London A.E.K. FC: AEK News: What people are saying in 2009 !
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Click on to the WOSL logo link for a view on the ever so popular WOSL Website Forum. You will find all kinds of information there regarding WOSL's Premier League and A.E.K London F.C. As Well, if you click onto the AEK logo above it will redirect you to the Ontario Soccer League's Message Board.
2008 Articles - AEK London FC
VAUGHAN, Sunday, September 14, 2008 -- Hurricane Ike's much-anticipated coming finally materialized for the Men's Ontario Cup Final between London A.E.K and Real Toronto as a warm rain began to fall on the turf field at the Ontario Soccer Centre in Vaughan part-way into the first half.
It was evident early on that the last game of the 2008 Ontario Cup Championship Finals was going to be a high-quality display of soccer skill and ability.
Both sides controlled the ball well and created good opportunities with London enjoying a slight edge in possession early in the game.
Real Toronto began to build momentum later in the half, however, and were rewarded with a 1-0 lead in the 41st minute when #10 Hayden Fitzwilliams executed a perfect header into the back of the net off a corner-kick set play.
Ike's darkening clouds opened up to start the second half, making for fast-paced albeit slippery action in the early going.
As the game see-sawed back and forth with several good chances produced by both sides, Real Toronto capitalized again in the 54th minute when #15 Kadian Lecky burst through London's defense and beat the goalkeeper for the go-ahead marker.
As the rain intensified, so did the physical play, which resulted in several cards being shown, including a Red to Real Toronto.
A.E.K immediately capitalized off the ensuing free-kick when #15 Jovan Ivanovic headed in a perfectly-placed cross in the 79th minute -- a carbon copy of Real's first goal.
The 2-1 score set up an exciting finish to the game with A.E.K pressing hard for the equalizer and coming within inches on another header from a corner-kick in the dying minutes of extra-time.
At the final whistle, the equalizer had failed to materialize, however, and Real Toronto was crowned the Ontario Cup Champion.
Final Score
Toronto Real 2 v 1 London A.E.K.
Goals
Real Toronto
Hayden Fitzwilliams
Kadian Lecky
London A.E.K
Jovan Ivanovic
PHOTOS from The Final :
http://www.emsadistrict.com/wosl/newsphotos/OCSE14AEKTorontoReal/news.htm
AEK London FC - One Game Away From Ultimate Glory
AEK London FC is one match away from being crowned Provincial Mens Champions and representing Ontario in the Canadian National Men's Club Championships in Newfoundland this upcoming Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend. "It is going to be the most difficult match and opponent we've ever faced as a team in our 10 year history" stated Head Coach Martin Painter. AEK is no stranger to big competition, infact they are the giant killers of Ontario and are well known within the elite Men's Soccer circles of the CSL even though they compete in the regional Western Ontario Soccer League. AEK was the first Canadian amateur team in 100 years to defeat a professional club in 2004 when they handed the Mississauga Olympians a 2-1 defeat in the Open Canada Cup Quarter Final at Cove Road in London. Since that historic day, AEK has gone on and defeated numerous other CSL teams in the Open Canada Cup including St Catherines and London City to name a few. To date, AEK's biggest match was in 2006 when they faced the United Soccer League's Toronto Lynx in front of thousands of spectators only to lose 1-0 in a match that saw the little guys from London out chance and outplay a Professional Soccer Club that was a feeder team into the MLS. "We are Soccer's biggest kept secret for some reason. I don't know if its because we're from London or what, but every time we play outside of our region, coaches and players from other teams are always asking us where we came from, who are all these great players and how we learned to play that well as a team." According to Painter, "There's no big conspiracy or anything. We just train often and it gets pretty intense. The most important thing to our success is preparation". AEK has without a doubt been the best soccer team to represent the City of London in the last 3 years.
