Date: 09-18-94 (20:55) Number: 31175 of 31175 (Refer# NONE)
To: ALL
From: ROBIN GLOVER
Subj: APSL TORONTO VS "CROATIA"
Read: (N/A) Status: PUBLIC MESSAGE (Echo)
Conf: U-SOCCER (4241) Read Type: GENERAL
Results of the exhibition game played 8pm Wednesday September 14, 1994
at Etobicoke Centennial Stadium between APSL Toronto Rockets vs Croatian
Stars.
The Croatian Stars were made up of local Croatian-Canadian teams from
around Southern Ontario although the jackets I noticed meant most of the
players were from CNSL league Toronto Croatia and (what league?)
Oakville Velebit. The local Croatian community is also known with
helping the old NASL Toronto Metros team. The Toronto Metros-Croatia
won the NASL championship one year in the 70s against Minnesota.
No programs available so I didn't get all the player names. If the
Bulgarian National team in WC94 was famous for having surnames ending
with `OV', this Croatian team was the `Itch' team (puns avoided) as
their names ended with `ICH'.
Croatian Stars (blue socks, white shorts and numbers,
red shirts)
1 Joe Buntich
12 Barisovich 5 ?????????? 4 ??????????? 7 Granich
8 ?????????? 10 Chowich 20 Granich
6 Dale Ivich 17 Jason Gibbons 19 Mickdowich
probably spelled wrong. Yes I'm aware 7 and 20 had the same surnames.
This was announced as Dale Ivich's last game and that he'd played for
both Toronto Croatia and North York Rockets in the past.
Toronto Rockets (blue socks,shorts,shirts, white
numbers)
12 Bryan Rosenfeld
6 Dino Lopez 10 Tony Nocita 5 Jens Kraemer 13 Patrick Sullivan
14 Joseph Majcher 4 Peter Sarantopoulos 22 Ralph Golen 7 Billy Dalombo
11 Eddy Berdusco 9 Ivica Raguz
Rosenfeld was the only goalie the Rockets dressed. The Rocket players
vanished after being subbed. Maybe they just went home.
The only 100% Croatian that I'm sure of on either team is actually
Ivica Raguz who previously played for FC Zadar in Croatia. Eddy
Berdusco got to wear the taped over Number 11 jersey tonight. (so we
couldn't see it used to belong to departed Alekxandre Choulaev.
ref Wayne Kosciswich linesmen ?????????, ???????? no 4th official.
1st half
33 min Toronto yellow Joseph Majcher for foul? at midfield
42 min Croatia yellow Dale Ivich for trip (after he fell) he stopped
Rocket player getting past
Summary Toronto won 4 corners to nil but there was a slight balance of
play advantage to the Rockets. Of course the Rocket problem is that
they can't finish a play after they get 20 yards within of the other
team's goal. The Croatians looked like they weren't used to playing
with each other which is usually a problem with any Select team.
Halftime
Rockets substitute Kraemer, Majcher, Raguz, and Sarantopoulos for 17
Velimir Crljen, 16 ?????????, 20 Gino DiFlorio, 3 Jack Copetti and
wisely go for a 3-4-3 set up.
Croatia substitute goalie 00 Kasich for Buntich.
2nd half
50 min Croatia sub 9 Salapich for Gibbons
55 min Croatia sub 15 Costovich for Granich
57 min Croatia sub 14 Selanich for Granich
58 min Croatian defender clears DiFlorio's tap-in (game was resembling
Brazil-Sweden WC94 semi-final).
63 min Croatia sub 11 Coustch replaces Barisavich
66 min Croatia sub 16 Krimovich replaces Mickdowich
70 min Croatia sub 3 Dragonich replaces Dale Ivitch (comes out to a big
ovation, his last game). Dragonich within 20 seconds takes high shot
that Rosenfeld deflects off his crossbar!
71 min Toronto sub 8 Lucio Ianiero replaces Berdusco
77 min Toronto yellow Crljen for dissent
87 min Toronto GOAL 20 DiFlorio volleys shot from 10 yards out after
cross from #16 who was 15 yards further upfield and 20 yards across on
the left side of crease.
Toronto Rockets win 1-0.
Rockets won 7 corners to 2 in the second half.
I think the crowd was just grateful that someone scored. Croatia was
scrambling the last half of game.
Summary: Well worst was the attendance. This was the fewest I've ever
seen the Rockets play in front of. I estimated there were 110 fans!
(One hundred and ten). I'd only heard about this game at the last
Rocket game. There was nothing in the media but then they don't really
cover local soccer anyway. Still, the Croatian teams who set this up
only had about 2/3's fan support and they may have planned this for
quite awhile.
The cause although I thought was going to be for local charities as
announced at the last APSL game, turned out to be instead for the
orphans of Bosnia-Hertzogovenia and Croatia. But for $8 a ticket with
this small crowd I don't think it'll help change the world.
The PA system played the Croatian anthem after the Canadian one. I
thought that was a no-no. Anthem seemed like many old European marches
not like a new country but then the Jamaican anthem wasn't reggae.
Last APSL home game for Toronto will be Friday September 23rd vs Fort
Lauderdale Strikers. No chance of making the playoffs. They could
escape the basement in their home and away series against Strikers.
Rocket Robin
robin.glover@canrem.com