Comeback win sends Marauders to gold-medal final

CHARLOTTETOWN (CIS) – Goalkeeper Angelo Cavalluzzo stole the show in kicks for the second straight day as the McMaster Marauders came from behind to edge the UQAM Citadins 3-2 in the first semifinal of the CIS men's soccer championship at UPEI Turf, Friday afternoon. 

The OUA finalist Marauders, looking for their first Sam Davidson Memorial Trophy triumph, advance to the national final for the first time since back-to-back gold-medal losses to UBC in 1991 and 1992. In Sunday's title match at 1 p.m. AST, the Marauders will face either tournament host UPEI or York, who face off Friday night in the second semi.

A day after making three stops in the penalty kicks in an opening-round win over UNB, Cavalluzzo made only one save in the PK session against UQAM but he made it count, stepping in front of a shot by Simon-Pierre Cote-Kougnima to end the duel and send the Marauders' bench into a frenzy.

For drama, nothing could beat this pulsating game, which sparked to life less than a minute in when Felipe Souza de Costa hit a left foot rocket to put the Citadins one goal up.

It was to get even better for the Quebec champions in the 10th minute when RSEQ MVP Armel Dagrou got on the end of some excellent wing-play to steer the ball past Cavalluzo for a 2-0 lead.

But if anything, it spurred the OUA silver medallists on and for the remainder of the half, they created a majority the best chances, constantly keeping goalie Nizar Houhou busy without being able to apply the finish.

The Marauders' luck would change in the second half.

The ever-willing Mark Reilly somehow threw his body in the way to divert a cross into the net in the 50th minute, and at the 62-minute mark Andoni Gallego got the final touch after a scramble on the penalty area to tie the affair at two apiece.

Things slowed down for the rest of regulation time, with the referee busy calling fouls and issuing cards.

Extra-time brought no more goals, and it once again came down to the dreaded penalty shootout to decide the winner.

Both teams missed two of their initial five, and after Garnett and Reilly had scored, it was left to Cavalluzzo to once again play the hero, turning Côté-Kougnima's kick past the post.

"It was great determination to get back into the game after the early setback," said Marauders head coach Dino Perri. "When we settled down we controlled the game and I thought we deserved it. We couldn't be happier and tomorrow we will rest up, probably eat a lot, and prepare for the final."

The Citadins get back on the field Sunday at 10 a.m. AST for the bronze-medal game with a chance to match the best result in program history, a third-place finish in 1998.

SCORING SUMMARY:
MAC    0-2-0-0: 2 (5-4 PK)
UQAM 2-0-0-0: 2

First Half
1. UQAM Felipe Costa De Souza  (1), 1st 
2. UQAM Armel Dagrou (2), 10th
 
Second Half
3. MAC Mark Reilly (1), 50th
4. MAC Andoni Gallego (1), 62nd
 
Extra Time (2 x 15 mins - no golden goal)
(no scoring)

Kicks
MAC Marco Gennaccaro, goal
UQAM Maxime Leconte, goal
MAC Angelo Cavalluzzo, goal
UQAM Felipe Costa De Souza, goal
MAC Gershi Xhuti, goal
UQAM Armel Dagrou, missed (post)
MAC Patterson Farrell, saved (Nizar Houhou)
UQAM Mohammed Saidi, missed
MAC Kieran Doyle-Davis, saved (Nizar Houhou)
UQAM Issam Bousekri, goal
MAC Ryan Garnett, goal
UQAM James Louis-Jeune, goal
MAC Mark Reilly, goal
UQAM Simon-Pierre Cote-Kougnima, saved (Angelo Cavalluzzo)

Goalkeepers:
MAC: Angelo Cavalluzzo (W, 2 GA, 4 saves, 120:00, 2-0)
UQAM: Nizar Houhou (L, 2 GA, 5 saves, 120:00, 1-1)

Team Stats
Shots: MAC 10, UQAM 12
Shots on net: MAC 7, UQAM 6
Corners: MAC 9, UQAM 5
Offsides: MAC 1, UQAM 3
Fouls: MAC 12, UQAM 16
Yellow cards: MAC (Aleksandr Vincici); UQAM (Maxime Leconte, James Louis-Jeune, Issam Bousekri, Armel Dagrou, Mathieu Yala, Wilfred Girard)
Red cards: None

Players of the game:
MAC: Ryan Garnett
UQAM: Wilfred Girard

Source: CIS