Tactical Analysis: Bosco Lions vs. 2-1-2

The 2-1-2 has been the Bosco Lions’ preferred formation since their existence. Other formations were experimented with in the early days, but this system enhanced the performances of their attacking players. Defensively, the Toronto-based side has never been strong, yet they always had an abundance of attacking impetus – and the players who were playing consistently for the first time had the potential to increase this threat.

Flashback to three years ago; Sunday’s – usually utilized for leisure time or rest – brought together a group of friends that decided to form a soccer team. Initial success wasn’t expected, but the determination to win was evident. On a weekly basis these young men took the field in their bright lime green jerseys and put their bodies on the line for one another.

Their road to glory wasn’t a formality – penalty shootouts, nail-biting late winners and a surmountable attempt at revenge against rivals DMP is what led them to lifting a championship on a gloomy Sunday afternoon. They did the impossible. A team built to have fun and potentially grow into ‘winners’ did the unthinkable on their first try.

It’s easy to win a title, but defending the crown is a difficult task. The hunger was gone. Complacency snuck upon them, and although their confidence levels increased, they were unable to replicate such success.

What happened?

This team did encounter a few changes that conflicted with their natural balance, but as a whole they improved over the past three years. The core of the team is the same, and the players who were beginners at the time have improved vastly. These players know how to win, so what’s the issue?

They’ve won more games than they’ve lost during this period, but they fail to prosper when it matters. The dependency on individual brilliance hit an all-time high, and although this method of attack was positive, Bosco has been overrun in midfield on several occasions over the past few years.

Is there a talent issue?

No.

Bosco could field their five best players for longer periods of the match, and the chances of them claiming another title would still be slim. Their method of attack has become predictable, whereas they’ve yet to instill a proper defensive system.

However, despite all the flaws they hold, this Bosco side isn’t a lost cause. In short, they lack a bit of structure and tactical discipline. More so, this is a simple guide that can be beneficial towards these young men maximizing their individual talent. A key component that leads to success in indoor soccer is cohesion, and below I will explain what Bosco needs to do to achieve a cohesive system.

Intro   

The 2-1-2 is a common formation used in indoor soccer that relies on two hard working strikers and an energetic, yet tactically disciplined midfielder – pretty much a box-to-box midfielder. Here, the midfielder has two jobs – they need to be able to link play with the attackers, but also provide astute defensive cover for the two defenders. Playing one midfielder is the risk, because there’s a great chance that your side is overrun in midfield, which is why this player needs to be tactically disciplined.

Base shape   

Bosco Lions 2-1-2

Bosco doesn’t possess two naturally gifted strikers so they often field two grinders upfront. Their main strength is in midfield, and while they do possess competent defenders, these men are attacking minded.

A key feat towards the success of this system is the positioning of the midfielder. In the past, he’s often positioned himself with his back to goal, or roamed higher up the pitch searching for space to receive the ball. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but the sole purpose of this system is to sustain possession, and hand the midfielder full control of the match.

In retrospect, the system I’m about to present is similar to the way Pep Guardiola’s sides play. In the early days at Barcelona, Dani Alves would play as a right winger – which led to a great understanding with Lionel Messi and tons of goals from the right side – with Eric Abidal sitting back to provide balance. In Guardiola’s final year, Barcelona played a 3-4-3, which ultimately became a 3-3-4 as Alves bombed forward, and Sergio Busquets dropped in between the defenders.

David Alaba and Phillip Lahm are in the widest/highest positions on the pitch as fullbacks.

Now, Guardiola implements a 4-1-4-1 at Bayern Munich – although his approach is risky, the field at the Vaughan Sportsplex is neither wide nor long. The Spaniard encourages his fullbacks to surge into advanced positions, while his midfield players drop deep to dictate the tempo of the match.

Alaba and Lahm are higher up the pitch out wide, and Thiago dropped deep. In this screenshot he’s about to play a pass to Lahm, so he can drive forward.

