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CSL Week 17


Rocket Robin

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Friday September 5th, 2008.

Rick Titus played the entire 94 minutes of the CSL game Portugal FC vs Italia Shooters. Shooters scored in the last minute of injury time but still lost 3-2.

(wouldn't you think there'd be a request in to 'rest' Titus for tomorrow's game?)

Playing for TFC of the MLS because of so many callups to national teams.

The game also started over 30 minutes late when both teams brought their 'white' kits to the game. Shooters as the visitors had to get someone to drive back for their alternates (fighting Toronto International Film Festival traffic) but before the person got back, Portugal whipped out their red kits (which I wonder if they had all along?) and the game got going just after 8:30pm with now a misty rain that started. (good thing this wasn't the Roger's Game of the week).

Probably some pressure from the Lamport grounds crew that there were other permit holders so they better get on with this game. (I think it was a U-Sector game scheduled?).

Now near midnight and home at last, I'll wait until tomorrow to post the game details

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Result of the Friday September 5th, 2008 CSL game between Portugal FC and Italia Shooters played at Lamport Stadium in Toronto at 8:00pm.

13 min…Portugal FC Mike DiLuca GOAL…DiLuca has ball deflect to him at 50 yards giving him break. He dekes goalie Camilo Benzi at 40 yards on left and rolls in 30 yard ball to middle of net as two retreating defenders converge on him there.

65 min…Portugal FC Selmir Sehic GOAL…Sehic from 50 yards on right chips goalie only 7 yards off his line and the ball drops into left side of net.

68 min…Shooters David DiPlacido GOAL…DiPlacido’s 25 yard low shot deflects off a defender into net as it changed directions on goalie.

82 min…Portugal FC Emerson Fiti GOAL…Fiti touches 22 yard freekick to PFC Selmir Sehic who stops it and Fiti bends 20 yard shot into right side of net.

94 min…Shooters Kadien Lecky GOAL…Shooters Luca Zucal crosses ball into box from 25 yards after run down left. A PFC defender skies the ball on kick at 10 yards and it drops for goalie who fumbles it at 3 yards and Lecky bulls ball into open net. Lecky picks up ball from net and runs it back to center circle but referee Isaac Raymond blows whistle as soon as the restart.

Final Score:……….Portugal FC……….3…………Italia Shooters………..2…………

Attendance was about 300 on this mild but overcast night. A misty rain starts at 8:30pm (much like it had in the afternoon) but didn’t fall for long.

The game also started over 30 minutes late when both teams brought their 'white' kits to the game. Shooters as the visitors had to get someone to drive back for their alternates (fighting Toronto International Film Festival traffic) but before the person got back, Portugal whipped out their red kits (which I wonder if they had all along?) and the game got going just after 8:30pm with now a misty rain that started. (Good thing this wasn't the Roger's Game of the week). Probably some pressure from the Lamport grounds crew that there were other permit holders so they better get on with this game. (I think it was a U-Sector game scheduled?).

Rick Titus played the entire game on defence. I wouldn't have expected him to play as he’s been called up by Toronto FC of the MLS who are short of players because of so many call ups to different national teams. He’ll have to reach back to his USL and CSL days when teams often play two games in two days. I had asked Shooters coach Carmine Isaaco before the game if any Shooters players had got the call up and he just put his finger to his lips “Shhhh” with a big smile on his face. It was Ennio the PA announcer who told me Titus had been called up. (I hadn’t read the message boards for a day so I was in the dark). Isaaco is still serving a suspension so had to hop over the barrier back into the stands after the team warm-ups.

Tonight’s game had two great goals similar to David Beckham’s best. The Sehic goal was great as the goalie wasn’t really far off his line but the ball just dropped in as it got near the bar on a 50 yard shot. Fiti’s freekick goal too was great as it curved into the net before reaching the player wall and finding the goalie in the center of the net. It wasn’t Portugal’s only attempts, they had one player chip the ball over the defenders and the forwards charge for it but mostly they were called back on offsides.

