Canadians in Europe: David helps LOSC earn late point
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Jonathan David helped Lille earn a late point, while Niko Sigur scored his first goal and the season for Hajduk Split and Liam Millar featured prominently in Hull City's victory. Here's a look at Canadians in Europe over the weekend.
Jonathan David, Lille - It hasn't been the best start to the season for Lille and that continued on Saturday at home to Strasbourg when a comfortable three points turned into a struggle for one. Once again, Ottawa's Jonathan David played a decisive role in the match. In the early stages of the match, the visitors were comfortable with letting the hosts dictate play and that came to bite them in the 15th. Using the run of David as a dummy, England midfielder Angel Gomes went the other way with a finely timed through ball for Edon Zhegrova. The German-born Kosovo winger then beat Dorde Petrovic with a low, left-footed shot to open the scoring at 1-0. Zhegrova, attached to a host of big clubs during this past summer's transfer window including Manchester United, wasn't finished. Remy Cabella played a deft ball to the right side of the area for Thomas Meunier. Petrovic saved the Belgium left-back's shot, but the rebound popped up for an unmarked Zhegrova to head home in the 27th to make it 2-0. Les Dogues' lead would end up not even making it to the break. Only three minues after Zhegrova completed his brace, Strasbourg were on the board. In a move started by Petrovic, Dilane Bakwa's cross into the box was headed right at Lucas Chevalier by Benjamin Andre. While Chevalier stopped the own goal and made a fine save on Sebastian Nanasi on the doorstep, Andrey Santos, on loan from Chelsea, was there to fire in a second rebound to make it 2-1 in the 30th. Twelve minutes later, Strasbourg were level. On the right, Diego Moreira shook off his marker and sent in a picture-perfect cross to the front of goal for a completely unmarked Emmanuel Emegha to comfortably head in to even things at 2-2. It was a complete defensive breakdown by Les Dogues to allow Emegha free run in front of goal. After the restart, the visitors would take their first lead of the match and it was Nanasi making up for his earlier miss. With Lille on the front foot, Strasbourg broke the other way through Emegha and Nanasi. Following a nifty give and go, the Sweden midfielder slotted past Chevalier to make it 3-2 in the 66th as the home fans voiced their frustration. Minutes after Emegha should have put the match to bed after being played in alone on Chevalier, the hosts would go level. Making a run into the box, Tiago Santos was taken down by Marvin Senaya and the referee pointed to the spot. Stepping up to take was David, who confidently sent Petrovic the wrong way to make it 3-3 in the 84th. The match would go on to finish on that scoreline. The goal was David's second in Ligue 1 this season and first from the spot. The point gave LOSC seven on the season, putting them ninth in the table, seven behind leaders Paris Saint-Germain.
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Niko Sigur, Hajduk Split - Hajduk Split continued their run of strong play in the league as they make a run at the top of the HNL table with a 4-1 win at home to Gorica on Saturday. The match featured the first goal of the season for Canada midfielder Niko Sigur. It was actually the visitors who got on the board first, leaving their hosts and fans shell-shocked. The goal seemingly came from nothing at all. As Hadjuk laboured to get the ball forward from the back, Marko Kolar pounced on a leisurely back pass from Filip Krovinovic, taking a possession just ahead of Ivan Lucic, who rushed off of his line. Before Lucic could scramble to get back, Kolar fired from the touchline into the empty net. Dominik Prpic attempted a last-ditch headed clearance, but he sent it into his own net in the fifth minute. With it unclear as to whether or not the ball would have crossed the line withouth Prpic's intervention, the goal was given to Kolar and not as an own goal. The hosts would restore order only six minutes later with a goal that would also have an odor to it. Under pressure from 16-year-old Bruno Durdov, Mateo Les turned the ball over to Marko Livaja, allowing him to run in on goal. Before he could get a shot off, Mario Maloca did well to slide in with a tackle, but he didn't dispossess Livaja. Livaja found an unmarked Durdov, who made himself some room and beat Bozidar Radosevic with a fine left-footed strike in the 11th to make it 1-1. The match headed into halftime on a 1-1 scoreline. Ten minutes from the restart, it was Durdov again who gave Hajduk their first lead of the match and it was full value. Ivan Rakitic floated a free kick into the box for Livaja. With his back to goal, Livaja spotted Durdov outside the area who unleashed a gorgeous left-footed curler from distance to make it 2-1 in the 55th. It was a highlight-reel goal from the Croatia under-17 international and he got a hug for his efforts from manager Rino Gattuso. After setting up Hajduk's first two markers, Livaja would get a goal of his own from the spot in the 71st. Les was adjudged to have handled Yassine Benrahou's effort and the hosts were awarded a penalty. While there undoubtedly was contact, the penalty was certainly on the softer side. After a lengthy VAR check to confirm the decision, Livaja hammered his effort under a diving Radosevic to make it 3-1. Sigur would round out the scoring only two minutes later after some more abysmal defending from Gorica. Les's attempted clearance of an Ismael Diallo cross fell in front of the Gorica goal. With the Gorica backline stationary for some reason, Diallo hopped on his own rebound and found the oncoming Sigur to poke home to make it 4-1 in the 73rd. The goal was just the Burnaby, BC native's second in his three seasons with the team. The three points put Hajduk on 17 through seven matches, level on points with leaders Rijeka, but in second place on goal difference.
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Liam Millar, Hull City - When Hull City bought Liam Millar in the summer from Basel, their hope was to harness the Canada winger's playmaking abilities. Last season on loan at Preston North End, the 24-year-old Toronto native had five goals and five assists. In the early days of the new Championship season, Millar is showing why the Tigers put their faith in him and he did so again in Friday's away win at Stoke City. It was an important three points for Hull, who are still mired in the bottom half of the table. With the Brittania a difficult place to play on the best of days, it was the hosts who pulled ahead first. Minutes after Lewis Koumas forced a fine diving save out of Ivor Pandur, the Potters got on the board. From the ensuing corner, Bae Jun-ho's swinging effort was met with a powerful header from the trailing Ben Wilmot to make it 1-0 in the 30th. The match would stay on that scoreline until halftime when Millar came in as a substitute for Turkey midfielder Abdulkadir Omur. Midway through the second 45, the Tigers were level. Millar sent a curling cross into the area for Chris Bedia at the front of the net. His header wasn't a good one, but Eric Bocat misplayed the clearance and took down Bachir Belloumi as he attempted to dispossess him in the area. The visitors were awarded a penalty. Kasey Palmer stepped up to take and his right-footed effort was denied by a diving Viktor Johansson, but Palmer was first to the rebound and headed home into an empty net to make 1-1 in the 63rd.Under 15 minutes later, Hull were on top. With Stoke coming out from the back, Millar did well to intercept a pass from Wilmot. Skipping around a defender, Millar found Regan Slater on the edge of the area. Using Bedia's run on the right as a dummy, Slater kept it himself and hammered home in the 77th to make it 2-1 for the visitors. It was Millar's second assist of the season. Any hope of a comeback for the Potters was ended only two minutes later. Millar played Palmer into the area on the right. Running to the near post, Palmer appeared to be looking for Bedia in front, but his ball ricocheted off of Wilmot and through Johansson's legs and into the net in the 79th. The boos began to cascade down from the home fans at the sloppy defending. The match would finish at 3-1. The win put the Tigers on six points through six matches, keeping them two points clear of Sheffield Wednesday in the drop zone. The Tigers sit 10 back of leaders West Brom and five behind Leeds for the final playoff place.