CNSL game of Sunday October 20, 1996.

Here are the results of the CNSL game of Sunday October 20, 1996 between Toronto Italia and Oakville Canadian Westerns played at Rainbow Creek Stadium in Woodbridge at 4:00pm. This was the 1st leg in the 2 game semi-final to determine an opponent for the Wolves-Supra winners and then play for the Playoff Championship.

Toronto Italia (blue socks and shirts, white shorts and numbers)

..............................................1 Joe Ciaravino
...............2 John Annisi....3 Franco Spadafina....5 Tom Perks
23 Phil Caporrella...6 Jack Zomparelli...7 Miguel Ferreira...10 Lalo Maradona...11 Marco Antonucci (cpt)
..................................8 Ryan Gamble.....22 Michele Gioia

Subs:...16 Garvin Houston....4 Richard Alexander....12 Anthony Zanini....18 Loui Fioccola....20 Nick Maxwell

Oakville Canadian Westerns (white socks and shirts, red shorts and hollow numbers)

...............................................1 Mauro Pippo
..................5 Scotty Patrickquin....2 Jens Kraemar....6 Darryl Mackereth
11 Dana Peoples...8 Mike Palmiotta...15 Mike Pepe...10 Mike Mazza
...............7 Ralph Golan....13 Czelan Zajac....16 Lui Fotia

Subs:...4 Marco Armellini....9 Andrew Loague....12 Pat Dougas....14 Nick Sopovski... 17 Guy Riccardi

Officials:...Referee...Tony Comacho, Linesmen Al Pereira and Steve Cahoon

1st Half (weather was overcast, strong wind from the east, a very cold-feeling 10C)
1 min...Italia Fioia gets tough angle 10 yard shot stopped by goalie.
5 min...CW head back to goalie almost backfires as forward gets to it and goalie must make point blank save.
7 min...Italia Ferreira's diving header saved by goalie.
7 min...Italia Gioia takes 10 yard shot that curves wide of left post.
8 min...Italia Yellow card...Zomparelli for argueing call.
11min...CW GOAL...Fotia on breakaway from midfield line although he's tailed by Spadafina, he gets low shot from 25 yards to right corner of net beyond sliding goalie who charges about 15 yards out.
13 min...CW Yellow card...Pepe for hard tackle (?)
18 min...Italia Maradona gets freekick over wall met header of charging Gioia at the 5 yard mark and ball bounces off left post wide.
29 min...Italia Caporrella is down with a leg injury.
31 min...Italia Gamble tees up centering pop up waist high and blasts it over net.
34 min...Italia GOAL...Gamble receives long cross through three defenders at ground level this time and he taps it in from 5 yards.
35 min...CW Yellow card...Mackereth for knocking down Maradona at midfield.
44 min...Italia Maradona's 35 yard free kick caught by goalie.
45 min...CW Yellow card...Goalie Pippo for either obstruction or the resulting argument with referee.

2nd half:
Halftime CW sub...Loague replaces a midfielder (15 or 10 not sure who) but comes in to play forward, Golan moves back to midfield.
52 min...CW GOAL...Loague redirects centering pass into center of net from 10 yards after receiving pass beyond sliding goalie.
53 min...CW Loague's low shot is smothered by goalie.
55 min...Italia Maradona on right side curves a 20 yard freekick that defender clears on line.
59 min...Italia Maradona curves 25 yard free kick over five man wall. Ball is grabbed by goalie under bar.
60 min...CW goalie crashes into left goalpost on shot that goes wide. That looked dangerous.
65 min...Italia subs...Maxwell comes in at defense, Houston comes in at midfield. Antonucci and Gamble come off. Maradona and Caporrella now push up to forward.
67 min...Maradona races down right side and cross to Caporrella who directs ball wide left of net.
74 min...Italia GOAL...Charging Caporrella blasts in rebound from 5 yards after 10 yard shot from Gioia saved by goalie. Cross from Annisi on right sideline set up this action as ball stopped by defender Mackereth near goal line but rebound comes to Gioia off his shin.
77 min...CW Yellow card...Fotia for knocking down Ferreira about 10 seconds after ref warns Palmiotta about comments.
87 min...CW Yellow card Zajac for argueing with ref.
89 min...CW goalie jumps to catch high cross.
91 min...CW GOAL...Loague chips 25 yard shot over charging goalie as defender on his trail.
92 min...CW sub...Armellini replaces Fotia.
93 min...game ends.

Final score:...Toronto Italia........2...........Oakville Canadian Westerns..........3....

This must be considered an upset. Italia had won the combined standings and Oakville had finished fourth in them. I could see with the score tied, Italia trying for the win and leaving themselves open in the defense but this is a two game series and a tie would have meant they'd have to win or 'tie-high' because of the away goals rule. The 2nd leg is tomorrow (ie Monday!) but it won't be played in Oakville because the stadium is not available for the rest of the year.

Attendance started off at just 15 but after the game started at 4:10pm the crowd built to about 80. I recognized some Talons players in attendance and talked to their team owner, Karl Grant.

It had rained the last few days so the field was muddy in patches (in effect the center circle and the goalmouth areas). The uniforms could have been used for that old detergent commercial. Although the weather was cold, it did not rain unlike the MLS Final in Boston when the rain poured the whole game. (I was taping that game).

I was slightly surprized to see Lalo Maradona playing for Italia at this time of year. He has signed for Toronto Shooting Stars of the NPSL indoor league but I'm not sure if he's played for them yet.

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