A-League game of Sunday September 6, 1998.
Here are the results of the A-League game between Toronto Lynx and Rochester Raging Rhinos played at Varsity Stadium in Toronto at 4:00pm.
Toronto Lynx (all white, blue names and numbers, blue & yellow chevrons on shoulders and shorts sides).
...........................................29 Jim Larkin
4 Peter Sarantopoulos...2 Marco Reda...3 Franco Spadafina...16 Rick Titus
24 Robert Irvine...8 Brian Ashton...13 Kevin Holness...25 Martin Dugas
..........................6 Nikola Vignjevic...11 Sarsani Arton
Subs:...22 Theo Zagar (gk)...21 Hubert Busby Jr (gk)...14 Dragan Ianosev (def)...5 Ralph Golen (mid)...18 Brian Jeffrey (fwd).
Rochester Raging Rhinos (dark green socks, shorts, and shirts, white names and numbers, black shoulders).
...........................................29 Josh Freeman
2 Mauro DaSilva...4 Scott Schweitzer...21 Joe Mercik...12 Mike Kirmse
20 Nate Daligcon...58 Carlos Zavala...10 Yari Allnutt (cpt)...9 Mike Britton
............................22 Mike Domm...18 Jimmy Glenn
Subs:...25 Pat Onstad (gk)...13 Yogi McKay (mid)...26 Darren Tilley (fwd)...27 Tim Hardy (fwd)...24 Kirk Dietrich (mid)...15 Ezekiel Alamo (mid)...3 Craig Demmin (def).
Game Officials:...referee Manuel Orilana, referee's assistants Neil Schofield and Zoran Kristo, 4th official Al Pereira.
1st Half:...Lynx defend north end on this hot sunny day...start at 4:05pm.
4 min...RR goalie catches through ball bouncer on left edge of box ahead of Lynx Arton.
8 min...RR GOAL...Glenn steals back pass to Lynx defender and runs in from 30 yards, shot over goalie to center of net from 15 yards.
9 min...Three Lynx defenders ride off RR Glenn.
11 min...Lynx Vignjevic beats four defenders and crosses to left of box, headed down but RR defender clears it.
12 min...Lynx Spadafina clears with header to touch in Lynx box to break up RR scoring chance.
13 min...RR goal overruled because of handball after RR Zavala corner from right headed then pushed in.
16 min...Lynx GOAL...Vignjevic after backheel pass one touch to Vignjevic and 12 yard shot from left goes to right side of net beyond diving goalie. (assist Lynx Arton).
18 min...RR goalie catches through ball ahead of Lynx Arton.
19 min...RR Glenn passes off to charging RR Allnutt who after short run shoots from 15 yards but diving goalie stops shot labelled right post while 7 yards off line.
21 min...Lynx goalie beats RR Domm or RR Daligcon for ball outside box.
22 min...Lynx goalie catches RR DaSilva 20 yard shot.
24 min...RR defender chest cross by Lynx Arton down for goalie to pick up.
25 min...Lynx Irvine 4 yard shot near right post is wide right.
25 min...RR YELLOW card...Kirmse for dissent.
27 min...RR Kirmse does a flip-over cartwheel throw-in. (reminds me of CSL player Ross Quarterone in the early 1990's).
28 min...Lynx Vignjevic cross from right near touch line caught by RR goalie.
29 min...RR goal called back as offside after RR Domm heads in from 5 yards.
30 min...RR Allnutt cuts 30 yard shot which just rolls wide of right post.
31 min...Lynx Vignjevic short pop pass from 15 yards to Lynx Arton heads from 10 yards just wide left of post with defender jumping with him.
36 min...Lynx goalie catches RR DaSilva cross from near right corner spot on right field run.
38 min...Lynx Ashton after 1 minute of Lynx ball control shot from 30 yards is wide left.
40 min...Lynx Vignjevic high cross pass to Lynx Arton juggles it then 12 yard scissor kick is wide left.
2nd Half:...starts 5:15pm.
Halftime subs:...RR McKay now comes in as captain and replaces Britton.
...........................RR Dietrich replaces Allnutt.
...........................RR Demmin replaces Schweitzer.
47 min...RR DaSilva freekick from near right sideline is caught by Lynx goalie.
52 min...RR sub...Tilley replaces Domm.
53 min...Lynx goalie catches long cross from left.
53 min...RR Tilley pushes jumping Lynx goalie catching cross.
54 min...RR Tilley one touches through ball from 7 yards wide right of net.
55 min...Lynx Vignjevic 35 yard shot rolls well wide left.
56 min...RR GOAL...Tilley almost runs out of room but blasts ball on sharp right side over goalie after 10 yard run on right side. Assist Daligcon who fed him the through ball.
59 min...Lynx Vignjevic 30 yard freekick into wall, rebound by Vignjevic blasted wide.
60 min...Lynx sub...Jeffrey replaces Spadafina.
61 min...Lynx GOAL...Jeffrey pops in 5 yard rebound from right of goal after Lynx Vignjevic (assist) on 30 yard shot. (that's an effective substitute!).
65 min...Lynx Titus short pass off to Lynx Holness but 25 yard roller well wide left.
67 min...Lynx Dugas header pop up from 20 yards causes RR goalie to catch ball over heads of one Lynx and two RR defenders.
70 min...RR Glenn gets pass on right post about 12 yards out but shot blasted into right mesh of net.
71 min...RR Tilley chips 20 yard shot right to goalie.
73 min...Lynx Ashton spins high ball well wide right of bar.
75 min...RR Tilley 20 yard shot from right over forward's head caught by goalie.
76 min...Lynx Irvine blocks RR Zavala shot on edge of box.
78 min...RR GOAL Tilley...RR DaSilva corner from right, RR Tilley in box heads down then over Lynx Titus's body then blasts 5 yard shot into top of net.
83 min...RR goalie flubs a save wide left but recovers in time to save corner kick.
87 min...RR Tilley 70 yard freekick rolls to goalie.
90 min...Lynx Vignjevic freekick on left, Lynx Dugas heads wide left from 10 yards.
90 min...RR goalie catches 55 yard shot from Lynx Ashton.
Final Score:.......Toronto Lynx.......2.......Rochester Raging Rhinos.....3...
Attendance was announced as 1957. Rochester brought a few bus loads of fans but many Lynx regulars may have been waiting for the Canada-Mexico CONCACAF qualifying final for the Women's World Cup. I was missing the 3rd place game between Costa Rica and Guatemala by being here but got there in the 2nd half and saw all of the final.
Former Lynx player Darren Tilley slayed the team coming in as a substitute and scoring two goals. The 2nd half subs coming in at halftime for the Rhinos made it appear that they were obviously setting up for their playoff run the next week. The Lynx had already made their move by trading their most offensive players.
National anthems were again sung by opera singer Wendy Dobson, a little faster then for Wednesday's game. She also sang at halftime a stirring rendition of 'Auld Lang Syne' on today "Farewell to Varsity Day". My mind drifted off to all the soccer games I'd seen at this stadium and remembering which row of seats I was in for which international.
Varsity Stadium is owned by the University of Toronto. The stadium will be torn down for redevelopment this Fall. There is supposed to be condominiums on the valuable Bloor Street West frontage and they may rebuild a much smaller stadium in an east-west direction. In the meantime, the Lynx will have to find another place to play. Rumours are at York University or games in Hamilton Ontario.
Rocket Robin
robing@clo.com
.
.