St. Catherine Standard: No Magic for Wolves vs Wizards
No magic for Wolves in loss to Wizards

By Jim Wallace
Monday, June 09, 2003 - 02:00

Local Sports - Claudio Perri and Jay Mason could end up hoarse for much of the Canadian Professional Soccer League season.

The two goalkeepers could end up losing their voices as they shout encouragement and instructions to the young St. Catharines Roma Wolves defence in front of them.

The Wolves’ opener before about 350 fans at Roma Park Sunday afternoon was a case in point.

The 4-2 loss to last season’s triple crown champion Ottawa Wizards kept Perri busy for much of the game.

And the Wolves, obviously hoping to hold the Wizards defensively, didn’t get their best start after allowing the first goal a scant 28 seconds into the game.

That was all the defending league, league cup and playoff champions needed to throw the Wolves off their game plan.

“It hurts because you come out with a certain game plan to play defensively, and they come out and score one 28 seconds in,” Perri said. “It kind of puts you down a bit.

“We went into the change-room at halftime and settled down a bit; I think we were a little nervous, home opener, knew who we were facing, we were a bit excited.”

Joey Carbonara was the lone veteran on the back line, with sophomore Adam Caruso and rookies Ryan Foss and Nick Aragona. Carbonara pulled a hamstring and came off 43 minutes into the game, giving way to yet another newcomer, John Kamendy.

Perri also admitted he may not have been at his best, which led the some loss of confidence among the younger players, which in turn led to some harsh words.

“They had a couple of cheesey goals to go in, not good goals — a bobble off the foot, a breakaway, whatever. And that’s hard on the defence because they lose their confidence.

“I kind of lost it in the second half on them, but I made my peace with them afterwards. They’re learning the game and it shows us where we’re at. And we’re not all the way there yet.”

The goal which set the Wolves back quickly came after playing coach Lucio Ianiero was called on a questionable tackle. Perri punched the ball away on the ensuing free kick, but was swarmed by Wizard players. Abraham Osman chipped the ball high past Perri towards the open goal, and it went in despite a strong effort by Aragona to head it way. “I’m not sure if it was a foul, but regardless, any time you give up a goal early it hurts,” Ianiero said. “Last year we gave one up early and they went on to rout us 8-1, so I’m sure the veterans were thinking about that.”

The Wolves had only trained on their own field two or three times prior to the game, much of it because of Mother

Nature and her heavy rains over the past few weeks.

Add to that fact the Wizards have their own field and indoor training facility, and you have a fit, experienced team facing a rebuilding Wolves squad that is still into some heavy training.

Regardless, the first goal notwithstanding, Ianiero was fairly pleased with his charges. “I’m quite content with some of the play. Physically, they’re a strong team” and are one of the favourites again, along with Croatia, Vaughn and Mississauga.

Along with Carbonara, the Wolves also lost Gary McGuchan 33 minutes into the game when he butted heads with a Wizards player and left the field bleeding. It’s believed he needed three or four stitches to close his cut.

THE SCOOP

Wizards 4 Wolves 2

Standard Star of the Game: The Wizards’ Alen Marcina with the natural hat trick.

For the Roma Wolves: Carlo Arghittu (13 min.); Mark Mulholland (65 min.).

For the Ottawa Wizards: Marcina (11 min., 52 min., 58 min.); Abraham Osman (28 sec.).

Yellow cards: Wizards (1).

For the record: The Wolves fell to 1-1; the Wizards improved to 1-0-1 after a 1-1 tie with Brampton Saturday.

Up next: The Wolves have 10 days to regroup before facing Brampton at Roma Park June 18.

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