A-League game of Friday May 23rd, 1997.
Here are the results of the A League Game between the Toronto Lynx and Charleston Battery played at Varsity Stadium in Toronto at 7:45pm.
Toronto Lynx (white socks and shirts, black shorts, purple numbers, yellow names)
.............................................1 Pat Onstad
9 Elvis Thomas...17 Darly Holmes...3 Franco Spadafino...2 Ralph Golen
12 Lei Gong...11 Tommy Kouzmanis...14 Martin Dugas...16 Rick Titus
...................8 Darren Tilley.......................23 Phil Caporrella
Subs:...(not announced) but 25 Irvin Studin and 20 Danley Johnson were only ones used.
Charleston Battery (red socks, shirts, and shirts, black numbers, names and stripes, Blackbuad sponsers name, numbers hard to see)
.............................................1 Khalil Azmi
24 David Minihan...6 Guy Norcott...8 Juan Castillo...3 Eric J Bossman
10 Alvin Boisson...21 Chad Carithers...14 Peter Lewis...7 Gerald Walker
.......................25 Patrick Olalere.............15 Terry St Lewis
Subs:...(not announced) but ..11 Jim Foley and 12 Dave Hoffman were only ones used.
Officials:...Referee Russ Hepworth, linesmen Frank Marcialo and Glen Silias, 4th official Denise Daleman. Officials are dressed in touquoise once again.
Game kicks off at 7:45pm in cloudy cool evening weather.
1st half (Lynx defend North end)
10 min...Lynx Yellow card to Tilley for knocking down Castillo on far sideline.
13 min...Battery goalie runs out and while diving punches out cross.
18 min...Battery GOAL St. Louis (unassisted)...St Louis runs, stops, turns, and shoots on tough angle from right side to left corner of net.
21 min...Lynx Caporrella leads break and passes to Tilley who kicks ball over charging goalie, but right over crossbar.
24 min...Lynx Dugas sends soft shot right to goalie from 20 yards.
29 min...Battery Yellow card to Castillo for dragging down Thomas in midfield.
36 min...Lynx freekick by Gong headed just wide of net in crowd of players.
39 min...Lynx Yellow card to Holmes for tapping ball out of bounds when freekick awarded against him for hand ball.
41 min...Battery keeper gets hand to Gong's cross. Noone to take rebound.
43 min...Lynx Caporella receives cross, turns and fires but saved by keeper.
45 min...Battery goalie steps in front of Tilley to take away header.
Halftime score: Toronto Lynx...........0.......Charleston Battery........1
no winners in halftime $10000 hit the hole in the board contest but someone hits the net and gets a pizza coupon. Lynx mascot (guy in a costume) was there as he was at start of game.
2nd Half: starts 8:49pm.
50 min...Lynx Tilley sets up Kouzmanis but shot blocked by sliding defender only 15 yards out.
52 min...Battery Olalere closely pursued on break chips ball on tough angle which goalie knocks over net.
55 min...Battery goalie dives to stop ball but pushes it into defender's hand. Penalty shot!
56 min...Lynx GOAL Kouzmanis penalty shot...Kouzmanis kicks to left side just inside of post about halfway up just beyond diving goalie.
57 min...Lynx defenders required to clear ball near goal line.
59 min...Battery Olarere and Lynx goalie crash together although ball had passed both of them.
60 min...Battery Olarere's speed gets him through on breakaway but he shoots wide left of goal and diving keeper.
63 min...Battery Yellow card to Norcott for mouthing at referee even though he got the call.
64 min...Battery goalie runs out to grab intercepted ball.
66 min...Battery Castillo and Lynx Kouzmanis kick each other missing ball. Castillo is kicked in the shins while Kouzmanis jammed his foot in action just outside Lynx box.
68 min...Lynx Thomas long cross smothered by goalie.
70 min...Lynx Tilley long cross one touched by Dugas who can't quite turn it into net.
71 min...Battery sub...Foley replaces Olarere.
75 min...Lynx sub...Studin replaces Gong.
77 min...Battery Carithers on defense rebounds in long clearance to goalie.
87 min...Lynx sub...Johnson replaces Caporrella.
89 min...Lynx Tilley receives pass but kicks ball high from 15 yards.
End of Regulation score:...Toronto Lynx...............1......Charleston Battery.........1
The teams now have a five minute rest before the 15 minute golden goal rule overtime period. The fans are reminded that the game will continue to avoid any confusion of those heading to the washrooms with those heading for the exits. All three points are still on the line.
Overtime period: (Lynx defend North end)
92 min...Lynx Tilley long centering cross along ground just out of Thomas's reach.
98 min...Lynx Johnson dekes through two defenders but shot blocked by goalie. Kouzmanis booms rebound right to goalie.
99 min...Battery goalie misplays cross but does tip ball wide.
100 min...Lynx Kouzmanis booms freekick just over bar from 30 yards.
101 min...Battery sub...Hoffman replaces Foley.
105 min...Battery goalie grabs ball after it hits defender's body in box.
End of Overtime:...Toronto Lynx............1...........Charleston Battery............1
Now begins a five shot each shootout held in the North end. Many of us fans crowd up to the north end of the stands to get a better view. Shooters start at the 35 yard line and have five seconds to score. The goalies do not have to stay on their line.
Battery 1st shot:...Carithers has weak shot/deke blocked by charging Onstad.
Lynx 1st shot:...Thomas runs and from just inside box takes shot that finds net.
Battery 2nd shot:...Castillo has high lob caught in jumping Onstad's fingertips.
Lynx 2nd shot:...Golen quick steps and fires over goalie into net.
Battery 3rd shot:...St Louis has low shot saved by Onstad who does the splits and saves with right foot.
Lynx 3rd shot:...Kouzmanis with goalie down rolls ball wide of right post.
Battery 4th shot:...Boisson's blast stopped by Onstad getting hands on ball.
The shootout stops after that shot. Battery fails to score on their four attempts. Lynx score on two of their three chances.
Final Score:...Toronto Lynx............1...shootout win......Charleston Battery......1...
Lynx earn one point for the shootout win. Battery earn no points for a hard night's work. The other teams in the division must love this result!
Attendance is announced as 1515 which is a bit better than Monday's game. I was thinking the attendance was lower but the people were more spread out through the stands.
Battery players Gerald Walker, Alvin Boisson, Peter Lewis and Terry St Louis are all listed as coming from Trinidad. The Battery uniforms reminded me of the Trinidad team that played at the Caribana Cup at Varsity stadium. Tommy Kouzmanis scored two goals that night. It was announced at halftime that Kouzmanis had been called up to the Canadian National team for the World Cup qualifier in Edmonton against Costa Rica next Sunday. Young Lynx forwards Dwayne DeRosario and Paul Stalteri are already away with the National team Under 20's. They were missed this game as they could have caused more trouble for the shakey Battery defence. The Battery was good at counterattacks because of their speedy forwards but they lacked ball control once they broke through the Lynx defenders.
Next home game is Friday June 6th against Carolina Dynamo.
Rocket Robin
robing@clo.com
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