TORONTO - Tuesday,
August 8-Montreal Impact handed the Toronto Lynx its second defeat in one
week with a 1-0 victory at the Claude Robillard Stadium on Sunday to
continue a slump for the Lynx that goes back to the 1-0 loss to
Connecticut Wolves on July 12. The Lynx have been without a win since the
2-1 victory over the Boston Bulldogs on July 8.
Toronto now faces
the toughest weekend of the season, meeting a high flying Rochester in a
back-to-back two-game affair that starts with the game at Frontier Field
in Rochester on Saturday and a return game at Varsity Stadium the
next day.
The lone goal in Montreal was scored in a tight, hard
fought contest from two teams fighting for a playoff spot, and it came
after 17 minutes when Impact forward Ali Ngon took a pass from Mauro
Biello to shoot past Lynx goalkeeper Theo Zagar from 10 yards.
The
Lynx had a chance to tie the score when, after 24 minutes referee Eric
Roy awarded a penalty kick to the visitors for hand ball by
Montreal's Abraham Francois. A well placed kick by Lynx' midfielder Nikola
Vignjevic was saved when Montreal goalkeeper Jim Larkin dove to his left
to tip the ball just wide.
Vignjevic almost scored 10 minutes
later when his free kick from 25 yards looked like it was going in,
but again Larkin came up with the save.
There were second half
opportunities for the Lynx to draw level, but their hopes were dashed when
first at the 54th. minute Francisco Dos Santos was ejected after receiving
two yellow cards and then at 83 minutes team captain Marco Reda was also
ordered off for the same offence of two cautions. The nine-man Lynx
held Montreal to 1-0 for the last seven minutes, but were unable to
get back on even terms.
It is Montreal's second win against the
Lynx in one week following the 3-0 shutout last Sunday, and the Impact
have now won their last five games at home. They have suffered just one
defeat in the last six games.
The Lynx now stand at 8-7-4 for 38
points, just one point in front of Montreal. Rochester is on
top with 58 points in front of Long Island Rough Riders in second position
with
53.
SUNDAY IS MULTICULTURAL NIGHT
The Lynx now have nine
games remaining in their regular league schedule to the finale on
September 4. Sunday's game is the first at home since July 2 and has been
designated Multicultural Night with entertainment and guests to
acknowledge and celebrate this region's population that speaks more than
30 languages, with Toronto being one of the most culturally diverse cities
in the world. Johnny Lombardi, founder and president of CHIN Radio
and TV International who has dedicated many years to broadcasting to a
multitude of nationalities and who has been honoured many times for his
community work and for his ongoing promotion of race relations, will
perform the ceremonial kickoff.
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