Lynx win cliffhanger

Toronto Lynx of the USL’s First Division overcame a 2-0 deficit to win an Open Canada Cup Second Round cliffhanger with Serbian White Eagles at Centennial Stadium in Etobicoke on Friday night, the game going to 2-2 at 90 minutes and 30 minutes of overtime before the Lynx outscored the CSL team 4-3 on penalties.

The well attended and well  anticipated contest between the Lynx and a White Eagles with their 6-6-0 WLT record in league competition, lived up to its billing, a fast-paced, sometimes physical contest that appeared well in hand for the CSL team until the Toronto Lynx climbed a mountain and more to win the penalty kick decider.

In CSL League action on Friday, Oakville Blue Devils leaped to an 8-point lead in the National Division with a 5-1 trouncing of London City at The Cove in London and Toronto Croatia handed St. Catharines Wolves a similar beating, a 6-1 score at Memorial Park in Streetsville to move within just two points of International Division leaders Serbian White Eagles.

But the main focus of the evening was the Lynx-Eagles clash, the first time a USL team and a CSL squad had met in meaningful competition since the Lynx and the earlier CPSL both launched simultaneously in 1997.

The Eagles appeared to have the game well in hand on goals by forward Nikola Budalic at 23 minutes and midfielder Bozo Milic at 61 minutes until Jamie Dodds struck two for the Lynx at 66 minutes and 88 minutes to put the game into overtime. The teams fought through 30 minutes for a final 2-2 and into penalties – the Lynx striking four times, missing twice and Serbian White Eagles scoring three times and missing by the same number.

The Toronto Lynx advance to the quarterfinals of the Open Canada Cup, the draw to take place next week for games early August.

London City took the lead after 12 minutes in CSL League action at The Cove in London when Bernard Al-Chaar scored his first of the season.But the lead was dampened just a minute later when the home side was reduced to 10 men, goalkeeper Ibrahim Hadzic being ejected for handling the ball outside of the 18 yard box.

The Blue Devils went on to score five unanswered goals, starting with forward Judah Hernandez finding the net at the 17th minute mark, Gavin Russell five minutes later, and Sam Hassam at 31 minutes for a 3-1 halftime score. Huffman Ej-Tabe made it 4-1 at the 70th minute mark and Russell struck his second at 85 minutes for a 5-1 Oakville victory. Eris Tafaj missed a penalty at 50 minutes for London, Sa Brahima Traore making the save in the Oakville goal.

Toronto Croatia midfielder Hayden Fitzwilliams marked up his 5th and 6th goals of the season in the 6-1 rout of St. Catharines Wolves at Memorial Park, the goals coming at 28 and 39 minutes after forward Boris Maric opened the Croatia scoring at the 23rd minute mark.  Peter Curic hit a goal at 58 minutes for Croatia, Jure Pavic scored at 80 minutes with Halburto Harris scoring Croatia’s fifth at the 87th minute mark. Carlo Arghittu was the lone St. Catharines marksman, his  being the first goal of the game at the 8th minute mark.