AEK cruised through the Ontario Cup winning 6 games with only 2 goals against and 16 goals for, earning them a spot in the Final against the super-mega-giants Real Toronto FC who also earned their ticket to the Final with a 21 goals for and 4 against record in 6 matches. So how good is Real Toronto ? Good enough to have their center back Rick Titus play for Toronto FC. The veteran Player/Coach was called up for the Canadian MLS side when they played host to Chivas USA on September the 6th at BMO Field (Toronto lost 1-3). The rest of the team plays up in the CSL for various teams in and around the GTA like Toronto Croatia, Vaughn Shooters and others. "We are going up against the highest quality of players in the country. What we have going for us is the chemistry of our team system and that's what we'll live and die by" said a confident Coach Painter who likes being labelled as an underdog. "Call us whatever you want, I'll I know is that we are aware of our opponent's strength's and weakness' and that we'll be ready for anything that is thrown at us. We are going up with one objective in mind and that is to win the Ontario Cup Championship, plain and simple." Most critics have written AEK off and are anticipating a "Real" blowout, especially with a depleted London side. AEK has lost 4 key players to University Scholarships in the United States(Todd Rutledge - Fairfield, Michael Pereira - Providence, Haris Cekic - Old Dominion and Matt Cuthburt - Gannon). According to Painter though, the team hasn't missed a beat. "We knew this right from the start and made the necessary adjustments to deal with the situation. Players that have been competing since the departure of our American contingent have stepped it up to another level and all I ask is that they do it again one more time. What really concerns me right now is the foot injury Mike Delgado incurred in the Semi Final match against Ottawa. He has been unbelievable for us in this year's Ontario Cup Run. The Doctors are telling us that it will be a game day decision whether he plays or not."
Unfortunately for AEK, other game day decisions will also have to made without Head Coach Martin Painter at the helm. The mild mannered Manager was handed a 4 game suspension from the OSA for "abusive language directed at a match official" in AEK's 2-5 victory in the Ontario Cup Quarter Finals against Hamilton. Assistant Coach John Dreliozis will be the bench boss in Vaughn for Sunday, September the 14th's Final.
Match Details:
Ontario Cup - Mens Finals
Real Toronto FC - A.E.K. London FC
Sunday September 14th, 2008
Kickoff - 5:30 PM
The Soccer Center, Vaughn Ontario
7601 Martingrove Road
AEK - Road to the Finals
Men SEMI FINAL - (Sunday August 24th, 2008)
Ottawa St. Anthony Italia SC - 0 A.E.K. London FC - 1
In the first Men's semi-final of the day, London A.E.K faced off with Ottawa St. Anthony Premier on the turf at the Hershey Centre. The quality of the two sides was evident from the opening minute, as each team kept possession for long periods and created chances to score. Overall it was London enjoying most of the possesion and scoring chances in the opening half. The second half saw both teams slow their pace a bit as the temperature was rising. Ottawa kept more possession in the half, but again neither team could find a goal. This meant a golden goal or even kicks from the penalty mark would decide who would advance to the Ontario Cup Final. The game nearly ended quickly in the first extra time period, when London A.E.K. striker Alan Hirmiz was on the end of a cross and just needed to hit the open goal, but put the ball high. The game seemed to be destined for spot kicks, before Hirmiz found redemption. After being put in on a break by a great ball from Amid Birani, he finished into the bottom right corner of the net to put A.E.K London into the Provincial Championships.
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For the North London Galaxy women's soccer team, it will be a pretty good warmup test. For the London AEK men, they may have to ease up on the crunching tackles. For both teams, however, tomorrow's exhibition soccer game at the Hellenic Club on Southdale Road East is a vital fundraiser for their pending trips to the national senior club championships starting Wednesday in St. John's, NL. Kickoff tomorrow is at 6:15 p.m. and the game will be followed by a fundraising social at the Hellenic Club. Tickets are $10.
As well, a youth clinic will be held at the Hellenic Club starting at 5 p.m., again with a $10 fee. Interested players can register online at aeklondon soccer@hotmail.com. AEK lost the Ontario Cup final 2-1 to Real Toronto in mid-September, but was awarded the championship -- and the logistical and financial headache of getting to St. John's -- when it was discovered Real Toronto had fielded an ineligible player. In St. John's, AEK is in a group with the two Newfoundland-Labrador entries, Gorge FC from B.C. and the Quebec rep. The Galaxy, meanwhile, qualified in a more conventional and convincing fashion, winning their second straight Ontario Cup title by crushing St. Catharines 6-0. On the Rock, the Galaxy are grouped with North End United from Manitoba, one of the Newfoundland-Labrador entries plus the reps from Saskatchewan and Quebec. London has a chance at a double, but it won't be easy as only the group winners advance to the gold-medal games on Oct. 13. |
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