Vaughan – Toronto FC II and the Pittsburgh Riverhounds played to an exciting 1-1 draw on Saturday night at the Ontario Soccer Centre.
On just a plain beautiful night, the Riverhounds were inches away from opening the scoring in the 23rd minute when Romeo Parks broke in down the wing. However, Reds' keeper Angelo Cavalluzzo was up to the task and denied Parks with a kick save.
Shortly after, the Riverhounds leading scorer Corey Hertzog got in all alone on Cavalluzzo. The Riverhounds’ forward sent his shot over the bar.
The Reds then came extremely close to opening the scoring in the 29th minute. Off a short corner, first team loanee Tsubasa Endoh whipped in a ball to the far post. Captain Mitch Taintor sent a diving header towards the post. It ricocheted off the post and off Riverhounds’ keeper Trey Mitchell across the line before being cleared by the Hounds. Despite both teams’ early chances, the game went into the half scoreless.
The Reds jumped out in front on an Endoh strike in the 59th minute. Mitch Taintor recycled a ball down the wing for Oyvind Alseth. Alseth swung in a perfect ground cross for Endoh to fire home over the top of Mitchell.
Toronto FC II almost doubled their lead on a Jordan Hamilton opportunity. Jay Chapman played in the Scarborough native who sent his shot off the far crossbar.
The Riverhounds had another great opportunity to equalise when Romeo Parks sprinted in on a counter attack. The Jamaican international attempted to send his shot between the legs of an onrushing Cavaluzzo. The keeper got a slight touch on the ball, which was cleared by Taintor.
The Riverhounds found their breakthrough on an 87th-minute free kick by Parks. Two Hounds dummied the free-kick before Parks smashed a low drive into the bottom right corner past Cavalluzzo.
The Reds almost stole the three points on a mad scramble in added time. The ball was headed off the Riverhounds crossbar and the rebound fell to Ben Spencer, however, the forward header went just wide of the post.
Toronto FC II return to action on Wednesday, June 14 when they take on Orlando City B in school day action. Kickoff is set for 12:00 PM ET.
