CSL 2009 Week 18

[Rocket Robin]

I was sure I posted this last night:.......

Result of the Wednesday September 9th, 2009 CSL game between TorontoCroatia and North York Astros played at Centennial Stadium in Etobicoke at 7:00pm.

Final Score:………..TorontoCroatia…………0……….North York Astros………..0………

Attendance was about 125 on this mild evening. The game was moved from Sunday because TorontoCroatia rescheduled a rained out game earlier in the year to last Friday night so bumped this game to tonight. The early start was because an Ontario Soccer League game that was scheduled for 9:00pm. The rush hour was still going on and it took much longer to get here than I thought.

Marko Culjak earned the shutout for Croatia making a few key saves. The toughest was at 30 minutes when Astros Nick Miodrag rushed on the right and cut towards the goal and blasted a 10 yarder that Culjak pushed high and wide left of the net. He had nothing to do after 77 minutes as the game was played in the Astros end.

Euloge Awitor earned the shutout for the Astros. He had to be alert throughout the game. His biggest moment was at 85 minutes when he made a save at 7 yards and was injured on the play then had the ball kicked at him from 20 yards when he was down and it hit him and finally the play was whistled down. Play didn’t resume until the 92 minute mark. This was the biggest reason why there was 7 minutes of injury time and the game ended at 100 minutes. At 94 minutes a Croatian player took a 25 yard cross from the left and Awitor slid out to make the save before another player could make a play and his slide injured teammate Diego Benzi. Play continued though and the ball was crossed from 10 yards by Croatia’s Halberto Harris and the goalie stopped it. At 95 minutes, Harris took a 12 yard shot down the middle that hit the bar and Tonci Piriaja then took a 15 yard shot from the right that was just over the bar. Midfielder Johnny Bustamante had quite a few chances throughout the game.

Astros had brought only two spare outfield players plus an extra goalie and appeared to be hanging on for the last 23 minutes of the game. They were a surprise especially in the half as they had just as many chances as Croatia. Forwards Zakariae Mahradu and Nick Miodrag along with freekick taker Diego Maradona had numerous chances but they were saved by the goalie or defenders or were off target.

Referee Justin Tasev had a very quiet game to officiate and I didn’t notice a card until 67 minutes.

North York Astros earn a valuable point in this clash with the first place team in the league. Astros stay in 9th place but move closer to the final playoff spot. Depending how the St Catharines Wolves vs. Serbian White Eagles game went tonight, the White Eagles take over first place if they won tonight.

Rocket Robin

robing@eol.ca

[Rocket Robin]

Result of the Sunday September 13th, 2009 CSL game between Italia Shooters and North York Astros played at St Joan of Arc Catholic High School in Maple at 5:00pm.

8 min…Astros Alexandre Oran trips up Shooters Kadian Lecky running along right end line towards goal. Referee Dominic Scali calls a Penalty kick.

9 min…Shooters Kadian Lecky GOAL…Lecky blasts low Penalty kick shot into left corner of net beyond diving goalie Euloge Anitor.

53 min…Astros Diego Maradona GOAL…Astros Nick Miodrag crosses ball after run on left to 15 yards that has Maradona in middle head 5 yarder to right corner of net beyond goalie Camilo Benzi.

84 min…Shooters Nick Cisternino GOAL…Cisternino gets ball crossed to him from 20 yards from left and blasts 15 yarder from right into top left corner of net. (The pass either came from Johan Carrera that’s what Nick said or Desi Humphrey said fellow forward Jason DeThomasis).

Final Score:…..Italia Shooters………2…………North York Astros………1……..

Attendance was about 200 on this mild afternoon with a bright sun in the west. Attendance was helped by a big group from the Unionville under 9s acting as the ball boys for today’s game.

Shooters could have put this away much earlier but they kept being called for being offside especially for speedy forward Kadian Lecky. There was a headed shot by Lecky that fans, players and owners swear was across the line before the goalie swatted it out. Lecky had another goal called back for offside. Lecky was eventually subbed out at 79 minutes for a foot injury.

Astros almost took the lead at 74 minutes when Gersi Xhuti blasted a 20 yard shot from the left that bent and hit the left goalpost and the rebound was cleared. Then at 76 minutes when Alexandre Oran took a 35 yard freekick that somehow got through four Astros players waiting at the right post for a shot or tap-in.

Shooters defenders Nick Cisternino (yes, the winning goal scorer), Gersi Ryan Dummet, Fitzroy Christie and Rick Titus (who said after the game that he was now aged 40) limited the Astros chances for shots on goal.

Astros goalie Euloge Anitor had to be aggressive by sliding to the edge of the box and running out of the box to clear through balls. Just before the winning goal, Anitor was in a bone crushing crash with Shooters forward Jason DeThomasis just outside the box.

Referee Domenic Scali had a pretty easy time in the first half but had to give out cards (nothing but Yellows) in the second half for rough play and frustration at offside and freekick calls.

The result of this game eliminates North York Astros from playoff contention with one week to go in the schedule. This clinches spots for Italia Shooters, TFC Academy, St Catharines Wolves, and Portugal FC. Trois-Rivieres Attak, Toronto Croatia, Serbian White Eagles and Brampton Lions had earned a spot in previous weeks. London City is the other team that won’t make the playoffs. There is still a shuffle in next weeks’ games for placements of playoff positions including who will be first overall.

Other games we heard about today in Toronto was TFC Academy beat London City 7-1 (well I can’t be at more than one game at a time!) and from Sherbrooke where Trois-Rivieres Attak beat Serbian White Eagles 2-0.

Rocket Robin

robing@eol.ca