CSL 2010 Week 23

[Rocket Robin 2]

Result of the Friday October 8th, 2010 CSL game between Toronto Croatia and York Region Shooters played at Centennial Stadium in Etobicoke at 8:00pm.

27 min...YRS Desmond Humphrey GOAL...Humphrey gives ball up middle to YRS Nicolas Martinez who taps ball from 35 yards to Humphrey through middle at 25 yards who dekes diving goalie Antonio Ilic at 12 yards and taps 7 yarder into open net.

43 min...YRS Alex Trujillo GOAL...YRS Desmond Humphrey in middle at 30 yards rolls pass forward to left and Trujillo on break shoots low 15 yard shot into right corner of net beyond sliding goalie 6 yards out.

55 min...TC Sven Arapovic GOAL...TC Jonathan Bustamante 40 yard freekick down middle chips bouncer at 15 yards and charging Arapovic heads down at 12 yards past defender Aundrae Rollins and kicks 5 yard flick just under bar on left with goalie Camilo Benzi stuck on line in center of net.

84 min...TC Niko Pesa GOAL...TC Diego Gonzalez takes ball off defender Fitzroy Christey (who'd received pass back from Rick Titus) for a 3 on 0 rush at 20 yards on right and his pass is centered to Pesa who taps 7 yarder into open net with goalie guarding right side.

Final Score:......Toronto Croatia..........2..............York Region Shooters.........2.............

Attendance was about 120 people with about 40 of them soccer referees. They were in town because Toronto is hosting the Canadian Under 17 national championships and had been in training earlier in the day. Last year officials got to take in an MLS Toronto FC game but the team is not in town this weekend. The officials were quiet except for some "ooohs" and laughter when this game's referee Alain Ruch was hit by a ball on a short cross. Well if that's entertainment for you...enjoy.

Tonight's game had both teams loading their teams with young players and backups to avoid injuries and not give away too many secrets before their likely playoff series. Only worrying thing for the Shooters at the start of the second half

they brought in three of their usual starters and couldn't hold the lead. Also on the last goal TC made a full court press on the last defender back Fitzroy Christie to steal the ball and score. Certainly the comeback is a confidence booster to Toronto Croatia who had a two goal comeback in their last game against Brampton Lions to clinch the final playoff spot.

Toronto Croatia had some other close chances. At the 1 minute mark TC Niko Pesa got the ball on the left and his 15 yard shot hit the right post and the rebound had TC Diego Gonzalez rolls 7 yarder wide left of the post. At 14 minutes Niko Pesa (his younger brother Lukas Pesa was also in the starting lineup) rushed in from 50 yards through three defender and his 10 yard shot on the left and goalie Camilo Benzi get a hand to the shot and push it wide left of the net for a cornerkick. At 34 minutes Gonzalez took a cornerkick from the right and the charging Sven Arapovic sidefooted a 15 yarder up the middle off that bar and had the rebound cleared.

This was a match of the first and eighth place teams in the league and the match up should be a tune up for the playoff draw. Tonight's result and the surprise loss by seventh place team Brantford Galaxy against last place St Catharines Wolves may trip that up though as not the league is forced into a tough decision of whether they should play the final league game of Toronto Croatia and London City because a TC win would have them leap to seventh and set up a quarterfinal series with second place Serbian White Eagles. That game has been postponed twice this season for field and weather conditions. Toronto Croatia have played at a twice a week pace for the last month to get all their games in and London City were out of a playoff position months ago although they could move up one spot with a win. A decision about that game will be made Saturday said a posting on the league web site.

Rocket Robin

robing@eol.ca