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2nd Half:...starts 9:15pm.
Halftime subs:...TC Crljen replaces Bucic.
.............TC Harris replaces Simic.
45 min...W Ianiero injured right after kickoff in center circle.
48 min...TC Grguric follows up ball into box with 15 yard blast is well over net.
49 min...TC Aniekwe in box blasts 20 yard shot deflected wide right.
52 min...TC player's 35 yard freekick from left is headed out of box.
56 min...Wolves RED card...captain/head coach Lucio Ianiero earns his second Yellow card of the night for sliding tackle on TC Paul Grguric, injuring him.
57 min...TC Joe Draganic snakes 40 yard shot from right that goalie backs up to palm over top left corner of box.
58 min...TC player's 25 yard shot from left is well over net.
59 min...W Joe Carbonaro 35 yard freekick from extreme right is well wide.
60 min...TC player's cross from left is well over net.
61 min...TC Joe Draganic cornerkick from left, charging TC Crljen on left flicks header over net from 10 yards.
63 min...TC Grguric rolls weak 25 yard shot up middle for goalie to pick up ball.
66 min...TC sub...Zupan replaces Grguric.
68 min...W goalie dives on loose ball after deflection on TC Aniekwe's blast in box.
70 min...TC Aniekwe running diagonally wide left has shot from 25 yards deflected wide right for throw-in.
71 min...TC player's freekick from 35 yards on left is headed up by W player in box. Goalie slips diving for ball but W players cover when ball worked wide.
72 min...TC sub...Kalic replaces Adrian Azcurra.
75 min...TC Crljen in middle taps over to TC Joe Draganic who blast low 25 yard shot wide right.
77 min...TC Harris good through ball but TC Joe Draganic weak ball from 7 yards tips to goalie.
78 min...TC player's cornerkick from left is slapped forward by W goalie.
79 min...Leaping TC Aniekwe header from 12 yards is just over net.
80 min...TC Joe Draganic hard 30 yard shot hits defender and ball deflects to goalie.
82 min...W goalie dives right to pick up ball off TC Harris.
83 min...TC Sain steps up middle through crowd for hard 20 yard shot batted on left side of net by goalie.
85 min...TC Joe Draganic cornerkick is short and TC Deny Draganic 20 yard shot from left is saved by goalie diving forward.
86 min...TC YELLOW card...Crljen for interference/holding in own end.
88 min...TC Deny Draganic cross from left is whistled offside.
89 min...W sub...Mulholland replaces injured McGuchan.
90 min...W YELLOW card...Zumpano for pushing TC player in TC end.
92 min...TC player's cornerkick from right, TC Joe Draganic shot from 15 yards is palmed wide of right of net.
92 min...game ends 10:02pm.
Final Score:....Toronto Croatia....0.....St Catharines Roma Wolves......2......
Attendance was about 125 on this warm wet night. A rain before the game had made the field slippery. A hard rain at halftime made the field conditions even worse. I was somewhat surprised that almost every fan returned for the second half with Toronto Croatia behind and the weather being miserable.
Tight checking in a really rough game on the small field at Memorial Park. Toronto Croatia attacked all the second half with the man advantage but Wolves absorbed the pressure by trying to keep Toronto Croatia to the outside for lower percentage shots. They looked more threatening when counterattacking the Wolves because they'd come forward in numbers.
Carlo Arghittu was left all alone as the only forward in the second half for the Wolves. Goalie Claudio Perri earned the shutout. He was brilliant smothering and swatting balls away from the net. It was too wet to expect that anyone could catch the wet slippery balls sent towards goal. He commanded the backfield shouting out instructions with the voice of those guys who announce at a monster truck rally. Just like his brother Dino but without Mississauga Olympians playing home games this year it looks like I'll miss the two of them trying to outshout each other.
Toronto Croatia used substitute Antonio Zupan at 66 minutes in the midfield. He is the first player here as promised from the Republic of Croatia as the team tries for only their second win of the season. Jose Aniekwe and Halburto Harris couldn't finish up scoring on the opportunities when they go the ball but the defenders covered very well.
Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca
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