CNSL game of Monday September 29, 1997.
Here are the results of the CNSL game between Kosova Albanians and St Catharines Roma Wolves played at Esther Shiner Stadium in North York at 8:00pm. This was considered the 2nd game of the two game playoff series.
Kosova must win this game (any score will do) to force an immediate 30 minute mini-game starting after this 90 minute game.
Kosova Albanians (red socks, black shorts, red & black striped shirts, white numbers..never seen them in this kit before)
....................................1 Gregory Drakes
7 Jose Pisco....15 Sean Crichlow....4 Amilcar Pascuol....6 Francis Rigoult
14 Andi Lelaj....12 Sean Carasquero....10 Martin Quiroz....8 Raul Garcia
..........................9 Garvin Huston..........11 Rousevelt Angulo
Subs:...2 Colin Peters (def)...17 Biron Vargas (fwd)...16 Juan D Saenz (def)...22 Manuel Manzano (gk)
staff: Coach Jose Valencia, trainer Ernesto Canas, president Faik Chabani, manager George Nickola.
St Catharines Roma Wolves (white socks and shirts, red shorts, black numbers)
................................................1 Dino Perri
2 John McNeil....7 Tony Carbonara....3 Salvatore Borgh....14 Anwar Ahmad
19 Jerry Cipriani....13 Lucio Ianiero....16 Keith Moore....22 Gary McGuchan
......................9 Gary Hughes...............20 Bobby Pretto
Subs:...8 Gary Weinhandl...11 Jemie Perfetti...15 Luciano Berardocco...
staff: Coach Dino Perri, assistant coach Costanzo Berardi, manager Armano Difruscio, assistant manager Pat Viola.
Officials:...Referee Yakov Keimakh...linesmen Valentine Karagin and Igor Pulukarov.
1st Half: (Kosova defends East end, start at 8:17pm, muddy field on a cool night).
3 min...Wolves GOAL...Hughes score on header from 5 yards after cross from left after goalie dived to punch out corner kick from right side.
8 min...Kosova goalie stops header from 10 yards by Wolves Pretto.
9 min...Kosova YELLOW card...Garcia for argueing with ref after foul on Wolves player.
10 min...Wolves goalie catches 40 yard shot just under bar by Kosova Pisco.
13 min...Wolves Cipriani injured outside center circle.
14 min...Wolves goalie punches out cross.
17 min...Kosova goalie beats Wolves forward to through ball and clears off his knee.
19 min...Kosova Carasquero boots centering pass from 15 yards well over net.
24 min...Kosova Huston receives header behind Wolves goalie but goalie catches it running back and holds it out.
25 min...Kosova Lelaj 35 yard shot caught by Wolves goalie.
27 min...Wolves Cipriani passes to Wolves Pretto but his 15 yard shot is stopped point blank by goalie.
33 min...Wolves McGuchan centers from left wing and Kosova Crichlow knocks it down with chest but ball rolls towards Kosova net but goalie recovers.
35 min...Kosova Huston(?) tripped from behind on edge of box but no call as he fell backwards.
36 min...Kosova goalie beats Wolves Cipriani to through ball.
36 min...The rain starts very hard...it's driving from the west.
42 min...Wolves Hughes freekick on edge of box hits end man's shoulder in 5 man wall and deflects wide right for corner.
half stopped at 9:04pm.
2nd half: (starts at 9:20pm) worst of the rain is over but the fields even more of a puddly swamp.
halftime sub...Kosova Vargas replaces Quiroz.
46 min...Wolves Moore hurt in Kosova box.
50 min...Kosova GOAL...Huston heads in from 3 yards on right of post to left corner after Kosova Pascuol gives excellent high cross from left line on the run.
55 min...Wolves Perfetti (hey when did he come on?) 25 yard shot rolls just wide of left post.
62 min...Wolves GOAL...Pretto receives centering pass from right wing and sends 15 yard low blast into right of net.
64 min...Wolves GOAL...McGuchan gets shot to high right corner from 15 yards after centering pass from right wing.
68 min...Kosova GOAL...Carasquero takes 20 yard shot that spins into net off sprawling Wolves goalie's hands. A beautiful cross from left side by Kosova Huston but this was a wet weather goal.
69 min...Kosova goalie makes point blank save on Wolves Pretto.
71 min...Wolves goalie makes point blank save on Kosova Huston on left post.
72 min...Kosova sub...Peters replaces Angulo.
77 min...Kosova Pascuol injured near midfield sideline.
78 min...Kosova GOAL...Pisco header from 3 yards from right post after excellent corner kick from left side by Kosova Pascuol.
80 min...Wolves Cipriani pops up header as he's squeezed by Kosova defenders. Kosova goalie catches ball.
85 min...Wolves McNeil injured on challenge to Kosova Pascuol but ref lets Kovova take corner. Centering kick hit into left webbing of net.
88 min...rough play after Wolves give up corner. Wolves goalie does best to break up shoving match (after all he is the coach too!).
Final Score........Kosova Albanians........(0) 3.......St Catharines Roma Wolves....(1) 3...
St Catharines Roma Wolves win the playoff because of their home win and advance to the two game Playoff Championship against Toronto Supra.
The start of the game was delayed while the President of the Kosova team ordered flowers and medals be presented to the Kosova players for 'winning' the CNSL Cup trophy.
Well the fans did see Kosova beat London City 7-0 a few weeks earlier to supposedly win the competition on goal differential over two other teams. The league decided to force a final game between Kosova and Toronto Supra (excluding Toronto Croatia who were punished for using an ineligible player). The CNSL Cup trophy was also at the game and it was hoisted by the Kosova captain. This incident caused the League officials to call off the final game and announce the Cup champions as Toronto Supra!!!
One question:...If Kosova hadn't won the trophy yet and St Catharines didn't win, why was the trophy at the game and not locked up in the league offices??
Attendance was about 30 people. The question wasn't if it would rain, but when would it rain and that kept the crowd away. About half the crowd ended up in the pressbox when it started to pour.
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