August 27 - Rochester vs. Montreal [R]

[DJT]

Rochester 2 Montreal 0

Rochester clinch a playoff spot in their final game.

[sstackho]

Rhinos, Impact display hostility

Jeff DiVeronica

Staff

685 words

28 August 2004

Democrat & Chronicle

Metro

8D

English

© Copyright 2004, Democrat & Chronicle. All Rights Reserved.

Tempers flare between the rivals in a match marred by rough play.

Jeff DiVeronica

Staff writer

If A-League officials view videotape of the altercation between Rhinos midfielder Lenin Steenkamp and Montreal's Nevio Pizzolitto, don't expect to see Pizzolitto in at least one of the Impact's playoff matches.

Punches draw an automatic suspension.

Video from WROC-TV (Channel 8) clearly shows Pizzolitto, who exchanged words with Steenkamp en route to the locker room at halftime of Friday night's 2-0 Rochester win at Frontier Field, connecting with a round-house right. It caused a small cut above Steenkamp's left eye.

Video of the punch is expected to be shown on The Soccer Sam TV Show on WB-16 at noon today and midnight tonight.

The Rhinos, who could play A-League Eastern Conference champion Montreal in the first round, plan to send a copy of the video to the league.

Steenkamp said Pizzolitto was telling him not to leave the field at that exit because that's not where the Rhinos were supposed to leave. It's also where Steenkamp and Montreal's Gabriel Gervais previously had an altercation.

"I turned away and he punched me," Steenkamp said. "That's OK, his day will come."

Pizzolitto said there was "pushing and shoving. That was about it."

When told Steenkamp accused him of the punch, Pizzolitto said, "That's what he says. That's trying to stir stuff. We're a game away from the playoffs, he's trying to get guys kicked out."

Rochester coach Pat Ercoli, who also had a heated exchange with Montreal coach Nick DeSantis after the match, thought that was the Impact's strategy because if a Rhino was ejected he would have been suspended for the first playoff game. The two ejected Impact players, Adam Braz and Mauricio Vincello, can serve their suspension during Sunday's meaningless regular-season finale against Richmond.

Rhinos defender Bill Sedgewick will miss the first round of the playoffs because of yellow-card accumulation. The team had the choice to have Sedgewick sit Friday or in the playoffs and chose to play him Friday.

Officials didn't see Pizzolitto's punch because DeSantis was busy giving them an earful as they tried to leave the pitch.

Adios: Braz's red card came in the 17th minute on a tackle against Noah Delgado.

Steenkamp waved "bye" to Braz as he was led behind the Rhinos' bench.

Rhinos veteran midfielder Yari Allnutt was so incensed he waved for Braz to follow him into the tunnel near the third-base dugout, but Rhinos defender David Wright and Ercoli harnessed Allnutt.

JDIVERON@DemocratandChronicle.com

Stadium design

The Rhinos will unveil their latest architectural designs for $23 million PAETEC Park at a 2 p.m. news conference on Monday at the site of the proposed soccer stadium at the corner of Oak and Smith streets.

Rhinos 2, Montreal 0

Scoring: 1, Rhinos, Noah Delgado (Ian Fuller) 25th minute; 2, Rhinos, Corey Woolfolk (Chris Carrieri) 27th.

Shots: Montreal 10, Rhinos 8. Saves: Montreal 3, Rhinos 6. Fouls: Montreal 18, Rhinos 16. Offsides: Montreal 3, Rhinos 2. Corner kicks: Montreal 6, Rhinos 4. Yellow cards: Montreal 3 (Biello 11, Pizzolitto 37); Rhinos 3 (Carrieri 5, Allnutt 79, Delgado 88). Red card: Montreal 1 (Braz 17).

Lineups

Rhinos: goalie Theo Zagar; defenders Craig Demmin, John Wilson, Carlos Semedo (David Wright, 58), Bill Sedgewick; midfielders Noah Delgado, Kirk Wilson, Ian Fuller (Yari Allnutt, 74), Shaun Tsakiris (Ryan Trout, 63); forwards Chris Carrieri (Pato Aguilera, 84), Corey Woolfolk (Doug Miller, 63).

Montreal: goalie Greg Sutton; defenders Nevio Pizzolitto, Mauricio Vincello, Chris Williams, Adam Braz; midfielders Patrick Leduc, Mauro Biello, Yuri Lavrynenko (Joel Bailey, 57), Chris Williams (Fred Commodore, 70); forwards Eduardo Sebrango (Adrian Caan, 87), Antonio Ribiero (Chris Lemire, 75).

Attendance: 12,707.

PHOTO CAPTION

Rochester's Lenin Steenkamp, left, was punched by Montreal's Nevio Pizzolitto while heading for the locker room at the end of the first half at Frontier Field on Friday night.