LYNX AND RHINOS BATTLE TO A DRAW
Toronto and Rochester tie 1-1
Date: Monday, May 19, 2003
Venue: Centennial Park Stadium, Toronto, ON
Attendance: 1,594
Kick off Time: 6:00 PM
Final Score: Toronto 1 Rochester 1 (OT)
Match Summary:
The Toronto Lynx ended their 3-game losing streak this afternoon at sundrenched Centennial Park Stadium with a one-all draw with Northeast Division rival Rochester. Both teams fought hard from the opening whistle and had ample opportunities to score the go-ahead goal, but were unable to put the ball past their opponent's keepers. The tie improves the Lynx record to 1-3-1 (4 points) and moves the team into a 4th-place tie with Montreal in the Northeast Division. Rochester's record is now 2-1-2 (8 points), good for second place in the division.
Lynx head coach Peter Pinizzotto promised before the game that his team would come out on the offensive, after failing to score in their past three matches, and they did just that. Only two minutes into the match, Mauricio Vincello fielded a Joe Mattacchione free kick deep in the Rhinos box, and sent the ball towards the goal mouth. Rhinos keeper Billy Andracki could not handle the ball, and Ryan Lucas knocked it past the goal line after it bounced around in front of the net off a number of players. The goal was Lucas' first of the year and snapped a 272-minute goalless drought for the home club. The Lynx continued to press and dominiated the first 25 minutes of the match, but were unable to score a second goal.
The Rhinos began to come to life at that point, and in the 36th minute, forward Fred Commodore took a pass deep inside the Lynx penatly area, and was knocked down by Lynx Jan Veenhof. Referee J.F. Corrivault called the foul and awarded a penalty kick to the Rhinos, despite protests from the crowd and Lynx players. David Hayes knocked the penatly to the right past Theo Zagar, who had gambled and dove left.
The second half was a tense defensive struggle, with both teams failing to generate many scoring chances. The Rhinos were content to sit back and defend and occasionally send long balls towards their speedy forwards Jamel Mitchell and Commodore. The Lynx had the majority of the possession but were unable to convert their chances. The half was also a physical affair, with numerous stoppages due to player injuries. Elvis Thomas and Josue Mayard both left the game for the Lynx with undisclosed injuries as did Bill Sedgewick for the Rhinos. Lynx forward Sebastion Barclay was ejected in the 74th minute after accumulating two yellow cards during the match, and the club was forced to play the final 16 minutes of regulation and the 20 minutes of overtime short handed.
Overtime settled nothing as both teams were unable to convert their chances into goals. The Lynx' best chance came early in the first overtime period when Ali Ngon broke free towards the Rhinos goal, and was brought down, but referee Corrivault ruled that Ngon had dove, and issued him a yellow card. Rochester closed the overtime period on the offensive, but the Lynx defense held and preserved the valuable point for the home team.
Forward Ryan Lucas was selected by the media as the Canadian Auto Workers Blue Collar Award winner, recognizing his tireless effort as the hardest working Lynx player on the afternoon.
The Lynx take to the road for their next 4 matches, beginning next Monday afternoon in Virginia Beach against the red-hot Mariners, with a 5:00 PM kick-off. The team returns home on Sunday, June 8 at 4:00 PM to host the Montreal Impact at Centennial Park Stadium.
First Half Highlights:
2nd Minute: Mattacchione free kick from 35 yards out is fielded by Vincello deep in Rochester penalty area who crosses the ball into the 6-yard box. After a scramble in front of the Rochester goal, Lucas knocks the ball over the goal line. GOAL. Toronto 1, Rochester 0.
7th Minute: Barclay shot from top of penalty area is stopped by a diving Andracki.
14th Minute: Mayard takes hard shot from top of penalty area but ball is deflected over Rhinos goal for a Lynx corner.
19th Minute: Wilson dribbles deep into Lynx penalty area and crosses ball to an open Hayes whose shot goes narrowly over the crossbar.
22nd Minute: Suarez cross is tipped by Mayard towards his own net, but Zagar makes a lunging stop to prevent the own-goal.
