With two games under their belts, the TSS Rovers will be battling butterflies of a different kind tonight (Friday, 7 p.m.) when they host Lane United at Swangard Stadium.
The first-year franchise in the Premier Development League (PDL) hopes to entertain and inspire the soccer fans in attendance, and show they are a competitive lot.
The Rovers launched the season last weekend in a pair of games in Alberta, dropping both sides to Calgary Foothills FC by scores of 4-3 and 2-0.
In the opener, TSS showed a lot of energy and jump in staking out a 3-1 lead at halftime. Daniel Davidson registered the first goal in club history just two minutes into the game off a header.
He would draw an assist on James MacMillan’s marker at the 23rd-minute mark, and Kristian Yli-Hietanen upped the lead to 3-0 with just three minutes left in the half.
Both Davidson and MacMillan are part of a small but key core of veterans with PDL experience, as members of the now-defunct Kitsap club.
But Calgary, the defending Western Conference champions, had a response just before halftime when SFU striker Adam Jones counted his first of two.
In the second half, the Foothills’ experience began to pay dividends, as they swamped the Rovers and pulled it even with 10 minutes remaining in the contest.
In injury time, former Vancouver Whitecap residency player Ali Musse struck for the game winner.
TSS netminder Andrew Hicks made five saves on the day, while Calgary’s Dylon Powley turned aside six shots.
With a depleted lineup, having lost former SFU captain Ryan Dhillon from its midfield due to an injury, the club fell 2-0 on Sunday.
Following tonight’s game, the team will prepare for a road test Tuesday against the Portland Timbers u23s.
Their next home date is May 19 when they will attempt to avenge the opening loss against Calgary.
