July 26, 2003 CPSL news from CPSL website

NEWS
BRAMPTON HITMEN LEAD WESTERN CONFERENCE FOLLOWING 3-2 VICTORY OVER ROMA WOLVES

MONDAY, July 28--Brampton Hitmen took over the top position of the Western Conference with a 3-2 win over St. Catharines Roma Wolves at Victoria Park in Brampton on Sunday night to wrap-up a weekend of action in the Canadian Professional Soccer League.

On Saturday, Ottawa Wizards romped to a 6-0 win over Laval Dynamites at the OZ Stadium to jump eight points clear in the Eastern Conference standings and in the only other game played that day, Mississauga Olympians returned to winning form with a 2-0 shutout of Metro Lions at Birchmount Stadium in Scarborough.

The weekend kicked off on Friday when London City blanked Hamilton Thunder, 3-0, and the improving Vaughan Sun Devils walked over Toronto Croatia, 4-0, at Dufferin Clark in Vaughan.

The Hitmen gained their victory despite playing short handed with the teams deadlocked at 2-2 most of the second half when Maximiliano Andrada picked up two yellow cards and was ejected before the interval.

Hugo Herrerda opened the scoring for Brampton at the 14th minute mark and St. Catharines tied the game 1-1 on a goal by Joe Carbonara at 20 minutes. St. Catharines went one up on a goal by Lucio Ianiero after 34 minutes and Herrerda tied the game 2-2 for Brampton at the 37th minute mark. Near the end of a well played second half, Kurt Mella scored the winner for Brampton after 87 minutes.

The win put the Hitmen in top spot in the western standings, they have a 4-1-3 WLT record for 15 points and have the slightest edge on goal average over Hamilton Thunder in second place, also with 15 points.

Ottawa’s 6-0 win was never in doubt from the first whistle, with Urbain Some opening the scoring after six minutes, Greg Jehs adding a second at the 34th minute mark and Kevin Nelson adding a third at 40 minutes for a 3-0 halftime score. Some scored his second two minutes after the interval, and Charles Gbeke scored two at 51 and 83 minutes.

The Wizards go eight points clear in the Eastern Conference with an 8-0-1 WLT record for 25 points. Les Dynamites have a 3-4-0 record for nine points to be fourth in the eastern standings.

Metro Lions lost their second in succession with the 2-0 home defeat to Mississauga Olympians. Darren Tilley scored twice for the Olympians, the opener on a penalty kick shortly after the opening whistle and a second at 80 minutes with a header from close range.

Olympians move off the bottom position with the win and now have a 2-4-2 record for eight points, while Lions are at 1-4-2 for five points and fifth in the Eastern Conference standings.

On Friday night in the CPSL, Hamilton Thunder’s unbeaten string came to a crunching halt by a decisive 3-0 score in favour of London City at the Cove in London, and in one other game played that night, Vaughan Sun Devils blanked the hapless Toronto Croatia, 4-0, at the Dufferin Clark ground just north of Toronto.

With newly appointed world renowned coach Ivan Markovic, Western Conference-leading Hamilton Thunder’s unbeaten string came to an unexpected end following an early season impressive performance that shot Thunder into its league-leading position. The setback came just when the team needed a win to celebrate the coaching appointment of a man who took Metros-Croatia, Toronto’s entry in the North American Soccer League, to the North American championship in 1976—the last time a Toronto pro soccer team has won such a title. Markovic replaced the popular Duncan Wilde who resigned on July 19 amid an atmosphere of some controversy along with assistants Billy Steele and Ammar Awad.

London City went into Friday’s important match very much the underdogs despite shining in a 4-3 losing cause to Hamilton on July 13 when the City side took a 3-0 lead into the second half only to lose 4-3. Friday’s win earned full marks with the fans as goals came from Andrew Loague at 42 minutes, Tonino Commisso at 56 minutes and Ashley McMillan at the 87th minute mark.

London City improve to 3-4-2 WLT record for 11 points and that’s good for a third place in the Western Conference with a slightly superior goal average over North York Astros, also with 11 points.

Hamilton are still on top with a 4-1-3 record for 15 points.

Vaughan Sun Devils looked impressive and much the best in their 4-0 shut out of the struggling Toronto Croatia at the Dufferin Clark ground in Vaughan.

Forward Joey Todaro led the way with two goals for the Sun Devils, at the 20th and 59th minutes, while Aundrea Rollins, at 52 minutes and Paul Sinisi, at 81 minutes, scored the others.

Sun Devils improve to 4-1-2 for 14 points and third position, while Croatia suffers its seventh league loss for a 2-7-0 record and six points.

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