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Chill score five, blank Winnipeg in friendly

Edoardo Righetti scored twice in Thunder Bay's 5-0 win, their first game action in nearly three years.

THUNDER BAY – The Thunder Bay Chill are a bit of an unknown entity.

The roster built with players largely unfamiliar to the United Soccer League 2 team’s fan base, even the coaching staff wasn’t sure what they were working with heading into Saturday night’s friendly against the visiting Winnipeg Lions.

They’ve got a lot better idea now.

Italian import Edoardo Righetti scored twice and Nigerian Osita Obiekwe added another as the Chill tested their game-day skills for the first time in nearly three years, downing the Lions 5-0 in a tune-up for next weekend’s season opener on the road against FC Manitoba.

It was a great debut, the Roman-born Righetti said.

“It was a good start to the season. Obviously it’s a scrimmage, but nothing will change for next weekend,” he said.

Getting the first two goals out of the way was also a great way to make his Chill debut, Righetti said.

The team isn’t quite sure where the goals will come from, and Righetti showing he’s got a nose for the net early on gives coach Gio Petraglia options.

Righetti was just happy to contribute to the win.

“It was a good test today. I contributed to the team, but we have to work together because if we work together, we can move forward,” Righetti said.

It took the Chill less than seven minutes to put the ball past Winnipeg goalkeeper Sean Golden, Righetti connecting from the right side of the outer box.

Andrea De Vincenzi doubled the lead with a low shot through traffic, the 2-0 coming in the 20th minute. They’d add a third before the half, Obiekwe tapping home a pass from fellow newcomer Diego Martinez in the 43rd.

“This team can score because we have fantastic players,” the 27-year-old Obiekwe said.

“The mid-fielders, the defenders, but you have to have teamwork to score a lot of goals in the game. We felt good today. We got five goals today. We’re going to go far in this league and we’re going to score a lot of goals to make the team proud.”

It was more of the same for the Chill in the second half, though keeper Eduardo D’avino did find himself a little busier after the break.

He made a huge stop on Winnipeg’s Emilio Vergara in the 66th minute, followed in rapid succession by an A.J. Naumiuk shot fired into the centre of the right post, protecting the Chill’s clean slate.

The chances came two minutes after Righetti headed home a De Vincenzi pass to make it 4-0 for the home side, playing their first game at Chapples Park since 2014.

Sebastian Bocaz Canales rounded out the scoring with a late tally in the 72nd minute.

Petraglia said it’s always nice to start with a high-scoring win and the plan is to keep that momentum moving on Sunday.

“This team has always been a good benchmark for us,” he said, noting the thick grass, not yet cut down, tired out both teams in the second half.

Petraglia said he liked the team’s approach, especially given the fact it’s one of the youngest squads the Chill have fielded in the club’s two-decade history.

“The early goal helped. The thing that I learned is this team is very versatile, so I have lots of players who can play different positions, which will be a big strength for us this season.”

Game time Sunday is 1 p.m.



Leith Dunick

About the Author: Leith Dunick

A proud Nova Scotian who has called Thunder Bay home since 2002, Leith is Dougall Media's director of news, but still likes to tell your stories too. Wants his Expos back and to see Neil Young at least one more time. Twitter: @LeithDunick
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