So Called - PRIMUS CUP RESULTS (CPSL)
Saturday, 30-Sep-00 08:46:42
City succumbs to Sun
Devils
By KATHY RUMLESKI -- London Free Press
They weren't even
supposed to be in the playoffs.
After finishing in the basement of the
eight-team Canadian Professional League, London City's season should have been
over.
But City took the Glen Shields Sun Devils through two overtime
halves last night and into a shootout before succumbing 2-1.
As the host
team of the playoff championship tournament, the Primus Cup, City got the chance
to join the top four teams in the league in the playoffs.
"They left it
all on the field," said City manager Harry Gauss. "When you watch them limp,
they gave it their all. I'm proud of them."
Last night's game before
about 400 fans at Cove Road field was a wild-card game between the fourth-place
Sun Devils and City.
Courtney Dennis, Craig Williams, Pat Sullivan and
Chris Steffanazzi scored in the shootout for Glen Shields, while London's
scorers were Chris Picanco, Luan Jonuzi and Michael Kubicki.
"It was an
excellent start. It was exactly what we hoped for -- very entertaining," said
CPSL chair Vince Ursini.
City's first regulation goal came after several
good scoring chances. It was the 58th minute before the ball got by Sun Devils
goalkeeper Adam Morandi.
Morandi came out of the box and was called on a
hand ball. On the free kick, London midfielder-coach Jurek Gebczynski sent the
ball perfectly to the net and after a scramble, Kubicki tapped it in.
The Sun Devils goal came at the 15-minute mark. Glen Shields sent the
ball toward the London net and goalkeeper Scott Mueller struggled to get to it
but couldn't. Striker Mike Glasgow was at the left side of the net and easily
tapped the ball in.
The match was evenly played with both teams getting
several chances during regulation and overtime. Allen Fogetti had London's best
chance of regu-lation time.
Gebczynski set up Fogetti perfectly in the
box in front of the Glen Shields net. Fogetti was clear but booted the ball over
the net.
The playoff semifinals begin today with Toronto Croatia playing
the St. Catharines Roma Wolves at 5 p.m. and the Sun Devils versus the Toronto
Olympians at 7 p.m.
The Olympians, the tournament favourites, won their
second league championship last Wednesday when they defeated City 8-0.
Although they tied St. Catharines with 37 points, goal differential gave
Toronto the edge.
The Olympians also won their third consecutive League
Cup title last Sunday by defeating the Wolves 1-0 in the Cup final.
Toronto Croatia will be in tough to make it to tomorrow's championship
game, which is scheduled for 3:15 p.m.
Several of their starters will be
out of the lineup to attend the wedding of teammate Paul Moore today.
Following the championship game, the league banquet and awards ceremony
will take place.
London has one award nominee. City's top goal scorer
Kubicki, who had six goals during regular-season play, is up for the
rookie-of-the-year honour.
If Kubicki wins, it will be the fifth year in
the row a City player has won the freshman award.
An exhibition game
featuring local female talent was held prior to last night's wild-card game.
The under-15 London Shooting Stars, who will represent Ontario at the
national soccer championships next week in Toronto, battled the under-16 North
London team to a 0-0 tie.
Posted on Sep 30 2000, 5:50 AM
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