However, while the generic shape is a 2-1-2, the aim of this system is to end up in a 1-2-2. Ball retention is pivotal, and even though this system could be somewhat conservative, if executed properly, it’ll lead to success.

Without the ball

The most important feat regarding success in 5v5 matches is your shape when your opponent has possession. Your side can field a lineup with a strong attack, but if they’re disjointed as a unit without the ball, there’s a good chance that you won’t succeed over the long-term.

More so, shape is a factor that most teams tend to overlook – but little do they know that your defensive shape wins you the big games, especially against superior opposition. Defending at the Sportsplex should be fairly simple – based on the size of the field, assigning each player a man would be the easy route to take.

How Bosco should be set up on goal kicks and when the goalie has the ball

The first area that needs to be addressed is defending your opponent’s goal kick or when they opt to play passes to their goalie. This is the only time Bosco should press high. The forwards should close their defenders – midfielder on midfielder and the defenders should keep tight on their attackers. The main goal is to force the opponents goalkeeper to concede possession, and if this press is executed properly then there’s a 99% chance he will.

Apart from those scenarios, Bosco should NEVER press high or press the goalkeeper, unless you’re confident you’ll steal the ball or force him to concede possession. Defensive solidity, organization and cohesion are pivotal in a 5v5 match, and majority of the time it makes a difference.

To avoid being overrun in midfield, or dragged out of position, it’s important that the strikers drop a few yards away from the opposition’s defenders. The aim is to stay compact, and force your opponent to work hard to break your backline down. Regardless of the situation, the attackers should always be behind the ball, which requires improved work-rate on both ends. Below I break down two scenarios that are likely to occur.

Our shape if the defender beats Randy

Here, the right defender evades Randy’s press. The wide men is the least threatening player so Jose should drop back to cover him, while Randy picks up the left defender. Steve/Nooch should press the opposition’s midfielder, while Bosco’s midfielder should close down the opposition’s right defender.

If Claudio/Jose gets beat by a defender

Another situation would be Jose/Claudio getting beat by the left defender. Here we still want Jose/Claudio to hustle back and cover the player out wide and Steve/Nooch to close down the midfielder. Bosco tends to concede fouls when their forwards relentlessly track back in attempts to win the ball from the defender that beat them – this gives them the responsibility to keep wide player on their flank, and ensures that the three defenders protect central areas.

In Bosco’s most recent fixture, this defensive model was displayed in the second half after going down 4-1. Subsequently, the opposition failed to threaten Bosco’s goal for the rest of the match. Coincidence?

Midfielder

The 2-1-2 Bosco intend on playing leaves the midfielder with a huge task on both ends – as stated earlier, this player is practically a box-to-box midfielder. Although that isn’t necessarily a bad option when playing inferior opposition, the idea of playing a box-to-box midfielder in a single pivot can be suicidal.

This formation abandons that philosophy – the midfielder in this approach needs to be tactically disciplined, as he’ll be somewhat of a deep-lyer. The main responsibility this player withholds is dictating the tempo of the match. This player is effective when the ball is at his feet. He drops deep to receive the ball and build play, but he’s also required to constantly string passes together, in search of openings.

Here you see Thiago dropping deep. This allows Alaba and Lahm to push forward, but the centre back the freedom to play long diagonal balls. Also if Lahm or Alaba lost the ball in their zone, Thiago provides defensive cover when either centre back is forced to sweep up.

On the defensive end, he drops deep to become the third defender. Many can see this as an impractical approach, but this is important because it ensures that Bosco always has a numerical advantage at the back.

In the past Bosco has relied on their midfielder to be their attacking thrust, and in certain situations he should be, but this role allows him to be beneficial to Bosco’s overall play. By no means is the midfielder shackled to tactical instructions – indoor soccer provides a lot of openings and chances to break on net, and the midfielder should only push forward when the opportunity is certain.

