The University of Toronto Varsity Blues hosted the McGill Redbirds, ending with a 1-1 draw in an exhibition match on Thursday (Aug. 20) afternoon at Varsity Stadium.
Gearing up to defend their 2025 OUA crown, U of T got off to a quick start striking in the seventh minute as first-year midfielder Avaneish Nandan found the ball on his foot in the box and beta goalkeeper Ludovyck Ciociola to open the scoring for the Blue and White.
The two sides traded chances throughout the first half with the Blues holding steady with a 1-0 lead. In the 45
th minute, McGill drew a foul in the box and scored on the ensuing penalty as Spencer Neil leveled the score heading into halftime.
In the final 45 minutes of play, Toronto and McGill continued to trade chances as the two sides ramped up the intensity as the regular season draws closer. Both sides showed pristine defensive play to keep passes out of harms way and try to take advantage on the counterattack. In the late stages of the match, the Blues were able to put McGill on their heels, forcing late corners and coming within inches of securing a late lead. At the other end, Toronto's defence stood tall to force McGill outside of the box and now allow for them to gain the edge. As 90 minutes of play finished, neither side could break the deadlock with the game ending in a draw.
In goal, second-year goalkeeper Charles Donvito finished the match with five saves.
Up next, the Blues will turn their attention to the season opener when they begin the 2026 campaign against the TMU Bold at Varsity Stadium. Kick-off is scheduled for 3:15 p.m., with tickets available at
varsityblues.ca/tickets. The game will also be live streamed on
oua.tv.
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