| TORONTO-Friday,
August 18-Colombian striker Juan Arango was the hero of an important Lynx
2-1 win over Boston Bulldogs with a goal and an assist at Framingham,
Mass. last night (Thursday). The goal was Arango's sixth of the season and
the win propelled the Lynx to a 10-point lead over Montreal Impact in the
race for the third and final position in the Northeast Division and a
playoff berth to the A-League Championship.
The win improves Toronto to a 10-8-4 win/loss/tie
record for 47 points, while Boston slipped to 7-17-2 for a fifth place
position and no chance of making the playoffs. The Rochester Raging
Rhinos and Long Island Rough Riders lead the division with 62 and 57
points respectively.
The Lynx move back to Varsity Stadium on
Sunday for a one and only home encounter with the Vancouver 86ers, a game
televised live in Ontario on CTV Sportsnet and tape delayed in other parts
of Canada and the United States. The Lynx are at full strength with the
exception of midfielder Brian Ashton who sits out after accumulating
discipline points during the past two weeks. The team is healthy for
the first time in several weeks, having recovered from a series of
injuries that weakend the defence, including key players
captain
Marco Reda and Milan Kojic.
A win would all but assure the Lynx of the first
playoff position in three years. The 86ers are battling to raise
their position and profile in the Pacific Division after toiling at the
lower level since the beginning of the current campaign. But with several
games in hand the west coast team is expected to move up the table and bid
for one of the two top positions as we get closer to the end of the
regular season. Former Lynx players Darren Tilley, Kevin Holness and Rick
Titus will be with the Vancouver squad on Sunday and all are expected to
make an appearance. Tilley has scored seven goals in as many games since
his transfer from Montreal Impact last
month. |