It was a back and forth affair between Sunderlund AFC U23 and Toronto FC Tier 2 on Wednesday night on the pitch at Mosaic Stadium, but in the end it was the international club pulling out the win in front of a few thousand spectators.
Max Thompson scored the lone goal for Sunderlund AFC U23 in their victory. The Canadian club had plenty of chances of their own, in particular in the second half of the match, but in the end Toronto FC Tier 2 couldn’t solve the goalkeeper for Sunderlund, Adam Richardson.
Thompson said after the match that he enjoyed his time on Wednesday night in Regina.
“Absolutely brilliant, I mean coming over from England, you don’t know what to expect, honestly absolutely brilliant, I enjoyed every second and I think the other players did as well.”
Mosaic Stadium was one of the takeaways Thompson will have from his experience in Regina as he called the facility, unbelievable.
Head Coach for Toronto FC Tier 2, Gianni Cimini enjoyed his time in Saskatchewan even if his squad didn’t pick up the win.
“For us this is pretty much the biggest crowd we’ve played in front of and I thought the energy the crowd gave off the bat was fantastic and it was really special for the boys that’s for sure.”
One of the players for Toronto FC Tier 2, Hugo Mbongue believes matches like the one that took place in Regina can really help the game grow across Canada.
“It’s nice to see that it’s not only in Ontario, BC and Quebec where the three MLS teams play, but also in provinces like Saskatchewan where the fans come out and enjoy the show, that’s what going to help the game grow.”
Sunderlund AFC U23 will now travel to Moncton for a pair of friendly matches.
Toronto FC Tier 2 will meet Orlando City B in a match on Sunday.
