THE SOUTH STAND REPORT : Toronto v. Vancouver... or Robins with ADD

It's Voyageurs Cup time, which is sad because as much as I hate sponsorships, shortening the name to the NutCan was fantastical.  And calling it Stupid Pyramid Scheme Cup seems just a pinch disrespectful.

It's heady times in the Canadas as this edition has a mind-scrambling 5 clubs competing for domestic glory.  A little glad that Ottawa didn't make it out of the first round, as that takes the heat off of me for their 'mock' logo.

It's cool outside.  Minimal buggery no wait, bugs.   Toronto up against half of Vancouver's U-20 side.  Should be easy, no?

On to the match!

17 - Ball worked into box, Issey point blank,  saved by Fr. Guido Carducci

22 - tic tac to Issey,  criss to Gilberto and put it wide of post from 7 yds out. 

27 - GOAL - Gilberto slides a pretty ball springing Defoe and slides a ball past Fr. Guido Carducci.
ROBINS 1, 86ERS 0

31 - YELLOW - Bradley gets booked for a nonchalant trip

32 - Defoe gets a shot off from the left side of girl forcing Fr. Guido Carducci to make a diving save.

36 - Rey gets sent in, beating the keeper but sliding it across the face of goal

43 - Vancouver has woken up.  Massive lapse in the back four, Bendik makes a quality stop.  Ensuing rebound finds another boot that beats Bendik but not Henry on the line.  Harrowing stuff.

Half-Time Mood : Ummmmmmmmmmmmm... OK? *shrug*

62 - Human pinball has a shot of the cross bar, header by Henry finds Gilberto whose attempt hits a hand and the red sees nothing... peculiar

68 - nice cross from Bloom finds Isseys header and just misses the top corner

73 - beautiful cross from issey finds Rey who puts it into the box and nearly finds Gilberto.   #DoAShot

79 - SUB - DeRo in for Issey

88 - it looks like Gilberto is coasting and is getting an earful from Nelsen for lack of hustle.  Can I not blame either party here?

89 - GOAL - Bradley breaks down the win and slots it past the keeper
ROBINS 2, 86ERS 0

89 - SUB - Weideman on for Gilberto

90+1 - GOAL - Manneh.  Didn't see it.   Almost saw a Donnybrook as Manneh and DeRo start at it after the goal and Manneh says something to Bendik.
ROBINS 2, 86ERS 1

FULL TIME : TORONTO 2, VANCOUVER 1

Man of the Match : Issey was fun. Rey was fun.  Bradley gets it though.

Goat of the Game : no one was exceptionally bad

Ref Rating : 2 out of 5.  Toronto has had penalties awarded against them for lesser crimes than the ones Vancouver got away with.

Kit Spotting : Celtic bumblebee kit from a distance.  Would've won it had I put on my newly acquired Sheffield Wednesday shirt.

I Am Not The Gaffer But... : Subs earlier.   Gilberto could've come off after 70 mins.

Gilberto Drinking Game : 4 shots.  About 4 near shots on top of that so you might have been pissed up.

Still not convinced things are working together as the can be or should be.  Plenty of quality individual efforts all over the park but few potential game changing moments that could have been.  Playing against a stripped down Vancouver side should have been a simple game running out 3-0 victors by the hour mark but they were lacking.  Yes, they are playing well.  Yes, they are good enough to win something.  No, they are not playing up to their potential.  Toronto should have walked away with this game or fought hard for this result and neither was the case.

Although prepared for midges with a mosquito head thingies,  there wasn't enough of them to truly pesty... Issey was getting a good hacking out there.  Was afraid he would be missing chunks of his legs if he kept playing... you can tell that Vancouver were giving a pile of kids their first runs out just by their shirt number.   32, 36, 38 and a 44 were on display... For every head scratcher Rey did out there, he had a pile of nice turns and passes... at least the rain held out... Some of the much coveted "bro demographic" either love singing for Toronto, or have no idea how away goals work in these things.  I wouldn't be singing too much tonight.

Player Ratings : Bendik 6.5, Bloom 7.5, Caldwell 6, Henry 6.5, Morrow 6, Bekker 6.5, Rey 7, Bradley 7.5, Gilberto 6.5 [Weideman N/A], Issey 7 [DeRo N/A], Defoe 6.5

@ignirtoq still hasn't done laundry from Saturday but braved what little elements that nature could serve up.  He also believes in Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and Gilberto scoring.