Men's Soccer dominates UKC to advance to national final

By: Fernando Bossoes
Humber Athletics Communications

SAINT-LAMBERT, QC. – One win away. That's all that separates Humber men's soccer from capturing its 11^th CCAA gold medal.

The Hawks handed the back-to-back Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) champions and the only undefeated collegiate team in Canada, the UKC Blue Devils, their first loss of the season with a commanding 3-0 victory on Thursday evening at Seaway Park.

Humber now advances to the CCAA championship final, where they will face the host Champlain Saint-Lambert Cavaliers.

Match Recap

For the second consecutive year, the Humber Hawks and the UKC Blue Devils crossed paths on the national stage. After falling to Humber in last year's quarterfinal round, the Blue Devils returned with redemption in mind.

UKC has proven to be a resilient team that thrives under pressure. They captured the ACAA title with a goal in the final seconds of extra time and survived penalties against the Capilano Blues to reach the semifinal. The Blue Devils stood as the only undefeated team in Canada.

The Hawks, coming off a hard-fought 2-1 victory, looked to reach their twelfth CCAA final.

Head coach Jason Mesa made a tactical adjustment for the semifinal, inserting Franz Mella into the starting lineup to strengthen midfield control and unlock the final pass.

Mella's vision in the final third, along with Matias Lescano, Matthew Smith and Michael Crocco's composure in the midfield, helped the Hawks dictate the tempo and limit UKC's time on the ball.

In the 24^th minute, Mella had the ball nearly 45 yards out and delivered a perfect long ball pass to Tomas Joseph on the right flank. Joseph crossed into the box and found Marcus Riviere, who buried it to make it 1-0 Humber.

The Hawks continued to dominate possession but were unable to extend their lead before the halftime whistle.

Coming out of halftime, Humber carried their pressure and pace into the second half with early chances, while the Blue Devils, expected to go with urgency, couldn't settle into their game.

Sustained possession led to Humber's second goal in the 69^th minute. Off a Crocco corner, six-foot-three Isaiah Noel rose above the defence at the near post and headed to the back of the net to double the Hawks' lead.

The deal was sealed in the 78^th minute when Cristiano Candelaresi, who came on for Mella just five minutes earlier, capped off a brilliant build-up from Cisco Thomas and Smith.

The Hawks secured a commanding 3-0 victory, dominating on both ends of the pitch. Humber outshot UKC 18-3, including eight shots on target to the Blue Devils' one.

With their ticket booked to the CCAA gold medal match, now it's time to defend what's ours.

Isaiah Noel was named the Player of the Game, presented by 4imprint Canada.

Humber Highlights

• The Hawks improve to a perfect 2-0 against UKC.
• Humber is the first team to hand UKC a loss this season.
• Humber boasts a 12-4 all-time record in CCAA semifinal matches.
• The Hawks stay perfect at 4-0 against ACAA competition.
• This is Humber's fifth clean-sheet victory in a CCAA semifinal.

What's Next?

Humber will have a rest day before battling for their 11^th CCAA gold medal. The Hawks will play against the home crowd, as they take host Champlain Saint-Lambert Cavaliers on Saturday, Nov. 8, at 3 p.m. Follow @humberhawks and @humbermsoc for updates.