September 15, 2010 CSL--details of Wednesday games (from CSL website)
CROATIA, SERBIAN EAGLES SPLIT THE POINTS....St. Catharines score 2-0 home victory over Astros
2010-09-15
Toronto Croatia and Serbian White Eagles played to a 1-1 draw at Centennial Stadium in Etobicoke and in one other game played in the CSL Wednesday night, St. Catharines Wolves defeated North York Astros 2-0 at Club Roma in St. Catharines.
With both teams missing players through injury and suspensions, a depleted Toronto Croatia and Serbian White Eagles dished up a snappy, but conservative game not reminiscent of the fiery, sometimes ferocious games that reflected a long-standing traditional rivalry of recent years and certainly the distant past.
But the game was entertaining and Serbian White Eagles' striker Sasa Viciknez kept it that way with a goal worth seeing when he struck a free kick from 35 yards that appeared to enter the net before anyone even flinched and before Toronto Croatia goalkeeper Sandi Matika had a chance to make a move.
The 1-0 score came at 10 minutes and it took barely 60 seconds for Toronto Croatia to respond. Following a good passing play, the home side made it 1-1 when midfielder Alex Arbelo found the net with a shot from 12 yards.
Toronto Croatia should have gone ahead at 25 minutes when Tomislav Ples headed wide of an open net when it appeared easier to score that send the ball just outside the post.
10 minutes later, Serbian Eagles forward Shawn Brown had the best opportunity to score for his team, but shot wide from 10 yards.
It was 1-1 at the break and the second half again showed an attractive game with good pace but as the final whistle drew near it appeared both teams were content to avoid defeat and settle for the tie.
Serbian White Eagles failed to challenge TFC Academy for the top position as a result of the tie and now have a 9-3-8 WLT record for 35 points, while Toronto Croatia are at 6-4-7 for 25 points, having played the least number of games of the 13 teams that make up the CSL First Division.
With neither team threatening for a playoff berth, the game between St. Catharines Wolves and North York Astros was beginning to look like an end of the season affair at Club Roma, particularly with a scoreless tie at the interval.
But there was some lively play in the second half and the home side went ahead at 70 minutes when Kosta Brajisnik headed in a free kick from Scott Maclennan and Joe Conte made it 2-0 for the Garden City side at 89 minutes when he drove the ball past Astros' goalkeeper Kingsley Alarcon from 15 yards.
St. Catharines played the game with 10 men the entire second half after James Blair was shown the red card by referee Justin Tasev. Blair brought down a North York player moving in for a shot on goal. The game ended 2-0.
St. Catharines have a 3-13 -3 record for 12 points and still occupy the bottom position, while the Astros are just two positions higher with a 5-13-3 record, good for 18 points in the standings.
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