FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TORONTO LYNX GAME REPORT
presented by Heineken
LYNX RUIN ISLANDERS PARTY!
Overtime goal pushes Toronto past Puerto
Rico
Date: Saturday, April 17, 2004
Venue: Juan Ramon Loubriel
Stadium, Bayamon, Puerto Rico
Attendance: approx. 6,000
Kick off Time: 8:00 PM
Final Score: Toronto 1
Puerto Rico 0 (OT)
Match Summary: The Toronto Lynx
opened the 2004 A-League season on a winning note today, much to the dismay of
a crowd of over 6,000 on hand for the Puerto Rico Islanders inaugural
home opener. Striker, Ali Gerba, picked up where he left off last
season, banging home the game-winner off a scramble in front of the
Islanders net, ten minutes into overtime. Gerba was last season's offensive
star, counting 5 game-winning goals among his team leading 7 tallies.
"The match could have gone either way," said new Lynx head
coach Duncan Wilde. "It was hard to see exactly what happened but Ali and
their defender both had the ball at the same time and it looked like Ali was
just able to get it past. But it was a very close match". The Lynx played
a textbook road match, taking the crowd out of the game with tough
tackling, solid defending, and a counter-attacking style. Although the
Islanders carried much of the play, a Lynx break yielding the best
scoring chance of the match when midfielder, Edgar Bartolomeu's drive struck
the crossbar. Wilde, who earned his first A-League victory, has done
a remarkable job molding a talented roster that returned only 7 players from
last season. Lynx newcomers played key roles in the match with new
goalkeeper, Bryheem Hancock recording the shutout. "This was a great
win for us because now we have two weeks off to prepare for the rest of the
season," continued Wilde. "Its great to start the season with a road
win and we will build on this for the next match in Rochester." The Lynx
return from Puerto Rico on Monday and are back in action on Saturday, May
1st in Rochester. Home town fans will have to wait until Sunday, May
16th for the Lynx home opener when they take on the Rochester Raging
Rhinos at Centennial Park Stadium at 4pm.
Final Score: Toronto 1 Puerto Rico 0
(OT)
The Lynx next match is Saturday, May 1st
at 7:35 PM @ the Rochester Raging Rhinos
The Lynx home opener is Sunday, May 16th
at 4:00 PM versus the Rochester Raging Rhinos
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FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
DAVID NUTT -- MEDIA RELATIONS, TORONTO
LYNX
416-251-4625, extension 30