Digital Program cover for Matchweek 4, showing a player looking up at a ball in the air
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Matchweek 4: Battle of Burnaby

What a night last Friday!  Our teams took all six points in the Ironworkers Derby, Our men’s team recorded 6 goals for the first time in our history, and Swangard felt like a party with live music, food trucks and the stands crowded with 700 supporters and club players! This week we’re off to face a new rival on the other side of town as we visit Burnaby FC in the first matches of what we hope will become a fiercely contested Burnaby derby.  

This week’s opponent

Friday, May 24, 2024
At Burnaby FC
Burnaby Lake West #5 (directions)
Tickets $20 (free entry for kids wearing a Burnaby FC kit)

  • Burnaby FC Women (1-1-1, 3rd), v TSS Rovers FC Women (1-0-2, 5th), 5:30 pm
  • Burnaby FC Men (0-1-2, 7th), v TSS Rovers FC Men (3-0-0, 2nd) 8:00 pm

This season we welcome Burnaby FC into League 1, and with their arrival, we have a true Burnaby Derby on our hands.  BFC is the result of a recent amalgamation of five longstanding Burnaby youth clubs, Cliff Avenue, Mountain United, Wesburn, Burnaby Girls and Burnaby District Metro.  Their women’s team features several former TSS Rovers including Molly Quarry, Mia Pante Maya Rogers, Shanya Dhindsa and Isabella Muzzolini.  They started the season with a win against Harbourside but then drew Unity and held the Whitecaps to only 2 goals in a 2-0 loss to the VWFC Women. 

Their men’s team features several NCAA and former Whitecaps Residency players and fields three former professional players: Joe Zupo (D) who played in the second tier in Australia, Nic Apostel (M), who spent a season with Cavalry in the CPL and Lachlan Will (F) who played in the German fifth division last season.

Last week’s recap

For a slightly more biased perspective our man James covers the vibes from the Pirate Cove in our weekly recap

Women’s Team
Rovers 2-1 Altitude 
Full match replay

Womens starting lineup before game vs Altitude May 17, 2024
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After two defeats in their opening two games, TSS had to take advantage of home comforts if they were going to end the night with points. Altitude had tied their first three games, proving to be an attacking threat, but with a defence that could be tested. 

The first half hour was a cagey affair, with neither team dominating possession and without any real quality. TSS midfielder Sofia Faremo had the best chance of the first half when her curling effort forced Altitude keeper Ava Jones into a fine save. The half was over without talking points. A better start for TSS compared to previous weeks, though. 

Within three minutes of the restart, the red smoke was released from the Swanguardians as TSS opened the scoring. Megan Sun delivered a looping ball into the six-yard area; there waiting was Devon Kavanagh, who sent her header past Jones and into the far right side of the net. Kavanagh had had a bright start to the second half, clipping the outside of the post just a minute before scoring her first goal of the season. Five minutes later, Altitude were back in the game. Maya Smith made an excellent run on the right-hand side before delivering a dangerous ball into the box. The ball was not dealt with by Amanda Scott, whose attempted clearance instead ended up in the back of the TSS goal.

Another defensive mishap was to come, this time at the expense of Altitude. Ten minutes after equalising, a long ball over the top went under the attempted clearance of Altitude keeper Jones. With the recovering defender slipping, Megan Sun was allowed a free shot at goal, restoring the TSS lead with 25 minutes to play. The game petered out, and TSS were able to hang on for the win, keeping the ball well and not allowing Altitude any late chances. 

It was a deserved 2-1 win for TSS, who demonstrated a clear style of play: possession. While there were stray passes, there was a huge improvement on previous weeks, where possession was being lost too easily. Maddy Mah was much improved in the middle of the park, breaking up play and providing a focal point for defensive and attacking transitions. Megan Sun proved key, with a goal, and an assist as the reward for a hard-working performance. 

Head coach Kevin Booker said his players had been “putting in the work” off the back of their opening defeats. “Obviously, playing the two teams we did [Whitecaps and Unity] in our first two matches was a challenge. There were some good things to come out of those games, though. I’m glad the players stuck with the style of play; today they were rewarded for doing that.”

Men’s Team
Rovers 6-0 Altitude
Full match replay

CJ and the Roadkills band performs during a break in play
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The men were coming off the back of two impressive wins as they stepped out for the second game of the night. Their opponents, Altitude, had endured a mixed start to their season, recording a win, a loss, and a draw in their opening three games.

Both teams began with defensive back threes, which, on an expansive Swangard pitch, made space look abundant. It was an opening half-hour that, like the women’s game, offered little in the way of match action. Altitude had an early handball appeal waved away; they also had a player go down with cramp within 25 minutes, but it was just after the half-hour mark that a more brutal blow was dealt. Kian Proctor’s delivery was converted by the in-form Devin O’Hea, who headed in a first for TSS. Eight minutes later, Gurman Sangha cut back a ball into the path of Matteo Polisi, whose first-time shot hit the crossbar, bounced off the back of Altitude keeper Luca Ortu, and fell to Connor MacMillan, who tapped in a second for TSS.

The band had been providing entertainment throughout the night, including goal music every time TSS scored; 18 minutes into the second half, their guitars were back in action. Matteo Polisi’s free-kick was met by TSS captain Danylo Smychenko who headed the ball home for his first of the season. Four minutes later, Ambrose Tinmouth made it four when he sent the ball into his own net after Michael Hennessey’s shot deflected off the Altitude man. TSS had five when substitute Gabe Escobar, playing his first game of the season, beat his man and sent a powerful strike off the gloves of Ortu and into the path of O’Hea, who bagged his second of the night. The final attack of the game saw TSS get their sixth. Ivan Mejia pounced on a poor Altitude clearance and struck fiercely past Ortu. At full-time, TSS finished 6-0 winners.

TSS have shown their quality this season, not getting a ton of chances, but converting them when they do come. The aerial ability of O’Hea is a real threat, and the defensive strength of Smychenko and Nik White make TSS the team to beat in League 1 this season.

Rovers mens team makes a line of celebration for the supporters
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News shorts

Our Swangaurdians are once again participating in the North America-wide Prideraiser, and you can join! As they have done the past two years, TSS Rovers supporters are raising money for Rainbow Refugee, an important organization that provides settlement services and support for LGBTQ+ refugees fleeing persecution due to sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and HIV. All supporters are invited to pledge an amount per goal scored in the month of June.  All money raised will be matched by a donor and you will receive a tax receipt for your donation.  Learn more at the Swanguardians website and pledge today!

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