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THE OFFICIAL HOME OF TMU Bold
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A Rams soccer player stands over the ball for a free kick while two Toronto players form a wall to the right.
Photo by Josh Kim
1
Winner Toronto TORONTO ()
0
Ryerson RYERSON ()
Winner
Toronto TORONTO
()
1
Final
0
Ryerson RYERSON
()
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Toronto TORONTO 0 1 1
Ryerson RYERSON 0 0 0

Game Recap: Soccer (M) | | Joe Mastromatteo

Rams fall to Toronto in Downsview homecoming

TORONTO - A loud crowd of Rams supporters had a bittersweet night on Saturday as the men's soccer team fell 1-0 to the Toronto Varsity Blues.

In their first game on home pitch in nearly two years, which was coincidentally also against Toronto, the Rams immediately noticed the fans. 

"It (was) a great feeling today as we rolled in, just to be back in the OUA playing soccer again," said head coach Filip Prostran post-game. "It was fantastic. It was electric right there. They're cheering, they're going crazy, they're yelling and screaming," he added about the fans. 

Rams fans were engaged early thanks to some dangerous balls toward the UofT box. Abdallah El-Chanti (Toronto) made threatening runs as the sideline chanted the captain's name. 

In the second half, Rams keeper Praveen Ahilan (Unionville, Ont.) saved his defenders with a stellar diving save to send it over the crossbar. 

Later in the half, the Rams' bench and supporter's sideline erupted when Santos went down in the box, but no penalty was awarded. 

"It looked like he got by the defender and the defender put in a leg, and it looks like (Santos) got fouled. But, I'm sure their coach (UofT) will say differently."

Things went further south for the home fans in the 73rd minute when a bouncing ball in the box was slotted past Ahilan by Toronto's Colin O'Dwyer. Tensions reached a boiling point shortly after as the referees needed almost 10 minutes to restart play between the two crosstown rivals. 

The Rams ran hard as it approached the 90th minute and continued through the hefty nine minutes of stoppage time. Plenty of chances came and went, such as when Zakaria Abdi's (Scarborough, Ont.) strong header flew wide over the bar. Abdi was later assessed a yellow card alongside Faisal Ghaffur (Mississauga, Ont.).

While Toronto got to celebrate at the final whistle, the Rams silently marched off the Downsview field. 

However, Coach Prostran chalked it up to some bad luck, despite the home field advantage. "Soccer is a game of chances. They had one chance (and) one goal."

The Rams will hope to put tonight's score behind them as they head on a road trip to play the Nipissing Lakers next week. They return to Downsview again next Sunday, facing Nipissing once more. 
 
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