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by Paul Hendren
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(Montreal, June 18, 1997) Historically there has been a bitter rivalry between Upper and Lower Canada that has transcended sport with hockey's fabled Canadiens and Maple Leafs historical battles for hockey supremacy and the Canadian Football League's Alouettes and Argos filled their respective parks for their heated encounters. The once intense sports' rivalries have mellowed somewhat over the years with both hockey teams no longer sharing the same divisional alignment and the Canadian Football League only being a shadow of itself during it's glory years. It has only been until very recently that both cities have renewed acquaintances in the sporting arena with two members of the professional soccer fraternity going head to head in A-League action. Over the course of the first two months of the expanded A-league season the established Impact de Montreal , featuring several national team players , have demonstrated the same class that brought them success in previous campaigns with their almost perfect record. The upstart Toronto Lynx on the other hand, who are representing a city held in contempt by most of la Belle Province, have surprised the soccer community with eight consecutive victories. The battle lines were drawn before the first of four encounters to be played between the two teams this season. The game was even taking on some similarities to such widely anticipated European fixtures as Celtic versus Rangers or Barcelona versus Real Madrid. The well manicured field of Stade Claude Robillard was a recreation of the Eastern Townships during the 1800s where revolution and armed resistance were common place and the young men representing both teams took on the roles of martyrs for their very distinct societies. The Lynx being members of the Loyalist action and the Impact representing the rebel Patriots. To add fuel to the fire their appeared to be no love loss between the ownership groups of both teams even before the first ball was kicked on the same pitch. At the start of the season Lynx marquee player Tom Kouzmanis was prohibited from playing for his new team due to allegations by the Impact that he was still under contract with the Montreal based team. It also appears that Impact President Joey Supato has affiliated himself with several owners of the Southern Ontario based Canadian National Soccer League , who are considered bitter enemies of the Lynx. The Impact even went to the extent of arranging a pre season friendly against a group of CNSL all stars in Toronto's own back yard. The game itself , played before 2,935 onlookers in less than ideal weather , was filled with ill temper and volatile actions forcing referee Jose Farois to whistle down 34 fouls and issue yellow cards to eight different players. The Lynx veteran playmaker Lei Gong , fresh from a distinguished career in Tahiti, was the heroe of the night scoring the only goal of the game in the second minute of extra time to sending the visitors home with three very valuable points. For a game that ended in a 0-0 draw at the end of regulation time the fans who braved the weather were treated to a contest that included thirty shots on goal and some brilliant goalkeeping. Toronto, who now sports an impressive 9-2 record, are four points ahead of second place Montreal (7-2) in the very competitive northeast division. Both teams will renew hostilities on Canada Day at the most fitting of venues , the Nation's Capital. One is left to ponder whether our feerless leader Jean Chretien will make an appearence on behalf of national unity. Prior to the game Toronto inked 23 year old Canadian born Christian Lombordo who has been residing in Argentina where he starred in Argentina's "C" division. It was also announced that Lynx forward Darren Tilley was selected to the weekly A-League all star team for his ever increasing points total including two tallies against Worcester last Sunday. |
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