On Saturday Oct. 17, Cermaq City Wave FC travelled to Sooke to play the Sooke Loggers in a Vancouver Island Soccer League Division 2 match-up.
Cermaq came into the game in first place in Division 2, with a one point lead on second place Lakehill United. After a tie last week to Prospect Lake, Cermaq was motivated to get another win under their belts. Sooke is known for being a very strong team at their home park, which made for a tightly contested match.
Sooke started the game rather well and managed to control the ball and play a few balls in behind the Cermaq defence. However, Cermaq central defenders Antho Seville and Peter McWilliams were a formidable pair throughout the game, making it very difficult for Sooke to get any quality chances off of their through balls. Cermaq would respond by spreading the ball wide to forwards Wyatt Bryce and Matt Wooff. Wooff was especially effective, taking on his defender and creating trouble for the Sooke defence. This would spark the Cermaq attackers and eventually, Wooff’s work would lead to a corner kick for Cermaq at about the 30 minute mark. Cermaq’s Eddie Lawson whipped in a great cross and McWilliams was able to climb above the pack and finish strongly with a header. Bryce and Wooff continued to link up and create chances, but were unable to finish. Cermaq would go into half with a 1-0 lead.
In the second half, the game opened up a bit with some good back and forth as Sooke pressed to even the score. However, both teams suffered from a lack of finishing their chances. Late in the half, Kellen Arnink made a great run in behind the Sooke defence, using his speed to create space. Arnink delivered a spot on cross to Wooff who was unfortunate to miss the header from close range. Arnink and Wooff would connect again shortly after, this time Wooff sending in a great cut back pass to Arnink at the penalty spot, but Arnink was unable to keep the ball down, sending it sailing over the net.
Sooke would also have their fair of chances winning numerous corner kicks and free kicks that were sent dangerously into the Cermaq penalty area.
Cermaq’s defence was able to hold on strong with goalkeeper Beau Belle-Oudry punching the ball away from danger on a few occasions. One scramble within the Cermaq area resulted in an open shot for Sooke from close range. Unfortunately for Sooke the shot was straight at Belle-Oudry who handled it cleanly.
However, Sooke’s pressure would eventually pay off in the dying minutes of the game. Off another free kick, the ball was partially cleared by Cermaq, but the ball would end up on the foot of a Sooke attacker, on the edge of the penalty area. The Sooke attacker was able to thread the ball through a maze of players and into the back of the net.
The game would end in a 1-1 draw with Cermaq disappointed to give up two points. Cermaq does remain undefeated this season, but drop into second place as Lakehill was victorious this weekend. Cermaq’s next game is at home at Willow Point Park on Saturday Oct. 24 at 2 p.m,. where they take on Vantreights who are tied for third place, three points behind Cermaq.