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Result of the Saturday October 27, 2012 CSL game between Toronto Croatia and Montreal Impact Academy played at Centennial Stadium in Etobicoke at 3:00pm. This was the Final of the CSL Chamionship.

Toronto Croatia (black socks, white shorts and numbers, red shirts)

..................12 Antonio Ilic
7 Halburto Harris...4 Sven Arapovic...3 Josip Keran...15 Ainsley Deer
14 Andelo Srzentic...19 Petar Mingon...23 Tonci Pirija (cpt)...8 Hayden Fitrzwilliams
............24 Marin Vulemilovic Grgic...10 Tihomir Maletic

Subs:...1 Panagiotis Koumoulas (gk)...6 Josip Bonacin (def)...11 Boris Tomac (fwd)...18 Bozenko Lesina (fwd)...20 Dino Buljan (mid)
...21 Daniel Niksic (mid)...Josip Roso (def)
team officials:...head coach Velimir Crljen...assistant coach Milodrag Akmadzic...manager Ivan Kulis...assistant manager Perica Arapovic
...trainer/physio Lauren Walker...president Joe Pavicic

Montreal Impact Academy (white socks and shirts, blue shorts, black numbers)

..................41 Jason Beaulieu
50 Hugo Lapointe-Senecal...54 Kai Morton...34 Karl Ouimette...44 Amine Meftouh
43 Zakaria Messoudi...55 Wandrille Lefevre...60 Dominique Morin (cpt)...51 Maxim Tissot
............39 Mircea Ilcu...56 Anthony Jackson-Hamel

Subs:...70 Hicham Kettani (gk)...45 Victor Ndiaye (fwd)...46 Philippe Lincourt-Joseph (mid)...48 Kevin Ouidio Luarca Echeverria (mid)...
61 Felix Cardin (mid)...71 Yacine Ait Slimane (mid)...72 Jeremy Gagnon-Lapare (fwd)
team officials:...head coach Eullaroy Philippe...assistant coach Nicolas Gagnon...massage Yannik Girard...goalkeeping coach Dahha Youssef...director Nicolas Coupleux

Game officials:...referee Yusri Rudolph...referee's assistants Gianni Facchini and Dave Ashfield...fourth official Hassane Rifai...(all black uniforms, neon yellow trim)

