May 27, 2012 CSL--North York Astros vs York Region Shooters (by Rocket Robin)

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Result of the Sunday May 27, 2012 CSL game between North York Astros and York Region Shooters played at Esther Shiner Stadium in North York at 4:00pm.

North York Astros (orange socks and shirts, black shorts and numbers)

.......................1 Antal Toth
2 Igor Larrauri...16 John Jung (cpt)...15 Stanley Ugochukwu...4 Anthony Valentine
5 Brian Alcantara...14 Kurt Ramsey...8 Michael Tischer...20 Kunle Fayehun
............10 Vasileios Liagkos...18 Morgan Copeland

Subs:...3 Ogen Jurme (def)...6 Steven Craig (def)...7 Joseph Matti (mid)...11 David Nady (fwd)...13 Allan Cordon (mid) ...17 Fancisco Mendez (mid)...19 Lorence Notaro (fwd)
team officials:...head coach Gerardo Lezcano...assistant coaches Jennry Lezcano, Gabriel Lezcano and Damon Naghavi...sport director Jorge Collazo...general manager Bruno Ierullo

York Region Shooters (all white, blue numbers)

.......................00 Emanuelle Ameltonis
2 Andre Stewart...3 Ricky Herron...4 Marcelo Capazolo...6 Fitzroy Christey
13 Aundrae Rollins...99 Ryan Dummett...7 Matthew O'Connor...21 Darryl Gomez
...............11 Kadian Lecky (cpt)...9 Jason DeThomasis

Subs:...1 Camilo Benzi (gk)...5 Alex Trujillo (mid)...15 Chris Thomas (fwd)...16 Diego Benzi (mid)...17 Goncalo Almeida (fwd) ...19 Andre Manders (mid)...77 Desmond Humphrey (mid)
team officials:...head coach Tony DiThomasis...assistant coach Americo Tantalo...manager John Pacione...doctor Gio Perri ...club official Vasili Androutsos

Game officials:...referee Yusri Rudolf...referee's assistants Jeff Fearnall and Jonathan Carter...fourth official Leo Monaco ...(neon yellow shirts, black shorts and socks)

1st Half:...game starts 4:03pm...Astros defend west end.
1 min...YRS Capazolo chips from 50 yards to charging YRS Dummett who on right near end line sends in low cross and retreating Astros Jung blasts away ball for throw-in.
2 min...YRS Gomez heads 5 yarder from left over net.
7 min...Astros Larrauri 65 yard freekick bounces to goalie in front of charging Astros forward.
8 min...Astros Ugochukwu, YRS Lecky and YRS Rollins get told off by referee to prevent more rough play.
12 min...Astros YELLOW card...Ugochukwu earns it for holding back YRS Lecky who doesn't have ball at YRS 50 yard line.
15 min...Astros Liagkos run to end line but low cross from 15 yards from left is into side webbing of net.
17 min...Astros Fayehun is injured on pull down of YRS Rollins in Astros box after ball cleared.
20 min...YRS YELLOW card...Rollins earns it for kick check on Astros player near sideline.
21 min...Astros Alcantara cornerkick from left is cleared away.
21 min...YRS goalie stops Astros Liagkos short poked shot from 10 yards but offside flag was up.
24 min...YRS O'Connor 40 yard freekick bounces into box and retreating defender knocks ball down and clears.
25 min...YRS Gomez cornerkick from right has YRS Herron on left kick 20 yarder that's tipped well over net.
25 min...YRS Dummett crosses from 15 yards on the right and the goalie windmill swats the ball across the left side of the box.
time clock stops at 30 minutes so rest of half is converted from my wristwatch.
31 min...YRS Herron has 8 yard shot from far right is blocked by defender.
35 min...YRS Dummett 22 yard blast deflecgts off sliding defender and bounces over goalie wide right trying to prevent cornerkick.
35 min...YRS player's cornerkick from right is cleared from box.
36 min...YRS O'Connor 30 yard freekick from right is partially cleared and YRS DeThomasis shanks 20 yard shot wide left of net.
37 min...YRS sub...Humphrey replaces Rollins.
40 min...YRS Humphrey is hurt by YRS Lecky clearing ball off him on edge of Astros box.
42 min...YRS Humphrey receives ball on right on long cross from left and 15 yard shot is wide left.
45 min...YRS Humphrey pass from right and YRS Lecky has shot stopped and ball cleared Astros goalie catches 30 yard cross from left.
47 min...half ends 5:20pm.

