The Cowichan 49ers are back in the Tony Grover Cup final after beating one of their biggest rivals in a semifinal match.
Cowichan prevailed 3-0 over UVic Alumni at UVic on Friday night to give themselves a shot at a third-straight Tony Grover Cup title as Island over-35 men’s soccer champions.
“It was a really exciting game, to say the least,” Cowichan head coach Kevin James said.
The 49ers had the upper hand in the early going, but weren’t able to create any offence as a result.
“In the first 20 minutes, we had three opportunities to score where we almost put the ball in,” James reported. “We were kind of fighting the ball.”
Cowichan settled in after that, then saw UVic take control and create some scoring chances of their own in the last 10 to 15 minutes of the first half.
The 49ers started putting more pressure on UVic late midway through the second half, and Tyler Hughes blasted a shot into the top corner to open the scoring. UVic started to press for the tie, and Cowichan capitalized with goals by Neall Rowlings at 82 and 87 minutes. The match was designated as the VISL Game of the Week, which meant Man of the Match Rowlings also received VISL MVP honours.
“Overall it was a good game,” James commented. “Two equally matched teams as far as abilities and skill.”
Once again, every player available for the game got a chance to play, a rare feat in a game as close and important as Saturday’s
“That says a lot about our depth,” James said.
Gorge beat Vic West in the other Grover Cup semifinal, setting up a rematch of last year’s final. Although Cowichan beat Gorge in that one, Gorge appealed the result, and the VISL gave Gorge the chance to replay the last seven minutes. Gorge ended up declining. This year’s final is set for Sunday, March 31 at Royal Athletic Park, noon, right before the Jackson Cup final.
The 49ers’ next home game is another big one as they host Saanich Fusion Forest on Saturday 6 p.m. at the Sherman Road turf. Cowichan and UVic are tied for top spot in the masters A league, and although Cowichan holds the goal-differential tiebreaker with a three-goal margin, they need to win on Saturday regardless for that to mean anything.
“We do have a three-goal cushion, but we have to get the three points first,” James noted. “Then whatever UVic does it out of our hands.”