1st Half:...game starts 3:19pm...TC defends south end on this cold afternoon with a hard rain falling.
15 sec...TC Srzentic wins cornerkick when cross from 20 yards on right is blocked by defender.
45 sec...TC Maletic cornerkick from right has TC Arapovic fly over in middle and chest 8 yarder wide left of post as he fell towards goal.
1 min...TC Maletic runs down left and low 20 yard cross has retreating MIA Ouimette concede cornerkick preventing TC Fitzwilliams from getting shot at 7 yards in middle.
2 min...TC Vulemilovic Grgic low cornerkick from left is short and cleared by defender.
5 min...TC Maletic 15 yard shot up middle is blocked by MIA Morton and deflects off him and rolls forward for goalie to smother.
5 min...MIA Morton makes sliding tackle to stop cross from TC Fitzwilliams who'd ran down left side to 15 yards on extreme left and concedes cornerkick.
5 min...TC Vulemilovic Grgic cornerkick from left has goalie catch ball at 6 yards in crowd of players.
8 min...MIA Lefevre 32 yard freekick from right is tap to MIA Tissot and his low shot up middle is blocked by charging defender.
9 min...MIA Tissot 22 yard freekick along right end line has MIA Lefevre take 22 yard shot on right has TC Vulemilovic Grgic charging to edge of box deflects ball for cornerkick.
10 min...MIA Tissot cornerkick from right has MIA Morton head 8 yarder off left post and out for goalkick.
13 min...MIA Morin is tapped back ball and his 25 yard shot has flying goalie push ball wide right of goal.
14 min...MIA Tissot cornerkick from right has defender head ball wide right of post.
14 min...MIA Tissot cornerkick from right is low and centered and MIA player's 25 yard shot is blocked at 10 yards. MIA Tissot gets ball back at 22 yards on right and crosses into box where MIA Ouimette heads ball wide left from 6 yards even with left post.
17 min...TC YELLOW card...Mingon earns it for tackle on MIA Lefevre at TC 50 yards.
18 min...MIA Lefevre freekick from 55 yards on left is over to MIA Jackson-Hamal who tips 22 yard ball on right wide right of goal.
23 min...TC YELLOW card...Vulemilovic Grgic earns it for sliding tackle from behind on MIA Tissot at TC 40 yard sideline.
26 min...TC Srzentic receives high ball down the middle and turns and fires 30 yard shot wide right of net.
27 min...TC Fitzwilliams chests down cross from right but MIA defender clears ball at 15 yards.
28 min...TC Vulemilovic Grgic receives tap back of his 32 yard freekick touch down middle and he blasts shot that's blocked at 12 yards.
29 min...TFC goalie picks up through ball pass before MIA Ilcu can get to it at 7 yards on right.
29 min...MIA goalie out of box to clear ball down middle before TC Vulemilovic Grgic can get to it.
30 min...MIA sub...Ndiaye replaces Jackson-Hamel.
31 min...TC goalie jumps on right of box to fist away ball at 7 yards over MIA Morton.
31 min...MIA YELLOW card...Morton earns it for roughing after whistle on last play.
33 min...TC Maletic saves ball on left sideline and runs and sends low cross for TC Fitzwilliams who shanks shot down middle at 22 yards.
35 min...MIA goalie shanks back pass on right and clears at 5 yards when he retreats to get second try.
38 min...TC Deer high chip from 45 yards catches TC player offside at 15 yards but goalie jumps anyway to catch ball.
39 min...TC Srzentic 35 yard freekick from left gets around player wall and MIA Morton heads ball away (hurting himself) at MIA 15 yards.
41 min...MIA Tissot 30 yard freekick from right bends wide left of net.
43 min...TC Maletic 30 yard freekick from right has ball deflect off MIA defender at 12 yards and goalie gets to ball to dive on it on right.
43 min...MIA Lefevre pushes through pass from right over to MIA Ilcu at 30 yards who is checked off ball at 16 yards.
45 min...MIA Messoudi 25 yard shot from left is wide left.
46 min...TC YELLOW card...Fitzwilliams earns it for tug on MIA Ilcu at TC 32 yards.
46 min...MIA Lefevre low 32 yard freekick down middle deflects for cornerkick.
47 min...MIA Tissot cornerkick from right is over players in box and wide left for goalkick.
47 min...half ends 4:06pm.

