers disposed of the reigning Provincial Cup champions—Surrey United—by an elaborate 3-0 margin.  The Rovers took the early lead when Dever Orgill skillfully controlled a great cross from Jonas Fritcsh, beat one Surrey defender, and powerfully struck an unstoppable shot into the back of the net. The Firefighters almost tied things up at the 15^th minute mark, but goalkeeper Chris Beck pulled off a sensational save on a header by Brad Peetoom to preserve his team’s lead. Then, at the 20^th minute mark, the Rovers doubled their margin when Bobby Jhutty won a midfield  battle, beat a couple of Surrey United players before passing the ball to Rizal Ganief, whose subsequent long-range shot found the back of the net. A few minutes later, the Rovers almost tripled their margin when Dever Orgill raced in towards the Surrey United goal from the middle of the park, beating several defenders on the way. Once inside the penalty area, Orgill was fouled, resulting in a penalty kick being awarded. Rizal Ganief stepped up to the plate but had his shot saved brilliantly by goalkeeper Paul Shepherd. The Rovers continued to press but some excellent goalkeeping on the part of Shepherd kept the margin respectable till the halftime whistle. Midway through the second half, the Rovers put the game out of Surrey United’s reach on yet another penalty kick—this one by Bobby Jhutty after Dever Orgill was fouled inside the box. The entire Rovers team played remarkably well, but special mention should be made of defenders Derrick Bassi and Danny Chahal, midfielders Bobby Jhutty, Jonas Fritcsh, and Dalvir Mahli, as well as forwards Rizal Ganief and Dever Orgill. Despite the loss, Surrey United’s goalkeeper Paul Shepherd played extremely well. As mentioned earlier, the result elevates the Rovers to sole possession of first place, with a 3-1-0 record, while Surrey United slips to 7^th place, with an even 2-0-2. It should be noted that Surrey United is presently in Winnipeg, representing British Columbia in the annual Canadian Championships. Good luck boys!!!

WEST VAN FC  -  NORVAN PACIFIC  2-1:  The third Saturday match was played at Eldon Park in North Vancouver between Norvan Pacific and West Van FC, in what could be called the North Shore Derby. At the end of the day, the heavy favourites—West Van FC—walked away with a hard-earned 2-1 victory over Norvan Pacific. At about the 30^th minute mark, Ryan Glanville headed home a well-taken corner kick by Will Molloy from close range, giving West Van the early lead. The underdog Norvan team bounced back and restored parity a few minutes later when Alex Wilson took advantage of a West Van defensive blunder and proceeded to lob the ball over goalkeeper Garth Lagasse for the equalizer. In the second half, West Van FC created several chances to regain the lead, but headers by Max Baessato and Leo Nash were brilliantly saved by Norvan’s goalkeeper Giancarlo Martino. Also, forwards Ryan Glanville and Jesse Fetterley had numerous chances to score, but were unable to convert on any of them. Finally, at the 80^th minute mark, Will Molloy and Jesse Fetterley combined to set up Alan McIndoe who brilliantly finished off the play with an unstoppable shot from the edge of the penalty area. Norvan Pacific responded tenaciously and almost knotted the score on a couple of occasions in the late stages of the match. However, some excellent saves on the part of Garth Lagasse—on shots by Matt Hartwell and Greg Muir—kept the scoreline at 2-1 till the final whistle. West Van defenders Leo Nash and Trevor Short were rock-solid throughout the match, while midfielders Alan McIndoe, Cathal O’Connor, and Will Molloy also turned in superlative performances in a winning cause. For Norvan Pacific, defender Tony Paiero, as well as midfielders Nathan Harte and Jordan Miller, worked extremely hard throughout the match, albeit in a losing cause. The victory keeps West Van FC in a second place tie with Estrella de Chile, both with a 3-0-1 record, while Norvan Pacific is still in last place, with only 1 point.

RICHMOND FC HIBERNIANS  -  COLUMBUS FC  2-2:  The 4^th, and last, Saturday game was played at Minoru Oval in Richmond between the struggling Richmond Hibernians and the aspiring Columbus FC. At the end of the day, both teams had to settle for a 2-2 tie. The ‘Italians’ got off to a positive start and came close to taking the lead on a couple of occasions in the early going—on missed efforts by Steve DeBlasio and Kaz Kikuchi. At the 12^th minute mark, however, Tino Cucca was able to give Columbus the lead as he finished off an excellent square ball from Steve DeBlasio. The Hibernians tied thing up late in the first half when forward Craig McMillan hammered home and excellent pass from Rory Gattens. Very early in the second half, Richmond FC took the lead on another goal by Craig McMillan as he picked up a rebound from an Alan Chivers header that had  bounced off the goalpost. Columbus FC finally tied things up just before the final whistle when Tino Cucca’s free kick—from roughly 35 yards—drifted through a crowd of players and into the far post for what proved to be the equalizer. Veteran defender Mike Gomes played extremely well in the Columbus backline during the second half, while midfielders Tino Cucca, Kaz Kikuchi, and Ylya Malek worked tirelessly throughout the match, albeit in a disappointing result. For the Hibernians, midfielders Rory Gattens and Peter Chivers turned in outstanding performances, while forward Craig McMillan not only scored both of his team’s goals but was dangerous throughout the contest. Columbus FC remains undefeated, with a 2-2-0 record while Richmond FC climbs out of last place, with 2 points from 4 matches. 

