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Cascadia 6 : 3 Chagos Islands
Cascadia won their first ever friendly with a convincing 6-3 win over the Chagos Islands.
Callum Powell, Chase Boone and Angelo Calfo scored in the first half to give Cascadia a comfortable 3-1 half time lead. After the interval, Powell and Boone added their second and Max Oldham scored just after the restart to get on the scoresheet to leave Cascadia 6-3 winners.
The scoring started in the 22nd minute when Powell drove a low shot across Ivan Antalika to give the Cascadians their first ever friendly goal. Two minutes later, Antalika could only parry a powerful shot from Oldham. Boone reacted first and tapped in the rebound for his first ever Cascadia goal
Cascadia looked safe but the Chagos Islands pulled one back through Hansley Sagaie’s timid looking but deceptive curler in the 35th minute.
The game looked to be in for a close second half before a Calfo bullet header gave Cascadia a two goal lead which they never relinquished.
Minutes into the restart, it became 4-1 after a solo Oldham run into the box and devastating shot left Chagos floundering, before new Cascadia keeper Brendan Norris became involved. He made his first save to deny Dylan Rigobert but was beaten just after from the penalty spot. Norris saved the original shot but Patrick Wilson barged Mervyn Bunjun over which allowed the same player to reduce the score to 4-2 in minute 50.
The excellent Powell began to dominate the tiring Chagosseans. First he curled one wide, then hit the post, and finally the keeper.
“I should have had twelve,” he bemoaned after the game.
At the other end, Norris was not found wanting when tested by Samuel Rabot.
Lemon said “I should have had twelve!” after scoring on his Cascadia debut
Kyle Lemon came on for Brian Simpson and Tayshan Hayden-Smith left to be replaced by Jacob Toms in the Cascadian side, with Charlie Gregory moving from centre half to his preferred role in central midfield.
Lemon made an immediate impact. In the 75th minute, it was his fantastic ball that found Powell who ran and finished superbly.
Boone added a sixth which went through the unfortunate Antalika just through the sheer power of the shot.
Three minutes from time, Chagos added a fortunate third when a clearance cannoned off Norris and onto Andrew Heroseau and into the net. Man of the match Powell narrowly put the ball by the post when seeking his hat trick.
Referee Dan Friar, who had been originally scheduled to be fourth official stepped up at the last moment and had a very good game, ended proceedings shortly after.
Cascadia’s defence looked slightly better than the concession of three goals would suggest, with Gregory and skipper Wilson looking like a very good centre half pairing. Their Chagossean opponents were physically strong but lacked the raw ability of the Cascadian players.
Cascadia head coach James Nichols was happy with the win.
Attendance: 179
Referee: Dan Friar
Cascadia: 1 Brendan Norris (GK), 2. Zane Provenzano, 4. Patrick Wilson (c), 5. Charlie Gregory, 15. Taylor Fisher, 7. Max Oldham, 8. Angelo Calfo, 6. Brian Simpson, 11. Callum Powell, 16. Tayshan Hayden-Smith, 9. Chase Boone
Substitutes: Jacob Tomes, Kyle Lemon, Lorne Jenkins
Chagos Islands: 1. Ivan Antalika GK, 15 Damien Fortune, 4 Muurphy Oxide, 5 Janeson Vythilingum, 3 Franzi Lämb, 7 Deeveeyen Sooprayen,6 Mervin Bunjun, 21 Hansley Sagaie, 16 Samuel Rabot, 20 Louis Casimir, 19
Steven Leelah
Substitutes: 2 Dylan Rigobert, 12 Ivanov Leonce, 18 Norman Rabot, 17 Andrew Heroseau, 23 Vincent Volfrin, 14
Ryan Lemaitre