2nd Half:...starts 4:23pm.
46 min...TC Maletic is fed pass from 35 yards on right from TC Srzentic and takes 25 yard shot down middle that's just over net.
47 min...TC Fitzwilliams low 22 yard shot is deflected for cornerkick on right.
47 min...TC Maletic cornerkick from right is low and cleared on edge of 6 yard box.
49 min...TC Maletic recovers his blocked shot off Imp Morton at 22 yards and pushes the ball to TC Fitzwilliams at 20 yards on the left and his shot had the flying goalie push the ball wide right of the post.
50 min...TC Maletic cornerkick from right has ball cleared after ball pinballs back to right and TC Maletic can't win Penalty kick on rush into right side of box when he goes down on challenge by MIA Tissot.
52 min...MIA goalie picks up roller along right end line deflected back to him.
It's now not raining as hard as it was at the start of the game.
54 min...TC Maletic survives a sliding tackle by MIA Morton (all leg-no ball) on the left side of the box and rolls an off-balance 12 yard shot just wide right of the post.
55 min...TC Fitzwilliams cuts towards goal from 30 yards on the left and rolls a 12 yarder across the box but the goalie dived forward to push the ball forward and break up TC Maletic waiting on the right for a shot.
55 min...TC Srzentic took a low 30 yard shot from the right that the goalie fumbled twice but held on crawling on the ground to prevent shots by TC Maletic then TC Vulemilovic Grgic.
59 min...MIA Morin is hurt at center line away from play.
62 min...TC Harris 40 yard cross from right sideline is caught by goalie on left post.
63 min...MIA Lefevre take a 40 yard low blast up the middle that the goalie ducked to catch but fumbled wide left for a cornerkick.
64 min...MIA Tissot cornerkick from left is cleared away by TC Maletic header in left side of box.
65 min...MIA sub...Ait Slimane replaces Messoudi.
67 min...MIA Morin cross from 40 yards on right has TC Srzentic chest down ball behind left end line.
67 min...MIA Tissot cornerkick from left has TC Maletic head ball away on left side of box.
70 min...MIA Ilcu is injured at TC 50 yards.
72 min...MIA goalie runs down middle out of box to clear through ball at 22 yards.
75 min...MIA goalie catches popped up header sent in from 25 yards.
77 min...TC Vulemilovic Grgic cornerkick from left is over players in box as players all playing in middle.
80 min...MIA Ilcu 35 yard freekick down middle is tapped over for MIA Lefevre to blast shot that's blocked at 35 yards by charging TC Fitzwilliams.
81 min...MIA Ilcu rush on right has him push ball over end line for goalkick.
82 min...TC Harris makes key clearance on rush up middle clearing ball before pass can reach MIA Ait Slimane.
83 min...Toronto Croatia Marin Vulemilovic Grgic GOAL...TC goalie Antonio Ilic takes a wind aided goalkick that's over players at center line and defender pops up header at MIA 50 yards. TC Tihomir Maletic shoulders ball up and takes overhead kick from 45 yards forward for TC Hayden Fitzwilliams charging down middle. Fitzwilliams shoulders ball down and to right at 25 yards for Vucemilovic Grgic who was just two steps behind but gets between defenders Karl Ouimette and Amine Meftouh and blasts 15 yard shot to top right corner of net over goalie Jason Beaulieu standing at 6 yards.
84 min...MIA YELLOW card...Lefevre earns it for tackle from behind on TC Fitzwilliams at TC 25 yards.
86 min...MIA sub...Ouido Luarca-Echeverria replaces Ndiaye.
87 min...MIA Ait Slimane rolls cross from left that has defender clear from box.
88 min...MIA long cross from 50 yards on right is over for MIA Ait Slimane whose one-touch shot from 15 yards on left is wide left.
88 min...TC sub...Lesina replaces Vulemilovic Grgic.
90 min...TC sub...Niksic replaces Srzentic.
.........MIA sub...Lincourt-Joseph replaces Meftouh.
90 min...TC Maletic rush to ball on left has MIA goalie rush over to shank up kick at 35 yards but it allows him and defenders to get back into own box.
91 min...TC Fitzwilliams rush on right and pass to TC Arapovic who's bumped off ball by MIA Lapointe-Senecal and he falls over at MIA 15 yards.
92 min...TC YELLOW card...Lesina earns it for tackle on MIA Lefevre at TC 40 yards.
93 min...MIA Lefevre takes a 45 yard freekick from the right that falls in the box where MIA Yacine Ait Slimane tries to shove TC Srzentic in the 6 yard box to get at the ball but TC Arapovic made the clearance.
94 min...TC Fitzwilliams rolls pass across MIA box from left for TC Maletic on right at 10 yards but defender breaks up pass and clears.
95 min...game ends 5:12pm.

Final Score:.....Toronto Croatia........1........Montreal Impact Academy........0........

Attendance was about 200 people on this cold and rainy afternoon. It had rained all last night and this morning and was still raining hard at game time and right until after the game. The fans who did show up wore parkas and brought umbrellas or sought the shelter under the press box.

