Uzodinma Ukagwu | Sports Editor
Featured Image: The Lions soccer team won their second consecutive OUA championship, and their fifth in the last six years. | Courtesy of YorkU Lions
The Lions men’s soccer team won their semi-final and final matches in Ottawa, on Friday and Saturday, to win their second consecutive OUA title—their fifth in the last six years.
York’s semi-final match was against Ryerson on Friday. The Lions won 1-0 to book their ticket to the final match. The Lions then defeated the Carleton Ravens by a score of 3-1 to clinch the title on Saturday, in their sixth consecutive finals appearance—a rematch of last year’s OUA championship game.
The Lions’ semi-final match was a display of defensive prowess by both teams, as the Rams’ back row proved tough to get by.
Ultimately, the Lions came out on top, as the team capitalized on a defensive mistake by the Rams to score the game winner in the 65th minute, courtesy of defender Josh Kiselyov. The goal came after the Rams failed to clear the ball from their six-yard box, following a Lions’ corner. Kiselyov was able to get control, and beat the Rams’ keeper for just his second goal in a Lions’ uniform.
The Lions’ back row protected the team’s lead for the rest of the game, and lady luck was also on their side, as a Rams’ last-gasp attempt to tie the game was foiled by a deflection that took the ball just wide of the Lions’ goal, as York escaped with a 1-0 victory.
In their final match against the Ravens on Saturday on their home turf, the Lions’ determination to win their second-straight OUA title was evident, as they opened the scoring in only the 2nd minute of the game, courtesy of midfielder Maurizio Ragone who beat the Ravens’ keeper bottom right to open the scoring.
Twenty minutes later, York-midfielder Jorgo Nika extended the Lions’ lead to 2-0 when he got a head on a corner from Dylan Carreiro.
The Ravens, however, wouldn’t go down without a fight, as they ratcheted up the intensity in the second half, and scored just five minutes in, to halve their deficit to 2-1.
The Ravens continued to press the Lions’ goal, unleashing shot after shot, but the Lion’s back row held strong. The Ravens attempted 14 shots in the second half, while the Lions only attempted four.
Despite the Ravens’ constant pressure, Nika was able to extend the Lions’ lead with his second goal of the match in the 69th minute, all but extinguishing the Ravens’ comeback attempt. Nika’s goal turned out to be the last of the game, as the Lions won 3-1, and hoisted the Blackwood Cup for the second consecutive year.
The York Lions have had a stellar campaign, finishing the regular season undefeated, and dominating the OUA playoffs. The Lions also produced six OUA all-stars this year. Forward Omar Marzouk, midfielder Nika, and defenders Daniel Gorgaty, and Kiselyov finished as first-team all-stars, while defender Emmanuel Zambazis and midfielder Cavallini finished as second-team all-stars.
The Lions will now move on, along with the Ravens, to represent Ontario, and to challenge for the U SPORTS championship at the University of British Columbia this weekend.
York’s first game will be Thursday against Trinity Western at 2 p.m. EST.
