London Free Press: City Defender Answers Call
City defender answers the call
KATHY RUMLESKI, Free Press Sports Reporter 2003-06-21 05:38:19
With seven regulars out of the lineup with other commitments, including a wedding, London City was desperate for someone to step it up last night. City defender Matt Cuthbert was the man.
Not only did he play well on defence, but Cuthbert also scored City's first goal to spark them to a 2-1 win over the Vaughan Sun Devils at Cove Road field before 300 spectators.
It was London's first win of the season.
"It felt great to finally get the win," Cuthbert said. "We've played so well the last four weeks and deserved to win."
Cuthbert was inside the box when the ball skipped over to him in the 54th minute and he knocked it in.
"It skimmed over everyone. I was in the right place at the right time," he said.
But it wasn't just Cuthbert who played well. The whole team worked as one unit throughout the Canadian Professional Soccer League game and battled hard against a feisty Vaughan squad.
"We had a lot of young guys out there. They were jittery, but we settled down," Cuthbert said.
City keeper Anthony Camacho preserved the lead when he jumped up and get a finger on ball by Arturo Alva in the 72nd minute.
London substitute Erik Elmauer came on late in the game and within a couple of minutes gave City their second goal.
Elmauer fired a free kick through a line of Vaughan players and into the back of the net.
Cameron Medwin scored for Vaughan with two minutes remaining in the game to make things tense in the dying moments.
There was no scoring in the first half. Both teams had a couple of good chances.
London's best scoring opportunity came in the 37th minute on a nifty give-and-go involving Gentian Dervishi and Haidar Al-Shaibani, who was playing his first game after coming off a leg injury.
Dervishi's shot from 15 yards out was headed for the top left corner of the Vaughan net but goalkeeper Rob Tilley pushed it away.
The Sun Devils merged with the York Region Shooters this season and are expected to do well with the best of the two teams chosen for the new squad, so it was an important victory for London, now 1-2-1.
GAME GLANCE
City 2, Sun Devils 1
London goals: Matt Cuthbert, Erik Elmauer
Vaughan goal: Cameron Medwin
Next: London plays a Canada Cup game June 30 at Cove Road field against Toronto Peniche. The Cup weekend begins next Friday with London AEK Olympic playing Woodbridge Azzurri, 8:30 p.m.
Copyright © The London Free Press 2001,2002,2003
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