Toronto FC Academy traveled to Hamilton on Friday night to play their penultimate away game of the regular season but went down 2-1, ending their seven-match unbeaten streak.

On a beautiful Friday fall evening, the Academy were well supported by Toronto FC Ultras Supporters group who traveled up the QEW to back the young Reds. Hamilton Croatia supporters certainly played their part in creating a real playoff type atmosphere as the game had postseason implications in the Canadian Soccer League.

Hamilton striker Jerko Grubisic threatened after only two minutes when Croatia got in behind the Academy back four and took a hard shot that Academy keeper Angelo Cavaluzzo did extremely well to save at the near post, playing against his hometown team.

The home side continued their dominance and certainly pinned the visitors back for large parts of the first half. Grubisic’s strike partner Jason Shannon sent another warning sign to Cavaluzzo when he unleashed a fiercely struck free kick from 30 yards that forced an acrobatic save.

Hamilton Croatia were rewarded from their relentless pressure in the 26th minute as attacking midfielder Jamie Dodds capitalized when TFC failed to clear their defensive lines. Dodds picked up a loose ball before striking an unstoppable shot that found the side netting of Cavaluzzo’s goal for the 1-0 lead.

TFC Academy nearly pulled one back inside 28 minutes when Jonathan Lao received a short corner and fired a left footed strike in which Hamilton keeper Alfio Coco gave up a rebound, but a covering defender cleared to safety just as Keith Makubuya was about to swing his right foot.

Academy head coach Jason Bent made a tactical change in the 30th minute and then another at halftime in order to influence the complexion of the  game. The Academy started the second half on the ascendency and began to stamp their influence on the match without creating that real decisive moment to pull a goal back.

In the 86th minute against the run of play a Hamilton Croatia winger swung the ball into the box where Danny Jirta rolled Jordan Murrell in for a point blank shot that beat a helpless Cavaluzzo in goal for a late 2-0 lead.

The Academy continued to fight and send numbers forward and were rewarded with a goal when Parker Seymour showed good skill to maneuver the ball away from defender Tom Bilic before striking a hard left footed strike that found the far corner to make it 2-1.

The referee signaled 4 minutes injury time which was proved not enough for the league leaders to get an equalizer as Hamilton Croatia took maximum points.

Disappointed to lose, Bent was however, thankful for the support.

"First off, I would like to thank all those Toronto FC Ultra Supporters that made the long drive west to support our players. I can assure you that the players definitely felt your presence and they were all excited to play in such an intense playoff like atmosphere."

In speaking of the match, Bent credited the opposition saying, "tonight, Hamilton Croatia were full value for their victory. They are a very well organized team and defensively did not give us anything."


"In the first half we had trouble adjusting to the grass surface and our passing game was not to the level required. After the interval we found our way back into the match and controlled possession but lacked that real cutting edge in the attacking third to break them down."

Having lost many of his top players this season to U.S. scholarships and senior TFC signings (including star attacker Nicholas Lindsay this week), Bent was still optimistic that the first place Reds could finish out the season strongly before the playoffs, as he further mused about the strong show of support from fans.

"We now have two games remaining, first a trip to Montreal Impact Academy next weekend and then finish the regular season against York Region on October 3rd at Lamport Stadium."

"That was by far the best support that the Academy has ever received for a match and I can only hope that we will see more of that in the future. It is very important for (player) development that they play in front of such passionate supporters."