Result of the Sunday August 31st, 2003 A-League game between Toronto Lynx and Virginia Beach Mariners at Centennial Stadium in Etobicoke at 6:00pm.
Toronto Lynx (all white, black names and numbers, yellow trim)
........................................................22 Theo Zagar (cpt)
................................15 Adrian Serioux...2 Jan Veenhof...14 Tyler Hughes
16 Josue Mayard...10 Robbie Aristodemo...9 David DiPlacido...5 Shawn Faria...21 Giuliano Oliviero...25 Jonathan Westmaas
............................................................11 Sebastian Barclay
Subs:...00 Brian Rowland (gk)...6 NIkki Vignjevic (mid)...17 Nick Blicharski (mid)...18 Ryan Lucas (fwd)...24 Paul Lewis (def/mid)
team officials:...head coach Peter Pinizzotto...assistant coach Alberto Furtado...goalkeeping coach Paolo Silva...medical co-ordinator Dr Robert Gringmuth.
Virginia Beach Mariners (all navy, white names, numbers and trim)
.......................................0 Joe Larson
18 Carl Bussey...2 Steve Danbusky...5 Russel Hutchinson...12 Derek Phillips
14 Jamath Schoffner...4 Jakov Fenger...8 Jeff Moore...21 Hamisi Amani-Dove
........................10 Roy Lassiter...17 Carlos Garcia
Subs:...1 Matt Nelson (gk)...3 Kevin Knott (def)...9 Dante Washington (fwd)...15 Daniel Alvarez (mid)...16 Gary Williams (mid)
team officials:...head coach Shawn MacDonald...assistant coach Mark Simpson
Game officials:...referee Guy Verna...referee's assistants Amato Deluca and Neil Schofield...fourth official Sylviu Petrescu (yellow shirts, black shorts and socks)
1st Half:...game starts 6:23pm...Lynx defend south end on this warm evening.
45 sec...VBM Hutchinson 40 yard freekick lob that Lynx Serioux heads away.
1 min...VBM Fenger 45 yard freekick lob, VBM player in box can't twist header.
2 min...Lynx Barclay gets pass up center and rolls 20 yarder for sprawling goalie.
2 min...Lynx Barclay sent away again and he's knocked over on left side of box.
4 min...Lynx Aristodemo 40 yard freekick lofted in and Lynx Barclay gets leaping header from 15 yards that goalie catches on left.
12 min...Lynx Sebastian Barclay GOAL...Lynx Jonathan Westmaas gets ball on left inside box and he volleys ball to Barclay who boots ball in from 5 yards beyond goalie Joe Larson.
13 min...Lynx goalie steps forward to boot away ball in box.
19 min...Lynx DiPlacido runs along left and passes forward into VBM box to Lynx Westmaas but he's ruled offside.
21 min...VBM Fenger cross from near right end line to left has defender Lynx Veenhof heads away.
22 min...VBM Garcia 25 yard blast from left is well over net.
24 min...Lynx Barclay 35 yard lob into net but he'd been whistled offside and he's lucky he didn't get a card for timewasting.
28 min...Lynx goalie catches low cross from right corner in front of crowd of players.
28 min...Lynx goalie beats VBM Lassiter to bouncer in box.
29 min...VBM Amani-Dove 25 yard shot from left is well over net.
30 min...Lynx Hughes gets bouncer on left of box and he dribbles pop-up over defender, in open from 5 yards with fallen goalie and he passes over to Lynx Barclay whose shot from 3 yards deflects wide left.
31 min...Lynx Aristodemo and Lynx DiPlacido work cornerkick from left into box and cross has VBM players block shot attempts.
33 min...VBM YELLOW card...Hutchinson for delaying restart at VBM 45 yards on left.
34 min...Lynx Serioux long throw-in from left bounces through box and ball is crossed back to him and he crosses back wide right behind goal line.
35 min...VBM forward and Lynx defenders head ball around near edge of Lynx box.
38 min...Lynx Aristodemo gets through ball on right and 12 yard point blank blast blocked by sprawling goalie, eventually ball is crossed back in but cleared.
39 min...Lynx YELLOW card...Mayard for unsportsmanlike conduct in VBM end at 40 yard line.
42 min...VBM Fenger freekick from left that's headed away starting Lynx fast break.
42 min...Lynx Giuliano Oliviero GOAL...Lynx Josue Mayard runs along right and kicks cross that's blocked by defender who slips and Oliviero blasts loose ball into top of net just under bar from 5 yards.
46 min...VBM Fenger long cross from right that goalie catches in crowd of players.
47 min...Lynx goalie catches bouncer outjumping VBM Lassiter.
47 min...half ends 7:10pm.
2nd Half:...starts 7:26pm.
46 min...Lynx Hughes comes across field to boot away VBM Lassiter's through ball up middle into Lynx box.
47 min...VBM YELLOW card...Fenger for grabbing Lynx Aristodemo's shirt at center line.
49 min...VBM Phillips long throw-in from left knocked away in box.
50 min...VBM Fenger 25 yard freekick from left is over all heads on right side of box.
52 min...Lynx Aristodemo cornerkick from left, popped up header by defender on left and whistle blown for pushing.
53 min...Lynx YELLOW card...Barclay for kicking ball away at cneter after whistle.
54 min...Lynx goalie fumbles away bouncer wide left of net for freekick.
