...............

Result of the September 28th, 2002 CPSL game between Vaughan Sun Devils and Toronto Croatia played at Cove Road in London at 5:45pm. This was considered a semi-final game for the CPSL Canada Cup.

Vaughan Sun Devils (all white, black numbers, red trim and JVC logo on chest)

.....................................0 Rob Tilley
4 Tony Marshall...8 Bayete Smith...5 Dave McDonald (cpt)...17 Paul Hillman
7 Eke Chibueze...6 Mehmet Mehmedoglu...11 Tom Kouzmanis...9 Willie Giamarra
..............................21 Gus Kouzmanis...13 Fitzroy Powell

Subs:...19 Richie Lissone (def)...12 Agostino Vaglica (mid)...10 Marco Antonucci (mid)...1 Henrich Svetko (gk)...18 Dave Benning (mid)...14 Az Monico (def)
team officials:...head coach Dave Benning...trainer/team doctor Scott Hewitt...assistant coach Hector Pena.

Toronto Croatia (blue socks, white shorts and numbers, red shirts)

...................................1 George Azcurra
7 Nikola Andrievic...3 Daniel Pilas...4 Domagoj Sain (cpt)...2 Adrian Azcurra
5 Robert Fran...10 Peter Curic...8 Hugo Alistuo...18 Ivaca Sola
...........................13 Josip Juric...11 Josip Bucic

Subs:...14 Velemir Crljen...9 Mladen Dikic...15 Joseph Lewe...16 Danan Baljic...17 Paul Grguric
team officials:...coach Drago Santic...bench manager Kruno Kulis...manager Mile Brkic...goalie coach Tom Boljkovac.

Game officials:...referee Steve Mortimer...referee's assistants Isaac Raymond and Calin Pintea...fourth official John Lopes...(dressed in all black).

1st Half:...game starts 5:55pm...Sun Devils defend south end. There was a sun in the west to start, the weather was warm to start but a coat was needed in the second half. All times are converted from my wristwatch as the scoreboard was at a bad angle to me.
1 min...On edge of box, TC Fran chips ball through middle, a header is missed and SD goalie charges out for ball.
3 min...SD Tom Kouzmanis cornerkick from right is popped up on edge of box and cleared.
4 min...SD Tom Kouzmanis cornerkick from right, SD Smith on left from 20 yards scissor kick is just wide left.
6 min...SD goalie charge out to catch bouncer into box.
9 min...Furious in-box action win TC end.
10 min...TC Juric runs along left, defender deflects cross for cornerkick.
11 min...TC Andrievic cornerkick from left, leaping SD Hillman heads away ball. TC Andrievic crosses back in from 35 yards that SD galie catches in crowd of players.
12 min...SD Gus Kouzmanis 25 yard blast from left is blocked by flying goalie on right.
13 min...SD Gus Kouzmanis 5 yard header pushed wide left by goalie after in box high cross from right.
15 min...TC Curic 30 yard freekick is lofted well over net.
16 min...Sun Devils Tony Marshall GOAL...Marshall takes 35 yard shot from right, over crowd of players into top right corner of net over flying goalie George Azcurra.
19 min...TC Curic 30 yard shot is deflected high over net for cornerkick.
19 min...TC Andrievic cornerkick from right is headed away in box.
20 min...SD Smith injured in TC end.
21 min...Tor Croatia Josip Juric GOAL...Juric beats offside trap and races down right wing and on 1 on 1 with SD Dave McDonald cutting him out wide, he slides a 12 yard shot from right to left corner of net around sliding goalie Rob Tilley.
25 min...TC Andrievic races down right but 50 yard cross into box is caught by goalie.
26 min...TC Andrievic runs down right, TC Bucic or Juric is pushed off ball by sliding SD Marshall in box for cornerkick.
27 min...SD Chibueze 30 yard shot from right is well wide left.
29 min...TC Fran 25 yard freekick is pushed wide right but defenders break up play.
30 min...TC Andrievic cornerkick from left is headed away by leaping SD Marshall.
32 min...Referee Steve Mortimer is injured in center circle and play carries on with TC Josip Juric on a breakaway but play is whistled down with Mortimer with a bad ankle injury. Isaac Raymond comes off the line to be the referee. Mortimer had to be replaced in last year's CPSL playoff cup final in St Catharines when he took a ball in the head so he isn't having much luck working the big games!
36 min...TC player's cornerkick from right is high over box and crossed back but cleared.
38 min...TC Bucic cuts across from left around four guys but cuts in 15 yard shot that goalie blocks.
39 min...SD Tom Kouzmanis cornerkick from right is headed away by TC Fran.
40 min...SD Powell runs on right and crosses wide left from 25 yards.
44 min...SD Giamarra 35 yard freekick through crowd and ball is caught by goalie running to left post.
46 min...SD Giamarra cross from left 25 yards lands on top of net.
47 min...TC goalie charges right for high pop up ahead of SD Powell.
48 min...SD Gus Kouzmanis gets ball on right and 25 yard shot knocked wide left by flying goalie.
49 min...SD Tom Kouzmanis cornerkick from left is caught by goalie in crowd.
49 min...half ends 6:44pm.

