FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 TORONTO LYNX GAME REPORT

presented by Heineken

 Lynx Top Mustangs

Gerba delivers in OT

Date:                Sunday, July 18, 2004  

Venue:             Centennial Park Stadium, Etobicoke, Ontario       

Attendance:      3,462    

Kick off Time:    6:00 PM

Final Score:      Toronto   2   Calgary 1  

Match Summary:  With Toronto Mayor David Miller and Hemi Mitic, representing the Canadian Auto Workers Union on hand for Union and Employee Night, the Toronto Lynx entered today's match needing a win to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. Having dropped their last two, including a heart-breaker to Richmond in overtime on Wednesday, Toronto sits 17 points back of the final postseason birth in the Eastern Conference. The Mustangs have struggled so far this season sporting a 2-10-3 record and occupying the Western Conference basement. As Calgary is in the midst of a lengthy road trip, it was no surprise that the Lynx dominated early on. In the 6th minute Shawn Faria stepped into a shot 10 yards outside the box that was steered up and over the net by 'keeper Lutz Pfannenstiel. It wasn't until the 10th minute that Calgary awoke, their first shot of the match came off a Musut Mert rush down the right side. He unleashed a low shot just inside the box that was sent wide by a diving Bryheem Hancock. On the ensuing corner kick, Mert's perfect ball found the head of Walter Otta who beat Hancock for his first of the season, 1-nil Calgary. The Lynx continued to put pressure on the Calgary defenders, in the 15th minute Ali Gerba worked some magic inside the penalty area tapping a ball by a defender but his shot was stopped by Pfannenstiel. Later David DiPlacido and Darren Baxter worked an impressive give-and-go but DiPlacido's blast just missed the upper right corner. If that wasn't enough Baxter sent a cross to Gerba in the 23rd minute that alluded a defender but Gerba couldn't get enough on the left foot attempt. Calgary threatened again when Jordan Gillespie delivered a nice ball to Sergei Kolomiets-Raad streaking down the right side but his well struck ball was handled nicely by a diving Hancock. The second half began like the first with Toronto dominating time of possession and getting some great scoring opportunities courtesy Ali Gerba and John Barry Nusum. The were finally rewarded in the 53rd minute when Darren Baxter's corner found Andres Arango for the header, his first of the season tied the match at 1. The turning point came in 62nd minute when Arango brought down Otta inside the penalty area resulting in a penalty kick. Ernesto Zapata stepped in and looked for the low right corner but 'keeper Bryheem Hancock guessed right and made a diving game-saving save. The Lynx best chance to take the lead happened in the 64th minute when Baxter's free kick from 12 yards outside the box was bent to the upper left corner but Lutz Pfannenstiel punched it away and for the second time in as many matches the Lynx headed to overtime. It didn't take long for the winner to come, in the 1st minute Lewis Blois delivered a lovely cross to Gerba for the tap in, his team-leading 10th of the season, 2-1 Toronto the final. With the win Toronto improves to 6-10-1 and keep their slim playoff hopes alive. Despite being badly outshoot 17-7 the Mustangs put up a good fight even without their leading scorer Conrad Chala who did not play. The Lynx travel west to Calgary and then Edmonton before returning home on Monday August 2nd to face the Virginia Beach Mariners for their annual Carib Fest.  

Highlights:

1st Half

6th min: Shawn Faria stepped into a shot 10 yards outside the box but it was steered over the net by Lutz Pfannenstiel.

10th min: Musut Mert rush down the right side sent a low blast from just inside the box that was sent wide by a diving Bryheem Hancock.

11th min: Ensuing corner from Mert found the head of Walter Otta who directed his 1st past Hancock, 1-nil Calgary.

15th min: Ali Gerba working inside the box tapped the ball past a defender but his shot was stopped by Pfannenstiel.

16th min: David DiPlacido and Darren Baxter working the give-and-go but DiPlacido's shot just wide of the upper right corner.

23rd min:  Baxter cross that alluded a defender landed on the foot of Gerba but he couldn't get enough on the left foot attempt to beat Pfannenstiel.

30th min:  Jordan Gillespie with a nice ball to  Sergei Kolomiets-Raad streaking down the right side launched a hard low shot headed for the corner if not for a diving Hancock.

2nd Half

47th min: John Barry Nusum eluded 2 defenders but his shot from the top of the box was handled neatly by Pfannenstiel.

49th min:  Baxter into the middle for Edgar Bartolomeu who tried a bicycle kick, he missed but the ricochet landed on Gerba's foot and his tap beat Pfannenstiel but missed the right post.

52nd min:  Jamie Dobbs outstanding cross to Gerba but his header went wide left.

53rd min: Baxter delivered a beautiful corner that Andres Arango headed in for his first goal of the season, 1-1.

56th min: Gerba with a sweet cross to Nusum but his header went just over the crossbar.

62nd min: Andre Arango brought down Walter Otta inside the penalty area and that resulted in a penalty kick.

63rd min: Ernesto Zapata well struck towards the bottom right corner but Hancock guest right and made a diving save.

64th min: Free kick 10 yards outside the box for Baxter and he bent a ball towards the upper left corner that was punched away by Pfannenstiel.

Overtime

91st min: Lewis Blois cross to Gerba for the tap in, 2-1 Toronto.

Final Score:    Toronto    2   Calgary 1

Lineups:

Calgary: Pfannenstiel, Peszneker, Sestito, Auvigne, Gillespie, Brusselers, Holdt, Kolomiets-Raad ( Zuniga, 57th minute), Mert, Otta, Zapata

Toronto: Hancock, Arango (Mayard, 75th minute), Mattacchione, Hughes, Faria, Dodds (Munthali, 64th minute), DiPlacido (Steele, 90th minute), Baxter, Bartolomeu (Blois, 69th minute), Nusum, Gerba

Cautions: Cal: Auvigne (76th min)      Tor: Faria (39th min), Nusum (84th min)

Ejections: None

Shots:   Cal: 7      Tor: 17    

Saves:  Cal: 2     Tor: 3   

Fouls:   Cal: 14     Tor: 13  

Scorers:  Cal: Otta (11th minute)       Tor:  Arango (53rd minute), Gerba (91st minute)  

The Lynx next home game is Monday, August 2nd at 6:00 pm versus the Virginia Beach Mariners.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
DAVID NUTT, MEDIA RELATIONS
416-251-4625 ext. 30