Brent Mutis
CapU Blues sports info
After a weekend with no goals, the Capilano Blues (3-5-2 PACWEST) went off for six over two games against Douglas College (4-4-2), netting themselves a tie after the home-and-home weekend with the Royals.
Saturday at Douglas, CapU had a reply for each of the Royals’ first two tallies but conceded the Royals’ go-ahead goal in the 83rd minute and couldn't rescue the result after that in a 3-2 setback.
Zach Gabrys scored late in the first half for the Blues to make it 1-1 after receiving a Tommy Millar pass and doing the hard work of fending off the last Douglas defender before threading a left-footed blast off the left post and in. The home side went ahead again just before halftime on an impressive curling drive by Keishean Francois that found the top left corner of the net.
Capilano tied the score early in the second half, with Millar again setting the scene as he made a run up the left side and laid the ball off to Sebastian Cirotto who hit it in stride, unleashing a laser beam from 20 yards out that beat Matthew Miller inside the left post.
The teams traded looks for the next half an hour but a misread in midfield cost the Blues late when Andrew Kerr beat the last line of defence and ran onto a ball volleyed forward and beat the Graydon Sherle charging from the Blues goal for the game-winner.
Returning to their home field Sunday, the Blues gave rookie goalkeeper Josh Fisher his first start of the season but things began on a difficult note as Douglas was awarded two penalty kicks in first six minutes, with Matteo Falcone converting on both.
Capilano responded with goals less than four minutes apart by Aydin Ali and Gabrys, with his second of the weekend. Ali’s goal, replicas of his first two goals this season, came off a long Stefano Dal Sasso throw-in. Ben Ellsworth headed it on and Ali gained control before scoring with a left-foot finish. Gabrys tied the game, jumping on a loose ball after a Cirotto free kick and the Blues went up a goal late in the opening frame on Ali’s second of the game, a volley past the oncoming Miller from the Douglas goal.
The visitors started the second half strong retaking the lead by the 60th minute but the Blues had one last reply, and it came off the foot of rookie Sam Talaifar who was making just his second appearance of the season. A few minutes after Douglas had taken a 4-3 lead, Cirotto and Ali did some tidy work in the Royals end to earn the ball before Andrew Cerqueira sent a nice cross to the area which Talaifar deflected home on a volley for the equalizer.
The remaining 30 minutes settled nothing and each team came away with a point.
Capilano and the other PACWEST teams have Thanksgiving weekend off. The next Blues game is Saturday, Oct. 18 at CapU Squamish when they host the Vancouver Island University Mariners in a 3:30 p.m. start
The PACWEST regular season finishes Sunday, Oct. 19 with Capilano at Langara.
