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For a team that's been unlucky early
this season, the Toronto Lynx got a huge boost Saturday with a
1-0 win over Munich 1860 in an exhibition soccer match.
Irasto Knights scored the lone goal as the Lynx
surprised the touring German club in front of 2,790 fans who
braved a blustery afternoon at York University.
"This is a good result for us, and a warning to other
teams that we have a good team," said Lynx coach Peter
Pinizzotto. "It's going to be a surprise to other teams that
we beat Munich.
"At the same time, it's going to give us some
confidence that we can beat anybody."
Knights, a fast, powerful striker, took a pass from
Niki Budalic, then beat Munich goalkeeper Simon Jentzch with
an easy left-footed shot into an open net in the 16th minute.
"It's a team in a higher division than us, and so we've
got to show a little class," Knights said on his team's game
plan. "They probably expected us to be like the other teams
they played against (on this tour), but we're a different
class of players and individually skillful and we just stepped
up the pace when we had to."
The win was just what the Lynx needed after opening
their North American A-League season with a 1-1-3 record.
The Lions finished ninth in the Bundesliga — Germany's
top league — this season, and boast the league's top scorer in
Martin Max. They were coming off a pair of wins: 6-0 over a
Canadian Professional Soccer League all-star squad in
Kitchener, Ont., on Wednesday; and 7-0 last Sunday over the
Milwaukee Rampage, also from the A-League.
"I'm very proud of my boys, they played a very good
game," said Lynx coach Peter Pinizzotto. "We shut down their
forwards pretty good, our defence played extremely well.
"Because they won those two teams very easily, maybe
they thought it was going to be an easy game," he added.
Lynx defender Marco Reda did a good job of shutting
down Max, who was left off Germany's World Cup team despite
his league-leading 18 goals.
Max blew past the media after the game, but Munich
coach Peter Pacult said earlier in the week that Max was
disappointed in his World Cup omission.
"He does not show his feelings, but he does feel it in
(his stomach)," Pacult said.
The coach said he brought his team to Canada to promote
the squad, keep the players in shape between league games and
play teams that have different styles.
The Canadians, said Pacult, played a more physical game
than teams in the Bundesliga.
"But that's OK," said Pacult. "There were enough
chances for us to score a goal.
"The other team scored early and basically closed the
field for combinations. It was difficult because the field was
a little bit too bumpy to play combinations."
Knights' goal was the only real offensive highlight of
the game.
Max's lone scoring chance came from a header at 70
minutes, which he knocked right into the hands of Lynx
goalkeeper Theo Zagar.
"It was a tough game, I don't think we expected it to
be that aggressive," said Munich striker Paul Agostino, from
Australia. ``We knew this team was going to be aggressive,
they're quick and strong.
"On this pitch it's a bit hard to let the ball flow and
play. Today was just a game of aggression and tackles and they
came out on top."
The Lions managed to limit Toronto scoring chances,
catching them sleeping with an effective offside trap. The
Lynx had 13 plays whistled back on offside calls. Munich had a
9-7 shots-on-goal advantage.
The Lynx head on the road for three games before they
host the Charleston Battery in their home-opener on June 9.
Notes: Munich averages 32,000 fans for their
home games at Olympic Stadium, and they're supported by 500
fan clubs. ... Munich veteran Thomas Haessler, recovering from
knee surgery, didn't make the trip to Canada. ... Munich's
Davor Suker, who will play for Croatia at the World Cup, also
didn't make the trip. |