DELTA UNITED HURRICANES – METRO-FORD WOLVES   3-1:  The final game of Week #4 was played on Sunday at John Oliver Park in Delta between two middle of the pack teams: the hosting Delta United Hurricanes and the visiting Metro-Ford Wolves. After a hard-fought 90 minutes of play, the Hurricanes walked away with a well-earned 3-1 victory. Delta United took the lead at the 15^th minute mark when Gurj Sandhu and Harp Khakh combined to set up a sprinting Phil Lensky who, without a moment’s hesitation, slotted the ball into the back of the Wolves’ net. Shortly thereafter, Metro-Ford tied things up when former Whitecap Alfredo Valente volleyed the ball home after having received a fine cross from David Sun. Midway through the second half, Delta United re-established its lead when Oscar Jimenez sent Pavi Dhillon flying down the right flank with a great through  ball. Dhillon’s subsequent cross was then converted into the winning goal by Harp Khakh’s brilliant diving header. To add insult to injury, Metro-Ford’s veteran midfielder—Andrew Veer—was send off a few minutes later for having committed a serious foul play infraction. At the 80^th minute mark, the Hurricanes put the Wolves out of their misery when Harp Khakh scored his second goal of the match as he converted a great cross from Amar Mander with an unstobbable one-time volley, a shot that gave goalkeeper Mathew Bird no chance whatsoever. Defensively, Jesse Dhami played extremely well for the Hurricanes, while midfielder Oscar Jiminez, as well as forwards Phil Lensky and Harp Khakh also deserve special mention for their outstanding performances. Delta United’s record thus improves to 2-1-1, good for 6^th place in the Premier Division standings, while the Wolves sit in 8^th place, with 4 points. 

TEAM OF THE WEEK: ROVERS CCBTU for yet another amazing performance in defeating the heavily-favoured Surrey United Firefighters. Led by the superlative performances of forward Dever Orgill , midfielder Bobby Jhutty, and defender Derrick Bassi, the Rovers fully deserved the victory and, as a result, sole possession of first place in the VMSL Premier Division standings.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK:  Rovers’ forward DEVER ORGILL for his second consecutive brilliant performance in his team’s impressive 3-0 victory over the reigning Provincial Cup champions—Surrey United Firefighters. Not only did Orgill score a brilliant goal, he also contributed immensely in the other two markers.    For his outstanding  performance, DEVER ORGILL will  receive a prize of a pizza for two, compliments of THE GOLDEN BOOT CAFFE`. The prize is available up to 2012-10-28.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><> 

2012-09-26

PREMIER DIVISION – WEEK #3

West Van FC dropped out of first place as a result of an upset 2-1 loss at the hands of Rovers CCBTU, while the Rovers and Columbus FC climbed into a first place tie by virtue of their victories. At the bottom of the table, Croatia SC, Norvan Pacific, Vancouver Olympics, and Richmond Hibernians remained tied for last place, with only point each.

ICST PEGASUS  -  DELTA UNITED HURRICANES  0-0:  On Wednesday evening, at Newton Athletic Par, the reigning VMSL champions—ICST Pegasus—were held to a scoreless draw by the visiting Delta United Hurricanes. Even though Pegasus had most of the ball possession—particularly in the first half—the match was quite evenly played with both teams having a few chances to score. Midway through the first half, Delta’s Oscar Jimenez’ blistering shot was brilliantly saved by Pegasus’ goalkeeper Amar Dhinza after it had been deflected by defender Deep Toor. The home team responded in kind and came close to scoring on a couple of occasions, but Adam Costley and Azad Palani missed their close-range opportunities. The second half was more or less a repeat of the first as Delta United defended very tenaciously and therefore limited the vaunted Pegasus attackers to very few chances. Late in the game, both teams had glorious opportunities to score in very similar fashions but defenders Paul Bahia and Steve Millar came to the rescue and thus kept the game scoreless till the final whistle. On the first attempt—at the 82^nd minute mark—Azad Palani’s shot was cleared off the line by Delta’s playing coach Steve Millar. A few minutes later, it was Delta’s turn to nearly score when Oscar Jimenez’ drive was similarly cleared by Pegasus’ Paul Bahia. Delta United’s defensive core—comprised of Jesse Dhami, Jason Gill, and Steve Millar—was rock-solid throughout the match, while Harp Khakh and Gurj Sandhu were standouts in the middle of the park. For ICST Pegasus, defender Deep Toor, midfielder Adam Costley, and forwards Goldy Takhar and Azad Palani also turned in excellent performances. Goalkeepers Amar Dhinza (Pegasus) and Drew Smiley (Delta) recorded the clean-sheets.  ICST Pegasus retains its undefeated 1-2-0 record, while Delta United remains in the middle of the pack with 4 points from 3 games.

ROVERS CCBTU  -  WEST VAN FC  2-1:  On Friday evening, at Ambleside Park in West Vancouver, the visiting Rovers edged the heavily-favoured—and previously undefeated—West Van FC by a 2-1 margin after a very exciting and entertaining 90 minutes of action. The Rovers got off to a flying start when Dever Orgill opened the scoring at the 12^th minute mark. After receiving an excellent pass from Rizal Ganief, Orgill proceeded to outmuscle a few West Van defenders before slotting the ball into the right corner of the net with a powerful shot. West Van replied positively to the Rovers’ go-ahead goal and came close to tying things up on a couple of occasions during the remainder of the first half, but shots by Will Molloy and Cathal O’Connor bounced off the crossbar and out of danger. At the other end of the pitch, Rizal Ganief and Dever Orgill had their shots saved by West Van’s newly-signed goalkeeper Garth Lagasse. The Rovers doubled their lead early in the second half, once again on a brilliant effort by Dever Orgill. On this occasion, Orgill received a great through pass from Bobby Jhutty and cleverly chipped the ball over the outstretched arms of Garth Lagasse for what proved to be the winning goal. The remainder of the second half was more or less a one-way traffic affair as the former Trollers threw caution to the wind in a desperate attempt to get back into the match. However, goalkeeper Chris Beck stood tall and pulled off numerous miraculous saves to earn his team to all-important victory. In particular, Beck denied veteran Paul Dailly the opportunity to narrow the margin on at least three occasions with some remarkable goalkeeping. At about the 75^th minute mark, however, West Van FC was finally able to get on the scoreboard when veteran—and newly-signed—Emilio Bottiglieri was fouled inside the Rovers’ penalty area by defender Sam Gill. On the ensuing penalty kick, Paul Dailly was finally able to beat Chris Beck as he put the ball into the back of the net with one of his trademark shots. The home team kept pressing for the equalizer, but some excellent defending on the part of Sam Gill, Derrick Bassi, and David Hill—as well as some more unbelievable goalkeeping by Chris Beck—kept the score at 2-1 for the Rovers till the final whistle. Needless to say, goalkeeper Chris Beck and forward Dever Orgill were the Rovers’ best players during the entire match. For West Van FC, veteran Paul Dailly was his usual self as he controlled the midfield with skill, poise, and composure. Defensively, Max Baessato was rock-solid throughout the match. The victory places the undefeated Rovers in a first place tie with Columbus FC, while West Van FC slips to third place, with 6 points from 3 games.