2nd Half:...starts 5:37pm.
halftime subs:...YRS Manders replaces someone.
...........Astros Notaro replaces someone Larrauri.
...........Astros Cordon replaces someone Valentine.
...........Astros Craig replaces someone Ugochukwu.
46 min...YRS Dummett cornerkick from left has ball knocked back to him and bends 30 yard cross that's caught by goalie.
48 min...YRS Gomez 30 yard freekick from left has YRS 4 leap and headds 5 yarder wide right.
49 min...YRS Gomez 35 yard freekick from left is headed away by defender.
50 min...YRS DeThomasis rolls 32 yarder is wide left.
53 min...YRS Humphrey 30 yard cross from near endline is high and bounces wide left for goalkick.
55 min...Astros Alcantara sends in a cornerkick from the left that Astros Ramsey pops an 8 yarder over the net.
57 min...Astros YELLOW card...Fayehun earns it for pushing while waiting for freekick to be taken.
.........YRS YELLOW card...Lecky earns it for pushing while waiting for freekick to be taken.
57 min...Astros Liagkos takes a 22 yard freekick from the right that the goalie palms over the net.
59 min...YRS sub...Trujillo replaces Dummett.
59 min...Astros Alcantara cornerkick from left has defender clear ball from box.
59 min...YRS Stewart breaks up an Astros pass play attempt at 6 yards in the YRS box.
60 min...YRS Christey long throw-in from left is caught by goalie.
62 min...Astros Jung 50 yard freekick has defenders in box ensure there's no shot taken.
66 min...YRS Humphrey 35 yard freekick from the left has Astros Ramsey head the ball away at 6 yards while surrounded by two YRS forwards.
68 min...YRS sub...Thomas replaces Lecky.
68 min...YRS Humphrey 45 yard freekick from left has Astros Ramsey head ball away.
70 min...Astros Craig 55 yard freekick from right is high wide left of goal.
71 min...YRS Gomez 35 yard freekick from right has Astros Liagkos head away. YRS Gomez recross has Astros Craig heads ball wide right for cornerkick from 6 yards.
72 min...YRS Manders cross from 35 yards is caught by goalie.
74 min...YRS Gomez 35 yard freekick from right is over players in box and cleared wide left of net.
76 min...Astros sub...Mendez replaces Fayehun.
77 min...Astros YELLOW card...Notaro earns it for tackle at Astros 30 yards on left.
78 min...YRS Humphrey 35 yard freekick has goalie punch ball away.
78 min...YRS sub...Almeida replaces O'Connor.
80 min...YRS player cross from the right and YRS Almeida misses connecting on a shot at 12 yards and the ball is knocked away but YRS Christey blasts a 15 yard shot over the bar.
81 min...Astros goalie charges into crowd of players to stop bouncer.
82 min...YRS Stewart makes stop on Astros Liagkos on left side of box.
83 min...YRS YELLOW card...Gomez earns it for knocking over Astros Alcantara at YRS 45 yards.
83 min...YRS player hooks 12 yarder along right end line behind Astros net.
85 min...Astros Liagkos is forced wide by YRS Stewart and his 20 yard rolling shot is pushed wide right of the net by the diving goalie.
86 min...Astros player's cornerkick from right has ball cleared before getting to box and that starts a YRS fast break.
87 min...YRS Christey long throw-in from left is caught by goalie.
87 min...YRS Stewart makes a key block by sliding to break up Astros Liagkos rush.
88 min...YRS Stewart makes a key delay on holding up a pass attempt that ensures that Astros Liagkos runs offside at 22 yards.
89 min...Astros sub...Jurme replaces Alcantara.
90 min...Astros Craig heads away a cross in the box then heads another ball over his own net.
91 min...YRS Humphrey cornerkick from the right has goalie charge forward in the box to punch ball away.
91 min...Astros goalie flattened as he misses a catch and a YRS player kicks the ball into the net but the play is whistled down.
93 min...YRS players get away two low shots that defenders block including Asrros Copeland who takes one off the leg and has him cramp up downfield two minutes later.
94 min...Astros Liagkos on the right chips a 15 yard shot that lands on top of the YRS net.
95 min...game ends 6:27pm. (it starts raining at 6:35pm).

