SLAM Sports: Lynx Blow it Against Wildcats
by Winnipeg Fury
Lynx blow it against Wildcats
By JOHN F. MOLINARO -- SLAM!
Sports
TORONTO - It's official: the Toronto Lynx are in a serious
scoring drought.
The Lynx, having scored a scant three goals in five
games, were shutout for the second time this season, dropping a 1-0 decision to
Northern Conference leaders Hershey Wildcats in A-League Soccer action this
evening at Varsity Stadium.
The loss was typical of Toronto's play so
far this year with lots of midfield ball possession and glorious scoring chances
but no goals.
The Lynx had the opportunity to go up 1-0 when it was
awarded a penalty shot in the 72nd minute after Hershey was called on a handball
inside its own penalty box, but Toronto defender Joe Mattacchione hoofed one
over the left side of the crossbar.
Hershey gained momentum from the
missed penalty kick as they turned right around and marched down the field,
scoring in the 75th minute on a goal when forward Steve Klein fed a beautiful
short pass to team-mate Eduardo Sebrango who slipped a low, quick shot through
the legs of Lynx goalkeeper Theo Zagar from 15 yards out.
"I got a
good ball, I ran with it a little bit before carrying it into the box and shot
at the left post and it went in," described Sebrango to SLAM! Sports in a
post-game interview.
"I got the ball at the sideline and I just cut
back," said Klein, a native of Nashville, TN. "Eddie made a great run into the
box and I slid the ball by the defender and he did the rest."
Hershey's Jon Busch turned aside four Toronto shots on net to earn his
fifth shutout of the season. In seven games so far this season, the Hershey net
minder has only allowed four goals to get by him.
'The guys in front
of me have been playing fantastic," offered Bush, giving his defenders ample
credit for his rather impressive goalkeeping record. "They're not giving up a
lot of shots which is making it easier for me. Toronto put us under a little
more pressure today but these guys in front of me are giving everything they've
got."
Over in the Lynx locker room, Mattacchione changed out of his
uniform while brooding silently over the missed penalty kick.
"I just
missed the net, basically," said a dejected Mattacchione. "I was trying to go to
the left side of the net but I kicked it high."
Toronto head coach
Peter Pinizzotto was disappointed with the result stating the Lynx, like in
their previous two losses, controlled the majority of possession but failed to
convert on their scoring chances. Pinizzotto didn't have any answers as to why
Toronto has had such difficulties scoring this year.
"We had most of
the possession of the ball in the first half and again we can't seem to score
goals," explained Pinizzotto. "We're creating enough chances, we're dominating
the possession of the ball but in the last 30 yards of the field we can't seem
to do anything right."
The decision to let Mattacchione, a defender
and thus not a natural goal scorer, take the penalty shot isn't one that
Pinizzotto regrets making.
"Joe never misses in practice. Never
misses. It was between Joe and (Lynx midfielder Brian) Ashton, two guys that do
very well taking penalty shots. Whoever felt more comfortable at the time would
take the penalty shot. Joe felt very comfortable so that was the reason he took
it. It was just one of those things that didn't go well."
In five
games this season, Toronto forward Francisco Dos Santos has failed to score a
goal while fellow striker Kristian Grzetic has only pocketed two. Forward Juan
Arango is not fit to play, eliminating the chance of Pinizzotto to include him
in the starting line up and sit Dos Santos or Grzetic at the start of Toronto's
next game.
"Arango still is still battling an injury and it might be
two weeks before he can start playing. Right now, he's completely out of shape
after sitting out the beginning of the season. He's not fit right now. So we
have to wait and see. We'll wait and see how the week starts with training on
Tuesday. Between then and game day we'll have to see if we're going to make some
changes because you can't play five games at home and only score three. I think
defensively we've done a good job but offensively we've struggled."
After today's loss Toronto has a 0-6 lifetime record against Hershey.
The Lynx, now 2-3 on the season, travel to Montreal to play the Impact in their
first road game of the season this Friday, before returning to Varsity Stadium
the following day to host Montreal as part of a home and away doubleheader.
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