54 min...VBM Fenger cornerkick from left is punched away by leaping goalie.
55 min...Lynx Oliviero 35 yard cross from right into box too far for players to get to.
56 min...VBM Moore runs into left wing and cross from 20 yards near end line caught by goalie.
57 min...Lynx Oliviero cross from 30 yards on right in on net caught by goalie.
58 min...Lynx sub...Blicharski replaces Westmaas.
58 min...VBM Hutchinson 50 yard freekick from left is cleared from edge of box.
59 min...Lynx sub...Lucas replaces Barclay.
60 min...Lynx cross into VBM box is over Lynx Lucas.
61 min...Lynx sub...Vignjevic replaces Oliviero.
62 min...VBM Garcia bashes through middle and defender blocks shot for cornerkick.
63 min...VBM Fenger cornerkick from left is punched away by goalie, VBM Fenger later gets back possession but can't score.
63 min...Lynx goalie catches 45 yard shot from right.
64 min...Lynx goalie punches ball away from VBM Lassiter's head.
64 min...VBM sub...Knott replaces Phillips.
65 min...VBM Carlos Garcia gets ball in Lynx box and defender blocks off his hand. Referee Guy Verna signals for a Penalty kick.
66 min...VBM Roy Lassiter GOAL...Lassiter blasts penalty kick just under bar in center of net as goalie Theo Zagar crumples downward.
66 min...VBM sub...Alvarez replaces Moore.
...............VBM sub...Williams replaces Schoffner.
69 min...Lynx Josue Mayard GOAL...Lynx Robbie Aristodemo gets to ball on right of box around defender and slides cross across box, first Lynx player misses ball but sliding Mayard on left post directs ball in from 2 yards.
70 min...VBM Knott pass inside left of box. VBM Garcia 7 yard shot that flying goalie palms over net.
71 min...Lynx sub...Lewis replaces Aristodemo.
72 min...VBM Lassiter blasts 20 yarder through middle that goalie blocks, VBM Garcia 30 yard rebound blast caught by goalie.
74 min...VBM Danbusky long 60 yard freekick has two VBM players and goalie on left miss ball, VBM player muffs 7 yard blast and defender clears.
76 min...VBM Danbusky (?) gets to bouncer into Lynx box and 8 yard shot blocked by sprawling goalie knocking ball wide left.
79 min...Lynx DiPlacido rolls 30 yard shot up middle and wide left.
82 min...VBM player's long throw-in from right, Lynx defender heads away as he's being bumped.
83 min...Lynx Lucas gets through ball on right and pushes ball too far ahead, VBM goalie stops point blank shot sliding for ball from 8 yards.
84 min...Lynx Vignjevic cornerkick from right, leaping players have ball deflect off defender for another cornerkick.
84 min...Lynx Vignjevic cornerkick from left, LYnx header deflects off defnder for cornerkick.
85 min...Lynx Vignjevic cornerkick from right is crossed back into box but Lynx Lucas can't get away shot.
85 min...Lynx goalie stops 25 yard blast.
87 min...VBM goalie catches 30 yard cross from left.
87 min...VBM Lassiter heads 10 yarder that lands on top of net.
90 min...Lynx Ryan Lucas GOAL...Lynx Nick Blicharski feeds ball to Lucas through on right who races in alone and rolls 15 yard shot into left corner of net behind sprawling goalie 5 yards out of net.
90 min...game ends 8:11pm.
Final Score:..........Toronto Lynx..........4...............Virginia Beach Mariners..............1...............
Attendance was announced as 3043 but it seemed a lot less than Friday night's game against Calgary. The crowd was a lot more enthusiastic with the Ultras letting off flares for the last few Lynx goals. The crowd all won coupons for a slice of pizza because the Lynx scored three goals at a home game. It's the first time the Lynx scored more than two goals in any game this season!
The Mariners are a playoff team having finished second in the Southeast Division. Mariners leading scorers Roland Vargas-Aguilera ("Pato") was not in tonight's lineup and Dante Washington was an unused sub. The Lynx got more break-ins on them than almost any other team. The Lynx also beat them 1-0 early in the season. Theo Zagar had to be brilliant in the second half when the Mariners threatened and had some wide open shots in the box. Lynx Jonathan Westmaas was fast and set up the opening goal perfectly. Roy Lassiter the US capped and MLS star looked the best player on the Mariners.
It was Fan Appreciation Night and some awards were given out to the Lynx players before the game.
The Public Relations Award presented by Colin Linford of the OSA went to Shawn Faria.
Fan Favourite presented by a Tottenham Hotspurs fan went to Brian Ashton for the 5th time. Ashton didn't play today. With Manchester United fans having their day to have a table to recruit members, I suppose it was fair for Spurs fans to have their chance.
Best Defensive Player presented by coach Peter Pinizzotto went to Mauricio Vincello.
Best Offensive Player presented by broadcaster Dick Howard went to David DiPlacido. (the coach picked this award that raised some eyebrows in the pressbox because DiPlacido had only scored one goal all year!)
The MVP (a media selection) was presented by broadcaster Craig Forrest and went to Theo Zagar. He got my vote when I thought twice about giving it to then departed Ali Ngon.
A brilliant two-win weekend for the Lynx but it can't mask the fact that they finish with an 11 win, 13 loss, 4 tie season finishing fifth of five teams in the tough Northeastern Division and out of the playoffs for the third year in a row.
Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca
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