July 26, 2007 CSL 2nd Round Open Canada Cup results (from CSL media release)
ASTROS IN A THRILLER, SHOOTERS WIN 2-0
Thursday - July 26, 2007
Sizzler for the fans
North York Astros eliminated Serbian White Eagles in a penalty kick Open Canada Cup Second Round thriller, Italia Shooters ended GS United's run in the same competition, while in league action St. Catharines Wolves played to a 2-2 deadlock, three games in the CSL Wednesday night.
In what has been described as the best game seen in the CSL in years and a sizzler for the fans, the cup tie went close to 130 minutes with no one leaving Birchmount Stadium even with the time creeping towards midnight.
There were four penalty kicks called by referee Joe Fletcher in the 3-3 tie before the FIFA penalty kicks decider took over at the end of a marathon 128 minutes of play. It might be said the Astros won the game after finding the net with the two earlier kicks, one in the second half and one in overtime, followed by five out of five of the FIFA decider version.
But that would not do justice to a side that has generally struggled to find its feet with just three wins in 10 games played in the tough, competitive National Conference. According to one observer who said he enjoyed one of the best games seen for a long time, with high praise for goalkeeper Ratko Ivanovic, the Astros refused to give in even when on the wrong end of a 2-1 score and the referee looking at his watch several minutes beyond the regulation 90 minutes.
Forward Paulo Astorga, brought back from South America recently by the North York side following an earlier stint, scored that late goal from the penalty spot to put the game into overtime.
Following a scoreless first half, Eagles’ Sasa Viciknez scored from the spot at 76 minutes, Astros’ Selvin Lammie tied the score 1-1 two minutes layer, Viciknez struck his second two minutes later at the 80th minute mark – a penalty kick – before Astorga tied the game 2-2.
In the second overtime period, Astorga scored his second, also from the penalty spot following a tripping foul by Serbian Dragan Radovic who was shown the red card for the foul and just when it appeared to be a North York Astros 3-2 win, Mirko Medic made it 3-3 for Serbian White Eagles.
North York scored all five penalty kicks, while Serbian Eagles found the net with four, a 5-4 penalty kick result that put the Astros into Round Three.
In one other Open Canada Cup game played Wednesday, Italia Shooters gradually outplayed GS United of the Ontario Soccer League for a 2-0 final score at The Soccer Centre in Vaughan, with Jason De Thomasis scoring the opening goal at 44 minutes and Desmond Humphrey sealing the win with a goal for Shooters at the 77th minute mark.
In the one league game scheduled, a 2-2 tie at Club Roma in St. Catharines, Nick Aragona put the home side in front at 11 minutes, Mike Collavino tied the game at 1-1 for the Border Stars at 33 minutes, Dan Trosper put Windsor 2-1 in front two minutes later and Antonio Stranges scored from the penalty spot following a hand ball in the box at the 66th minute mark.
St. Catharines pick up a point for a 3-3-5 WLT record for 14 points and Windsor are at 4-6-2, also with 14 points.
The Open Canada Cup results to date and upcoming games:
Preliminary Round Results Jean-Talon 2007 (Montreal)5,Capital City Ambass(Ottawa)1 GS United (Toronto) 2, AEK London (London) 1 Earlier Second Round Results Portuguese Supra 2 Canadian Lions 1 Windsor Border Stars 2, St. Catharines Wolves 1 Second Round Results – Wednesday, July 25 Italia Shooters 2, GS United 0 North York Astros 3, Serbian White Eagles 3 (North York Astros won 5-4 on penalty kicks) Upcoming Game Friday, July 27 9:00pm Claude Robillard Stadium, Montreal Trois-Rivieres Attak vs Jean-Talon 2007
The five surviving teams from Round Two will be joined by London City for three Third Round games and the three surviving teams from Round Three will be joined by the winning team from British Columbia. In British Columbia, 24 teams will soon have their playdowns in the Athletic Club of BC Challenge Cup, the winner moving into the Open Canada Cup semifinals. The four semifinal teams, three from Ontario and Quebec and one from British Columbia will move to Cove Road in London, Ontario for the final weekend and the Open Canada Cup Final on Monday, September 3. Should London City fail to advance from Round Three, they will have a wild card game opportunity to enter the semi-finals in keeping with the Open Canada Cup rules as they relate to the successful bid team to host the Open Canada Cup weekend.
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