This is an important win for Portugal FC as it’s their second in a row after a poor road trip to London and Windsor. Now that the league has combined the standings of the two divisions to make it easy to see who will make the playoffs (or easy to see which three teams will NOT make the playoffs, Portugal flips over a few more teams to the middle of the standings. The Shooters were in first place in their division but with Serbian White Eagles winning 5-1 last night against Brampton Lions, the race got tighter.

Rocket Robin

robing@eol.ca

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Result of the Sunday September 7th, 2008 CSL game between North York Astros and Serbian White Eagles played at Esther Shiner Stadium in North York at 5:00pm.

30 min…Astros Johnathan Hurtis GOAL…Astros Selvin Lammie cross from right end line from 18 yards has charging Hurtis kick in ball from 4 yards to right side of net stepping in front of goalie Mike Pelc.

48 min…White Eagles (Astros own) GOAL…SWE Milan Janosevic run on left and low cross from 20 yards. Astros Alex Kawalit slides back at 5 yards on left and deflects ball into right side of own net.

65 min…White Eagles Nenad Stojcic GOAL…Stojcic on run up middle has pass with SWE Alex Braletic on edge of box. Stojcic rolls off balance shot that diving goalie Pablo Alvarado blocks but pushes into right post behind line for goal.

77 min…White Eagles Darryl Gomez GOAL…Gomez holds ball after deke of defender, turns at 20 yards on left and fires ball into top right side of net beyond flying goalie.

Final Score:…….North York Astros……1……….Serbian White Eagles…………3………

Attendance was about 350 which was the biggest crowd I’ve seen for an Astros game in several years. The Astros had quite a few kids teams with their parents watching them. They were involved in halftime games and stayed the entire game as ball retrievers which is different when other years when groups would leave after halftime and leave the 50 yard end zones unattended. The White Eagles had traveling supporters too.

Impressive for the Astros in getting the word out as they haven’t had a home game since June 28th. They have four games left and they’re all at home so they may move up the standings or at least stay in a playoff spot.

The scoring could have started earlier as it 14 minutes White Eagles Sasa Viciknez’s 30 yard freekick from the right has the ball hit the bar and bounce down on left white Alex Braletic slips and rolled 10 yard shot wide right across the goalmouth. At 19 minutes Elton Fernandes crossed from the right end line on a sky ball and Selvin Lammie blasts 8 yarder off the right post. After all that scoring, Astros had a few close chances with their best at 79 minutes when substitute Martin Artale charged down the middle and hit the right post from 20 yards as he chipped the goalie and won a cornerkick.

Referee Angelo Gertsakis didn’t have to give out too many cards as the game was wide open. Astros actually looked better in the first half but the White Eagles broke loose in second half.

Diego Maradona is still property of the Astros but is currently “on-loan” to the White Eagles but part of the deal is he can’t play against the Astros. Last White Eagles game I saw was August 24th against Italia Shooters and they didn’t bring him in as a sub.

Earlier in the day the Brampton Lions vs. Portugal FC game was postponed as Victoria Park was still flooded after the rain of earlier in the afternoon. There’s one vote for artificial turf like North York has. Rumour had part of the Brampton problem exaggerated by the city letting the grass get too long.

Rocket Robin

robing@eol.ca

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I went to Victoria Park cause I didn't know that game was cancelled, so I head down to North York to watch the Astros and the White Eagles.

An other enjoyable game to watch, Astros dominated the first half and the last 20 minutes of the game. Serbia got lucky with the Astros two own goals that put them ahead 1-2 in the middle of the second half. Serbia's third goal was a beauty.

The White Eagles are the most experience team in the league and it shows every time they get a break from other teams mistakes, they make them count. They are a solid team and should finish first in the International Division.

The Astros didn't deserve to loose this game but soccer is not about who deserves the win, is about scoring goals and not making too many mistakes.

The Astros keeper is very shaky, he put the ball into his own net on the Eagles second goal.

It was very strange to see Nick Budalic playing as a central defender and he did a very good job.

Nice crowd at the game.

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