COLUMBUS FC  -  VANCOUVER OLYMPICS  1-0:  On Saturday, at Adanac Park in Vancouver, Columbus FC disposed of the newly-promoted Vancouver Olympics by a narrow, and hard-earned 1-0 margin. The match was a rather scrappy and physical affair, with the ‘Italians’ having the better goalscoring chances and most of the possession. However, some excellent goalkeeping on the part of the Olympics’ Amraj Lally—particularly on shots by Steve DeBlasio—kept the game scoreless till the halftime whistle. Columbus FC continued to exert pressure on the Olympics’ defence at the start of the second half, mostly due to the fact that veteran Tiernan King entered the game as a substitute. In fact, it was King’s excellent cross that found a wide-open Steve DeBlasio inside the Olympics’ 18-yard box. DeBlasio’s subsequent header found the back of the net for what proved to be the winning goal. The visitors responded well and came close to equalizing on a couple of occasions, but John Sidhu and Yeo Yoon missed the target on glorious opportunities. Defensively, Columbus’ Jonathan Poli and former Whitecap Luca Bellisomo played extremely well, while Nathan Quan and Devon Greenside controlled the middle of the park throughout the contest. Goalkeeper Erman Ozkan recorded the shutout, his first of the season. For the Olympics, defenders Vikash Chandra and Aneil Sanghera played extremely well, limiting Columbus’ goalscoring chances to a minimum. As a result of the narrow victory, Columbus FC climbs to a first place tie with Rovers CCBTU, while the Vancouver Olympics remain mired in last place, with only 1 point from 3 games.

ESTRELLA de CHILE  –  RICHMOND FC HIBERNIANS  2-1:  Also on Saturday, at Minoru Oval in Richmond, the newly-promoted Estrella de Chile edged the Richmond Hibernians by a 2-1 margin. The Hibs got off to a positive start and nearly took the lead at the 10^th minute mark when striker Brad Caldwell barely missed the net after having made an excellent run towards the Chilean goal. Soon thereafter, at about the 20^th minute mark, it was Estrella de Chile’s turn to come close to scoring but a close-range shot by Adrian Francisco—after having been set up by Admir Salihovic—sailed over the crossbar. About 10 minutes later, Salihovic set up Habil Otieno with an excellent pass only to have Otieno’s wicked drive from the edge of the penalty area bounce off the Richmond crossbar and out of danger. Soon thereafter, Otieno—this time on a clever pass by Eric Ray—slotted the ball into the back of the net, only to have the linesman nullify the goal for an offside infraction. Late in the first half, Estrella de Chile once again came close to scoring the opening goal, but Josh Hardy missed the net on a close-range shot, after having been set up by Admir Salihovic. Early in the second half, Estrella de Chile finally took the lead when Ricardo Alvarado took advantage of a Richmond blunder in the middle of the park and proceeded to send Admir Salihovic streaking towards the Hibs’ goal. Without a moment’s hesitation, Salihovic cut the ball back into the Richmond penalty area onto the path of Habil Otieno who calmly deposited it into the net for the match’s first goal. The Hibernians fought back tenaciously and evened the score a few minutes later when a perfectly delivered free-kick by Peter Chivers was headed home by defender Mike Revell. Soon thereafter, the Chileans regained the lead when Ricardo Alvarado, Habil Otieno, and Eric Ray combined to set up speedy Admir Salihovic who managed to deposit the ball into the net with a shot that went through the legs of goalkeeper Andrew Caldwell. The Hibernians pressed hard for the equalizer, but late-game efforts by Matt Rota and Peter Chivers barely west awry. The entire Estrella de Chile team played well throughout the contest but special mention should be made of defender Adrian Francisco, midfielders Ricardo Alvarado and Eric Ray, as well as forwards Admir Salihovic and Habil Otieno for their impressive performances. For Richmond FC, defenders Connor Radil, Mike Revell, and Marcus Brougham played extremely well, holding off the speedy and talented Chilean forwards for most of the match. Also, midfielder Peter Chivers and forward Brad Caldwell turned in commendable performances. The victory elevates Estrella de Chile to 3^rd place in the standings with 6 points from 3 games, while the Hibernians remain tied for last place, with only 1 point.

