TORONTO LYNX GAME REPORT ROAD TO VICTORY GOES THROUGH HAMPTON TORONTO RECORDS FIRST WIN OF 2002 ON GUTSY PLAY BY VETERAN THOMAS Date: Saturday, April 27, 2002 Venue: Virginia Beach Sportsplex (Hampton Roads) Attendance: 1,110 Kick Off Time: 7:35 p.m. Final Score: Toronto 2 Hampton Roads 1 Match Summary: The Toronto Lynx (1-1-1) led by goals from rookie Nikola Budalic and veteran Elvis Thomas defeated the Hampton Roads Mariners (0-3-0) 2-1 tonight for their first victory of the season. Toronto surrendered the first goal of the match as Mariners forward Sean Callahan one-timed a cross from midfielder Mark Brooks to put Hampton Roads ahead 1-0. The Lynx responded in the 30th minute as Budalic scored his second goal in as many nights. After Lynx defender Milan Kojic lobbed the ball ahead, Budalic out raced Mariners keeper Tim Figureido and chipped the ball past the goaltender to level the score at 1-1. In the second half, Lynx forward Elvis Thomas jumped up with a Mariners defender and Figureido for a lobbed ball. Thomas was able to head the ball past both of them and into the net for his first goal of the season. Unfortunately, Thomas, who played with the Toronto in 1997 and 1998, was knocked out on the play and laid on the field for over seven minutes before the medical team was able to safely escort him of the field. According to team officials, Thomas was taken to hospital for stitches to his head and his status with the team is unknown. First Half Highlights: 17th min: From the right wing, Brooks crosses the ball over to Callahan who one-times it past Zagar. 1-0 Hampton Roads 30th min: Kojic lobs the ball ahead to Budalic. The keeper Figureido comes out to play it but Budalic beats him to the ball and chips it over him and into the net. Score tied 1-1 Second Half Highlights: 72st min: Thomas, who had been recently subbed-in for Knights, jumps up between a Hampton defender and the goalie and is able to head the ball into the back of the net. Thomas is injured on the play and does not return. 2-1 Toronto Full Time Lineups Toronto: Zagar, Reda, Vincello (Diplacido 17), Kojic, Serioux, Ashton, Aristodemo, Vignjevic, Faria (Mattacchione 67), Budalic, Knights (Thomas 66) (Santillana 78) Hampton Roads: Figureido, Brooks (Donohue 87), Checcio, Warham (Hanson 30), Knott, Callahan, Henriques (Lujan 58), Dominguez, Rowland, Butcher, Billand (Lewis 67) Shots - Toronto: 6 Hampton Roads: 14 Saves - Toronto: 4 Hampton Roads: 3 Corner Kicks - Toronto: 3 Hampton Roads: 3 Scorers - Toronto: Budalic (Kojic) (30), Thomas (72) Hampton Roads: Callahan (Brooks) (17) Cautions - Toronto: Kojic, Santillana Hampton Roads: None Ejections - Toronto: None Hampton Roads: None Man of the Match: Theo Zagar, Toronto (4 saves) Toronto's next game is Friday, May 3rd on the road versus the Atlanta Silverbacks at 7:45 p.m. Toronto Media Relations Contact: Eric Michalko (416) 251-4625, ext. 25
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