Finally, teams will be keen to press the midfielder out of the equation, but as the match progresses and players tire, he’ll slowly be handed the space to influence the match. The key is patience – most games are 50 minutes, and in reality the midfielder might take 10-15 minutes before he begins to dictate the tempo. He’ll receive the ball higher up the pitch, but his significance increases once he picks up the balls in pockets of space or at the edge of his own box.

In short, the midfielder’s role in this system is more defined – if he fulfills his duties, the chances of his side’s success increases. He needs to be disciplined, calm, a leader, and defensively astute – yet his ability to play incisive passes and eye for goal must be proficient.

Attacking philosophy

This system instills a sense of defensive solidity, so some may fear that Bosco’s approach going forward will be conservative. In fairness, this may be the case, but if you’re not attacking on the break, the intent should be to move up the field as a cohesive unit.

Virtually, Bosco should be a 1-2-2 when they’re possession. In order to do this, they must focus on ball retention. An issue Bosco encounters on the attack apart from a lack of movement would be their persistence to force passes. They continuously force long balls over the top, or attempt to squeeze penetrating passes into tight areas.

Here, we see the Bosco midfielder as the last man – his job is to circulate the ball around the field, but also move laterally to provide a passing outlet for wide players that have no forward option. Bosco defenders seem to be hesitant with playing the ball backwards, but they should ALWAYS drop the pass back to the midfielder or the goalie if a passing lane isn’t available – the same goes for corner kicks, as the chances of completing a successful cross into the box is slim.

The longer Bosco holds possession, the less defending they have to do, which conserves energy levels. Likewise, not every pass needs to go forward. There’s nothing wrong with restarting the play and going back to your goalie or back to the player who initially played the pass. You can’t concede a goal if you have the ball, which is why possession is vital. Passing lanes will eventually open, legs will tire, and chances will be created, but Bosco needs to monopolize possession in a professional manner.

When the midfielder drops deep to receive the ball in any situation, the two defenders should be pushed into advanced positions. Majority of the time, this will create 3v2 situations and their will always be an outlet for the midfielder to play into. But the advanced positioning of the defenders is key, because it pegs the opposition into there half, as they now become an offensive threat.

How Bosco should be shaped when they enter the oppositions half.

Essentially, the Bosco defenders are auxiliary inverted wingers on the attack. They have two options when pushing forward – they can either cut in and shoot, or drive forward and stretch the field. Each Bosco defender has the tendency to cut in and shoot, and while this is encouraged, the opposite winger’s job is to stay wide and stretch the field. Also, the defenders have to be disciplined with their movement, as they’ll be required to transition from attack to defence quickly to support the midfielder, if they’re caught on the break. However, if Bosco can sustain possession in a 1-2-2, their defenders will maintain high energy levels, and sprinting back into position won’t be difficult.

Bosco currently have three strikers at their disposal, and you can argue that they haven’t been utilized properly. Claudio is a pacy, dynamic attacker, Jose is a hardworking space invader, whilst Randy is a genuine poacher.

Identical diagram to the one above, but now we’re highlighting the attackers.

Here, Jose and Randy are the two strikers up top, and Claudio would preferably slot into Jose’s spot, because they somewhat pose a similar threat. The diagram above encourages Jose to drop deep into space, and then subsequently move out to the flanks and push forward. Jose’s movement is key because it drags a defender out of position and allows either a defender or the midfielder to attack the space.

Jose/Claudio’s movement should be varied – dropping deep into the midfield and drifting over to the wing is encouraged, but most of their energy should be dedicated to their defensive duties. You should NEVER tire yourself out when Bosco has possession of the ball.

The midfielder won the ball and sprints forward to put himself in a 2v2 situation. Jose is encouraged to make a diagonal run to drag the defender with him – this allows the midfielder to isolate the defender in a 1v1 scenario.

Also, Jose/Claudio play a pivotal role on the break if a midfielder or defender surge forward. There job is to make an opposite run from the ball carrier to drag a defender out of position, and give the carrier half a yard to make a pass or shoot.

