For the first time in nine years, the York University Lions men's soccer team took the pitch on semi-final Friday at the U SPORTS championships, with a chance to earn their first trip to the final since winning it all on home turf in 2015.
The Lions got here by virtue of a 2-1 win over the St. FX X-Men in Thursday's quarter-final, a match in which York was the dominant side for the lion's share of the game. A penalty spot goal from U SPORTS player of the year Christian Zeppieri provided York some insurance they would turn out to need after a stoppage-time goal got the X-Men on the board.
Their opponent Friday, the Montreal Carabins – last year's national silver medalists – earned a 1-0 win over the Mount Royal Cougars in the quarters. This was the Lions first meeting against the Carabins since the 2014 quarter-finals in what was a 1-0 York victory.
The Lions looked to duplicate that script from a decade ago, and took their first step toward doing so in the 24th minute. York's other U SPORTS major award winner, rookie of the year Luca Accettola, played a beautiful ball through to a streaking Nick Spittle, who put it past Carabins keeper Joakim Milli to give the Lions the early edge.
Montreal had a couple great chances prior to the Spittle goal. In just the fourth minute, a free kick from Quintin Paumier hit the bar and went over the goal. Then, immediately following York's goal, another free kick from Paumier – this one just outside the box – was stopped by Alessio Carbone.
However, in the late stages of the opening half, the Carabins got back level. A long ball was headed down by Ulric Belanger, right onto the foot of Julien Bruce who had the had the easy tap-in to tie the match 1-1.
Then, in the opening minutes of the second half, the Carabins went ahead. It was another free kick for Paumier from a tough angle on the edge of the box on the far side of the pitch and Paumier fired it back across inside the near post with an excellent effort to make it 2-1.
The Lions best chance to equalize came in the 59th minute when Zeppieri took a free kick from about seven yards outside the box that was denied by the outstretched fingertips of Milli.
The Lions had a couple more chances on balls into the box late in the match, but were unable to execute on any of those opportunities as they fell 2-1.
LOOKING AHEAD:
The Lions will play for their first national medal since 2015 when they take on the loser of Friday night's McGill-UBC semi-final on Sunday morning at 11:00 am.
