A-League game of Friday September 22nd, 2000.
A-League game between Toronto Lynx and Rochester Raging Rhinos played at Varsity Stadium at 7:30pm. This was the first game in the two game Eastern final.
Toronto Lynx (white socks & shirts; black shorts, names and numbers; black slashes on right chest)
.............................................22 Theo Zagar
.............15 Adrian Serioux...2 Marco Reda...3 Mauricio Vincello
19 David Diplacido...18 Chris Pozniak...7 Lyndon Hooper...8 Brian Ashton...11 Lloyd Barker
............................27 Francisco Dos Santos...20 Juan Arango
Subs:...1 Carmine Isacco (gk)...4 Joe Mattacchione (mid)...21 Laryea Adjetey (fwd)...16 Aaron Benjamin (fwd)
head coach/general manager Peter Pinizzotto, equipment manager Carl Titus, medical co-ordinator Dr Robert Gringmuth.
Rochester Raging Rhinos (black socks, shorts, names and numbers; amber shirts)
..........................................24 Scott Vallow
6 Mali Walton...4 Scott Schweitzer...3 Craig Demmin (cpt)...58 Carlos Zavala
15 Martin Nash...23 Lenin Steenkamp...10 Yari Allnutt...11 Billy Sedgewick
...........................25 Dan Stebbins...9 Onandi Lowe
Subs:...42 Kevin Rueda (gk)...2 Andrew Restrepo (def)...27 Tim Hardy (def)...7 Nate Daligcon (mid)...14 Ernest Inneh (fwd)
head coach Pat Ercoli, assistant coaches Frank Odoi, head trainer Mike Katz.
Game Officials:...referee Jerry Proctor, referee's assistants Zoran Kristo and Andrew Drazinsky, fourth official Glenn Sharkey. all wearing red shirts tonight.
The national anthems were sang by PC John Wilson who looked like he was reading the lyrics for the American anthem from his police cap. The opening kickoff was taken by a beauty queen.
1st Half:...starts at 7:55pm...Lynx defend south end on this cool evening with wind from the south. The football hash marks for the University of Toronto Blues were painted on the field.
3 min...Lynx Serioux 40 yard freekick caught on edge of box by RR goalie.
3 min...RR Lowe 15 yard sharp angle shot from right just misses left top corner.
5 min...Lynx Dos Santos injured when checked from behind by RR Schweitzer at Lynx 45 yard line.
7 min...Lynx Ashton 40 yard pop into box caught by goalie.
9 min...Lynx Serioux sweep slides ball off RR Lowe in Lynx box after he receives throw-in.
11 min...RR Nash 40 yard freekick into box but ball cleared from RR Lowe by defender.
12 min...Lynx player cross from right line rolls right across RR box.
14 min...Lynx Dos Santos 25 yard shot is over net.
16 min...RR Nash 35 yard freekick from right is caught on left post by goalie.
17 min...RR Lowe runs along 30 yard line and shoots well wide left.
20 min...Lynx YELLOW card...Ashton for 'tripping' RR Steenkamp.
21 min...RR Nash 40 yard freekick into box, cleared by Lynx defender.
23 min...RR Schweitzer 30 yard kick from far left is wide right just missing RR players charging for post.
25 min...RR Nash 30 yard kick from left, cleared by Lynx Vincello off line.
27 min...RR Zavala 30 yard freekick bounces low to goalie.
29 min...Lynx Arango flicks header from 20 yards wide left.
30 min...RR Stebbins receives cross but knocks ball behind him.
31 min...RR Sedgewick rolls cross from left stopped by diving goalie.
33 min...Lynx Ashton slides in on check and pops 35 yard shot to goalie.
36 min...Lynx Nash long throw-in from left is cleared from box.
37 min...RR Sedgewick pass from left to RR Lowe only 5 yards from goal passes/shanks shot across goalmouth to sliding RR Stebbins who misses putting ball in net.
41 min...RR YELLOW card...Lowe for complaining about whistle on play. This was at least the third time tonight he'd complained.
43 min...RR Lowe header in box to get around defenders but they clear on left of box.
46 min...half ends 8:41pm.
Halftime entertainment included the announcement that it was The Lynxster's fourth birthday.
2nd Half:...starts 9:00pm...there is now a slight rain falling.
51 min...Lynx Diplacido 30 yard shot midair shot well over net.
52 min...Lynx Barker injured in center circle away from play.
57 min...RR Sedgewick midair volley from right from 20 yards is caught by sprawling goalie on right post.
59 min...Lynx Pozniak cross from right 20 yards is caught by goalie in box.
61 min...RR Schweitzer receives throw-in and 25 yard roller well wide left.
63 min...Lynx GOAL Dos Santos...Lynx Hooper takes cornerkick from left, Lynx Serioux flicks on and Dos Santos bicycle kicks from 5 yards from right that tucks in on short right side behind waving goalie.
65 min...Lynx Barker cross from left, Lynx Arango heads from 5 yards that goalie palms over bar.
66 min...RR sub...Hardy replaces Nash.
66 min...Lynx YELLOW card...Dos Santos for dive on near RR 25 yard sideline.
68 min...Lynx Arango injured near sideline when RR Hardy bashes into him.
69 min...Lynx Arango pushes ball from right that Lynx Dos Santos gets away 25 yard shot.
70 min...RR sub...Daligcon replaces Zavala.
72 min...RR Lowe dekes sliding Lynx goalie and sliding defender then Lynx goalie slides in and hooks ball from Lowe.
74 min...RR Daligcon 25 yard freekick into wall.
75 min...RR Hardy on left of wall shanks 12 yarder well wide left.
75 min...RR GOAL Stebbins...Stebbins pushes 10 yarder from right beyond sliding goalie after ball pushed ahead on pass by RR Lowe.
78 min...RR Daligcon pushes pass to RR Lowe whose 10 yard shot on right is blocked short side by sliding goalie, defender clears rebound.
79 min...Lynx Barker cornerkick from left, Lynx Vincello hooks 12 yard shot from right wide right.
81 min...RR sub...Restrapo replaces Walton.
82 min...RR Restrapo 65 yard shot is well wide left.
84 min...RR Hardy freekick from 25 yards on far left partial clearance and RR player boots 20 yard rebound well over net.
86 min...the announcer asks the crowd not to blow any whistles.
87 min...Lynx sub...Benjamin replaces Dos Santos.
88 min...RR Lowe pass to RR Stebbins on middle who gets through ball, Lynx Vincello slides in to hook ball from behind, RR Stebbins dives over goalie.
89 min...RR sub...Inneh replaces Lowe.
92 min...Lynx Ashton 30 yard shot is blasted that sliding goalie pushes wide left near post.
92 min...game ends 9:47pm.
No extra time played!
Final Score:.....Toronto Lynx...........1.........Rochester Raging Rhinos........1........
Lynx start without three starters tonight. The Vignjevic brothers had left for Yugoslavia for Nikola's wedding this weekend! Milan Kojic pulled a hamstring while celebrating his goal against Richmond Kickers last week!
Attendance was announced as 2811 on this cold night with drizzle starting in the second half.
Jamaican international Onandi Lowe earned a Yellow card in the 41st minute for
complaining (for about the third time this game) about the referee whistling down a play. He'll miss the return match Sunday in Rochester because he'd already earned a playoff Yellow card.
Referee Jerry Proctor no one had heard of before so we think he may have been supplied by the A-League to end that home-town referee rumour.
The press box was crowded including Rhino media in the front row and national men's coach Holger Osiak and The Toronto Star's reporter Norm DaCosta making his first appearance of the year.
Rocket Robin
robing@toclo.com
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