Randy’s position is unique – no player on the team possesses the ability to get into goal scoring positions like him. This system will free up space for the midfielder to locate Randy and the defenders to take shots, which can potentially lead to rebounds for him to pick up. Randy needs to get to/near the box frequently, but he also needs to be aware of the space that Jose is creating for him to run into. If Tim/Araujo cut in, Randy will make a straight run into the box, but if the right defender provides width then Randy should make a diagonal run towards the box.

Conclusion

“Whether detailed or vague, good or bad, effective or ineffective, all football teams try to play a certain way to win.”

Richard Whittall, soccer features writer at theScore.com, stated that in his weekly ‘The Skeptical Tactician’ column, and frankly, it’s true. Bosco currently play a high-octane game that allows them to score, but there’s also heavy reliance on individual brilliance.

This system presented allows the forwards to be scrappy, the midfielder freedom to dictate the match, and gives the defenders a chance to express themselves in an attacking sense. Now, it will take time for Bosco to adapt to this system, but it’s a system that should lead to success over the long-term.

Furthermore, the system ensures defensive solidity and organization at the back, yet it requires patience, cohesion and possession to reap rewards.

 

It’s Time for Canadians to embrace LTPD

This year, I received the opportunity to cover the Humber Hawks men’s varsity team in the fall edition of the Humber Et Cetera. Besides the poor quality of soccer and dreadful web streams, I witnessed Humber win their third straight OCAA (provincial) title and first CCAA (national) title in 11 years.

The Hawks cruised through the OCAA season in convincing fashion, conceding four goals and losing twice to St. Clair and Sheridan. As great as the achievement sounds, it was far from an impressive championship run. Along with Humber being far superior against sides such as Fleming and Lambton, the Hawks won many games on moments of brilliance or poor defending from the opposing team.

Humber faced off against Seneca in the OCAA finals in a comfortable encounter. Despite Seneca having lots of the possession, they lacked cohesion going forward, and Humber simply broke them down on the counter.

Humber and Seneca were off to nationals in New Westminster B.C. to represent Ontario in the CCAA championships, with both sides coincidentally meeting in the semi-finals. It was déjà vu for Humber as they cruised by Seneca 3-0, advancing to the CCAA final having yet to face a quality side.

Humber faced off against VIU in a match that I’ve been waiting to see all season; certainly the Hawks were expected to face competent opposition in a national final.

VIU pushed Humber to their limits — they outworked and outplayed the Hawks for large portions of the match. VIU were the superior side that looked like national champions, but the Hawks were resilient and they dealt with everything the B.C. outfit threw at them, ultimately winning the game in a shootout.

Now don’t get me wrong, Humber is a great side, but we only caught flashes of how good they really are.

Many ask me, how could a team that hasn’t played great soccer become national champions?

As much as I’d like to say, “defence wins championships,” that wasn’t the case for the Hawks’ triumph. Humber had solidity at the back, but the fact that Canada’s national champions are unable to control the tempo of a game or string together several passes in a row is an indictment of the quality at this level.

Is it Humber’s fault for playing this way? No.

Could they have been better throughout the season? Definitely.

Humber should be proud of their achievement and cherish the moment for the rest of their lives. What I got out of this experience wasn’t how great this Hawks side was. But through covering soccer at the college level I received a wakeup call.

After Canada’s embarrassing exit in their final group game against Honduras, many fans were left furious. I stumbled upon comments on twitter such as “Why are these guys on the team?” “We have better players in Canada,” “Sack Stephen Hart,” and “Why not Morgan, Cavallini or Henry.”

To set the record straight, Hart was never going to avoid the sack after being humiliated in such a manner. The youth is promising, but the chance of these players changing the game against a superior side in Honduras was very unlikely. Lastly, and I repeat, CANADA DOES NOT HAVE BETTER PLAYERS.