2nd Half:...starts 7:01pm.
halftime subs:...TC Crljen replaces Andrievic.
.................TC Grguric replaces Curic.
.................TC Dikic replaces Sola.
46 min...TC Adrian Azcurra 30 yard pass from left through SD box wide left of net.
47 min...SD Powell injured in TC end on rush just ouside TC box.
48 min...SD Giamarra 30 yard freekick from right is pushed to center and SD Tom Kouzmanis blasts ball into wall of players.
49 min...SD goalie dives forward to beat TC Bucic to through ball.
50 min...SD Tom Kouzmanis cornerkick from left is palmed over box by leaping goalie in crowd.
51 min...SD Tom Kouzmanis cornerkick from left is over box.
52 min...TC YELLOW card...Grguric for body checking SD Chibueze near sideline in TC end.
53 min...SD Tom Kouzmanis 45 yard freekick from right is through players in box and caught on bounce by goalie.
54 min...TC Bucic pushes ball on left to TC Juric on break but SD Smith slides in to strip away ball conceding cornerkick.
56 min...TC Crljen cornerkick from left has shot on edge of box blocked.
57 min...SD Tom Kouzmanis 45 yard freekick from right is caught by goalie who then starts fast breakout.
58 min...SD YELLOW card...Gus Kouzmanis for continuously complaining to referee for 30 yards after non-call.
60 min...The referee signals for the lights to be put on!
67 min...Sun Devils Willie Giamarra running along right end line has legs tripped by prone defender Adrian Azcurra and Penalty kick is called.
68 min...Sun Devils Gus Kouzmanis GOAL...Kouzmanis has penalty blast deflect off crossbar near right post and bounce down into the net.
69 min...TC Adrian Azcurra has good run on left and bounces cross along end line but cornerkick conceded.
71 min...TC Crljen on second cornerkick in a row from right has ball caught by goalie in crowd of players on right.
73 min...TC Crljen freekick from left is almost backheeled in by TC Bucic but ball deflects for cornerkick.
73 min...TC Crljen cornerkick from left, TC Adrian Azcurra gets partially cleared rebound and flubs 15 yarder but ball drops back to him minus two defenders and he takes 12 yarder wide right.
75 min...SD Giamarra 35 yard low freekidk from right into two man TC wall.
76 min...TC Bucic gets ball up middle and rolls weak 18 yarder to goalie all alone.
77 min...TC Crljen cornerkick from left is headed across box, TC forward stretches to try to connect to shot.
78 min...TC Crljen cornerkick from left, TC Sain heads it across box and TC Pilas? blasts 7 yarder on right well over net.
80 min...SD Lissone replaces Chibueze.
82 min...TC Crljen cornerkick from right spins behind net on right side.
86 min...TC Fran 40 yard cross from right, TC Bucic charges into box and sends leaping header from 8 yards over bar.
The PA announces that the CPSL president's youngest daughter has won the game ball but they will redraw!
86 min...TC Crljen 35 yard freekick from right sideline is knocked away.
87 min...TC Pilas gets ball drop to him at 20 yards and puts ball over net with rushed shot.
88 min...SD sub...Vaglica replaces Powell.
88 min...TC Alistuo cornerkick from left has ball deflected out when TC player knocks it into box resulting in another cornerkick.
90 min...SD YELLOW card...Smith for tripping TC player on edge of SD box.
90 min...TC Dikic 25 yard freekick from left banana shot but goalie catches ball near right post.
92 min...SD YELLOW card...Vaglica for pushing incident at center line.
93 min...TC Fran 55 yard freekick from right is punched forward in crowd of players by goalie on edge of box.
94 min...TC Velemir Crljen earns Penalty kick when he tries to deke a second player along the right end line and is tripped up.
95 min...Tor Croatia Robert Fran GOAL...Fran slides ball low into middle of net as goalie seems to slide under it.
95 min...regulation time ends at 7:51pm.

