Highlanders Face TSS Rovers In First Road Match Of Season

(Photo Credit: John Richardson)

VICTORIA, BC - Victoria Highlanders FC (2-1-1) travel to the mainland to take on Vancouver TSS FC Rovers (2-2-1) in Week 6 of the USL League Two regular season, June 7 (7:00 PM PST KO) at Swangard Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia.

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The Highlanders hit the road after a 3-0 home loss against Lane United FC. This match will be the first leg of the Juan De Fuca Plate, with the second leg being played back in Victoria on July 5th. The match will be streamed online through the TSS FC Rovers official YouTube Channel.

VICTORIA HIGHLANDERS FC
The Victoria side is coming off a 3-0 loss against Lane United FC on Sunday, June 2nd. United goalkeeper Albert Escuin picked up the clean sheet for the visiting squad. The win by Lane United FC kept the Northwest Division in a competitive state as only four points separate the fourth-place team from the division leader.

“We had a great opportunity, but unfortunately it just didn’t go our way,” stated Highlanders head coach Thomas Niendorf. “They have a good team, and they took advantage of our mistakes. We will regroup and look towards getting back to playing the way we know we can when we visit Vancouver for the first leg of the Juan De Fuca Plate.”

The Highlanders’ previous three games include a 1-1 draw against Lane United FC that saw Elyad Shojaei score a beautiful one-touch goal off a Shumbusho set up. Then the Victoria side’s first win of the season came off a 2-0 result against Timbers U23 with goals coming from Sean Young, off a long-distance strike, and Victory Shumbusho, a well aimed shot off the far post and in. The Highlanders’ third game of the season was a 2-1 win over Seattle Sounders U23 that featured a USL League Two Goal of the Week from Joshua Walter off a perfect free-kick and the first goal of the season for Connor Guilherme after he dribbled the ball past the defenders.

Through four games the Highlanders have received goals from Shumbusho, Young, Walter, Guilherme, and Shojaei, with Shumbusho also adding an assist in the home opener and compiling six shots on goal.

Vancouver TSS FC Rovers
Vancouver TSS FC Rovers host the Highlanders following a week off from competition. The Rovers last match was a 0-0 draw against Calgary Foothills FC. That match saw Luciano Trasolini record a clean sheet for the Vancouver side, meanwhile Benjamin Jackson picked up the clean sheet for the Foothills.

Sitting third place in the Northwest Division, the Rovers started the season with a pair of home wins that saw them beat Lane United in their home opener 2-0 before hosting Portland Timbers U23 and walking away with a 5-0 win.

Those opening matches were followed by a pair of losses to the Foothills. A 2-1 loss at home against the Calgary side before traveling to Alberta and dropping the road match 3-2 in an exciting contest.

With a talented team, the Rovers will be looking to gain position in the division and try to separate themselves from the rest of the pack. They will look towards their leading goal scorer Matteo Polisi, team-high four goals, and assists leader David Malamura, three assists, to continue their offensive tempo. 


2018 SEASON SERIES
The Highlanders and Rovers played three matches last season with the Vancouver side winning the series two games to one.

The first match, played on Sunday, May 27th, saw the Highlanders drop a 3-2 home game against the visiting Rovers. Eric de Graaf, Connor Glennon, and Thomas Gardner, with the game winner in the second half, scored for Vancouver, while Cam Hundal and Cory Bent converted their chances for the home side.

Following their first match of the season, the rivalry shifted to Swangard Stadium for a Sunday matchup on June 3rd. A first half brace from Zachary Verhoven powered the Rovers to a 2-1 home win with Highlanders’ captain Callum Montomgery providing the lone goal for the visiting team.

The final match of the 2018 season between the teams saw both teams back at Centennial Stadium on Friday, June 29th. Both goalkeepers put on a show as the only goal of the match came in the 85th minute and it came off the foot of Callum Montgomery. The goal held up as the game winner and Nolan Wirth walked away with the clean sheet.


The Highlanders return to UVic’s Centennial Stadium for a matchup against Timbers U23 on Sunday, June 16th. Kickoff is schedule for 2:00 p.m. Tickets are available at www.highlandersfc.ca/tickets. For more information, please visit www.highlandersfc.ca.

MATCH DETAILS
2019 USL League Two Regular Season – Week 6
Swangard Stadium – Vancouver, British Columbia
June 7th , 2019 – 7:00 pm PST
WATCH: TSS FC Rovers Official YouTube Channel

About The Match

TSS Rovers and Parallel 49 Brewing are giving back to their supporters, and to the community, by giving away free tickets to their home game (usually priced at $10 a ticket!). Plus, when you claim your free tickets you will also get a free $5 to donate to your favourite cause through CHIMP: Charitable Impact. For more information https://go2.chimp.net/tss-rovers-2019/

About The Juan De Fuca Plate

The Juan de Fuca Plate is a supporter-sponsored competition for British Columbian clubs in the United Soccer Leagues League 2 (USL L2), formerly the USL PDL, a semi-professional league with clubs in Canada and the United States.

Founded in 2012 by supporters of the Vancouver Whitecaps and Victoria Highlanders, the Juan de Fuca Plate is meant to spur interest across British Columbia in soccer at the semi-professional level, and to inspire good-natured rivalry between the competing cities.

For more information on rules and past winners, head to https://www.juandefucaplate.ca/