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CPSL game of Sunday October 1st, 2000.

CPSL game between Toronto Olympians and Toronto Croatia played at Cove Road Field in London at 3:15pm. This was the Playoff Tournament Final.

Toronto Olympians (white socks and numbers; blue shorts and shirts; bergundy 'Coffee Time' crest on chest)

...............................................1 Brian Bowes
8 Bayette Smith...6 Peyvand Mossavat...13 Danny Sanna...5 Tony Marshall (cpt)
16 Ron Belfon...9 Elvis Thomas...23 Eddy Berdusco...2 Ricky Titus
.......................17 Darren Tilley...11 Gus Kouzmanis

Subs:...22 Lee Burrows (gk)...4 Steve Gill...7 John McNeil...10 John Matas...15 Louis Katsavrias...18 Phil Capporella
coach David Gee, equipment manager Doug Innes, physio Phil Carradora, assistant coach Nick Lagongas.

Toronto Croatia (blue socks; white shorts and numbers; red shirts)

.............................................1 George Azcurra
22 Robert Fran...19 Josip Draganic...5 Milodrag Akmadzic...3 Ervin Ruta
18 Tony Preci...6 Chris Handsor...7 Denny Draganic...4 Domagoj Sain
..............................9 Leo Marasovic...10 Tomislav Granic

Subs:...15 Robert Mandekic...17 Peter Bedenikovic...14 Velimir Crljen
trainer Velimir Crljen, manager Milodrag Akmadzic, bench manager Genri Buzoli.

Game Officials:...referee Manuel Orellano, referee's assistants Steve Cahoon and Justin Pasev, fourth official Ogi Panich.

Pregame Brook Dawson (the daughter of the Primus sponser) takes the ceremonial kickoff.

1st Half:...game starts 3:34pm...TC was considered the 'home' team and defended the south goal on this warm (22oC) sunny day with a breeze from the west and sun from the south west.
2 min...TO Titus cross from left corner, TO Tilley heads ball back across box from right, they repeat this play within 20 seconds!
5 min...TC Marasovic 12 yard shot from left is deflected wide right for cornerkick.
6 min...TO Berdusco cross from right corner is caught by goalie.
7 min...TC Josip Draganic rolls shot from right across box to TO goalie.
9 min...TO Thomas rush along left after through ball rolls ball into box and sliding TC defender clears it.
10 min...TC Granic hard shot from left is pushed wide right by sprawling goalie who gets up and grabs rebound.
12 min...TO Berdusco 30 yard shot is well high right of net.
14 min...TC Fran lobs ball into box from 25 yards, picked up by TO goalie just wide left of net.
15 min...TC goalie catches popped up shot on edge of box.
16 min...TC Josip Draganic blasts 30 yard shot well wide right.
19 min...TO Kouzmanis 30 yard freekick is headed out by diving defender.
20 min...TO Titus cross from left, TO Mossavat leaping header from 7 yards is wide right.
21 min...TC Sain blasts 35 yard shot well wide right.
25 min...TC goalie leaps to catch TO Belfon pop up pass into box.
31 min...TO Kouzmanis cornerkick from left is caught by goalie.
32 min...TO Tilley cross from left, TC defender kicks it wide right for corner.
33 min...TC goalie catches shot, quick long toss to TC Marasovic at midfield, pushes TO Marshall out of way on run through middle but play whistled down.
37 min...TC Denny Draganic corner short to TC player, ball worked out of left corner with kick and Denny Draganic blasts 25 yard shot from left wide right of net.
38 min...TC Fran slides on edge of box to block TO Berdusco rush and is injured on play.
41 min...TC Handsor pushes ball through defenders but goalie picks up ball.
42 min...TC Ruta injured when he crashes with TO Berdusco near sideline in TO end.
46 min...half ends 4:20pm.

2nd Half:...starts 4:39pm.
halftime sub...TO McNeil replaces Thomas, Mossavat pushes up to forward.
48 min...TO player's long throw-in from right is cleared from TC box. TO Tilley pushes ball back in but that's also stopped.
48 min...TC goalie catches cornerkick from right.
50 min...TC Preci 25 yard shot is caught by goalie.
52 min...TO McNeil cross from right is caught by goalie.
54 min...TO Berdusco freekick from 25 yards is blasted low into wall, TO Kouzmanis 25 yard shot is blocked by defenders.
56 min...TC Granic leaps and pops 15 yard header wide right.
57 min...TO Titus cross from near left flag is over net.
57 min...TO goalie catches bouncer in box.
58 min...TO YELLOW card...Sanna for tackle on TC Ruta near TO box.
58 min...TC Josip Draganic 25 yard freekick from left curls wide left of post.
59 min...TO goalie comes up to take ball ahead of TC Fran running to it.
60 min...TO Kouzmanis freekick from right 25 yards is caught wide left of net by goalie.
63 min...TC Preci injured when he crashes with TO Tilley and is down for two minutes.
65 min...TC sub...Crljen replaces injured Preci.
67 min...TO Mossavat called for pulling down TC Handsor just on inside left corner of TO box. Penalty kick awarded.
68 min...TC GOAL Josip Draganic...scores on penalty kick as he rolls in shot to right post as goalie crouches but is frozen in center of net.
69 min...TO sub...Matas replaces Belfon.
70 min...TO McNeil leaps on cross on edge of box and is upended.
71 min...TO Kouzmanis has freekick tapped to him and 25 yard shot is well wide right of net.
72 min...TO Tilley header in box, TO Berdusco shot blocked by defender.
73 min...TC goalie catches throw-in by TO Smith from right of box.
74 min...TO sub...Capporella replaces Mossavat.
75 min...TC Ruta injured when he crashes with TO Matas on edge of box.
77 min...TC Tomislav Granic injured when he drags TO Capporella onto him at center line.
80 min...TC GOAL Denny Draganic...TC Crljen second corner flicked from ground onto cross bar and bounces along bar and falls back into play. Ball partially cleared but TC Denny Draganic steps into shot from 20 yards and blasts ball through crowd of players into left corner of net.
81 min...TO player header after cornerkick from right is caught by leaping goalie just under bar.
82 min...TO sub...Gill replaces one of the defenders.
83 min...TO Berdusco blasts 25 yard shot well high right of net actually over back fence of stadium.
85 min...TC Crljen corner kick from right is behind net.
86 min...TO Katsavrias is in game and bashes with TC Marasovic at center injuring him. TC #8 is put in but not listed as a sub. (this may have been Anton Granic).
89 min...TC YELLOW card...Crljen for blasting ball away after whistle blown.
91 min...TC sub...Bedenikovic replaces Handsor.
92 min...TO GOAL Kouzmanis...Kouzmanis heads ball over TC goalie on left who was well off line and lunges forward to head ball again from 5 yards into right corner of open net.
92 min...game ends 5:26pm as soon as ball kicked off.

Final Score:....Toronto Croatia..........2..........Toronto Olympians..........1..........

Attendance was about 250 for this final between two Toronto teams in London (200 kms away).

Toronto Croatia had a better weekend of all the teams (earlier beating the number two seed St Catharines Roma Wolves) and deserved to win this tournament. I thought the penalty call was questionable but the 80 minute blast was a candidate for goal of the year. Two brothers scoring in the final game would probably tie some kind of world record.

The Awards dinner was held later at the German Canadian Club on Cove Road. The award winners are posted in another story. I ended up being drafted as league photographer for the presentations after dinner.

Rocket Robin
robing@toclo.com

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