No. 1 Humber dominates No. 10 Conestoga in battle for top spot
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Conestoga (5-2-1, 5-2-1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
Humber (8-0-0, 8-0-0) | 3 | 2 | 5 |
By: Stefan Gerardi
Humber Athletics Communications
VAUGHAN – No. 1 Humber men's soccer (8-0-0, 1st West) defeated No. 10 Conestoga Condors (5-1-1, 2nd West), 5-0. The Hawks treated their home crowd at the Ontario Soccer Centre to an entertaining match backed by an all-around team effort. Red-hot Luca Uccello continued to roll, putting up two assists, while newcomer Kadell Thomas also shined, scoring a hat-trick. Santino De Bartolo and Danny Medeiros scored in the Hawks' battle against the Condors.
Match Recap
As the match kicked off on a very warm and sunny October afternoon, the Hawks knew they would be in for one of their toughest battles of the season against the tenth-ranked team in the nation – the Conestoga Condors. Both teams began the game undefeated, with each squad only allowing five goals against on the season.
The Condors came out the gate hot, putting pressure on the Hawks offensively. Conestoga drew a foul that led to a yellow card on Humber's Alex Meczarski within the game's first minute. They would have two free-kick opportunities near the edge of the 18-yard box but failed to capitalize on their chances.
As the Hawks settled into the game after a shaky start to the match, the top offence in the country began to come through for Humber. In the 18th minute, Conestoga would commit a defensive error, turning over the ball to the dangerous Humber offence in their own end. Captain, Luca Uccello, would send Kadell Thomas flying into the box with a through ball where he would make no mistake for his fifth goal of the 2022 campaign. Luca Uccello would record his OCAA-leading eighth assist of the season.
Veteran Luca Uccello wasn't done adding to his assist total in the first half. In the 32nd minute, Uccello would send yet another through ball into the box, this time for Santino De Bartolo, where he would find the back of the net on delicate touch close to the goal. This was midfielder De Bartolo's third tally of the season, while Uccello's ninth assist of the year would tie him for the OCAA league lead in points at 21.
Two-time Canadian Premier League champion, Kadell Thomas, would pot his second tally of the match in the 40th minute. The speedy forward aggressively attacked the Conestoga defence and gained control of the ball in tight with the Condors' goalkeeper. He would slide the ball passed the keeper, logging his sixth of the season and putting the Hawks up 3-0 to end the first half.
In the first half, the Hawks had 12 shot attempts, with five coming on target, while being awarded three corner opportunities. The opposition had three shot attempts, with two coming on the mark and a single chance from the corner flag. Humber goalkeeper Holger Xhameta and Conestoga goalkeeper Pedja Jovicic each had two saves in the first 45 minutes of the match.
The Hawks' momentum continued into the second half as first-year Danny Medeiros would score his second goal of the season. The midfielder was perfectly positioned to tap in an easy rebound goal a few feet in front of the net to put Humber up 4-0.
In stoppage time, Kadell Thomas would score his hat-trick goal to put the Hawks up 5-0. After another offensive surge in the Condors' end, a Santiago Muniz shot would trickle to the foot of Thomas, and he would make no mistake for his team-leading seventh goal of the season.
As the sun began to set, painting a pink hue in the sky, the match referee would blow his whistle, signifying the end of the game and another victory for the Humber Hawks. The top team in the nation finished the matching, posting 18 shots, with seven coming on target while they were awarded seven corner kicks. Conestoga had six shots, with four coming in on the net and two corner opportunities.
Humber Highlights
- Luca Uccello's eighth and ninth assists of the season have him standing alone atop the OCAA for most assists and tied for third with 21 points.
- Humber improves to 2-0 this season against ranked teams.
- The Hawks' all-time record against Conestoga now stands at 25-1-3.
- The Hawks extend their win streak to 15 straight games, dating back to 2021.
- Coach Michael Aquino picks up his 107th win as Humber's bench boss.
- The Hawks haven't lost on their home pitch in 1,092 days.
What's next?
No. 1 Humber will conclude its 2022 regular season home schedule on Oct. 12 against the Niagara Knights (1-76, 7th West). Kick-off is slated for 4:30 p.m. at the Ontario Soccer Centre and will be streamed live on the Hawks Sports Network.
