USL D1 - Sep. 3 - Toronto v. Virginia Beach (R)

[Steve B]

Lynx win 2-1 on a rainy night. Maybe 300 people there.

Goals by Jeffrey and Neto. If only the Lynx had won a couple in the first eight games they could have been in the playoff race.

Zagar was at fault on the goal. He does make the odd specatacular save, but all in all, he is becoming a liability. Poor judgement and poor kicking.

Arango is MLS material at central defence.

[Rocket Robin]

September 3, 2006 USL Toronto Lynx vs. Virginia Beach Mariners (by Rocket Robin)

Result of the Sunday September 3, 2006 USL game between Toronto Lynx and Virginia Beach Mariners played at Centennial Stadium in Etobicoke at 6:00pm.

9 min‚8³2ynx Kevin Jeffrey GOAL‚8³2ynx Gordon Chin pushes through ball between defenders for charging Jeffrey who slides 15 yarder under diving goalie Matthew Nelson to right side of net.

59 min‚8³3ariners Brian Cvilikas GOAL‚8³3ariners Felix Brillant cross from right has Cvilikas head ball over Lynx goalie Theo Zagar from 8 yards as big crowd of players in box and Zagar stepped forward to try to punch ball.

69 min‚8³2ynx Osni Neto GOAL‚8³2ynx Robbie Aristodemo rolls cross from right to Neto who runs across box from right to center of net and cuts 10 yard shot to right corner of net beyond diving goalie.

Final Score:‚8¸8Toronto Lynx‚8¸8?‚8¸8?Virginia Beach Mariners‚8¸8..1‚8¸8..

Attendance wasnƒ0à1 announced except in the press box where it was given as 1004. Iƒ0Þ2 estimate there may have been 500 people in the stands. Rain throughout the day probably killed any walk up crowd. A downpour started at 28 minutes but stopped at halftime and then a misty rain continued during the second half.

The Lynx continued to impress as they stretch their undefeated run at home to nine games. Rick Titus blocked shots and broke up crosses about a dozen times in the game. Robbie Aristodemo ran all over the field and sent in crosses and runs down the wing. Gordon Chin did the same but stayed more in the middle. Damian Pottinger charged forward and headed a Robbie Aristodemo corner kick from the right into the dirt from 4 yards and the deflection bounced onto the top of the netting. Neto got away an 18 yard shot at 78 minutes on a rush and the goalie flew to make the save and scramble to pounce on the rebound at 5 yards before the Lynx forwards to charge to it.

Theo Zagar had a game winning save at 79 minutes when Nathan Micklos got a through ball and his 10 yard low shot from even with the left post was pushed wide right by the diving goalie. The Mariners got a few more corner kicks that had defenders and VBM forwards pop up balls over the net or were cleared. Another great save was at 65 minutes when Steve Shak took a 35 yard blast up the middle that deflected off somebodyƒ0à0 head changing direction and Zagar caught the ball on the right post.

Brian Cvilikas had only been on the field for two minutes when he scored. Neto had only been in the game for five when he scored. He came in for Gordon Chin rather than Kevin Jeffrey (who stayed in until 87 minutes) the usual platoon mate that showed me the Lynx were going for the win.

The grounds never got as bad as todayƒ0à0 U-20 Womenƒ0à0 final of North Korea vs. China but it was good to see the game not denigrate into long balls although that would have been tempting to avoid the chopped up field. The game wasnƒ0à1 rough after referee Justin Tasev gave out a few early cards but sliding tackles were easy and often successful on the wet field. Both teams were concentrating on rushes and counter attacks for the game to get too chippy.

This was the final game of the season for the Mariners who have played their 28 game schedule. They needed the win to stay in the playoff run although there were a few other teams with games in hand that could have passed them next week.

The Lynx have two league games to go; Friday in Montreal against the Impact and back in Toronto next Sunday (Note change in starting time from 4:00pm to 6:00pm).

They are also playing in the final of the Open Canada Cup sometime in the week in London Ontario. (Not Monday because of rain delays in picking the other finalist).

Rocket Robin

robing@eol.ca

posted from cybermax web cafe North York (hope there's not too many Chinese/Korean characters in this message.

[Steve B]

BTW, the Lynx move out of the basement with this win. The Minnesota game next week may actually have some "meaning" in the sense that it could be a battle to avoid last place (although Portland could be in that mix as well).