Many feel that we have better players since our country is multi-cultural, but in reality we don’t. Having the chance to go through the youth system in Ontario and watch the best our country has to offer at the college level opened my eyes.

Canada has players with raw talent, and that’s no surprise based on our large population, but we don’t have the right system intact to develop elite players. We focus on building “super-teams” as early as 12 to compete in the OYSL, leaving leagues and competition imbalanced. We focus on running, scrimmaging and winning, when we should be focusing on the fundamentals.

Winning is an important part of the game because everybody wants to be a winner, but is winning all that matters?

Many parents in this country dish out hundreds of dollars yearly so their children can be a part of a winning team and many of those children fail to play outside of Canada.

Young players in this country lack the fundamental skills, tactical awareness and tactical intelligence needed to succeed at the highest levels in football.  Players struggle to string together several passes, they’re unable to dribble past defenders, they provide no movement off the ball and many never fully understand their positional role

Now who do we put the blame on for these issues our youth face in this country?

Well anyone who’s been involved or associated with a soccer team at a competitive level in this country (parent, coach or player) needs to take a look in the mirror and hold his or herself responsible for our nation’s failure at the international level.

The problem with youth soccer in this country is the win-at-all-cost mentality that is instilled. Coaches teach their players and parents that winning is all that matters and they avoid teaching them skills needed to compete at a high level. Coaches need to be teachers of the game rather than recruiters who target players that rely on strength and speed.

Trophies are great, but by sticking to this philosophy, we ignore the fact that our players are deprived the opportunity to obtain the skills needed to thrive at an elite level. The key to youth development is educating both players and parents. We need to focus on smaller-side games and more training sessions, so children can have confidence when the ball is at their feet and be able to learn from their mistakes.

TSN soccer analyst and former Canadian international Jason deVos believes there is no short-term solution to our nations struggles at the international level.

“We must take a long-term approach, by completely overhauling our youth development structure,” deVos said.

“There is far too much emphasis placed on winning in youth soccer in Canada that must be structurally altered so that young players can be free to make mistakes that aid in learning.”

Luckily, Canadians are being presented with a solution to their international disappointments in recent years.

The answer is Long Term Player Development (LTPD). LTPD’s goal is to build a soccer environment that’ll develop young players to their full potential. The seven stage development program will eliminate gaps in player development, allow players to realize their athletic potential and enhance Canadian excellence in soccer.

According to the Ontario Soccer Association website, “LTPD is common practice in many of the best soccer nations in the world.  It stresses, especially at the crucial early development ages, far less emphasis on games and “winning”, and much more on practice, touches, creativity, skill development and learning how to play and enjoy the game.” LTPD is focused on our kids enjoying the beautiful game of soccer and helping our country develop players capable of playing at an elite level internationally.

Goal.com chief editor Rudi Schuller believes that the CSA needs to take away some power from youth clubs and regional associations.

“As long as we have youth clubs fighting relegation and competing for registration dollars, we’ll see the bigger clubs poaching the best players to win which does little for the development of the individual player,” Schuller said.

It may take 10-20 years to see results from LTPD, but it’s the direction Canadian soccer needs to take in order to become a powerhouse in CONCACAF.

So the next time you feel the need to blame the CSA or state “Canada has better players out there,” remember that Canada doesn’t have a developmental youth program or a youth system capable of producing elite players.

Change in our youth system is in our hands as Canadians. The question is, are you willing to stand up and help make a difference?

Tyrrell Meertins

Follow me @TEEWHYox

 

Humber 1-0 Niagara

Match in a sentence

The Humber Hawks produced a professional performance over the weekend with a narrow 1-0 victory against a competitive Niagara Knights side.

Analysis

• For those who haven’t watched Humber play or had the chance to read any of my recaps, Humber set up in their typical 4-3-3 formation. How boring!

• Niagara’s natural shape was a 4-5-1 with the two wide men tucking in to give Niagara a narrow shape. When going forward those wide men fled to the touchline and that narrow 4-5-1 became a 4-3-3.

