Overtime Goal Denies Titans Under-13 Crown Canadian Soccer Team Ousted
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SportsOakville Beaver SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 255) Fax 905-337-5567 email [email protected] • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 2007 41 Overtime goal denies Titans under-13 crown Girls’ team edged in Ontario Cup final ■ By Sean Durack SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER VAUGHAN — It took until the dying minutes of the second of two 15- minute overtime periods to finally settle on a champion in the girls’ under- 13 Ontario Cup final Saturday afternoon, a game that featured the Oakville Titans and Newmarket United Lasers — the two top teams in the South Region Soccer League (SRSL). The Titans squad — which boasted a 15-2-1 record in league play this summer and added an unblemished 12-0 record in tournaments — exhib- ited the will and resolve of a champion. But in the end, it was Newmarket that emerged as the victor, edging out the Titans in dramatic fashion, 3-2. The decisive goal was set up when a Newmarket corner kick found its way into a crowd in front of Oakville goalie Lauren Swant. Swant, who played a strong game throughout, turned aside the first attempt by the Lasers, but Newmarket converted the rebound for the win. Titans head coach Paolo Tino had a few things he would like to have seen done differently, but he congratulated a strong Newmarket team for its win. “We were in control of a lot of the game, but unfortunately we had to play against the wind (in extra time). It wasn’t just a slight breeze, it was very windy,” said Tino, noting that a late-game knee injury to Jennifer Soehner, suffered from blocking a shot, also put a constraint on the team at the end. “The girls were in awe, which gave Newmarket time to set up for the goal. It was a good game... they capitalized.” The scoring started in the first half as Oakville’s Elena Arevalo fired a shot by Lauren Cadel to give the Titans some momentum and a 1-0 lead. The Lasers quickly answered back, however, evening up the tally when DEREK WOOLLAM / SPECIAL TO THE OAKVILLE BEAVER Laura Stacey launched a swift ball past Swant in the 20th minute. HEADS UP: Oakville Titans player Madeline Galep (left) heads the ball, to the apparent horror of a Newmarket Much of the second half was contained to the neutral zone, but both United Lasers opponent, during Saturday’s Ontario Cup under 13 girls’ final in Vaughan. The Titans lost a heartbreaker, sides displayed patience in waiting for a genuine opening — something 3-2 in extra time. that didn’t come around too often in the defensive game. Oakville held lead in second half Oakville’s Kristyn Capizzano carried the game to 2-1 for Oakville in Canadian soccer team ousted the 51st minute, but Stacey quickly replied for Newmarket, scoring her second of the game with another hard shot to even the score once again. Unfortunately for Kara Lang and Diana Matheson, Melissa Tancredi had Canada’s opening marker, Minutes before kickoff, Lasers coach Bill Connery wasn’t about to take their first World Cup experience was a short one. scoring 37 seconds into the contest — two seconds his SRSL foe lightly. His charges, he suggested, would need to be on their The Oakville natives and their Canadian team- short of setting a FIFA Women’s World Cup fastest- toes and keep their rivals on their heels if they had any intentions of com- mates were eliminated from the FIFA Women’s goal record. ing away with the victory. World Cup yesterday (Thursday) with a 2-2 draw Canada finished the World Cup with a 1-1-1 “They’re a tough team, and they’ve gotten better as the year pro- against Australia. record. In its other games, the team defeated Ghana gressed,” said Connery. “We watched them play a couple times, and we Canada nearly got the win it needed in order to 5-0 and fell 2-1 to Norway. played them once. advance to the playoff round. Christine Sinclair This was Canada’s fourth consecutive appearance “We were number one in the province (in league play), and they were scored in the 85th minute to give Canada a 2-1 lead, in the FIFA Women’s World Cup. The team’s next number two,” he added. but the Australians notched the equalizer during major competition will be the CONCACAF qualifica- The Lasers collected 180 goals while giving up just 12 in league and injury time. tions for the 2008 Olympic Summer Games. tourney play this year. The Oakville squad, which will remain virtually the same for next sea- son, will still get a kick at closing out the season on a winning note when Rugby side competitive, but 0-2 at World Cup the Titans meet Niagara Falls in the league final later this month. By all accounts, the Canadian men’s rugby team has The team will play Japan, which is also winless, in its The original league final was postponed as a result of lightning, and a played well at this month’s Rugby World Cup in France. next game, slated for Tuesday, Sept. 25. make-up date has yet to be confirmed. The Titans will move on next sea- That hasn’t been enough, however, for the squad to The Canadians will wrap up preliminary-round play son to the U14 loop of the Ontario Youth Soccer League, the province’s earn a win in its first two games. Sept. 29 against 2-0 Australia. premier league for youth soccer. Canada fell to 0-2 with a 29-16 loss Sunday to Fiji. Making the loss to Fiji even more crippling is the — The U13 girls’ Titans were one of three Oakville Soccer Club The team, which includes Oakville’s Sean-Michael fact that it almost certainly rules out a top-3 finish in teams to compete in Ontario Cup finals last weekend. Coverage of the Stephen, was within one score of the Fijians before a the Pool B standings, which would have meant an auto- U13 boys’ Raiders and U15 boys’ Fusion championship games late turnover allowed Fiji to score an insurance try. matic berth in the 2011 World Cup — and increased appeared in Wednesday’s edition of The Oakville Beaver. Canada currently sits last in the Pool B standings. program funding from the International Rugby Board. www.icesports.com 905-845-6989.