SURREY UNITED FIREFIGHTERS  – CROATIA SC  2-1:  On Sunday, at Cloverdale Athletic Park in Surrey, the heavily-favoured Surrey United Firefighters defeated the visiting Croatia SC by a narrow 2-1 margin. Both teams seemed rather tentative for most of the first half, with very few goalscoring opportunities being created at both ends of the pitch. Perhaps the best chance to open the scoring came at the 30^th minute mark when last season’s GOLDEN BOOT AWARD winner—Angus Burke—volleyed a great pass from Jeff Clarke towards the Croatia goal. Unfortunately for the Firefighters, defender Matteo Agnoloni cleared the ball off the line, with goalkeeper Marko Bajic well-beaten. Surrey United finally took the lead just before the halftime whistle when former Whitecap Steve Kindel sent a splendid corner kick into the Croatia box where defender Steve McAuley rose majestically, outjumped all the defenders, and headed the ball home for the go-ahead goal. Early in the second half, the Firemen almost doubled their lead when Stefan Leslie made a great run down the right flank before chipping the ball over Bajic’s head towards the goal. Once again, however, a Croatia defender—Ivan Prpric—cleared the ball off the line, keeping the score at 1-0. At the 70^th minute mark, the Croatians were able to knot the score when young veteran Johnny Sulentic hammered a long-range free kick into the back of the Surrey United goal with an absolutely incredible strike. Very shortly thereafter, Surrey United re-established its lead when former Whitecaps captain Jeff Clarke won the ball in the middle of the park and proceeded to send Angus Burke flying towards the Croatia goal with an exquisite pass. Burke rounded the Croatian goalkeeper and calmly placed the ball into the open net for the match winner. Three veterans stood out in the Surrey United lineup: midfielder Jeff Clark, left-back Steve Kindel, and centre-back Steve McAuley. For Croatia SC, former professional Johnny Sulentic was his usual skillful self, while young defender Matteo Agnoloni also turned in an excellent performance. The victory improves Surrey United’s record to 2-0-1, good for 6 points and third place in the Premier Division standings. Croatia SC, on the other hand, remains tied for last place with only 1 point from 3 games.

METRO-FORD WOLVES  -  NORVAN PACIFIC   3-0:  The final game of Week #3 was played on Tuesday evening at Charles Best School in Coquitlam and featured two struggling teams: the hosting Metro-Ford Wolves and the visiting Norvan Pacific. At the end of a rather uneventful and lacklustre 90 minutes, the home team walked away with a 3-0 victory, mostly due to two excellent goals scored by young Luigi Pantusa. The first goal was scored midway through the first half as a result of a long clearance by Metro-Ford goalkeeper Dennis Kindel. Young veteran Andrew Veer flicked the ball onto the path of young Luigi Pantusa who, without a moment’s hesitation, blasted a wicked left-foot shot into the far post for what proved to be the winning goal. Norvan replied positively and created a couple of opportunities of their own as Matt Harwell had his shot saved by Kindel and Nick Seddon had his header barely miss the net. However, late in the first half, Luigi Pantusa carbon-copied his previous effort as he hammered another unstoppable left-foot shot into the Norvan net, this time after having received a great through ball from defender Aaron Beattie. Early in the second half, the Wolves tripled their lead when young Fahim Karmali won the ball at the top of the 18-yard box and set up  Domenic Delli Santi with a picture-perfect pass. Delli Santi’s subsequent shot bounced off a Norvan defender and sailed over the head of goalkeeper Giancarlo Martino and into the net for the Wolves’ insurance marker. Shortly thereafter, Delli Santi and Norvan’s Mark Krys were sent off by the referee for having accumulated 2 cautions, thus reducing both teams to 10 men for the remainder of the match. Defensively, Aaron Beattie played extremely well for Metro-Ford, while Luigi Pantusa deserves special mention for this his two marvellous goals. Norvan’s defender Brent Dodge and midfielder Jordan Miller also played very well, albeit in a losing cause. The result uplifts the Wolves to the middle of the pack, with an even 1-1-1 record, while Norvan Pacific remains in last place, with only 1 point from 3 games.

TEAM OF THE WEEK: ROVERS CCBTU for its amazing performance in defeating the heavily-favoured—and previously undefeated—West Van FC by a narrow 2-1 margin. Led by the unbelievable efforts of striker Dever Orgill and goalkeeper Chris Beck, the Rovers were able to lay claim to all 3 points and thus climb to first place in the VMSL Premier Division standings.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK:  Rovers’ goalkeeper CHRIS BECK and forward DEVER ORGILL for their incredible performances in their team’s 2-1 victory over West Van FC. Orgill not only scored both his team’s goals in brilliant fashion, but he also helped out in the midfield and on defence whenever the need arose. Beck, on the other hand, pulled off some world-class saves as he kept the vaunted West Van attackers off the scoresheet for most of the match.   For their outstanding  performances, CHRIS BECK and DEVER ORGILL will each receive a prize of a pizza for two, compliments of THE GOLDEN BOOT CAFFE`. The prize is available up to 2012-10-14.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

2012-09-18

 PREMIER DIVISION – WEEK #2

West Van FC took over sole possession of first place by winning its second consecutive game, albeit by the narrowest of margins. Other powerhouses—such as Columbus FC, ICST Pegasus, and Surrey United—bounced back from last weekend’s disappointing start by recording important victories. At the other end of the table, 5 teams remain winless and thus tied for last place with only one point each: Richmond Hibernians, Norvan Pacific, Vancouver Olympics, Metro-Ford Wolves, and Croatia SC.

SURREY UNITED FIREFIGHTERS - ESTRELLA de CHILE  4-2:  On Friday evening, at Burnaby Lake West, the defending Provincial Cup champions—Surrey United—defeated the newly-promoted Estrella de Chile by a 4-2 margin after a well-played and entertaining 90 minutes of non-stop action. The Chileans got off to a good start and created several goalscoring opportunities early in the match but some poor finishing and some excellent goalkeeping on the part of Paul Shepherd kept the home team off the scoresheet. The Firefighters—after surviving the early Chilean pressure—took the lead at the 30^th minute mark when Angus Burke—last season’s top goalscorer—converted a nifty pass from Andrew Proctor into the opening goal. Five minutes later, Burke added his second goal of the contest after being set up by Vinnie Stewart. Early in the second half, the visitors added their third goal to their margin as veteran defender Steve McAuley headed the ball into the net after Steve Kindel’s corner kick had been deflected onto his path by Graeme Spinks. Shortly thereafter, the Firefighters added their fourth goal when Andrew Proctor blasted home a full volley after having received an excellent cross from Angus Burke. To their credit, the Chileans refused to give up and kept displaying some excellent skills with some clever passes and dribbling. Finally, at the 87^th minute mark, Estrella de Chile got on the scoreboard when Eric Ray and Ricardo Alvarado combined to set up a streaking Brian Dottin. Dottin was subsequently fouled inside the Surrey United penalty area by defender Ravi Jammu., resulting in a penalty kick being awarded. Adrian Francisco stepped up to the plate and converted the spot shot calmly for Estrella’s first goal. Soon thereafter, just before the final whistle, Francisco became the provider as he set up a wide open Brian Dottin inside the box. Without a moment’s hesitation, Dottin proceeded to slot the ball into the back of the Surrey net. The Firefighters’ goalkeeper—Paul Shepherd—deserves special mention for his brilliant performance, particularly in the first half. Midfielder Jeff Buchanan also performed admirably for the heavy favourites. For the underdogs, Noah Acosta, Ricardo Alvarado, and Eric Ray worked tirelessly and skillfully in the midfield, while forwards Brian Dottin and Admir Sahihovic drove the Surrey defenders to distraction with their speed and skill. The result leaves both teams at 3 points in the middle of the table.

