Host Capers eliminate Reds 3-1 in AUS soccer semifinal
CBU moves on to conference championship match on Sunday afternoon
Host Capers eliminate Reds 3-1 in AUS soccer semifinal
CBU moves on to conference championship match on Sunday afternoon
By Corey LeBlanc
Sydney, N.S. – Led by a pair of goals by first-team all-star forward Kairo Coore (Whitby, ON), the Cape Breton University (CBU) Capers scored a convincing 3-1 win over the UNB Reds in semi-final action at the 2021 Subway AUS Men's Soccer Championships on Friday night.
"We have been building up for this moment," the conference's leading scorer in the regular season said in a post-match interview, referencing his team's strong play down the stretch.
In a fast-paced first half, conference rookie of the year and first-team all-star Jose de Cunha (Cascais, Portugal) of the Capers ripped a free kick off the UNB wall.
In the 13th minute, De Cunha sent a nifty lead pass into Coore, who deposited a shot behind Louis-Charles Vaillancourt (Sherbrooke, QC) to make it 1-0.
Just more than three minutes later, on a great individual effort, Roan Saengmeng (Charlottetown, PE) blasted a long shot behind CBU goalkeeper Daniel Clarke (Milton Keyes, UK) to knot the contest.
In the 23rd minute, De Cunha blistered a shot, but Vaillancourt dove to his left for a spectacular left-handed save.
Off a Caper corner kick from AUS most valuable player and first-team all-star Charlie Waters (Blackpool, UK), Euan Bauld (Musselburgh, UK), also a first-team member, ended up putting a spectacular bicycle kick into the top corner behind Vaillancourt to make it 2-1.
Early in the second half, the offensive magic of Waters was on full display as he undressed UNB defender Simon Basillion (Ottawa, ON), but Vaillancourt got his hands on the midfielder's shot to keep it a one-goal deficit for the Reds.
The best chance the Reds garnered in an effort to tie the match came in the 72nd minute – off a Tom Pheulpin (San Antonio, TX) free kick. After Clarke punched away his shot, Grant Takacs (Woodstock, ON) had an opportunity on the rebound but missed an open net.
Moments later, after taking a feed from Cameron Kilbride (Blackpool, UK), Coore notched an insurance marker for the Capers.
The Capers – the No. 1 ranked team in U SPORTS – will play the Saint Mary's Huskies for the AUS banner on Sunday, Nov. 7 – at 4 p.m. AST.
"We expect a tough match," Coore said.
Watch the gold-medal match webcast live at AUStv.ca.