Gritty Valour keep playoff hopes alive with draw against York

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This article was published 13/09/2024 (691 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Valour FC will take points any way it can get them.

After being on the wrong end of a controversial call that stole a victory and two crucial points earlier this week, Winnipeg’s pro soccer club needed a little good fortune and some sensational play from veteran keeper Jonathan Viscosi to scratch out a lone point in a 1-1 draw with York United FC in Toronto on Friday.

The result marked a third consecutive draw for Valour and concluded a busy but successful week for the club that yielded two points toward its bid for a seat in the Canadian Premier League playoffs.

Winnipeg’s side improved to 6-5-12 with five matches remaining in the fading regular season, good for a share of sixth place with Pacific FC and three points back of Vancouver FC for the final playoff spot. York (10-6-7) moved to within one point of Atlético Ottawa for second place.

“This is a calendar, and you won’t have perfect games all the time,” said head coach Phillip Dos Santos. “There’s going to be difficult moments and the important thing is that the guys stay resilient and keep fighting and find ways to — even when things don’t look to be going your way — protect the goal well and that we try and get out of a place like this with points.”

The match was littered with moments when Valour was simply outclassed by York, which finished with 59 per cent of the possession, 11 shots — seven from inside the penalty box — and four shots on target.

A frantic series began with a high-quality chance in the 16th minute as Mexican forward Jorge Guzmàn sent a left-footed shot wide from in tight.

Four minutes later, it was promising 16-year-old Canadian forward Shola Jimoh, making his first start (10th appearance) as a pro, who cleverly deflected a hard pass from Juan Cordova past Viscosi for his second goal of the season.

Jimoh, who was born in England and moved to Brampton, Ont. at a young age, could be a name for Canadian soccer fans to keep tabs on. Earlier this summer, he signed an Exceptional Young Talent contract with York through 2026 and, on July 13, became the second-youngest player in league history to score a goal.

“He’s a handful. He’s a quality player,” said Dos Santos of Jimoh, who subbed off in the 76th minute. “I remember him coming to Winnipeg (on June 27) and he changed the game for them. He’s a good player. I think it’s one that needs to be nurtured and… from afar, I think these are the type of players that will excite a lot of people.”

York’s lead could’ve easily been a two-goal advantage heading into halftime if not for some heroic goalkeeping from Viscosi on a breakaway.

Once an Achilles heel of the club, Valour did not panic amid the chaos.

The visitors responded in the 43rd minute as Shaun Hundal finished a spectacular cross-box pass from Jordan Farria to equalize the game with his sixth goal of the year. Hundal is one of the hottest boots in the CPL, owning three goals in his last four appearances.

It was yet another display of grit, which has become a theme for Winnipeg’s side in the second half of the season.

Pressing for a victory entering the second half, Dos Santos called leading scorer Jordan Swibel off the bench, and in the 66th minute swapped defender Roberto Alcarón for midfielder Safwane Mlah.

There was little room for offence, however. York continued to dominate the ball while the only thing Valour could do was clench to the prospect of stealing a point.

The hosts threatened on several occasions but never broke through. Dos Santos credited his players for bending but not breaking, something they have continuously done during a 3-4-2 run that began at the halfway point of the season.

Valour has now surrendered 10 goals in its last nine matches.

“I think that the guys’ mentality has been fantastic. I can’t fault them,” Dos Santos said. “It’s just making sure that we replicate a bit more of the good moments that we had tonight because we can create and we can score.”

Valour will return home for its next three matches, beginning against the Halifax Wanderers at Princess Auto Stadium on Sept. 21.

Halifax (5-5-11) plays No. 1 Forge today when it will have a chance to tie Valour and Pacific at 23 points.

joshua.frey-sam@freepress.mb.ca

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Joshua Frey-Sam
Reporter

Josh Frey-Sam reports on sports and business at the Free Press. Josh got his start at the paper in 2022, just weeks after graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College. He reports primarily on amateur teams and athletes in sports. Read more about Josh.

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