• Humber started the game well keeping hold of the ball and moving it quickly across Valley field (the pitch was awful). They were dominating the middle and their full backs were getting forward and provided the width that their 4-3-3 thrives on.

• Humber forward Daniel Braga was immense against Niagara. His movement off the ball was exceptional, he was dropping deep into the midfield to help Humber dominate the middle, and he was constantly dragging Niagara defenders out of position. Overall he was their best player on the pitch by a distance.

• Niagara shocked many with how they approached this match. Many teams have been content with sitting deep and taking their chances when presented, but this Niagara side was different. They were resilient and took the game to Humber, but their slow ball movement saw them lose possession multiple times in the middle of the park.

• It was also interesting to note that Niagara’s lone striker was horrendous. He failed to hold up the ball to allow his players to get forward, and when he did receive the ball, he chose to take on Humber’s entire backline. He lacked skill and the intelligence to know what to do when he received the ball.

• It was rookie Blake Jones who scored Humber’s solitary goal, and the provider was Braga. Braga received the ball at the top 18-yard box and dribbled his way to the edge of the box where three Niagara players surrounded him. Braga played a fantastic ball to Jones who ran into the box and took a spectacular first touch past the keeper and tapped the ball into the open net.

• Humber were worthy leaders and they continued to dominate possession into the second half, but yet again they struggled to create legitimate goal scoring chances.

• With Niagara pushing forward and trying to get an equalizer, Humber decided to bring on Nick Cisternino. Cisternino gives the Hawks a real attacking threat up front and that’s when the chances picked up for Humber.

• During the latter stages of the match, the game opened up and Niagara attempted to push for a winner. The problem with Niagara going forward was their build up was slower than molasses and they lacked cohesion going forward. The midfield often tried to dictate the game because their striker was abysmal and their wingers couldn’t get the best of Humber’s solid fullbacks.

• Overall Niagara produced a fearless performance and displayed their brand of football that nearly nicked them a point. Niagara failed to produce goal-scoring chances and when they did they were squandered. They battled Humber to the final whistle and their coaches got their tactics spot on, but they didn’t do enough on the day. The Knights are an average striker away from being an OCAA West division midtable side. Until then, they will continue to grind out games and struggle to score goals.

• Niagara coach Frank DeChellis stated that “Humber is a decent team, I don’t think they’re as dominating as they were in years past, but they beat a good team and should be proud of themselves.” It might sound like the coach was a bit of a sore loser, but he has a point. As I said last week, it’s really difficult to determine whether this Humber team is that “good” or if their opponents are that “poor”.

• The Hawks strength is their defensive solidity that’s seen them conceded two goals this season. But as another game concludes, the Hawk’s goal scoring problems continue. It has to be said that without Matthew Rios this side going forward isn’t as threatening. Cisternino makes them a much better side as he’s a proven goal scorer, but without Rios the Hawks struggle offensively. Reassessing their tactics or stepping away from the 4-3-3 might be an option as the Hawks are in desperate need of a plan B. It’s safe to say that without Rios, their 4-3-3 isn’t as effective, and we can go as far as stating they don’t look like an OCAA provincial champion calibre side without the big man.

• I’d also like to state that it’s an absolute farce that Daniel Braga wasn’t awarded player of the game by whoever makes these decisions at Humber. Just had to get that off my chest, because the people who make these decisions were clearly watching another game.

• Humber lost a key match at home 1-0 to rivals Sheridan Tuesday night. This Tuesday they travel to Fanshawe for the final game of the season that will decide who finishes top of the OCAA West division. Fanshawe are unbeaten this season, and currently sit at the top of the division.

Man of the match

Daniel Braga

Tyrrell Meertins

 

Humber 4-0 Lambton

Match in a Sentence

Despite a poor first half, the Humber Hawks came to life in the final 45 minutes and cruised past the Lambton Lions.

