QUINTE WEST—Team Saskatchewan scored mixed results in the 2024 Toyota National Championships, with the boys’ Under-15 and U17 teams pulling off contrasting wins while the U17 girls lost twice.
Johan Soria had a hattrick as Saskatchewan’s Astra Soccer Academy dominated in a 5-0 demolition of Newfoundland and Labrador, represented by St. John’s Soccer Club, on Thursday, Oct. 10, at Centennial Park.
Over at Sydney in Nova Scotia, Saskatoon Alliance U17 escaped with a 3-2 decision over hometown squad Halifax County United SC on Wednesday, Oct. 9, at MacKinnon Field. They defeated New Brunswick’s Fredericton DSA, 2-1, on Thursday, Oct. 10.
Soria, who had a brace in Astra’s 3-2 win over QC Regina in the provincial finals last July, opened up Team Saskatchewan’s scoring in the 17th minute off a free kick outside the box, curling the ball to the right side of the NL keeper.
Maximo Alvarado made it 2-nil on a penalty kick, and Coen LaClare slipped past two defenders to add one more goal for Astra to close out the first half. Soria completed his hat trick in the second half before being subbed off.
Alan Pieczko and Oghenefejiro Ajoboru shared goalkeeping duties, both playing solidly to foil St. John’s offensive attacks. They were ably supported by a defensive line composed of Andrew Anzures, Jasper Benson, Iago Souza-Diaz, Noah Gaudet, David Gbenle, and Nathan Perez.
The other team members were Leland Clarke, Fionntan Lake, Dawson Lechner, Jack McHugh, Simon Poles, Quinton Schnurr, and Valentino Silva. Graham Dudiak could not play due to an injury.
On Wednesday, Simon Weber secured a Saskatchewan victory over Nova Scotia, scoring off a penalty kick in stoppage time after Giorgio Artuandaga was fouled inside the box. He booted the ball top right as the keeper went the other way.
Elijah Masiowski scored with a header off a Cole Krushelniski assist in the fourth minute, but the hometown squad tied it in the seventh. Tristao Hein pushed Saskatchewan up again in the 19th minute, and Nova Scotia levelled again in the 22nd.
Both teams played steady in the second half, and Team Saskatchewan earned the breakthrough with the penalty five minutes into stoppage time.
In the girls’ U17 division, Saskatoon Alliance lost 2-1 against Edmonton’s SC Youth on Wednesday, Oct. 9, and 5-0 against Winnipeg 1v1 Futbol on Thursday, Oct. 10. Alliance’s U15 girls lost 3-2 against Winnipeg.
