After a wild opening in Winnipeg, York United held on for a 2-1 win at IG Field against Valour FC on Sunday evening. The match snapped a two-match winless and goalless streak for the Nine Stripes, who moved up into fourth spot in the table.

All three goals in the match came within the first ten minutes, as Austin Ricci opened the scoring for York, Osaze De Rosario adding a second, before Kian Williams scored the lone goal for Valour.

It took York United less than four minutes to open the scoring. A well-weighted low cross into the box from Jonathan Grant connected with Ricci, who deflected home his first of the season to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.

The former Valour winger then added to the Winnipeg side’s misery, playing provider as he sent a ball over the top into the path of De Rosario, who held off his defender before slipping home his third of the season.

Valour were quick to respond, however, as Pacifique Niyongabire got the better of Grant down the left flank with a clever flick, before finding Williams in the middle, who beat Niko Giantsopoulos with a low strike to make it 2-1.

Seeing how the match was going, Valour fired a few dangerous efforts from distance, looking to get anything and everything they could on target. A long strike from captain Andrew Jean-Baptiste, in particular, forced a strong save from Giantsopoulos.

Unfortunately, Jean-Baptiste, who has had horrible luck with injuries of late, pulled up in the 38th minute when chasing down a York counterattack and had to be replaced by Klaidi Cela. He added to a long list of Valour players who were already on the sidelines for this match.

York nearly added a third in the final minutes of the opening half as again it was Ricci who slalomed his way through the Valour defence before being denied by Rayane Yesli from close range. After the rapid start, there was no further scoring in the opening half as the teams went into the break with York leading 2-1.

Williams should have had his second of the match early in the second half, as Jared Ulloa got into space down the right flank and delivered an excellent cross into the middle. The Valour midfielder, however, got his free header all wrong and sent the ball over the bar.

Sensing some momentum, Valour coach Phil dos Santos made a trio of substitutions in the 60th minute, bringing on Jordan Haynes, Jaime Siaj and new signing Ahinga Selemani. The latter nearly made an instant impact in his Valour debut shortly thereafter, as Williams played him into the box but his strike went over the bar.

It was Siaj then who had a great chance down the left flank in the final few minutes after a great ball forward from Niyongabire, but after a solid first touch his finish went across the face of the York net and came nowhere near beating Giantsopoulos in the end. Then Niyongabire got in behind himself in the 90th minute, but his first touch let him down and he ended up barging into Giantsopoulos and putting the York goalkeeper into the net, but not the ball.

Valour have now gone winless in their last four matches, with three of those ending in losses. They are now six points out of the fifth and final playoff spot, and sit seventh in the table.

BOX SCORE

Goals

4′ — Austin Ricci (York United)
8′ — Osaze De Rosario (York United)
10′ — Kian Williams (Valour FC)

Discipline

33′ — Yellow: Kian Williams (Valour FC)
45′ — Yellow: Eskander Mzoughi (Valour FC)
52′ — Yellow: Jérémy Gagnon-Laparé (York United)
90+1′ — Yellow: Niko Giantsopoulos (York United)
90+2′ — Yellow: Kévin Rendón (Valour FC)