Joseph's late tally sends No. 1 Men's Soccer to OCAA Final
| Final | 1 | 2 | OT | OT2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Seneca (0-2-0, 0-2-0) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
|
Humber (2-0-0, 2-0-0) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
By: Fernando Bossoes
Humber Athletics Communications
VAUGHAN – The top-ranked Humber men's soccer (12-0-1) is headed to the OCAA finals for the sixth consecutive season after defeating the No. 15 Seneca Sting (7-2-3) on Friday at the Ontario Soccer Centre. The Hawks have now secured their spot in the OCAA finals 23 times in 37 seasons. 2024 OCAA Men's Soccer Player of the Year Christian Keshishian opened the scoring, while second-year player Tomas Joseph netted the game-winning tally at the 99-minute mark in extra time.
Match Recap
After cruising past the Centennial Colts in a quarterfinal match last Saturday, the Hawks returned to the Ontario Soccer Centre ¾ this time as the official hosts of the 2024 OCAA Men's Soccer Championship ¾ for the semifinals. Despite riding a strong momentum, Humber knew they had a tough opponent ahead. The Seneca Sting, ranked second in the East conference during the regular season, entered the match with momentum after knocking out the defending champions Conestoga Condors in the quarterfinals.
Humber came out firing, applying intense high pressure in the Sting's defensive zone right from the start, just as they had all season. Seneca clearly opted for a counter-attack approach, aimed to exploit any gaps in the Hawks' defence with quick defence-to-attack transitions. Still, they struggled to create any significant chances against the league's top defensive line.
The first half ended scoreless, with Humber leading in shots - nine attempts but only three on target - while Seneca managed just four.
It was a very unusual first half for the top-ranked team in the nation, marking only the sixth time this season the Hawks had not scored before halftime.
Knowing the advantage of an early second-half tally, Humber resumed play-controlling possession. The Hawks' efforts paid off three minutes after Matias Lescano sent a cross into the box from the left. Though Marcus Riviere could not direct a header on target, the ball fell to Christian Keshishian, who hammered to the back of the net to break the deadlock. This was Keshishian's ninth goal in 13 matches this season.
After finding the back of the net, Humber settled into their rhythm, slowing the game to their pace and passing the ball around to maintain control. However, after the Hawks missed a golden opportunity in the 83-minute mark, Seneca's Jackson Drewanz unloaded a rocket from the penalty arc, leaving Peter Sheberstov with no chance to make the save.
The referee blew the whistle as Humber and Seneca headed into 30 minutes of extra time.
At 98 minutes, Lescano walked to the right side to take a corner kick. Carmine Fiore headed the ball into the box toward the net, but a Seneca player blocked it just above the goal line. Tomas Joseph reacted quickly, heading in the rebound into the back of the net.
The Hawks maintained their one-goal lead for the rest of the match and won the semifinal 2-1.
Humber Highlights
- The Hawks improve to 17-6-4 all-time against Seneca.
- Humber now holds a 7-2 record against the Sting in the OCAA postseason.
- The Hawks remain unbeaten against Seneca since 2009, with 11 wins and one draw.
- Humber holds a 3-0-1 record against a nationally ranked-team this season.
- This will be Humber's 24th appearance in the OCAA gold-medal game in 37 seasons.
- Coach Michael Aquino improves to a 32-3 record in the OCAA postseason.
- Aquino has led the Hawks to 10 OCAA finals in 11 seasons.
What's Next?
No. 1 Humber will look to capture its 16th OCAA title against the No. 11 Algonquin Wolves (10-1-2) tomorrow, Oct. 26, at 3 p.m. Come to Esther Shiner Stadium to support your Hawks. If you cannot attend the game, watch the stream online on OCAA Live.
