By Santiago Ortega

The Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold men’s soccer team captured their first Ontario University Athletics Championship (OUA) in program history on Saturday, hoisting the Blackwood Cup after a 3-0 victory at Downsview Park over the Guelph Gryphons.

Playing in the program’s third-ever OUA final, having suffered 1-0 defeats in 2013 and 2022, the Bold were able to make history with their long-awaited triumph.

Having already clinched nationals the previous week, TMU head coach Filip Prostran, in his 11th season in the role, praised the team’s focus as the reason for their victory. 

“All week nobody spoke about nationals, it was all about this game,” Prostran said. “I remember going into [the 2022 OUA final], it felt like a free game because we’d already qualified for nationals and we let that moment go. This was our national final for right now.”

Fifth-year goalkeeper Dante Ferraro was on the bench during their 2022 defeat. This time around, that result fuelled him, as he was named match MVP for his shutout performance following his fourth clean sheet of the season.

“It’s amazing. I don’t even wanna say bittersweet because it’s not,” Ferraro said. “The emotions, I can’t explain what it’s like winning the first ever for the program in my fifth year with all the guys that I love, pretty much my second family. It’s an incredible feeling.”

The Gryphons started the pressure early, but the Bold responded accordingly. Having already tried a few shots, First Team OUA East All-Star forward Exosse Kadiebue wouldn’t be denied for long. In the 21st minute, the fourth-year forward received a pass, cut left as he approached the box, and fired a strike towards the top left corner. Second-year Guelph goalkeeper Liam Glas got a paw at the shot, but couldn’t corral it and was left watching as it bounced into the net to give the Bold a 1-0 lead.

“Every day in practice, I’m trying to go hard. For the team, I gotta do my job, I gotta score for them,” Kadiebue said, adding, “I like being aggressive, and I knew the back line was a little bit slow, so getting on them early helped me a lot.”

The Gryphons nearly levelled the score at the 41st minute. A bouncing ball in the box found third-year forward Aidan O’Keefe, who smashed a shot that Ferraro just barely got his hands on to send over the bar.

“I just [focus] on the next action, the next save. Getting caught up in the moment, things can go crazy… so that’s how I keep my head,” Ferraro said.

Despite both sides maintaining pressure, the Bold would hold the lead into the half.

Guelph again threatened to tie the game with the first good chance for either team of the second half. In the 64th minute, OUA West First Team All-Star Gryphon midfielder Ambrose Tinmouth cut inside the box and found an angle, but his low strike went just wide of the right post, much to the dismay of the Gryphon faithful who made the trip to Downsview Park.

Third-year midfielder/forward Taha Ilyass would give the Bold some comfort in the 84th minute. Another rebound after a save left the ball at his feet, leaving him to just tap the ball in as the Bold fans rushed the field. 

“My objective this year was to bring TMU their first OUA title,” Ilyass said. “Once the second goal went in, I think both sides knew we really secured it at that point.”

After sending almost their entire team up to the Bold box for an added-time free kick, the Gryphons were left vulnerable in defence. First-year midfielder Darius Kerr-Cooper took the rebound out and, left with a two-on-one, passed it to second-year forward Tyler Yasaka on his right. He sent it low past Glas to secure the game.

As the final whistle went, the TMU crowd, who had been anxious to start the celebration all game, spilled onto the field, hugging and rejoicing with the players who had just made program history.

In the midst of the celebration, Ferraro knows the mindset that will lead the team’s success at nationals.

“Game-by-game, one game at a time. That’s all it takes.”

UP NEXT: The Bold head to Victoria, B.C for the U Sports Men’s Soccer Championship. Their quarterfinal matchup is slated for Nov. 12.