By Angus Blacklock
The Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold men’s soccer team drew 2-2 against the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks in a tactical and tense game at Downsview Park on Wednesday night.
TMU went into the matchup on the heels of a 2-1 victory over the Royal Military College Paladins last Sunday, while the Ridgebacks came from a strong 2-1 victory over the University of Toronto Varsity Blues.
In the last regular season meeting between the two teams, the Bold wanted to right their wrong and get revenge after Ontario Tech ended their playoff dreams last season in the quarter-finals in a 1-1 match decided via penalties. With today’s draw—the result of letting a two-goal lead slip in the last 15 minutes of the match—the Bold miss out on first place in the OUA East division and the chance to play at home throughout the playoffs.
“We gave away home field through the playoffs and an easier path through the playoffs,” said head coach Filip Prostran.
Ontario Tech had the first corner of the match in the fifth minute when second-year wide attacker Matthew Keeler had his cross blocked by first-year Bold defender Noah Pickering. However, a foul was awarded to the Bold from the corner.
In the 10th minute, Keeler had a shot from the left wing which almost found the back of the net but it narrowly brushed the post.
The Bold had their first big chance in the 19th minute. Fourth-year midfielder Justin Santos whipped in a curling free kick that met third-year forward Jevontae Layne’s head but was saved by fifth-year Ridgebacks goalie Kevon Grant.
TMU hoped for a penalty shot two minutes later when Layne was brought down inside the box, but the referee waved away any protests.
It wasn’t until the 30-minute mark that the Bold managed to break the lock of the Ridgebacks’ tight and controlled defence.
Graduate student Chris Campoli helped the Bold take the lead after he took advantage of a loose ball inside the box and fired it from close range, leaving Grant with no chance of saving his shot.
The Bold doubled their lead in stoppage time at the end of the first half. Layne got on the end of a Santos free kick and put a header right into the back of the net, doubling the lead in style.
“I thought defensively we were pretty good, our zonal shape was good. The goals are nice. It was the exact start that we wanted,” said head coach Filip Prostran.
Going into the second half, Bold held a two-goal lead over
Right from the get-go in the second half, Ontario Tech were awarded a penalty. After third-year Ridgebacks defender Erion Metaj was fouled inside the box by Bold graduate student Luca Di Marco, fifth-year midfielder Jack Sears stepped up to take the penalty, but his effort was saved by third-year goalkeeper Dante Ferraro who dove to his right to maintain the 2-0 lead for the Bold.
A key moment in the game came in the 53rd minute when Ontario Tech first-year defender Kalen Adonu was made to make a goal line clearance after a shot from Bold second-year defender Benjamin Dunn nearly found its way into the net.
With subs coming on in the second half, it became clear how intense the tactical battle was between the two coaches.
Prostran had the opportunity to get all his players round and regroup in the 75th minute after he called to Ferraro and gestured to his leg and the Bold keeper went down with an injury. Ridgebacks assistant coach Michael Maiorano noticed the intention from the Bold’s head coach and tensions started to rise.
Ontario Tech got one goal back in the 79th minute after a ball was whipped in, leading to a goalmouth scramble. Multiple Ontario Tech players were going for the ball but it was Metaj who got the final touch to make sure the ball hit the back of the net.
Metaj and the visitors kept surging from there. Ontario Tech got an equalizer in the 87th minute, when a ball came in from the right wing and was brought down by a Ridgebacks attacker before Metaj struck again. His blistering shot rocketed into the back of the net for him to get his brace.
“In the second half, they just wanted it more,” said Prostran.
TMU now hold a 6-1-3 record heading into their final two games of the season, a back-to-back at home against the Laurentian Voyageurs and the Nipissing Lakers this weekend.
UP NEXT: The Bold are back in action this Saturday against the Laurentian Voyageurs at Downsview Park. Kick-off is scheduled for 3:15 p.m.
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