October 12, 2013 CSL Quarterfinal--Toronto Croatia vs Windsor Stars (by Rocket Robin)

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Result and details of the Saturday October 12, 2013 CSL Quarterfinal game between Toronto Croatia and Windsor Stars played at Centennial Stadium in Etobicoke at 7:00pm.

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

.........................12 Antonio Ilic
7 Halberto Harris...4 Sven Arapovic...3 Josip Keran...15 Ainsley Deer
11 Jarek Whiteman...20 David Alva...18 Boze Poljak...8 Hayden Fitzwilliams
............10 Tihomir Maletic (cpt)...9 Kresimir Prgomet

Subs:...17 Mateo Sulic (gk)...5 Roberto Galle (mid)...6 Hrvoje Perkovic (def)...19 Petar Mingon (mid)...21 Daniel Niksic (mid)
...22 Mladen Bajamic (mid)...23 Augustin DeMedina (mid)
team officials:...head coach Velimir Crljan...assistant coach Miodrag Akmadzic...manager Ivan Kulis...assistant manager Perica Arapovic
...physio Amanda Liddle

Windsor Stars (white socks and numbers, navy short, blue shirts)

.......................1 Anthony Santilli (cpt)
..........5 Joshua Rogers...3 Patrick Lepera...2 Jamar Kelly
8 Michael Chiandussi...10 John Swiastyn...9 Stephen Ademolu...11 Ciprian Codea
.........14 Adam Philip...21 Micahel Pio...6 Wade Allen

Subs:...4 Sleman Habib (def)...7 Jeff Hodgson (mid)...12 Erik Cirovski (mid)...13 Michael Watson (mid)...13 Chad Stuecher (def)
16 Gino Berardi (fwd)...20 Alexander Rickett (mid)...[although I counted four subs at most].
team officials:...manager Gino Berardi...chiropractor Anthony Meo...director Vancho Cirovski

Game officials:...referee MIcahel Anthony Izzo...referee's assistants Mike Stenbring and Brian Butler...fourth official Vito Currelli
...(neon yellow shirts, black shorts and socks)

1st Half:...game starts 7:08pm...TC defends south end on this cool night with the weather getting colder as it's almost dark.
1 min...WS Chiandussi blasts partial clearance from 30 yards on right is just wide right of post.
8 min...WS Ademolu low 35 yard shot down middle through players and wide right.
9 min...WS goalie charges to edge of box to grab through ball bouncer ahead of TC Whiteman.
10 min...TC Maletic dekes defender at 20 yards but pushes ball too far ahead that lets goalie pick up at 6 yards.
16 min...WS Codea 40 yard freekick from left has defender lcear on edge of box.
17 min...WS Allen long throw-in from right has defender clear from box.
17 min...TC YELLOW card...Alva earns it for card for knock over at center line.
18 min...TC Deer rush up left and 20 yard shot has ball deflect off WS Rogers and just over bar.
22 min...TC Maletic in middle heads ball forward from 25 yards and TC Whiteman shoots 18 yarder up middle that goalie dives left to save.
22 min...TC Poljak cornerkick from left has TC Fitzwilliams flick 10 yard header wide right of net.
24 min...WS Philip centers pass to WS Pio and 18 yard shot is partially deflected by defender.
26 min...TC Fitzwilliams on left rolls ball over end line before he can get away shot.
28 min...TC Whiteman cross from 25 yards on right is behind net.
29 min...TC goalie runs forward and to left to pick up ball pushed too far forward.
30 min...TC Maletic 30 yard freekick from right has ball stopped in box and TC players not able to get away shot.
31 min...TC Deer chips pass forward from 55 yards on left to TC Fitzwilliams who charges to near end line and sends low cross though box and TC Deer follows through with 10 yard off balance shot down middle wide right.
34 min...WS Kelly 40 yard freekick from left has defender head ball away.
35 min...TC Maletic rolls pass on right to right for charging TC Harris to blast 12 yarder over net.
36 min...WS Pio tries two crosses from 22 yards on right are both cleared from box.
39 min...TC Poljak 30 yard freekick down middle blast is just high of right corner of net.
40 min...TC Prgomet 45 yard freekick from left has goalie charge out and catch near head of own player.
41 min...TC Prgomet 20 yard shot when received pass has WS goalie dive to block.
42 min...WS YELLOW card...Chiandussi earns it for pushing player at WS 28 yards.
45 min...WS YELLOW card...Ademolu earns it for pushing over TC Maletic.
45 min...TC Fitzwilliams can't get away shot when squeezed by two defenders in WS box.
48 min...W player's 40 yard freekick from left has defender head ball away.
48 min...half ends 7:56pm.