VANCOUVER OLYMPICS – RICHMOND FC HIBERNIANS  1-1:  Also on Friday evening, at South Memorial Park in Vancouver, the newly promoted Vancouver Olympics battled to a 1-1 draw against the visiting Richmond Hibernians. The visitors had most of the scoring chances throughout the match, but some excellent goalkeeping on the part of the Olympics’ Marc D’Andrea enabled the home team to gain the all-important point. In particular, D’Andrea made a sensational save early in the match when Richmond midfielder Geoff Salt rose above everyone before heading the ball towards the top corner of the Olympics’ net. Soon thereafter, D’Andrea repeated his previous feat—once  again on a header—this time by Brad Caldwell. At the 30^th minute mark, the Hibernians were finally able to take the lead when Brad Caldwell finished off a great pass from left-back Connor Radil with a clever low shot to the far post. The second half was more evenly played, but the Hibernians still had most of the possession and most of the goalscoring chances. However, opportunities by Brad Caldwell, Matt Rota, and Tim Sowerby went awry. As luck would have it, the Olympics were able to knot the score late in the match when—on a lethal counter-attack—Adrian Kekec was fouled inside the penalty area by centre-back Stu Walters. Kekec himself took the ensuing penalty kick and made no mistake as he deposited the ball into the back of the Hibs’ net. The visitors fought back tenaciously and attacked furiously for the remaining 5 minutes in search of what would have been the winning goal. Once again, however, Marc D’Andrea stood tall and prevented the Hibernians from scoring what would have been the winning goal. Defensively, Connor Radil and Mike Revell played extremely well for Richmond FC, while forwards Brad Caldwell and Lukas Barrett were going concerns throughout the match. For the Olympics, midfielders Adrian Kekec, Arnel Naidu, and Rob Sing played extremely well, while Vikash Chandra tried hard to generate some attacks in his forward position. Needless to say, goalkeeper Marc D’Andrea turned in a marvellous performance, as he made numerous outstanding saves.

ICST PEGASUS – NORVAN PACIFIC  2-0:  On Saturday, at Confederation Park in North Vancouver, the defending VMSL champions—ICST Pegasus—defeated Norvan Pacific by a hard-earned 2-0 margin. The home team—Norvan Pacific—had the better chances during the first 30 minutes of play but efforts by David Andreychuk, Seb Tolfo, and Greg Muir were thwarted by some excellent goalkeeping on the part of Pegasus’ Andy Singh who managed to keep Norvan off the scoreboard. After that, Pegasus started controlling the pace of the match with Nico Marcina and Diaz Kambere skillfully leading the way. The visitors opened the scoring very early in the second half when Chetan Jhooty beat a couple of Norvan defenders down the right flank before crossing the ball to the near post, a cross that was well finished off by Goldy Takhar. ICST Pegasus continued to press and virtually dominated the remainder of the match. However, some excellent goalkeeping on the part of Norvan’s Torben Jensen prevented the visitors from adding to their lead until the dying moments of the contest. In particular, Paul Bahia unleashed a rocket of a shot that forced Jensen to make an extraordinary save. Midway through the second half, former Whitecap captain Martin Nash entered the game for Norvan in a desperate effort to turn things around. However, the Pegasus defence—led by a superlative performance on the part of Jag Sajjan—held on tenaciously. Late in the game, Diaz Kambere put the game out of Norvan’s reach as he curled a long-range free kick into the bottom corner of the net. Midfielders Nico Marcina and Chetan Jhooty played extremely well for Pegasus, while defender Jag Sajjan was a tower of strength throughout the contest, limiting Norvan’s goalscoring chances to a minimum. As mentioned earlier, young goalkeeper Torben Jensen was outstanding in the Norvan net as he made his Premier Division debut.

ROVERS CCBTU – METRO-FORD WOLVES  3-1:  Also on Saturday, at Newton Athletic Park in Surrey, the former Sapperton Rovers defeated the young and inexperienced Metro-Ford Wolves by a 3-1 margin. The Wolves took the lead early in the game when two veterans—former Whitecap Alfredo Valente and Russel Huggon—combined to score the game’s initial goal. Valente’s well-taken free kick caused a goal-mouth scramble that was subsequently converted into the opening goal by Russel Huggon. The rest of the first half  was an evenly played affair as both teams took turns attacking and defending. Early in the second half, Metro-Ford almost doubled its lead but a wonderful full-volley attempt by Luigi Pantusa was brilliantly saved by the Rovers’ goalkeeper, Gursh Kajla. Soon thereafter—at about the 55^th minute mark—Rizal Ganief tied things up when he converted a great cross by Dever Orgill by burying the ball into the Wolves’ net. A few minutes later, it was Orgill’s turn to score as he and Ganief reversed roles. On this occasion, Orgill—after having received an excellent pass from Ganief—beat 3 Metro-Ford defenders, cut into the middle of the box and easily scored what proved to be the winning goal. Then, at the 70^th minute mark, a dangerous cross by the Rovers’ Jason Wahlla was handled by Anthony DiNicolo inside the Metro-Ford 18-yard box, resulting in a penalty kick being awarded. Ganief easily converted the spot shot, thus putting the game out of Metro-Ford’s reach. The entire Rovers team played extremely well, but special mention should be made of goalkeeper Gursh Kajla, defenders Sam Gill, Derrick Bassi, and Jonas Fritsch, midfielders Bobby Jhutty, Dalvir Mahli, and forwards Rizal Ganief and Dever Orgill. The Rovers now find themselves in second place in the Premier Division standings, while the Wolves are sitting at the bottom of the table with only 1 point.

