Result of the Toronto Lynx vs Persepolis Iran friendly played Monday September 7th (Labour Day) at 2:00pm at Varsity Stadium in Toronto was played before 3100 fans (looked like 6000 after me getting used to the Lynx papering their attendance). . .
by Rocket Robin
Persepolice lineup:
Ahmad Abedzadeh (gk) World Cup, Afshin Payravani (def) World Cup, Berouz Rabirifar (def), Mehdi Hasheminasab (def), Esmail Hellali (mid) international, Ali Reza Emamifar (mid), Hamed Kavianpour (mid), Hossein Abdi (captain, mid), Edmond Bezik (fwd), Mehdi Mahdavikia (fwd) World Cup scored winning goal in 2-1 Iran USA game, Ali Baghmisheh (fwd).
subs: Yahya Golmohamadi (def) international, Kamran Kavianpour (mid), Magtaba Rezai (gk), Naeem Saadavi (def) World Cup, Hamid Motaheri (mid), Behnam Seraj (fwd) World Cup
Announcers were not the local crew but Iranian Canadians, even the ball boys were from local Iranian communtity team. They fawned all over the visitors who posed for pictures leaving the Lynx just standing on the other side of center in the pregame photo shoot. The souvenir booth had no Lynx stuff but was run by another group hawking Persepolis souvenirs.
The Lynx lineup was:
Theo Zagar (gk), Marco Reda, Peter Sarantopoulos, Rick Titus and Riccardo Mongura (never heard of him) on defense, midfield Brian Ashton, Nikola Vignjevic, Kevin Holness, Martin Dugas in midfield, Adolfo Mella and Dwayne DeRosario at forward.
subs: Hubert Busby (gk) Robert Irvine, Brian Jeffrey, and two new players Sarsani Aton, Nikola Andrijevic.
My jaw dropped when I saw Dwayne DeRosario in the warm up. I recognize him by sight forget lineups. It's a friendly so supposedly that doesn't violate any contracts he's signed. (?!)
There were no Lynx fans I could recognize. The Lynxster must have been pushed back to the dressing room because he didn't appear after the warmup. The crowd was all Iranian. This was one of those national pride moments. The PA blasted the Iranian edition of 'Jock Rock' tunes Gipsy Kings, Gary Glitter, and that 70's synth instrumental 'Popcorn'. Piped in chants of 'Iran, Iran, Iran'.
The Lynx had just lost a tough one in the last 20 hours to Rochester Raging Rhinos so I wasn't expecting much.
The game play was honestly very even. For play by play you'll have to read on my web site in about a months time. I'm about 18 games behind as I have the Women's tournament to catch up on. I'll let you know when it's ready!!
In the 28th minute Payravani brings down Holness in the box as he races through the 18 yard line.
On the penalty kick in the 29th minute, Vignjevic puts it in low left corner, goalie dives over it as he thought it would be high left.
At 83 minutes Holness beats the trap and banks shot from 12 yards in off right post on a weak chipper over sprawled goalie.
The game ends and the Lynx players run the width of the field to salute the crowd to wild boos (maybe to stick it to Persepolis who did that at the beginning of the game).
Dwayne DeRosario looked brilliant in this game, very fast leaving defenders in his trail. Some of the Lynx stepped it up a notch from their usual efforts against Hampton Roads calibre teams.
I wasn't all alone among Canadian media in the pressbox but I may have been the loudest when the Lynx scored their second. I was disgusted to see Mehrdad of the CSA all decked out in his Iran 98 soccer jersey but I didn't see him after the game.
A bit of horn honking after the game by Iranian fans but I countered by pointing at my Lynx t shirt.