May 13, 2006 USL Toronto Lynx vs Rochester Raging Rhinos (from Rob Lynch of uslfans.com)
Familiar 2-0 Loss For TO
by Rob Lynch, uslfans.com Match Reporter
13.May.2006
Toronto Lynx: 0, Rochester Raging Rhinos: 2
Starting Line-ups:
Toronto-Zagar, Mattachione (SUB: Chin, 46th min), Titus, Bedenikovic, Arango, Williams, Aristodemo (SUB: Baxter, 59th min), Dekker, Dodds (SUB: Neto, 57th min), DiPlacido (SUB: Andres, 75th min), Palleschi (SUB: Sheppard, 46th min).
Rochester-Vallow, Sanfillipo, Bertz, Palguta, Craft, Ball, Bonseu, DaSilva, Menyongar, Gbeke (SUB: Edozien, 81st min), Delicate (SUB: Lines, 62nd min).
(Centennial Park Stadium, Toronto) 2,129 loud football fans took in the season home opener of the Toronto Lynx on a cold, overcast afternoon. The chill felt through the stands was echoed on the pitch as the Lynx turned in a 2-0 defeat to the visiting Rochester Rhinos, the identical result they've found themselves at the wrong end of in all 3 of their games so far this young 2006 season.
While Rochester came out strong and obviously worked the result to the desired 3-points, and outside of some excellent individual play, they do not yet appear the enviable awe-striking squad we've watched tear through USL divisions in the past. Regardless, with goals by Matthew Delicate in the 14th minute (fed from the right nicely by Sanfillipo) and John Ball in the 66th (from the right flank through a clever centre pass), the Rhinos have gone 3 for 3 in the win column so far in impressive, if only semi-inspiring, style.
Toronto on the other hand, came out and played identically to what they are, an incomplete squad already beset by injury, illness, and personnel still awaiting clearance.
Said midfielder Jamie Dodds afterwards, "it's hard to pull in a (positive) result when we're still getting things sorted, but thankfully there's still time to get it together."
Added returning Coach Duncan Wilde "obviously with (Canadian international Tony) Menezes lost for a while, it's a huge disappointment, he's the type of player we really want to build the season around. But, his injury only just happened, and we didn't want to risk anything until the results come back. Also, Arango is not playing at 100% of his level through sickness, and although we played well today, it wasn't well enough to simply win."
Toronto came out shaky in the first 15-minutes, playing out of sync with one another and some established Lynx vets playing out of positions they weren't entirely familiar with. Delicate's early goal seemed to give them a rude awakening, and their ability to absorb what the Rhinos threw, as well as turn it back, started increasing. Chris Williams, slipped through the attacking right by back-in-Lynx-colors DiPlacido, drove a powerful 25-yard shot towards the visitor's net, but its own force sent it clear of any danger.
The first half of play was dictated by a lot of midfield scrapping, tough but clean, with most focus on the intriguing match up of John Ball and Jamie Dodds, both squad's respective #13's. However, as the whistle for halftime blew, a nasty scrum broke out in front of the Rochester bench involving Lynx rookie Matt Palleschi and a handful of visitors. Neither team were really giving much detail as to what caused the fracas after the fact, but at its zenith almost every player on the field were involved in some form of clutching or jersey-tugging, tempers flaring and the crowd on their feet. Also of note was the fact overzealous sub Neil Dombrowski actually left the bench, threw himself headlong into the melee and making contact, and was pushed back 'out of play' by his teammates before it was registered with the officials. As the teams were sent their respective ways, Palleschi was baptized into the USL with a red card, and GK Zagar with a yellow for dissent after the fact. (As the second half started, Dombrowski's infraction had been duly reported, and he was ejected as well for potential inclusion).
Looking to cool down what the first half had sensationally ended with, not to mention contending with a man down, Toronto dictated their own game with a more methodical and opportunistic approach. A quizzical rash of substitutes meant for greater possession but less obvious familiarity. Despite increased overall discipline from the home team, their general work-in-progress leaning showed with Ball's decisive strike to put the match out of Toronto's grasp.
Both squads had excellent chances in the final 10-minutes: a terrifying scramble in Toronto's end around the 5-yard mark that was eventually clutched and smothered by Zagar, as well as Brazilian import Neto dribbling cleanly through a trio of Rochester players at 20-yards and feeding through nicely, only to be cleared by Palguta before a swooping Jeremy Sheppard could connect.
In the end, there were positives to be drawn from Toronto's performance, most notable in the return of fireplug Darren Baxter after a one year hiatus, and the quiet physical brooding of Rick Titus working in the back. Still finding his outdoor legs after a championship season with the Baltimore Blast of the MISL is hometown boy Aristodemo, who always works well with longtime midfield partner DiPlacido.
"Right now, until everything gets sorted out" added Coach Wilde, "the whole squad have to rally around each other, play more consistently, and to their full potential."
The Lynx hit the road for a western game swing against Seattle and Portland on the 20th and 21st, and then return home to face the newly arrived Miami FC on May the 26th.
Card Infractions-Toronto: Palleschi (RED, 45th min), Zagar (YELLOW, 45th min), Chin (YELLOW, 48th min), Baxter (YELLOW, 64th min). Rochester: Bertz (YELLOW, 4th min), Dombrowski (RED, 46th min).
[Opinion pieces written by fans do not represent the views of uslfans.com, but rather that of the writer.]
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