28th Minute: Schweitzer steps into a shot at the top of the box, but ball is grabbed by a well-positioned Zagar.
33rd Minute: Suarez corner kick bends dangerously towards Lynx goal but Zagar punches the ball away to safety.
36th Minute: Commodore is knocked down by Veenhof in the Lynx penalty area while fielding a cross and is awarded a penalty kick. Hayes strikes the penalty past Zagar. GOAL. Toronto 1, Rochester 1.
40th Minute: Aristodemo crosses the ball dangerously into the Rhinos box from the right side, but Andracki beats a hustling Lucas to the ball and makes the save.
41st Minute: Commodore fields the ball inside the Lynx penalty area, spins around and unleashes a hard shot, but it sails harmlessly over the Lynx goal.
45th Minute: Suarez free kick just inside Lynx box is blocked by charging Lynx wall. Mayard heads the ensuing cross attempt by Hayes to safety.
Second Half Highlights:
51st Minute: Mattacchione powers a shot towards Rochester net, but ball sails high over the crossbar.
54th Minute: Aristodemo chips ball dangerously towards Rhinos goal, but Andracki once again beats Lucas to the ball.
56th Minute: Lucas takes a pass in the open field, dribbles into the Rhinos box, turns around a Rochester defender and launches a powerful shot towards the goal. Andracki makes a diving save to keep the score level.
72nd Minute: Vignjevic sends high cross into box but Andracki beats a charging DiPlacido to the ball.
76th Minute: Mladenov takes a powerful shot from the top of the Lynx penalty area but is denied by a charging Zagar.
83rd Minute: Hard shot by Lucas from corner of 18-yard box curves narrowly outside near post.
84th Minute: Vignjevic dribbles into box towards goal but is unable to get shot away due to intense defensive pressure from Sedgewick.
90th Minute: A charging Zagar beats Miller to a curving Mladenov cross and punches the ball to safety.
Overtime Highlights:
98th Minute: Ngon races towards net on a near-break away and is knocked down in the box by a Rhinos defender, but referee Corrivault rules that he dove and issues him a yellow card.
99th Minute: Mladenov shot is knocked over the bar by Zagar.
104th Minute: Demmin shot from deep in Lynx penalty area is shot narrowly over Lynx cross bar.
106th Minute: DiPlacido feeds Aristodemo deep in Rhinos penalty area and he dribbles towards net. His cross for Ngon in front of the goal is intercepted by Demmin and kicked to safety.
108th Minute: Hayes crosses ball dangerously in front of Lynx net but neither Miller or Mitchell can get their head on it and it rolls harmlessly away.
109th Minute: Hard Mladenov shot is corralled by Zagar.
110th Minute: Mitchell crosses the ball in front of Lynx net but Miller flicks ball just over the Lynx net.
Final Score:
1 2 OT1 OT2 F
Toronto 1 0 0 0 1
Rochester 1 0 0 0 1
Lineups:
Toronto: Zagar, Veenhof, Vincello, Mayard (Hughes, 72) , Mattacchione, DiPlacido, Aristodemo, Vignjevic (Blicharski, 103), Thomas (Ashton, 38), Barclay, Lucas (Ngon, 90)
Rochester: Andracki, Dinunzio, Demmin, Schweitzer, Sedgewick (Mendes, 85), Suarez (Mladenov, 65), Hayes, Wilson (Paco, 75), Steenkamp, Commodore (Miller, 74), Fuller (Mitchell, 45)
Cautions: Toronto: Mattacchione (26), Barclay (42, 74), Ngon (98th) ; Rochester: Miller (81)
Ejections: Toronto: Barclay (74 – Two Yellow Cards), Zagar (110)
Shots: Toronto 9, Rochester 14
Saves: Toronto 3, Rochester 4
Fouls: Toronto 20, Rochester 19
Corners: Toronto 4, Rochester 5
Offsides: Toronto 1, Rochester 5
Scorers: Toronto: Lucas (2); Rochester: Hayes PK (37)
The Lynx next home game is on Sunday, June 8 at 4:00 PM versus the Montreal Impact. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Lynx Ticket Hotline at 416-251-4625 x 31 or by visiting www.lynxsoccer.com.
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