Matt Dionne | Sports and Health Editor
Featured image: The Golden Hawks soared too close to the sun and plummeted back to Earth, where the Lions were waiting for them. | Anil Beharry
The Lions men’s soccer team was in action Saturday taking on the Laurier Golden Hawks. York dominated possession for most of the first half, but was only able to generate four shots in the frame.
However, two of those shots found the back of the net. First, Cristian Cavallini, assisted by Maurizio Ragone, scored his second goal of the season in the 23rd minute to give York a 1-0 lead.
In the 39th minute, Laurier tied the score with a goal from Gurjinder Garcha, assisted by Niklas Bauer.
The game didn’t stay tied for long, as Dena Iezady scored his first goal of the season less than four minutes later, assisted by Jonathan Lao.
That would be it for the first half, as York took a 2-1 lead into halftime.
York outshot the Golden Hawks 8-3 in the second half, and in the 84th minute Steve Kloutsouniotis scored his first goal of the season, assisted by Ryan Telfer.
That would be it for the scoring, as the Lions would take the game 3-1.
“I thought we just weren’t sharp. We got a little bit out-worked today, and we weren’t as clean as we should have been,” says York’s head coach, Carmine Isacco.
“Their transition and counter game hurt us, so that’s what we need to work on. A lot of people are going to sit back and counter us. We knew exactly what was going to happen, it was just a question of dealing with their pace, and their transition, and being a little better in the final third,” Isacco adds.
He feels there is still work to do regarding the team’s chemistry thus far. “We have to play to people’s strengths, and we have to organize ourselves so that our best players will be in good positions.”
York’s next opponent is the third-place McMaster Marauders. “The intensity and the pace will be about 50 times faster. Obviously, there’s the rivalry, which is what it is. We just have to control our emotions and tempo, and be intelligent in breaking them down,” says Isacco.
York will be back at home to face Waterloo on Thursday, starting at 8:15 p.m.
