Nope. We do not like injury time. A tough rainy night in Burnaby last week saw us come away with one point from two matches after Burnaby FC scored late against our women’s team, and our men’s team battled valiantly for an hour with ten men. Still, it was a gritty performance by the women while the men remained undefeated during the season. This week we’re back at home at Swangard.
This week’s opponent
Friday, May 31, 2024
v Unity FC
Swangard Stadium
- TSS Rovers FC Women (1-0-3, 5th) v Unity FC Women (2-1-2 3rd), 6:00 pm
- TSS Rovers FC Men (3-1-0, 1st) v Unity FC Men (2-1-2, 4th) 8:30 pm
We meet Unity again with some business to do. In match week two our women’s team struggled, losing 5-1, but a late goal from Vanessa Tome was a small signal of developing chemistry that produced a win at home the next week against Altitude. Since that match, the Unity women have been up and down, losing to Altitude away and beating Rivers at home. It will be hard to say which Unity team will show up, but our women’s team has started to gel and added a couple of pieces. Our long-time stalwart midfielder Katie Bishop has returned to the fold for Rovers after a year long absence and last week 16-year-old centre back Katie Chan, made her first appearance for the team this year.
For the men, Rovers continue to hold on to top spot in the league, with 10 points from 4 games. We are in a three-way tie with Whitecaps FC and Altidue for first, but we have 1 and 2 games in hand over those teams, respectively. Unity halted a two-game losing streak last week with a gritty 1-0 win against a determined Rivers side. Former TSS Rover Grant Verhoeven played 18 minutes in that match. In our previous meeting, we beat Unity 2-0, and we will look for a second win against them at home on Friday.
Last week’s recap
Women’s Team
Burnaby FC 1-2 Rovers
Full Match replay
Standing on the side of the artificial turf at Burnaby Lake West, the game looked dead and buried with just seconds to go. It wasn’t. In a balanced affair that was tied 1-1 at the death, Burnaby FC took advantage of TSS Rovers’ failure to clear a last-minute corner, winning the game with the last kick and sending TSS home heartbroken.
After an impressive performance and win at home to Altitude last week, TSS looked to build off that performance and come away with at least a point at Burnaby FC. The hosts were coming off their first defeat of the season at the hands of league frontrunners Whitecaps FC. Prior to that, they had picked up four points in their first two games and were slight favourites going into this all-Burnaby clash.
Both sets of players were drenched as the game got underway; the rain had been relentless in the warm-ups and continued throughout the first half. The home team enjoyed the brighter start to proceedings and were a goal to the good at the 15-minute mark. Raegan MacKenzie struck powerfully from just inside the box, bagging her second of the season and giving Burnaby the perfect start.
As the downpour continued, the tempo of the game increased, giving TSS the ability to speed things up and come to life. TSS forward Jenna Baxter forced Burnaby keeper Karina Bagi into a smart save, pushing behind for a corner in what was the first chance for the visitors. Another chance came from the subsequent corner, which was delivered dangerously, but headed just over by Jenieva Musico.
With the end of the first half approaching, a moment of quality was produced. Burnaby’s former Rover Mia Pante, 30-yards from goal, struck a venomous strike that looked destined for the top corner. She was to be denied by TSS keeper Kirstin Tynan, who produced a truly world-class save, leaping up and tipping the ball onto the crossbar and out for a corner. The last action of the half kept Burnaby just in sight for the visitors.
Moments after the restart, it was Tynan again who kept TSS in the tie. Isabella Muzzolini’s snapshot was tipped over the bar by the acrobatics of Tynan—another fine stop by the former Everton trainee. The heroics of Tynan were rewarded when TSS equalised 18 minutes into the second half through Devon Kavanagh. She remained composed on the edge of the box before moving into space and striking low into the bottom left corner to make it 1-1.
In a tight game, it would be fine margins that made the difference. Right at the death, Burnaby were awarded a corner; TSS did not clear, and it was Mia Pante who stole the show, smashing home the loose ball and sealing the win for the home side.
The final whistle blew, and it was Burnaby who soaked up the glory of victory, leaving the TSS players crushed. A cruel blow and a reminder of the pain that this game can inflict despite a positive performance.
Men’s Team
Burnaby FC 0-0 Rovers
Full match replay
With three wins in three and 12 goals scored so far this season, TSS Rovers were the in-form team between themselves and hosts Burnaby. The home team found themselves at the bottom of the pile going into this one, and throughout the night it became clear why. An early TSS red card gave Burnaby the perfect opportunity to strike; conversions went amiss, though, and the home team were left rueing their catalogue of missed opportunities.
Even before the sending off, it was Burnaby who looked the most likely to score; three golden opportunities within the first half hour should’ve seen the hosts score at least one goal. Lachlan Will had the best of those chances when he struck straight at Justyn Sandhu from yards out. Devin O’Hea responded for TSS with a looping header that just went over the crossbar. Ten minutes after receiving his first yellow for a late challenge, TSS striker Massud Habibullah saw red in the 38th minute when he lunged in late again, leaving the referee with little choice. Burnaby responded with a barrage of chances. TSS held on, and it was goalless at the break.
When the rain returned for the second half, the pitch went from quick and zippy to pond-like. TSS remained tight at the back as Burnaby hit them with spells of pressure throughout the half, though nothing was going in for the hosts. The visitors had their own chances through Danylo Smychenko and Matteo Polisi, but nothing was clear-cut. The game finished 0-0. Burnaby’s failure to convert in the final third cost them dearly. TSS will be happy they held on with ten but disappointed with the nature of the sending off.
News shorts
There will be no live stream of our matches this week, but they will be uploaded to the League 1 BC YouTube channel within 48 hours or so after the match.
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 Swangardians website and pledge today!