2nd Half:...starts 8:11pm.
47 min...WS Rogers 50 yard freekick is cleared on edge of box.
47 min...WS Allen receives pass up right and 25 yard shot is caught by goalie.
49 min...TC goalie beats WS Philip to through ball on right to pick up.
50 min...TC Arapovic big header at 8 yards to clear WS cross into box.
51 min...TC sub...Bajamic replaces Alva.
52 min...WS Kelly long throw-in has defenders clear ball.
53 min...TC Whiteman is injured at WS 30 yards on WS player's clearance as foot catches him.
56 min...good WS pressure ends when WS player pushes pass over end line on right.
57 min...TC sub...Niksic replaces Prgomet.
60 min...TC Poljak chips pass forward to TC Whiteman for quick shot from 25 yards that goalie stops.
61 min...TC Bajamic bends 50 yard freekick from right that goalie bats down and rebound chip after partial clearance is flagged offside.
62 min...WS YELLOW card...Kelly earns it for knocking over TC Maletic on quick break at center line.
64 min...WS YELLOW card...Santilli (goalie) earns it for argueing call that WS had won throw-in.
65 min...TC Whiteman rolls pass forward for TC Maletic whose back was turned and he can't control it at WS 35 yards.
67 min...TC Maletic is rolled pass up right and rush and low cross through box has TC Fitzwilliams miss 4 yard tap in and WS player clears behind end line.
68 min...TC players take two cornerkicks on left--the first is deflected wide left and the second has goalie catch on right.
70 min...WS Allen rush on right wing and 20 yard shot from extreme right has goalie palm to left out of box.
71 min...TC Fitzwilliams rescues ball on WS left end line and crosses over right in 6 yard box but TC player on right dribble ball over end line.
72 min...TC Whiteman long run to ball up left wing but pushes ball over left end line before he can cross.
74 min...WS sub...Hodgson replaces Philip.
74 min...WS Swiastyn low 28 yard shot up middle between players in wide right.
75 min...TC goalie runs forward to bat ball clearance and over edge of box for WS freekick as he'd stepped out of box.
76 min...WS Allen 20 yard freekick lob after tapped ball is just over bar.
78 min...TC goalie to right to grab bouncing through ball pass.
78 min...WS player's throw-in from right has defenders eventually clear.
79 min...WS Allen can't be checked off ball on left side of box and eventually wins cornerkick.
79 min...WS Allen low cornerkick from left has charging WS Ademolu on left but defender kick for another cornerkick.
80 min...WS Allen cornerkick from left has WS 3 leap and head ball wide left from 5 yards.
83 min...WS defender makes clearing header at 10 yards on cross from left.
84 min...TC 18 short pass forward to TC Bajamic up middle and low 28 yard shot up middle is smothered by goalie.
85 min...TC Maletic cross from 30 yards on right has goalie chase down on left on bounce.
86 min...WS Poljak is injured with leg cramp at WS 50 yards.
87 min...TC YELLOW card for pushing at TC 45 yards.
87 min...TC Harris heads away WS freekick from 45 yards on edge of box.
88 min...WS Allen short centering pass to WS Niksic who blasts 22 yarder down middle high and wide right.
89 min...WS sub...Cirovski replaces Codea.
90 min...WS Allen has shot blocked by TC Deer.
90 min...WS Swiastyn off balance shot from 12 yards is wide left of goal.
91 min...TC Whiteman rolls cross from 25 yards on right and TC Maletic steps around defender and off balance 7 yard shot is saved by diving goalie. TC can't win appeal for a Penalty kick.
93 min...WS Cirovski can't control ball at 6 yards wide left of net and foot knocks ball over end line.
93 min...half ends 8:59pm.

end of regulation time....Toronto Croatia......0.......Windsor Starts.......0.......

1st Overtime Half: Silver Ball Overtime (15 minute half)
90 min...WS goalie picks up TC Maletic's through ball on pass before TC Fitzwilliams can get to it.
91 min...TC Whiteman steals ball off WS Chiandussi and rush on left and blasts 15 yarder from left is over net.
92 min...TC Bajamic 40 yard shot up middle deflects off player and goalie catches on bounce.
93 min...WS Lepera 55 yard freekick up middle has defender head away on left side of box.
95 min...TC Maletic rush on right and cross from 20 yards along end line has ball unplayed on left side.
96 min...TC Keran 40 yard freekick from left is around wall and goalie gets down on right side to push ball away.
97 min...TC Galle (when did he come in?) rush on right and pushes ball over right end line.
100 min...TC Fitzwilliams cross from 25 yards left over to TC Whiteman who can't get away 10 yard shot on right and ball rolls over endline.
100 min...TC Jarek Whiteman GOAL...TC Tihomir Maletic rolls a pass from 22 yards in middle to right and Whiteman shoots 15 yarder over sliding goalie Anthony Santilli to middle of net.
105 min...WS player's long throw-in from right has defender head ball away on right edge of box.
105 min...half ends 9:20pm.

