QUARTER-FINAL #1: 2009 CIS men’s soccer championship: All-Canadian Moreau lifts Laval to semis

LANGLEY, B.C. (CIS) – All-Canadian striker Gabriel Moreau scored twice including the game-winner just before halftime as the Quebec champion Laval Rouge et Or downed the AUS finalist UPEI Panthers 3-1 in the first quarter-final match of the CIS men’s soccer championship at Trinity Western University, Thursday afternoon.

The Rouge et Or, who are making a fifth straight appearance at the CIS tournament including a program-best silver-medal finish in 2007, advance to Friday’s early semifinal at 4 p.m. Pacific Time where they will face the winner of the first-round duel between Toronto and Victoria.

UPEI will meet the loser of Toronto-Victoria on the consolation side of the draw Friday at 10:30 a.m.

Laval opened the scoring in the 38th minute. Louis-Charles Laliberté of Lasalle, Que., started the play with a long through in from midpoint between centre and the end line. Eduardo Davalos of Guadalajara, Mexico, sent the ball on across the box to Kevin Courcelle of Mont St-Hilaire, Que., who was untouched as he hammered the ball past UPEI keeper Tim Kalinowski of Charlottetown.

Moreau, a St-Hyacinthe, Que., native who tallied twice last Sunday to lead Laval to a 3-0 win over McGill in the QSSF final, got his first goal of the national tournament just before the break, in extra time. Laliberté passed the ball from the left side of the park to Moreau, who was just outside the penalty area. With plenty of time he found the back of the net to give Laval a 2-0 lead.

UPEI got to within one in the 63rd minute when Danny McAleer of Charlottetown picked up a ball and ran into the clear up the right side of the park. McAleer sent a low hard shot past Laval’s Vincent Cournoyer of St-Hyacinthe.

Moreau go the insurance marker in the 80th minute. He took a pass from Michael Boutin of Quebec City and hammered a high shot off of the cross bar and down into the back of the net.

Laval maintained control of their defensive third to end the match and advance to the semifinal round.

SCORING SUMMARY
Laval: 2-1:3
UPEI: 0-1:1

First Half
1. Laval, Kevin Courcelle (1) (Eduardo Davalos), 38th
2. Laval, Gabriel Moreau (1) (Louis-Charles Laliberté), 45th

Second Half
3. UPEI, Danny McAleer (1), 63rd
4. Laval, Gabriel Moreau (2) (Michael Boutin), 80th

Goalkeepers:
Laval: Vincent Cournoyer (W, 1 GA, 1 saves, 90:00 mins)
UPEI: Tim Kalinowski (L, 3 GA, 3 saves, 90:00 mins)

Shots: UPEI 9, Laval 9
Shots on Net: UPEI 2, Laval 6
Corners: UPEI 3, Laval 7
Offsides: UPEI 2, Laval 2
Fouls: UPEI 16, Laval 18
Yellow Cards: Laval (Samuel Georget 44th, Louis-Charles Laliberté 59th, Eduardo Davalos 76th, Pascal Bragagnolo 86th), UPEI (none)
Red Cards: none

CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE & RESULTS (all times PACIFIC TIME)

Thursday, Nov. 12
Quarter-final 1: Laval 3, UPEI 1
13:00 Quarter-final 2: Victoria vs. Toronto (SSN Canada webcast – tape delay)
15:30 Quarter-final 3: McMaster vs. McGill (SSN Canada webcast)
18:30 Quarter-final 4: Cape Breton vs. Trinity Western (SSN Canada webcast)

Friday, Nov. 13
10:30 Consolation 1: UPEI vs. Loser QF 2
13:00 Consolation 2: Loser QF 3 vs. Loser QF 4
16:00 Semifinal 1: Laval vs. Winner QF 2 (SSN Canada webcast)
18:30 Semifinal 2: Winner QF 3 vs. Winner QF 4 (SSN Canada webcast)

Saturday, Nov. 14
13:00 Consolation final (5th-place match)

Sunday, Nov. 15
13:00 Bronze medal (SSN Canada webcast)
15:30 Championship final (SSN Canada webcast)

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