WEST VAN FC – CROATIA SC  2-0:  The third, and last, Saturday game was played at Trillium Park in Vancouver and featured the hosting Croatia SC and the visiting West Van FC. The former Trollers got off to a great start and almost scored twice in the opening minutes, both on efforts by Cathal O’Connor. On the first attempt, O’Connor barely missed the net with a close-range shot, while Croatia’s goalkeeper Didar Sandhu pulled off a magnificent save on O’Connor’s second chance. The visiting West Van team continued to press and was finally rewarded at the 25^th minute mark when Ryan Glanville took advantage of a Croatian defensive blunder, went around goalkeeper Sandhu and easily deposited the ball into the empty net for what proved to be the winning goal. The second goal came midway through the second half when Jesse Fetterley headed home a well-taken corner kick by Will Molloy. The final score could easily have been much more emphatic had it not been for the outstanding performance of veteran Croatian goalkeeper Didar Sandhu. In fact, Sandhu make several miraculous saves throughout the contest, mostly on shots by Paul Dailly, Will Molloy, Ryan Glanville, Jesse Fetterley, Alan McIndoe, and Michael Nonni. Defensively, Max Baessato, Leo Nash, Tim Perry, and young Stefan Crameri played extremely well, making life relatively easy for goalkeeper Garth Lagasse as he recorded the shut-out in his West Van FC debut. For Croatia SC, veteran Johnny Sulentic and defender Rob Rogic performed admirably, albeit in a losing cause. Needless to say, the final score would have been much more elaborate had it not been for the amazing performance of goalkeeper Didar Sandhu. West Van FC is now all alone in first place with a perfect 2-0-0 record, while Croatia SC is tied with 4 other teams in last place, with only 1 point.

COLUMBUS FC – DELTA UNITED HURRICANES  3-1:  The final game of the weekend was played on Sunday at John Oliver Park in Delta and featured two of the top teams in the Premier Division: the hosting Delta United Hurricanes and the visiting Columbus FC.  After an exciting 90 minutes of action, the ‘Italians’ walked away with a well-earned 3-1 victory. Columbus almost took the lead at the 17^th minute mark but Delta’s veteran goalkeeper—Drew Smiley—came up with two superlative saves in rapid succession. The first was on a wicked shot by Steve DeBlasio, a shot that Smiley saved brilliantly. Then, on the ensuing rebound, Tino Cucca’s shot was also miraculously saved by Smiley. Very late in the first half, Columbus FC was able to score twice—both times on shots by Kaz Kikuchi. On the first, Kikuchi calmly finished off a fine cross by Steve DeBlasio, while on the second goal, Kikuchi found the back of the net on yet another cross—this one by Milad Rahmati. Early in the second half, Delta’s Daniel Badesha came very close to reducing the margin as he made a brilliant, penetrating run through the middle of the park from his left-back position. Unfortunately for Badesha, and the rest of the Hurricanes, his shot went directly into the arms of goalkeeper Thomas Lindley. Midway through the second half, Columbus tripled its margin on a rather bizarre chain of events. First, Tiarnan King was fouled inside the Delta 18-yard box by veteran Woody Bradford, resulting in a penalty kick and a red card for Bradford. Steve DeBlasio took the spot shot, but Drew Smiley rose to the occasion and pulled off a brilliant save. A couple of minutes later, Columbus’ newly-signed striker—Milad Rahmati—was also fouled inside the penalty area, this time by Arjan Grewal. Rahmati himself took the penalty kick and was able to score what proved to be the insurance marker.  Columbus had numerous other opportunities to add to its lead, but Delta’s Drew Smiley came up with some phenomenal saves—on shots by Tiarnan King, Steve DeBlasio, Ylya Malek, and Milad Rahmati. Late in the match, the Hurricanes finally got on the board when Columbus’ defender Jonathan Poli handled the ball inside the 18-yard area. Daniel Badesha converted the ensuing penalty kick for Delta’s lone goal of the match. Columbus’ left-back Mike Gomes had an outstanding game, while forwards Milad Rahmati and Kaz Kikuchi were going concerns as they created numerous goalscoring chances. Delta’s Harpreet Khakh also played very well in his forward position, while goalkeeper Drew Smiley turned in an unbelievable performance, making numerous incredible saves, thus keeping the scoreline respectable.

TEAM OF THE WEEK: COLUMBUS FC for its excellent performance in defeating the very talented Delta United Hurricanes by a clear-cut 3-1 margin. Let by the brilliant performance of veteran left-back Mike Gomes—as well as the goalscoring prowess of Kaz Kikuchi and Milad Rahmati—Columbus FC fully deserved the 3 points.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK:  Croatia’s SC goalkeeper DIDAR SANDHU and Delta United’s goalkeeper DREW SMILEY for their incredible performances against West Van FC and Columbus FC respectively. Had it not been for Sandhu’s and Smiley’s brilliant efforts the scorelines would have been embarrassing!   For their outstanding  performances, DIDAR SANDHU and DREW SMILEY will each receive a prize of a pizza for two, compliments of THE GOLDEN BOOT CAFFE`. The prize is available up to 2012-09-30.

