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NEWS
THUNDER, ASTROS BATTLE TO 2-2 TIE AT BRIAN TIMMIS WEDNESDAY
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IAN BENNETT - Struck late tying goal for Hamilton Thunder in 2-2 tie with Astros after scoring a pair two days earlier against Durham Storm
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Hamilton Thunder and North York Astros battled to a 2-2 tie at Brian Timmis Stadium in the only game played in the Canadian Professional Soccer League Wednesday.
The game did little for two teams fighting to make progress to secure a playoff spot in their respective divisions, each picking up one point with the Astros becoming more entrenched in fourth position in the east, while Hamilton Thunder is in third position in the Western Conference but no less precarious as all six teams in that division have an opportunity for one of the three playoff berths.
On Tuesday night, Metro Lions extended their remarkable unbeaten streak and their lead at the top of the Eastern Conference with an important 2-0 victory over Vaughan Shooters at Birchmount Stadium in Scarborough.
This was a fast-paced, rough encounter resulting in eight yellow cards and reflective of a tight three-way rivalry building up in the east.
In CPSL action Monday night, Hamilton Thunder were superior in every department to romp 7-0 over winless Durham Storm.
In Wednesday's game at Brian Timmis Stadium, Hamilton midfielder Edinilson De Carvalho opened the scoring at the 15th minute mark for a 1-0 lead at half-time. North York jumped into a 2-1 lead early in the second half when Alex Braletic made it 1-1 at 52 minutes and Daniel Jaroch struck for the Astros, his fourth goal of the season, just two minutes later.
With the game heading for a North York victory, Ian Bennett levelled the score 2-2 for Hamilton just 4 minutes from the final whistle.It was Bennett's third goal in this week, having scored a pair in his team's 7-0 win over Durham Storm on Monday and his fifth of the season.
Hamilton Thunder are now on a 3-3-2 WLT record for 11 points and still in third position in the Western Conference, while North York Astros have a 2-5-2 record for 8 points.
Kareem Reynolds opened the scoring at the 30th minute for Metro Lions Tuesday night, his fourth of the season, and forward Gabriel Salustius increased the lead to 2-0 at the 43rd minute, the half-time score.
The second half produced opportunities for both teams, but Lions held on to their lead for the Scarborough-based team's eighth win and a one tie in league and Open Canada Cup play since June 10. Their record stands at 7-1-2 WLT for 23 points, now five in front of unbeaten Toronto Supra and six ahead of third place Vaughan Shooters.
On Monday night, Hamilton's Ian Bennett (11 and 41 minutes) scored twice in the 7-0 blitz of Durham Storm, while singles were struck by Matthew O'Connor at 15 minutes, Sasa Milaimovic at 21 minutes, Edmilson De Carvalho at 38 minutes, Alex Arbelo at 47 minutes and Miles O'Connor scored the seventh at 64 minutes.
Durham continue to struggle, suffering their ninth loss in league competition including a 5-0 loss (Vaughan Shooters on May 30, 6-0 loss (Border Stars on July 10) and 6-0 to Metro Lions on July 16.
In a second game Sunday night, Vaughan Shooters set-up a three-way bid for top position with Lions and Supra in the Eastern Conference with a 3-0 shutout of London City on FieldTurf at The Soccer Centre in Vaughan.
In the Western Conference, Border Stars defeated St. Catharines Wolves, 2-0, at Club Roma in St. Catharines to produce a weekend split for the Windsor-based team following their 2-1 loss to Brampton Hitmen at Windsor Stadium in the only game played in the Canadian Professional Soccer League Saturday.On Friday night, Metro Lions continued to catch everyone�s attention, this time with a resounding 6-0 defeat of Durham Storm in one of three games played that night.
This was the second 6-0 loss for Durham Storm following a similar loss against Border Stars on July 10 and with Monday's 7-0 defeat in the hands of Hamilton Thunder, it�s now the Durham Region team�s ninth loss in as many games in league competition.
In another game Friday, Toronto Supra scored a 2-1 victory over Hamilton Thunder at Centennial Stadium in Etobicoke, and following the 2-2 tie with Metro Lions, the Toronto team kept up its record as the only CPSL team unbeaten in the current league campaign. Supra have lost just two games since September 2002. Both were near the end of the 2003 season.
In the third game played Friday, London City were held to a 2-2 tie by Toronto Croatia at Cove Road, London in a mid-table battle to make progress in the Western Conference.
Midfielder Tati Errelade, his seventh of the season, opened the scoring from the penalty spot for Border Stars after 10 minutes in the 2-0 shutout of St. Catharines Wolves Sunday, while Steve Wonsch scored the second just 60 seconds later.
Supra captain Danny Amaral opened the scoring for his team in the 2-2 tie with Metro Lions on Sunday, his third of the season at 33 minutes, but Haitian-born Maxim Dorneval tied the game for Lions three minutes later. Fabio Silva put Supra in front at the 40th minute mark, his second of the weekend, while Kareem Reynolds scored the equalizer for the 2-2 tie in one of the best games witnessed this season.
Vaughan Shooters had the game well in hand for a 3-0 result over London City Sunday on goals by Jose Aniekwe almost immediately after the opening whistle at 1 minute and a second strike after 19 minutes, to be followed by Shooters� third goal five minutes from the interval.
In Brampton's 2-1 win over Border Stars on Saturday following the scoreless, fast-paced opening, Filip Rocca opened the scoring for the Windsor-based team at 41 minutes, a 1-0 half-time score.Just one minute after the resumption, at 46 minutes, midfielder Bayete Smith scored an equalizer for the Hitmen and the 1-1 score held for most of the second half until at the 81st minute forward Ivan Jurisic struck the all-important winner for the Hitmen.
The 2-1 result brought three points to bring the 2003 CPSL champions to a 4-3-2 WLT record and 14 points--that's five short of Border Stars with their 6-2-1 record and 19 points, still holding top position in the Western Conference
Hayden Fitzwilliams scored twice for Metro Lions in the 6-0 win on Friday, at 6 and 19 minutes after Lions� forward Craig Patton opened the scoring five minutes after the kickoff, his fifth goal of the season.The 3-0 half-time score was increased to 4-0 by Aaron Benjamin at 52 minutes, Caswain Mason made it 5-0 at the 68th minute mark and Justin Phillips at 85 minutes completed the scoring for a 6-0 final.
Michael Diluca opened the scoring for Toronto Supra at the 9th minute mark on Friday, his sixth of the season, and Fabio Silva made it 2-0 at 16 minutes, the half-time score. Kevin Nelson struck for Hamilton at the 48th minute mark and while both teams had opportunities to score, Supra held on for the 2-1 win.
Toronto Supra now have a 5-0-3 record for 18 points in second position in the east.
Midfielder Attila Salamon scored the tying goal for London City at the 90th minute mark in the 2-2 deadlock in a hard-fought game at Cove Road, also on Friday, a game that started with a goal by London�s Paul Munster, his 7th of the season after just three minutes.
Toronto Croatia forwards Leo Laurito and Edin Kalic scored at 66 minutes and 75 minutes respectively, in a game that saw City defender Marco Peeters ejected at the 57th minute mark.
London City are at 3-3-1 record for 10 points in fouth position in the west, while Croatia are fifth in the standings with eight points.
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