By Darnel Harris

Needing a win to claim the Spring Title and a spot in the Canadian Premier League Championship series in October, Calvary FC delivered a clinical performance last Thursday to beat York9 by two goals to zero.

Despite only having five shots on target, Calvary made better use of their limited opportunities on York’s narrow pitch. Calvary FC’s Dominique Malonga was initially stopped by York9’s keeper Ingham as he dashed out of his goal to block a shot in the 18^th minute. Five minutes later Malonga lashed a shot from twenty yards into the top left corner for the early lead. After a pair of missed shots by York9, Calvary’s Julian Büscher scored off a free kick as Ingham was unable to stop a looping shot to the bottom left corner.

Despite York9’s sixty-five percent possession and seven shots in the second half, a disciplined defensive performance by Calvary stopped York from getting back into the match. Calvary’s coach Wheeldon Jr. praised his team’s work ethic in the last fifteen minutes, noting, “We refused to lose”. Moving into the Fall Season, he stressed Calvary would continue to put in the work to earn the right to compete for as many trophies as possible.

Rebounding from the loss at home, York9 defeated Valour FC this past Minday in Winnipeg by a score of three goals to one to end their spring season on a high note.

The Nine Stripes (York9) start their eighteen game Fall Season on July 6^th in Halifax, before returning home to play the first half of their Canadian Championship match against Major League Soccer’s Montreal Impact on July 10^th at York University.