Analysis

• Humber came into the weekend unbeaten in league play and operated in a 4-3-3. Humber’s wingers stayed wide stretching the game, and their midfielders were expected to spread the ball out wide whenever the chance was presented. There was no tactical secret to this formation. It was your basic 4-3-3 setup.
• Lambton started off their season on a high note snapping a 43 game losing streak. Their opening day win against Redeemer was the Lions first win since September 15^th 2007. The Lions lined up in a compact 4-5-1 that was directed numerous times to stay narrow in the first half.
• Lambton started the game lively holding Humber in their own half for the first 10 minutes. Their attack was particularly going through the left flank as their lone striker would drift over their in attempt to draw out Humber’s Centre backs. Lambton’s midfield and back line sat deep, and relied on their lone striker to hold up play so that they could attack in numbers when the opportunity was presented.
• What I found interesting in this match was that Lambton’s coach repeatedly dictating, “stay compact, keep narrow and hold your shape.” He came into the game looking to frustrate Humber and come away with a point. It’s been a trend to come to Humber and look to grind out a result, and his tactics were spot on, but unfortunately for the Lambton coach, things didn’t go as planned.
• It’s been a repetitive story line this season for Humber to start of slow in matches, and it continued against Lambton. The Hawks opted to give a few first year players an opportunity to showcase their talent, but it wasn’t the impression they would’ve hoped to make. Humber was constantly giving up possession in the midfield, and they failed to take control of the game. Lambton allowed Humber time on the ball, but they weren’t moving it fast enough. Humber simply lacked the creativity in the midfield and the movement upfront to break down Lambton’s two banks of four.
• Lambton was very much in the game, and Humber didn’t have the attacking options on the field to break down their disciplined defence.
• Humber opened the scoring from a well-taken Roberto Galle free kick from 25 yards out. The Lambton keeper was at fault as he moved too far to his right and left Galle with practically an open goal to shoot at. Frankly, it was Lambton’s only mistake of the half as they frustrated Humber. But as many teams have learned this season, when you make mistakes against Humber they’ll punish you.
• It was a short-lived debut for many of the first year students as they were replaced by the first team players at the start of the second half. It was the right move as they instantly made an impact to the game. Humber were moving the ball much quicker, doing much better in wide areas and they finally took control of the game. There was no real change in the shape of both sides. Humber was eager to push more, while Lambton was slowly sitting deeper as the game progressed.
• Unlike the first half, Lambton came into the second half sluggish. As the game went on their legs tired from constantly defending and it was only a matter of time before Humber scored a second. Lambton’s striker was isolated for most of the second half, and when ever he did attempt to hold up the ball he was outnumbered by Humber’s solid centre backs.
• The second half was dominated by Humber with goals from, Shezan Singh and substitutes Nick Cisternino and Matthew Rios. The linkup play between Rios and Cisternino was brilliant and they caused the Lambton backline several problems in the final 45 minutes. Rio’s was the game changer in this match. His ability to link up with the striker and drop deep in the midfield drew the Lambton defenders out of position several times. Humber was missing a player of his quality that was able to draw out defenders and open up a very narrow Lambton midfield with his nifty passing ability.
• It wasn’t a game to remember for the Lions but they look to be headed in the right direction. They gave Humber a fight, but unfortunately their players lacked the quality to effectively hit Humber on the break. A playoff berth would be a successful season for the Lions and it’s an achievable goal if they can stay healthy and continue to grind out results.
• Humber’s impressive second half performance saw them play Lambton off the field, in what was frankly their best half that I’ve seen this season. Their back line was solid yet again, but going forward they struggle to put balls in the back of the net. They’ll face better competition as the season progresses, and right now it’s really difficult to assess this side. Whether they possess the qualities to retain their OCAA title for the third straight year is unknown. This side will need to pick up form in the upcoming weeks if they plan to meet their expectations.