====================================================================================================================================

2012-09-11

PREMIER DIVISION – WEEK #1

All 6 Premier Division games were played on Saturday at Newton Athletic Park in Surrey as the 2012-2013 season got off to a marvellous start. Three of the matches ended in ties while West Van FC defeated the defending Provincial Cup champions—Surrey United Firefighters—by a narrow 1-0 margin in what might be considered to be the match of the week.

ESTRELLA de CHILE – VANCOUVER OLYMPICS  3-1:  The first game of the Premier Division season kicked off at 12:00 noon Newton Athletic Club #4 and featured two newly promoted teams: Estrella de Chile and Vancouver Olympics. After a well-played 90 minutes, the Chileans walked away with a well-deserved 3-1 victory. Very early in the match, Estrella de Chile took the lead when Eric Ray and Noah Acosta combined to set up Habil Otieno who finished off the play with a clever chip shot over the outstretched arms of goalkeeper Amraj Lally. At about the 35^th minute mark, the Olympics were able to knot the score when Ashif Ismail took advantage of a goalmouth scramble and deposited the ball into the back of the net from close range for the equalizer. Early in the second half, the Vancouver Olympics almost took the lead but Mwanna Mallett’s long-range shot bounced off the goalpost and out of danger. Shortly thereafter, Estrella de Chile retook the lead when—at the 55^th minute mark—Ricardo Alvarado took advantage of a defensive miscue and proceeded to backheel the ball to Eric Ray whose subsequent shot from the edge of the penalty area resulted in what proved to be the winning goal. Then, at the 80^th minute mark, the Chileans put the game out of the Olympics’ reach when Eric Ray received a great pass from Brian Dottin before blasting the ball into the top corner of the net from just inside the penalty area. The entire Estrella de Chile team played extremely well, but special mention should be made of midfielder Eric Ray, goalkeeper Diego Oliviera, and defenders Marlon Palomo and Narcisse Tchoumi for their outstanding performances. Despite the loss, goalkeeper Amraj Lally played extremely well in the Vancouver Olympics’ goal, while forwards Adrian Kekec and Ashif Ismail worked hard during the entire match, albeit in a losing cause.

CROATIA SC – METRO-FORD WOLVES  0-0:  Also on Saturday at 12:00 noon, two young and aspiring teams—Croatia SC and Metro-Ford Wolves—met at Newton Athletic Park #1. The final result—a 0-0 tie—pretty well describes the proceedings of the match as neither team appeared eager to take chances in search of the victory. As a result, the match was a rather boring affair with goalscoring chances reduces to a minimum. Midway through the first half, Croatia SC came close to scoring when Tomislav Tomic was sent on a breakaway on a clever through ball by David Zaharija. However, Metro-Ford’s goalkeeper Mathew Bird rushed out of the net and thwarted the Croatian’s best goalscoring opportunity of the match. Early in the second half, Metro-Ford appeared to have taken the lead when young Adam Jones headed home a fine cross by Lucas Reis. However, the referee nullified the goal by calling an offside infraction against Jones. As a result, the match remained scoreless till the final whistle. Midfielder Adam Jones and forward Lucas Reis played remarkably well for the Metro-Ford Wolves while defender Rob Rogic also turned in a superlative performance on the Croatia SC backline.

DELTA UNITED HURRICANES – RICHMOND HIBERNIANS  3-2:  The third Saturday games started at 2:00 p.m. at Newton Athletic Park #4 and featured the Delta Hurricanes and the Richmond FC Hibernians. At the end of an exciting and hard-fought 90 minutes of non-stop action, the favourites—Delta Hurricanes—lay claim to all 3 points with a hard-earned 3-2 victory. The underdog Hibernians nearly took the lead early in the match on a blistering shot by Peter Chivers, a shot that was brilliantly saved by Delta goalkeeper Drew Smiley. The Hurricanes took the lead just before the halftime whistle when Harp Khakh headed home a well-taken free kick by Oscar Jiminez. In the second half—at about the 55^th minute mark—Richmond FC tied things up when midfielder Graeme Poole picked up his own rebound—after his first shot had hit the goalpost—and curled an impeccable shot into the far top corner of the Delta net. The Hurricanes responded in kind and regained the lead 5 minutes later when Daniel Badesha converted a penalty kick after a hand-ball foul had been called against defender Stu Walters. Shortly thereafter—at about the 66^th minute mark—Delta’s Joti Thind raced in on the Richmond goal on a breakaway, dribbled around goalkeeper Andrew Caldwell and calmly deposited the ball into the back of the net for what proved to be the winning goal. To their credit, the Hibernians did not give up and narrowed the margin at the 71^st minute mark when defender Rory Gattens beat a couple of Delta defenders down the right flank, cut inside the goal area and calmly placed his shot into the net. Richmond FC continued to press in search of the equalizer, but some excellent defending on the part of Delta’s Gurj Sandhu and Jesse Dhami kept the Hibernians off the scoresheet till the final whistle. For the winners, veteran goalkeeper Drew Smiley pulled off a couple of amazing saves, while midfielders Oscar Jiminez and Gary Badesha—as well as forward Amar Bains—worked tirelessly throughout the contest. Richmond FC’s forward Lucas Barrett was a threat during the entire match, while Matt Rota and Graeme Poole worked very hard in the midfield and deserve special mention for their efforts.

