VAUGHAN, Ont. – Bethlehem Steel FC moved into seventh place in the USL Eastern Conference, and within a win of a place in the USL Cup Playoffs, with a 4-2 win against Toronto FC II on Friday night at the Ontario Soccer Centre. Bethlehem opened brightly, and James Chambers almost gave the visitors the lead in the fourth minute with a shot from 20 yards that went just wide of the left post. Toronto also went close from the edge of the penalty area in the 16th minute when Sergio Camargo’s first-time shot went wide, but three minutes later Steel FC took the lead when Santi Moar took on his man in the left side of the penalty and slid a low shot that found it was through to open the scoring. Moar added a second in the 22nd minute as Adam Najem slid a pass into the left side of the penalty area and the left winger clipped home his finish. Toronto pressed to try and get back into the game, but Bethlehem came close to adding to its lead shortly before halftime as Moar played in Chris Nanco, only for the Canadian forward’s finish to go wide. Toronto opened the second half on the front foot, but Steel FC added to its lead in the 53rd minute as Derrick Jones made a good late run into the penalty area and put home a low cross by Najem. Toronto pulled a goal back eight minutes later as Shaan Hundal scored his fifth goal of the season on a second-effort finish after his initial shot was blocked, but Steel FC wrapped up the victory with nine minutes to go as Seku Conneh scored his 10th goal of the season as he knocked home a sharp first-time finish after Toronto didn’t clear a corner completely. Hundal struck again with two minutes to go, but it came too late to start a comeback bid for the hosts as Bethlehem took a crucial win.

Scoring:
19’ – BST – Santi Moar
22’ – BST – Santi Moar (Adam Najem)
53’ – BST – Derrick Jones (Adam Najem)
61’ – TOR – Shaan Hundal
81’ – BST – Seku Conneh (Santi Moar)
88’ – TOR – Shaan Hundal (Ryan Telfer)

• #TORvBST: Full Match and Opta Box Score

Three Things That Matter:

• 1. Bethlehem got the win it needed on Friday night, and will now get two chances to seal a place in the USL Cup Playoffs for the first time with the first coming next Tuesday night on the road against the Rochester Rhinos. Now in seventh place in the Eastern Conference, Steel FC will be ahead of either Orlando City B or the New York Red Bulls II after Saturday night’s meeting between the two. After just missing out on a place in the postseason a year ago, Bethlehem has its fate in its hands.

• 2. We had Aaron Jones in our Top Five candidates for USL Rookie of the Year on Thursday, but on Friday night Santi Moar showed why he’s another of Steel FC’s candidates for the award. Moar’s two goals, three minutes apart bore real similarities, with a pair of finishes from the left side of the penalty area coming after the winger broke in nicely, the second off a good pass by Adam Najem. Now with six goals and six assists on the season after his helper on Seku Conneh’s late finish, Moar produced in a game Steel FC had to have.

• 3. Shaan Hundal was a known commodity going into this season for Toronto FC II after finishing tied for the team-lead in goals a season ago. With his sixth goal of the season on Friday night, the Canada U20 international has matched his 2016 total with a game to go this season and is now alone in the team-lead after overtaking Jordan Hamilton. That might not make the breakthrough he was hoping for at the start of the year, but with four goals in the last three games the No. 4 player in this year’s USL 20 Under 20 is ending the season on a high note.

USLSoccer.com Man of the Match

Santi Moar, Bethlehem Steel FC – Moar notched the opening two goals, added a late assist, and created two other scoring chances in a fine attacking performance to lead his side to victory.

Upcoming Games:
Toronto FC II vs. FC Cincinnati – October 14, 7:30 p.m. ET, Ontario Soccer Centre
Bethlehem Steel FC at Rochester Rhinos – October 10, 7:05 p.m. ET, Capelli Sport Stadium