THUNDER BAY – Though it took a little while to get fired up, the Thunder Bay Chill showed they have the offence that can quickly change a game.
After being held scoreless for the first 65 minutes, the Chill exploded with four straight tallies to blank the Winnipeg Lions 4-0 in their friendly at Tbaytel Place at Fort William Stadium on Saturday night.
The score was a mirage to head coach Giovanni Petraglia and disguised what he believes was a very poor start from his squad.
“The first half was bad, very bad,” Petraglia said. “If we play soccer like we played in the first half we’re not going to have a very good season.”
Even though the team opened up their Premier Development League regular season last weekend earning four out of a possible six points against the St. Louis Lions, the group is still new and needs to come together.
Striker Sullivan Silva, who is entering his fourth season with the club, knows it is a process that can take time.
“With time the team is going to improve,” he said. “You saw in the second half it was much better. Every year the first week is always tough but once we get to know each other we get way better.”
The Chill almost found themselves down in the opening 10 minutes, when a Lions free kick found the bar behind keeper Daniel Milton but bounced out of harm’s way.
Thunder Bay was denied by the frame in the first half as well, as a strike by Silva found the woodwork and stayed out.
The Chill did manage to find the back of the net once, as Edward Oliver Cass headed a corner home but the goal was called back because of a foul on the keeper.
Not happy with his club’s direction, Petraglia rallied them up during the halftime break and urged them to get back to playing smart, tactical and possessive soccer.
He also made a couple of changes to personnel, subbing in midfielder Sergio Campano Franco to start the final 45 minutes as well as fellow midfielder Dominic Roberts later in the half.
Those two substitutions made a big difference.
“Dom brought aggression. When we want to be aggressive Dom is the one to give us more than anybody else with that kind of thing,” Petraglia said.
“(Campano Franco) brought quality. He’s a good player…He’s an important player for this team and we want him 100 per cent.”
The Chill started to generate momentum in the middle stages of the half before Daniel Farias de Oliveira finally broke the ice in the 66th minute, intercepting an ill-advised cross pitch pass before streaking through the Lions end without resistance to easily score.
The lead was doubled about 10 minutes later as Roberts easily touched in a goal set up by a strong run from striker Brandon Swartzendruber.
Campano Franco scored twice in a three-minute span in the final 10 minutes for added insurance, including an arching lob from 50 yards out that got over the head of the keeper.
Freezing points: Milton recently joined the team because of injuries to fellow keepers Daniel Alvarado (knee) and Michael Miller (ankle). Saturday marked the first appearance for the Ajax, Ont. native…Petraglia said Milton will likely start in goal but local keeper Jack Hughes, who picked up the win last Sunday against St. Louis, will see some action…Chill captain Zetroy Robertson (groin) saw his first game action of the year, playing in the match’s first 33 minutes before being subbed out…The two teams face off at 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon again at Fort William Stadium.