COLUMBUS FC – NORVAN PACIFIC  3-3:  At Newton Athletic Park #1, also at 2:00 p.m., the heavily-favoured Columbus FC was held to a 3-3 draw by the very resilient and hard-working Norvan Pacific. The North Shore team got off to a great start and took the lead midway through the first half when—after some excellent build-up—Mike Carroll raced down the right flank before sending a splendid cross into the Columbus penalty area, a cross that found Matt Hartwell all alone at the far post. Hartwell finished off the play with a perfectly-placed header that gave Columbus goalkeeper Erman Ozkan no chance whatsoever. Moments later—at about the 25^th minute mark—the ‘Italians’ equalized when forward Kazanori Kikuchi pounced on a loose ball inside the penalty area and—without a moment’s hesitation—drilled an unstoppable shot into the back of the Norvan net. Norvan Pacific regained the lead just before the halftime whistle when Nathan Harte sent Alex Wilson flying towards the Columbus goal with a brilliant through ball. Wilson was subsequently tripped by Columbus’ Sheu Fortunato inside the penalty area, resulting in a penalty kick being awarded. Fortunato was also sent off the pitch for having denied an obvious goalscoring opportunity, thus reducing his team to 10 players for the rest of the match. On the ensuing penalty kick, Kyle Guay easily scored, thus giving Norvan a 2-1 halftime lead. Despite being down a man, Columbus tied things up early in the second half when Steve DeBlasio unleashed a wicked drive from outside the penalty area, a shot that found the back of the Norvan net. Midway through the second half, DeBlasio repeated his previous feat as he once again blasted an unstoppable shot from the edge of the 18-yard box into the top corner of the net. Norvan responded in kind and started putting some pressure on the Columbus defence and finally tied things up at the 80^th minute mark when Dave Andreychuk took advantage of a goalmouth scramble and proceeded to bury the ball into the Columbus net from close range. Norvan’s goalkeeper Giancarlo Martino made some amazing saves throughout the match to keep his team in the game, while Columbus’ midfield trio—Steve DeBlasio, Nathan Quan, and Devon Greenside—controlled the middle of the park during the entire 90 minutes of action.

ICST PEGASUS – ROVERS CCBTU  0-0:  Immediately after the Columbus – Norvan match, at 4:00 p.m. at Newton Athletic Park #1, two very talented and highly-regarded teams—last season’s champions ICST Pegasus and the renamed Rovers CCBTU—fought to a 0-0 tie. The defending VMSL champions got off to a great start and could easily have scored two early goals. However, a couple of fantastic saves by Rovers’ goalkeeper Chris Beck—on shots by Azad Palani and Goldy Takhar—kept Pegasus off the scoreboard. To add insult to injury, Pegasus’ Satinder Dhaliwal was sent off midway through the first half for an alleged foul and abusive language infraction, thus reducing his team to 10 men for the rest of the game. At this point, the Rovers started applying some pressure of their own and came close to scoring on efforts by Dever Orgill and Rupi Birring. Unfortunately, both shots barely missed the target, thus leaving the match scoreless at the halftime whistle. The second half was more or less a repeat of the first with both teams taking turns attacking a defending. Defensively, Jag Sajjan and Gurjit Dhaliwal played extremely well for Pegasus, while midfielder Omari Aldridge and forward Goldy Takhar worked tirelessly throughout the contest. For the Rovers, goalkeeper Chris Beck pulled off some extraordinary saves—particularly in the first half—while defenders Sam Gill, Derrick Bassi, and Kevan Cameron also played extremely well.

WEST VAN FC – SURREY UNITED FIREFIGHTERS  1-0:  The final game also started at 4:00 p.m. and was played at Newton Athletic Park #4 between two of the top teams in the VMSL: the defending Provincial Cup champions Surrey United and the aspiring West Van FC. At the end of 90 minutes of non-stop action, West Van FC walked away with a well-earned 1-0 victory. Both teams got off to a cautious start and, as a result, the goalscoring chances were kept to a minimum during the first half. At the 20^th minute mark, Surrey’s Ryan Reynolds took a wicked shot from the edge of the penalty area, a shot that was brilliantly saved by young goalkeeper Skyler Causey. At the other end of the pitch, West Van’s Alan McIndoe and Ryan Glanville also came close to scoring in the early going but their shots barely missed the target. Then—at the 35^th minute mark—West Van’s Ryan Glanville took a quick free kick that took the Surrey United defenders by surprise as he sent a through ball onto the path of Alan McIndoe whose subsequent shot found the back of the net for what proved to be the winning goal. In the second half, things opened up a bit and both teams came close to scoring on several occasions. In particular, at the 55^th minute mark, Surrey United’s Justin Carvery displayed some amazing speed as he raced past the West Van backline only to watch his shot agonizingly barely miss the target. The former Trollers responded in kind but their numerous efforts—on chances by Ryan Glanville, Jesse Fetterley, Stefan Crameri, and Cathal O’Connor—were thwarted by veteran goalkeeper Paul Shepherd. At the other end of the pitch, second half substitute Joseph Martin came very close to knotting the score when his wicked shot from the edge of the 18-yard box bounced off the crossbar and out of danger. For West Van FC, the midfield trio of Alan McIndoe, Cathal O’Connor, and newly-signed Will Molloy controlled the tempo of the game with their skill and relentless drive. Forward Jesse Fetterley was his usual, hard-working self as he created constant problems for the Surrey United defenders. For the Firefighters, young Joseph Martin came on as a substitute in the second half and immediately made an impact in the match with his speed and skill.

TEAM OF THE WEEK: WEST VAN FC for its clinical performance in defeating the defending Provincial Cup champions—Surrey United Firefighters—by a narrow, but well-deserved, 1-0 margin. Led by the outstanding performances of forward Jesse Fetterley, and midfielders Alan McIndoe, Cathal O’Connor, and Will Molloy, West Van FC fully deserved the all-imporant victory.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK:  Norvan Pacific’s goalkeeper GIANCARLO MARTINO for his truly amazing performance in his team’s 3-3 draw against the highly regarded Columbus FC. Martino made numerous outstanding saves throughout the 90 minutes of play, thus keeping his team in the match against the heavy favourites.  For his outstanding  performance, GIANCARLO MARTINO will  receive a prize of a pizza for two, compliments of THE GOLDEN BOOT CAFFE`. The prize is available up to 2012-09-30.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>