Final Score:....North York Astros.......0..........York Region Shooters......0......

Attendance was about 70 on this hot afternoon. There was the threat of rain which started to fall for minute or two about ten minutes after the game ended.

Antal Toth earned the shutout for the Astros. Enea Perego is the usual starter but he's currently injured. He made some key saves to keep the Shooters off the board.

Emanuelle Ameltonis earned the shutout for the Shooters. He is the back up goalie behind veteran Camilo Benzi. Benzi's brother Diego was a backup midfielder today but didn't get into the game. Diego played years with the Astros.

Referee Yusri Rudolf gave out six Yellow cards that I counted--three to each team--including a double card to Astros Kunle Fayehun and Shooters captain Kadian Lecky for a pushing incident in the Shooters box waiting for a freekick. An early Yellow to YRS Aundrae Rollins probably led to his early subbing out for Desmond Humphrey at only 37 minutes. Rudolf tried to impose his stamp on the game at 8 minutes when he took NYA Stanley Ugochukwu and YRS players Kadian Lecky and Aundrae Rollins aside and told them to hold off the rough stuff.

Best non-scoring chances were at 25 minutes when YRS Ryan Dummett crossed from 15 yards on the right and the goalie windmill swatted the ball across the left side of the box. 55 minutes had NYA Brian Alcantara send in a cornerkick from the left that NYA Kurt Ramsey popped an 8 yarder over the net. 57 minutes had NYA Vasileios Liagkos take a 22 yard freekick from the right that the goalie palmed over the net. 59 minutes YRS Andre Stewart broke up a pass play attempt at 6 yards in the YRS box. 66 minutes had YRS Desmond Humphrey took a 35 yard freekick from the left that had NYA Kurt Ramsey headed the ball away at 6 yards while surrounded by two YRS forwards. 80 minutes had a YRS player cross from the right and YRS Goncalo Almeida misses connecting on a shot at 12 yards and the ball was knocked away but YRS Fitzroy Christey blasted a 15 yard shot over the bar. The Astros were called offside often.

The last ten minutes (85 to 95 minutes) became almost a personal duel between Astros forward Vasileios Liagkos and YRS defender Andre Stewart. 85 minutes had Liagkos forced wide by Stewart and his 20 yard rolling shot was pushed wide right of the net by the diving goalie. Two minutes later Stewart made another key block sliding to break up a Liagkos rush. 88 minutes had Stewart make a key delay on holding up a pass attempt that ensured that Liagkos ran offside at 22 yards. 90 minutes had Astros defender Steven Craig headed away a cross in the box then headed another ball over his own net. YRS Desmond Humphrey took the cornerkick from the right and the goalie charged forward in the box to punch the ball away. 91 minutes had the Astros goalie flattened as he misses a catch and a YRS player kicked the ball into the net but the play was whistled down. 93 minutes had YRS players get away two low shots that had defenders block including Morgan Copeland who took one off the leg and had him cramp up downfield two minutes later. 94 minutes had Liagkos on the right chip a 15 yard shot that landed on top of the YRS net.

The Astros line-up has been almost completely turned over from last year (a team that didn't win during the entire season). The only ones I recognized from today's roster was defenders Anthony Valentine, captain John Jung, Steven Craig and long time stalwart Kurt Ramsey. Also midfielder Allan Cordon (brother of Toronto FC's Oscar Cordon). I congratulated Astros general manager Bruno Ierullo after the game for the best Astros game I've seen the team play in a few years. He said the team was "in a crescendo". A rumour I heard later was that Ierullo would have run out onto the field if the Astros won.

A still injured Diego Maradona (the nephew of the namesake) was watching from the stands. The ex-Astros player has signed with the Shooters but his wait continues.

Shooters are undefeated in their four games this season but with three of those results ties, they are only middle of the pack in the standings.

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca

Astros starters