1st Golden Goal Half...starts 7:55pm...SD defends north end.
94 min...TC Alistuo rushes across from right and takes 20 yard shot as goalie palms ball away from top right corner of net.
95 min...SD RED card...Agostino Vaglica picks up his second Yellow card for elbowing TC Daniel Pilas as he's pursueing Vaglica crossing center line. Pilas was injured on the play.
98 min...TC Adrian Azcurra 25 yard bouncer from left picked up by SD goalie.
99 min...TC Fran 45 yard cross from right is caught by goalie.
102 min...TC Alistuo gets ball on left edge of box as his arm is pulled but ball gets over to TC Bucic who's 15 yard shot is stopped by sliding goalie.
103 min...TC Crljen freekick from 25 yards on left has ball partially cleared and TC Fran one touches 20 yard shot just wide left of top corner of net.
105 min...TC Crljen gets second cornerkick from right that's low and into SD box and ball hits TC left but is partially cleared, TC Adrian Azcurra slides 30 yard shot well over net.
106 min...half ends 8:11pm.

2nd Golden Goal Half:...starts 8:12pm.
105 min...TC Fran 40 yard shot from right is caught by goalie.
106 min...TC Dikic gets short pass and blasts low 35 yard roller from left wide right of net.
107 min...SD goalie picks up through ball before TC Juric can get to it.
109 min...TC Crljen rolls pass forward to TC Dikic who blasts 20 yard shot well high of net.
110 min...SD YELLOW card...Mehmedoglu for sliding tackle on TC Fran on rush.
112 min...TC Crljen freekick from 35 yards on right is headed wide for cornerkick by SD defender.
114 min...SD Lissone baits TC official on sideline and gets him thrown out of game.
117 min...TC Dikic rushes on right, TC Grguric gets 20 yard shot blocked by defender, TC Dikic gets ball and back and crosses ball through box.
118 min...SD sub...Antonucci replaces Gus Kouzmanis (although I'm not sure that could be right since Gus was part of the penalty shootout).
Toronto Croatia dominated the rest of the two 15 minute overtime periods.

Penalty Kick Shootout:
1st SD...Marco Antonucci blasts to right side four feet high but goalie blocks it.
1st TC...Velemir Crljen blasts ball into right corner of net beyond diving goalie.
2nd SD...Gus Kouzmanis blasts ball into right side of net as goalie crumples in center of net.
2nd TC...Robert Fran rolls shot to right and diving goalie pushes ball wide. (revenge for the penalty goal).
3rd SD...Willie Giamarra blasts shot well wide left of net!
3rd TC...Mladen Kikic blasts ball high to center of net just under bar as goalie crumples.
4th SD...Tom Kouzmanis blasts low ball into left corner of net as goalie crumples.
4th TC...Hugo Alistuo rolls ball into right side of net as he stutter steps on approach and goalie moves left.
5th SD...Captain Dave McDonald blasts ball into high left of net as goalie crumples.
5th TC...Captain Domagoj Sain rolls ball to right and goalie dives and pushes ball wide.
6th SD...Bayete Smith blasts to top center of net as goalie slides low.
The referee now runs to the center line to warn the TC players about something.
6th TC...Josip Bucic lobs ball into right top of net after skipping in on his approach for his shot. Showed he couldn't be distracted from his long wait.
7th SD...Mehmet Merhmedoglu rolls shot to right and goalie dives in front of it for save.
7th TC...Paul Grguric blasts ball to left high in net as goalie slides right.

Final Score:.....Toronto Croatia.....2.....Vaughan Sun Devils.....2....
(Toronto Croatia win 5-4 in Penalty Kicks in the 7th round).

Attendance was about 250 on this warm evening with a bright sun in the west but soon cooled down quickly as the game wore on.

I was asked by a publisher to pick a "best game of the year" candidate and I wasn't sure what I'd seen this year would qualify but this is the one!

Fascinating fact posted by Rudi on the Voyageurs message board:...The last two PK takers 
Mehmedoglu and Grguric play together in the midfield for Humber College.
You can bet there's going to be some friendly ribbing going on. 

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