HIGHLIGHTS: York United vs. FC Edmonton (August 14, 2022)

York United returned to the win column on Sunday afternoon, defeating FC Edmonton 3-2 at York Lions Stadium after a crazy final 10 minutes that produced three goals and two lead changes.

York handed a second consecutive start to goalkeeper Eleias Himaras, with regular starter Niko Giantsopoulos still out injured. Paris Gee also got his first start for the club, slotting in at left fullback as coach Martin Nash deployed Ronan Kratt, Osaze De Rosario, and Kevin Dos Santos across the front.

The Eddies, meanwhile, started with five across the back and a front three of Tobias Warschewski, Mamadi Camara, and Gabriel Bitar, looking to try and strike in transition.

After a frantic first few minutes, it was the hosts who took the initiative in the early going. York opened the scoring just 10 minutes in, as Osaze De Rosario settled the ball near the top of the penalty area and fed a quick pass through the backline to Ronan Kratt. The 18-year-old held off his defender and cut toward the middle before firing a well-placed shot past Andreas Vaikla to make it 1-0.

York continued to dominate the ball for the next few minutes, and midway through the first half Eddies boss Alan Koch saw fit to make a change. He went to his bench for a 30th-minute substitution, opting to bring on Azriel Gonzalez on the left side in place of right-back T-Boy Fayia.

After that, Edmonton seemed to create a few more opportunities in transition, picking off sloppy passes in the middle and looking to spring one of Gonzalez, Camara, or Bitar with quick balls forward. One chance in particular saw Gonzalez send a ball right across the six-yard box, but York defender Dominick Zator held off Camara to prevent him from finishing at the back post.

The visiting Eddies came out even harder in the second half, taking more of the ball and looking to create attacking phases of their own. After about 15 minutes, they at last found their breakthrough, as Warschewski held up a ball in traffic at the top of the box before laying it off to his left, where Bitar was rampaging in to smash it by Himaras for the equalizer.

Not content with a draw, Nash went to his own bench immediately after conceding. He brought Luis Lawrie-Lattanzio into the game at right wing, and he handed a York United debut to recent signing Mo Babouli, who entered to play just behind De Rosario in the middle.

Babouli nearly put York back in front just minutes into his arrival, as the ball fell nicely for him around the penalty area, but he put his shot directly at Vaikla. A few minutes after, it was Lawrie-Lattanzio who had an excellent chance from a corner-kick, but his shot from in close sailed over the bar.

With about 10 minutes left to play, the game exploded. The Eddies surged forward and the ball fell at the foot of Warschewski, who feathered a perfect pass into the box where Gonzalez was unmarked for a diving header to put the visitors in front 2-1.

That would not be the end of it, though. Nash made another substitution after conceding, adding Lisandro Cabrera up front in place of De Rosario. In the 80th minute, Paris Gee put Cabrera through on goal, and the Argentine striker flicked it over Vaikla to equalize.

Four minutes after that, the Nine Stripes went back in front. They won a corner late in the contest, and Noah Verhoeven sent the in-swinging ball toward traffic in the box. Vaikla got a hand to the initial cross, but he wasn’t able to catch the ball and it fell to the head of Jordan Wilson, who nodded it home to put the hosts in the lead late.

Although the match got more heated from there, there would ultimately be no more scoring, as the Nine Stripes held on for their first home win since May 6, putting themselves up to 20 points on the season with their fifth triumph.

BOX SCORE

Goals

10′ — Ronan Kratt (York United)
62′ — Gabriel Bitar (FC Edmonton)
78′ — Azriel Gonzalez (FC Edmonton)
80′ — Lisandro Cabrera (York United)
84′ — Jordan Wilson (York United)

Discipline

55′ — Yellow: Osaze De Rosario (York United)
88′ — Yellow: Luis Lawrie-Lattanzio (York United)
88′ — Yellow: Cale Loughrey (FC Edmonton)
90+2′ — Sebastian Gutierrez (York United)