2nd Overtime (15 minute half):
106 min...TC Jarek Whiteman GOAL...Whiteman gets to pass on left and rushes to 15 yards and shoots into right corner of net.
106 min...WS RED card...Michael Chiandussi picks up his second Yellow card after the goal for argueing with referee Michael Anthony Izzo. We could hear him say "You gave them the game, well done." and leave with mocking applause of the referee. The goal was set up at the center line with a hard clearance deflection off a player (possible foul) that deflected over to Whiteman. 110 min...WS RED card...Stepehn Ademolu earns it for serious foul play.
..........TC RED card...Jarek Whiteman earns it for violent conduct.
..........WS RED card...Chad Stuecher earns it for violent conduct.
..........TC RED card...Tihomir Maletic earns it for violent conduct.
116 min...WS player cross from right is over WS player at 10 yards in TC box.
TC players are playing 'keep away' when they can.
121:34 min...game ends 9:41pm.

Final Score:......Toronto Croatia.....2......Windsor Stars.....0........(after extra time).........

Attendance was about 120 on this cool night with the temperature dropping quickly as the night wore on.

This was a one game quarterfinal match between the 3rd seed Toronto Croatia and the 6th ranked Windsor Stars. Windsor had come to the GTA within the last two weeks with 12 then 10 players in losses that didn't knock them down in the seed rankings. Tonight they brought what looked like four players on the bench. They played well combined with Croatia not being able to finish their chances.

Toronto Croatia advances to the semi-final which they will host next weekend. Their officials were pleading after the game about losing their best players Tihomir Maletic (team captain and 2nd leading scorer with 9) and Jarek Whiteman (5 goals after joining the team a few months ago) as 'violent conduct' earns a three game suspension rather than one. Whiteman explained that he was pulled down by Ademolu who fell on top of him then when he felt his jersey being pulled while on the ground he pushed back. Maletic said he was defending his teammate in the pushing match that broke out. (of course they'd both say that but other sources--the game officials said that punches were thrown).

The pushing match/fight took about 7 minutes to clear up (calculated by Ennio the PA guy) and Izzo had the fourth official hold up a sign for 4 minutes of added time but blew the whistle after 1 minute when he could see nine man Croatia playing keep-away from eight man Windsor. Of course TC didn't want to risk losing any more players so didn't press upfield for any more goals to provoke a fight.

I counted six Yellow cards (four to Windsor) during the game before the 106 minute mark. There were also lots of freekick calls after hard tackles in this game that was rough even before the fight broke out.

Toronto Croatia dominated for long periods of the game but Windsor had stretches where it looked like they'd score. Antonio Ilic earned the shutout for Croatia making a few key saves. He had been a player RED carded in their second last regular season game and was supposed to miss three games but the team successfully appealed it down to just one game (although his offence was not 'serious foul play').

Best non-scoring chances were at 22 minutes when TC Tihomir Maletic in middle headed a ball forward from 25 yards and TC Kresimir Prgomet shot an 18 yarder up the middle that goalie Anthony Santilli dived to the left to save. The same minute had TC Boze Poljak take a cornerkick from the left that had TC Hayden Fitzwilliams flick a 10 yard header wide right of the net. 31 minutes had TC Ainsley Deer chip a pass forward from 55 yards on the left to Fitzwilliams who charged to near the end line and sent a low cross through the box and Deer followed through with a 10 yard off balance shot down the middle but wide right. 41 minutes had TC Prgomet receive a pass and take a 20 yard shot that the goalie dove to block. 67 minutes had TC Maletic rolled a pass up the right and he rushed then sent a low cross through the box that had Fitzwilliams miss a 4 yard tap-in. 70 minutes had WS wade Allen rush on the right wing and take a 20 yard shot from the extreme right that the goalie palmed to the left and out of the box. 76 minutes had WS Allen receive a tapped freekick and lob a 20 yarder just over the bar. 80 minutes and Allen's cornerkick from the left had WS Patrick Leppera leap and head the ball wide left from 5 yards. 90 minutes had WS John Swiastyn take an off-balance 12 yard shot that went just left of the goal. A minute later TC Jarek Whiteman rolled a cross from 25 yards on the right and Maletic stepped around a defender and his off-balance 7 yard shot was saved by the diving goalie and he couldn't win an appeal for a Penalty kick. First overtime had TC Whiteman at 91 minutes steal the ball from WS Michael Chiandussi and rush on the left and blast a 15 yarder over the net. 96 minutes had TC Josip Keran take a 40 yard freekick from the left around the wall and the goalie got down on right side to push the ball away. 100 minutes had TC Fitzwilliams's cross from 25 yards on the left and TC Whiteman couldn't get away a shot from 10 yards--but within that minute he then broke the game open.

I'd expect the semi-final opponent will be the winner of the Brampton City United vs SC Waterloo game on Monday night.

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca

Toronto Croatia starters