No. 1 Men's Soccer extends win streak to five
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Niagara (1-1-2, 1-1-2) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
Humber (5-0-0, 5-0-0) | 3 | 0 | 3 |
By: Nina Kersnik
Humber Athletics Communications
VAUGHAN – No. 1 Humber men's soccer (5-0-0, 1st West) pleased the fans once again with a 3-0 victory against the Niagara Knights (1-0-2, 3rd West) on a sunny Wednesday afternoon at Zanchin Automotive Soccer Centre. First-year goalkeeper Evan Moreau collected his second clean sheet of his career with Humber, making two saves.
Match Recap
Humber brought the heat from the beginning of the match, dominating possession of the ball early in the match.
In the sixth minute, forward Marcus Riviere skied the ball over the Knights' goalie, which bounced into the back of the net, to put Humber on the board first. The play was assisted by Matias Lescano.
Afterward, the home team would create chances, but couldn't convert them to score, allowing the opposing team to extend their lead.
Just shy of the 21st-minute mark, the referee awarded fourth-year defenseman Luca Pinto a free kick following a handball from the Niagara Knights. The Toronto native hammered it to the bottom right corner of the net, putting the Hawks up 1-0, as the Knights struggled to find their rhythm.
Just ten minutes later, third-year midfielder Franz Mella was awarded a yellow card—the first of three in the match.
Closer to the end of the first half, Humber had three good chances, but the Knights' defence would lock in to keep the Hawks shut out of their end.
First-year forward Tyler Yasaka would later come in for Franz Mella, to move forward and cut through the middle of the box. The play, assisted by fourth-year midfielder Matthew Smith, would be punted into the netting for Humber's third goal of the night.
At the end of the first half, the Hawks would head into the second with a 3-0 lead.
The Hawks outshot Niagara 12-8, including a 10-4 edge in shots on target. Rookie goalkeeper Evan Moreau recorded three saves to collect his second career clean sheet, while Niagara's Patrick Iwanisik was kept busy with five saves in the loss.
Despite a quiet second half on the scoresheet, Humber controlled possession and managed the game effectively to secure its fifth straight win to open the year.
Just shy of the 75th minute, Candelaresi looked to add a fourth tally, but after a close call the Knights goalkeeper would hold onto it for good, shutting down the play.
In the end, the Hawks remained composed to secure their fifth win of the season with a 3-0 victory over the Niagara Knights.
Humber Highlights
- The Humber Hawks improve to a 20-1-0 all-time record against the Knights.
- Jason Mesa becomes the first Humber head coach to start his career with five consecutive victories.
- Riviere's tally was the earliest Humber has scored in a match this year.
- The Hawks are the first time to win five matches this season.
What's Next?
Top-ranked Humber visits the Fanshawe Falcons (0-2-1, 8th West) in London for the battle of the birds on Saturday Sept. 20. Kick-off is scheduled for 2:15 p.m.
