No. 1 Men's Soccer edges Mohawk on late tally from Pinto
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mohawk (1-2-3, 1-2-3) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
Humber (7-0-0, 7-0-0) | 0 | 1 | 1 |
By: Fernando Bossoes
Humber Athletics Communications
VAUGHAN – No. 1 Humber men's soccer (7-0, 1st West) defeated the Mohawk Mountaineers (1-2-3, 5th West) 1-0 on Wednesday evening at the Zanchin Automotive Soccer Centre, thanks to a dramatic late winner from Luca Pinto. The win allowed the Hawks to close out September with a perfect record atop the OCAA West division standings.
Match Recap
Arriving in Vaughan with a perfect 6-0 record, the top-ranked team in the country looked to secure its seventh straight win of the season and its ninth consecutive victory at home. The Hawks hosted the Mohawk Mountaineers, who entered the match fresh off their first win of the season against Lambton following one loss and three straight draws.
The opening minutes of play were sluggish. Humber struggled to create meaningful chances despite trying to increase the match's tempo.
Although lower in the standings, the Mountaineers had conceded only four goals all season, and their five-man defensive line made it difficult for the Hawks' creative midfielders to generate attacking chances. At the other end, Mohawk's plan seemed to be striking on counterattacks in hopes of snatching the lead.
In the 34th minute, midfield maestro Franz Mella nearly broke the deadlock after a beautiful play from rookie Tyler Yasaka down the left wing. Yasaka's cross into the 18-yard box deflected to Mella, who unleashed a rocket off the right post.
Just four minutes later, Mella found Luca Pinto alone in the goal area, but his effort went just inches past the post. Then, at 43 minutes, Mella struck the crossbar from a free kick. The Hawks were knocking on the door, and the breakthrough seemed only a matter of time.
After the break, Humber continued to press. Yasaka appeared to score in the 59th minute, but the goal was ruled offside. Just a minute later, Tariq Joseph dribbled past the goalkeeper on the right side but could not find the back of the net. At 61 minutes, a header from Mella was saved by the goalkeeper before rattling off the crossbar.
Chances kept coming, but the ball would not go in.
Unable to build any attacks, the Mountaineers parked the bus and slowed the pace of the game, wasting time to keep the score level.
But, as the Portuguese proverb goes, "Water dropping day by day wears the hardest rock away."
In stoppage time, Yasaka was fouled inside the box, giving the Hawks a chance to seal the win. Pinto stepped up and drove the ball into the back of the net for a dramatic late winner.
Cold-blooded Luca Pinto was named Player of the Game, preventing Humber from being shut out at home for the first time since 2019.
Humber Highlights
- Humber improves to 33-6-8 all-time against Mohawk.
- The Hawks have not lost to Mohawk since 2008, riding a 16-match streak with 13 wins and three ties.
- Humber's last home loss came in the 2019 season. They have gone unbeaten since with 29 wins and three ties.
- Luca Pinto's late tally prevented Humber from being shut out at home for the first time since the 1-0 loss to UTM in 2019.
- The Hawks are the first OCAA team to reach seven wins this season.
- Humber has not allowed a goal in six straight matches.
What's Next?
Top-ranked Humber now welcomes the Redeemer Royals (0-1-3, 7th West) on Wednesday, Oct. 1. The match is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. and will be streamed live on the Hawks Sports Network.
