CNSL game of Wednesday June 18, 1997.
Here are the results of the CNSL game of Wednesday June 18th, 1997 between Toronto Croatia and Hamilton White Eagles played at Centennial Stadium in Etobicoke at 8:00pm.
Toronto Croatia (blue socks, white shorts and numbers, red shirts)
...............................................1 Altin Zucaj
2 John Annisi....4 Daniel Pilas....3 Milodrag Akmadzic....5 Frank Delisimunovic
8 ?????????????....7 Darko Pantalon....9 Robert Fran....10 Gentian Buzoli
........................20 Domagoi Sain............11 Anto Bralo
Subs:....16 Daryl Mackereth....6 Stiv Smintic....12 Ivica Zola....13 Zeliko Sutic....14 Ivica Zelic....18 Gentian Dervshi....
Number 8 was probably from this substitutes list but with a uniform switch.
Hamilton White Eagles (all white, red numbers)
...........................................1 Bogdan Jovicic
5 Patrick Tobo....4 Alex Vukcevic....6 Mark Woolton....7 Babak Ghiravanian
11 Woody Baeily....16 Sasa Culum....14 Anton Skerritt....8 Mike Palmiotta
...........................9 Ramin Kohefar........10 Sasa Vukovic
Subs:...3 St Ryan Steele....12 Nick Katic....13 George Rajic....2 Rob Anderson....15 Stephen Warren....
Officials: Referee Hugh Elliot, linesmen Grant Williams and Andy Brennan.
1st Half: Croatia defend south end in 1st half. Warm overcast night. Game kicks off at 8:10pm.
9 min...Croatia Bralo blasts 30 yard freekick well over net.
? min...Croatia Bralo short pass to Sain who gets 7 yard shot off crossbar, ball pops up and golaie catches ball before second bounce.
20 min...Croatia Delismunovic curls in shot from left sideline about 20 yards out that hits crossbar.
23 min...WE Skerritt gets freekick on right side edge of box for goalie trapping ball outside box but after WE header, defender clears ball.
25 min...WE Vukovic gets high cross and heads just over bar.
31 min...WE goalie beats Croatia Sain to high bouncer.
37 min...Croatia Annisi breaks in on sideline avoiding offside trap but shoots high from 20 yards.
37 min...WE YELLOW...Baeily for dissent.
39 min...WE 2nd YELLOW...Baeily for late tackle on Croatia defender who'd cleared ball and goes down with injury. White Eagles now must play a man down.
45 min...Croatia Sain extends himself and gets toe to cross on edge of box but puts it over bar.
2nd Half:
47 min...WE Vukovic injured.
48 min...Croatia substitute 8 ?? replaced by Sutic.
49 min...Croatia Sain heads ball right to goalie.
52 min...Croatia Smintic replaces someone.
~55 min...Rain starts.
58 min...WE Tobo freekick from 35 yards sails just over bar.
59 min...Croatia Akmadzicheads ball wide from 3 yards diving after Sain's freekick cross near side of box.
65 min...Croatia Mackereth cross along line palmed away by goalie. (when did he get into game?).
70 min...Croatia Fran gets 15 yard shot just wide left of diving goalie.
74 min...It's raining again.
75 min...Croatia Akmadzic gets 20 yard shot wide.
85 min...Croatia shot hits fallen WE player and tips off crossbar.
Referee stops game with scoreboard reading 89:30 minutes.
Final Score:.....Toronto Croatia...........0 (0).......Hamilton White Eagles........0 (0).....
The rain limited my note taking in the 2nd half. The White Eagles survived wave after wave of Croatia attacks.
I was surprized that a section of the stands was partitioned with yellow police "Do Not Cross" tape markings and four policemen. I thought maybe it was because there was expected trouble between Old World rivals White Eagles (Serbian) and Croatian fans but was more surprized by a League official's answer. Yes many of the White Eagles fans sat through the Croatian national anthem but that was after everyone had stood for the Canadian national anthem played through a Walkman and amplified after technical problems caused a delay in both renditions.
Apparently the reason was that Croatia goalie Roman Harapyn was playing in the Croatia vs North York Talons game (4-1 for Talons) and he threatened to kill the referee. He has been suspended for the whole year and possibly for life from the CNSL. Croatia has the expense of paying the police but this was the expected trouble. The White Eagles actually drew a few compliments as they held on to the shutout in the 2nd half trying for the counterattack while a man down. One fan said "Their Black Eagles are playing well" (in reference to the five black players in their starting lineup).
Croatia has only scored two goals in four games. The forwards were missing sitters and their passes were mistimed or one too many passes in the box.
Rocket Robin
robing@clo.com
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