Three Stars

1.  Kingsley Boasiako
2. Matthew Rios   
3. Gerardo Magno

Tyrrell Meertins

 

Humber 3-1 Mohawk

Match in a Sentence

The Humber women’s varsity soccer team continued their unbeaten run as they cruised by the Mohawk Mountaineers, in what was a comfortable performance at Redeemer soccer facility Saturday afternoon.

Observations

• Mohawk decided to line up in a very open 4-4-2 after successfully starting their campaign with a 6-0 win away to Niagara.

• Defending OCAA champions Humber won 6-1 midweek at Conestoga and opted to line up in a narrow 4-2-3-1.

• The first 20 minutes were quite cagey as both teams were battling for possession, but the lack of misplaced passes failed to see either side gain control of the game.

• It took 25 minutes, but Humber finally produced a moment of individual brilliance as striker Angela Solarz shot from 25 yards out flew into the top left corner.

• Although Humber was on top going into half time, they were quite poor going forward. Their buildup was slow, they lacked width expected from their fullbacks, and lacked cohesion going forward.

• Mohawk going into the half were quite fortunate to only be down a goal as Humber squandered multiple chances in front of goal. They were second best to every ball, their decision-making was poor, and they provided little to nothing going forward.

• Humber came out in the second half dominant. They controlled most of the possession, their build up was much better but they were still dismal in the final third.

• Humber’s 4-2-3-1 saw them dominate Mohawks two centre midfielders as the three behind the striker would help support the two holding midfielders. This led to the Mohawk centre midfielders with no options and they constantly played misplaced passes or lost possession in the middle of the park. The right and left attack midfielders stayed quite central as it allowed their full backs space to advance forward. Going forward it was quite narrow and Humber kept attacking through the middle, but they were at their best when they pushed the ball out into wide areas. The last 20 minutes of the game is where the tempo picked up as Mohawk searched for a goal. Mohawk were awarded a mysterious free kick when their striker was denied on a breakaway when she collided with Humber goalkeeper Katerina Conde. It was supposed to be a free kick for Humber as Conde was fouled, but surprisingly Mohawk were awarded a free kick at the edge of the Humber 18 yard box.

• Mohawk made the most of the set piece as Kaitlynn Staniuk converted a brilliant free kick from about 25 yards out past Katerina Conde. Conde had no chance, and just like that Mohawk who created little to nothing from open play had equalized.

• The goal awoke Humber as they scored two scrappy goals in the final 15 minutes courtesy of Angela Solarz & Corinna Vanderchaaf. The goals were a result of poor defending from the Mountaineers who on the day were second best for majority of the match.

• Overall Mohawk weren’t great today but they were resilient and nearly nicked a point against the reigning OCAA champions. They were quite open in the first half, but were better in in the second half. They communicated more and were much more compact unfortunately Humber picked up the tempo as well. The 4-4-2 didn’t suit them against a superior Humber side as they way far to open and were dominated in the middle of the park. Once Humber began to advance their full backs they became stretched and were forced to defend deeper, which didn’t suit their attempt to hit on the counter as their strikers were unable to hold up the ball and lacked support. This was certainly a wake up call to this competitive Mohawk side, and I expect them to learn from this and only get stronger as the season progresses.

• Humber are still unbeaten after two road wins, and their coaches will be more than happy with the start to the season. Today, like Mohawk, they were average in the first half but were far superior in the second. They dominated the middle of the park for majority of the game but their main problem was finishing. At times their buildup was quite slow and it allowed the Mohawk defenders to get back into position when they penetrated through the middle. Once the balls were spread out to the advancing fullbacks Humber were able to find more space to play their short intricate passes and that was when they were at their best. Albeit not being at their best, Humber was impressive and that should worry many teams in the OCAA.

Man of the Match

• Humber striker Angela Solarz was fantastic today. She was lively up front and caused the Mohawk backline nightmares with every darting run and touch of the ball. Solarz scored a brace that boosts her season tally to three goals in two games.

Tyrrell Meertins