Won’t be many shots going over this goalie’s head

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This article was published 29/01/2021 (1708 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

You can’t teach height but you sure can draft it.

In Friday afternoon’s Canadian Premier U Sports Draft, Winnipeg’s professional soccer club Valour FC selected goalie Yuba-Rayane Yesli out of the University of Montreal.

Yesli, 21, stands 6-7 and previously played in Italy’s Serie D with Vibonese Calcio. He helped the team earn a promotion to Serie C before joining the Montreal Carabins.

“One thing you can’t coach is size. If you’re 6-7 as a goalkeeper, it’s a terrific advantage,” said Valour head coach and general manager Rob Gale. “I jokingly said we might have to put him up for set pieces, too, if we need a goal. There’s not going to be too many people who can compete with him aerially… I think he’s got a massive ceiling ahead of him and we want to bring him in to see how he does alongside a couple of goalkeepers that we’ve yet to announce and see if he’s ready to earn a U Sports contract this year or next season.”

The CPL and U Sports partner to provide student-athletes with an opportunity to get a taste of the professional game. Drafted players are invited to training camp and if they impress, they can be offered a CPL-U Sports developmental contract that allows them to sign with a club and preserve their U Sports eligibility. It’s a snake draft with all eight CPL teams having two picks.

Yesli is eager to prove he’s worthy of one of those contracts. He watched the draft with his family in Montreal and was thrilled to see his name called early. FC Edmonton chose UBC midfielder Thomas Gardner first overall and Atletico Ottawa grabbed Carleton University defender Chris Malekos with the second pick.

“Honestly, I’m really honoured to be picked by this club,” Yesli told the Free Press moments after the draft.

“The fact they picked me shows they have confidence in me and trust me. It means a lot to me to have a big opportunity to showcase what I can do… It couldn’t be a better opportunity for me.”

Valour also held the 14th overall selection where they chose 20-year-old defender Tony Mikhael from Carleton. Gale thought Mikhael was going to be off the board before Valour’s second-round pick. He believes Mikhael could be a steal.

“He is a smooth as silk central defender… A lot of defenders went in the draft and a lot of people went on just pure size and aggression. The people I know in Ottawa, I know the coach at Carleton University really well. (Mikhael) flies under everybody’s radar,” Gale said.

“He started every minute of their games over two seasons and he recently got called up by the Lebanese national team for a camp in November. That just shows you. Nobody gets to the international level without a huge amount of talent and potential. We’re really excited to bring him in.”

 

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @TaylorAllen31