The game was carried live on Rogers Community channel in at least the Toronto area and it played out to a 2 1/2 hour time slot with a pregame show including panelists Dick Howard and TFC Academy coach Danny Dichio and an after-game medals and trophy presentation. (Individual awards will be given out at a banquet in a few weeks). This game is scheduled to be rebroadcast on Sunday evening at 8:00pm.

Toronto Croatia becomes a repeat champion for winning both the 2011 and 2012 season. MIA will hopefully break the pattern of the losing finalist leaving the league before the next season. Hamilton Croatia only played one season (2010) and Capital City only played one season (2011). At least MIA has been in the league longer than one year.

MIA had brought some fans. There were supposedly 12 relatives of defender Karl Ouimette (who was the first graduate of the MIA Academy to make the MLS club in their first year of existance) who dropped back down to play this game. Other fans had taken a special bus even though the MLS team was playing a home game to finish their season this afternoon.

Antonio Ilic earned the shutout for TC aided by his defenders (today's starters Halburto Harris, Sven Arapovic, Josip Keran, and Ainsley Deer). TC only gave up 13 goals in 25 league and playoff games. Jason Beaulieu played well for MIA. Both goalies actually fumbled some chances with the wet ball.

Referee Yusri Rudolph was in charge of this game and gave out four Yellows in the first half (three to TC) and two in the second (one to each) that I counted. With weather conditions what they were, there were a lot of offsides from balls caught in the wind besides players overanxious to make runs at goal.

The momentum of the game changed as the two teams changed ends at the half. It just seemed like Toronto Croatia would eventually score on at least one of them.

Best non-scoring chances were at 10 minutes when MIA Maxim Tissot took a cornerkick from the right that had MIA Kai Morton head an 8 yarder off the outside of the left post. 49 minutes had TC Tihomir Maletic recover his blocked shot off Morton at 22 yards and push the ball to TC Hayden Fitzwilliams at 20 yards on the left and his shot had the flying goalie push the ball wide right of the post. 54 minutes had TC Tihomir Maletic survive a sliding tackle by Morton (all leg-no ball) on the left side of the box and roll an off-balance 12 yard shot just wide right of the post. (If he'd have fallen he would probably have drawn a Penalty kick and had Morton receive his second Yellow). 55 minutes had TC Hayden Fitzwilliams cut towards goal from 30 yards on the left and roll a 12 yarder across the box but the goalie dived forward to push the ball forward and break up Maletic waiting on the right for a shot. The same minutes TC Andelo Srzentic took a low 30 yard shot from the right that the goalie fumbled twice but held on crawling on the ground to prevent shots by Maletic then Marin Vulemilovic Grgic. 63 minutes had MIA Wandrille Lefevre take a 40 yard low blast up the middle that the goalie ducked to catch but fumbled wide left for a cornerkick. 93 minutes had Lefevre take a 45 yard freekick from the right that fell in the box where MIA Yacine Ait Slimane tried to shove Srzentic in the 6 yard box to get at the ball but Sven Arapovic made the clearance.

This was the last game in the league for TC captain Tonci Pirija who will play in Asia starting next month.

This was my 50th CSL game this year. That is actually less than last year because each team only had 22 league games and a reduced playoff schedule.

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca


Toronto Croatia starters


Montreal Impact Academy starters


TC Marin Vulemilovic Grgic (24) and Hayden Fitzwilliams (8) take kickoff.


TC Josip Keran (3) knocks ball away from MIA Mircea Ilcu (39).


TC Hayden Fitzwilliams (8) and MIA Wandrille Lefevre (55) fight for header at center line.


TC Andelo Srzentic (14) takes freekick.


MIA Mircea Ilcu (39) and Victor Ndiaye (45) take second half kickoff.


MIA Maxim Tissot (51) clears ball from the box.


TC Tonci Pirija (23) on left and Tihomir Maletic (10) hoist cup.


Toronto Croatia team picture after the trophy presentation.

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