Mirror-Guardian: Metro Lions Miss Starters
by Winnipeg
Fury
Lions miss starters in professional league debut
Scarborough
Sam Laskaris, Special to The Mirror
Jun. 26, 2002
Early
indications are the Metro Lions will not have many growing pains.
The
Scarborough-based Lions, who play their home matches at Birchmount Stadium, are
an expansion entry in the Canadian Professional Soccer League.
The Lions
did lose their first game in franchise history, 2-1 against the Oshawa-based
Durham Flames.
But the local club has since reeled off two straight
victories. The Lions defeated the Toronto Supra 4-1 and they earned another win
this past Friday, edging the visiting Flames 3-2.
"We're pretty happy,"
said Tony Laferrera, Lions coach. "But we should be 3-0. Our first game we were
leading 1-0 with two minutes to go. I can't explain it. And the players can't
explain it. But (the Flames) scored two goals in two minutes on us."
The
Lions have also been faring well even though they are not utilizing the players
they would like to.
The Lions had worked out a deal to have three
players from the national team of Ghana join them this season. But those players
remain back home since the Canadian government has yet to grant them visas.
Also missing are two Ottawa-based players that Laferrera was counting on
for this season.
Those players have yet to be inked due to financial
differences about their potential contracts.
"The problem I have is that
these are five potential starters that could be on the team," Laferrera said. "I
have five spots open -- five spots that I thought I would have filled with
them."
WILLING TO WAIT
Laferrera said he is willing to continue
waiting, especially for the players from Ghana.
"There's no deadline for
them," he said.
"They can come over and play just the last game of the
season for us. But we need to make a decision real fast. We've already put in a
ton of work trying to get them over here. We have to decide if we continue with
that or go in a different direction."
The Lions next game is Friday at
home versus the North York Astros. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m.
.
.