Rivas Nets a Pair to Pace Syracuse Comeback
Date: Friday, August 13, 2004
Venue: Centennial Park Stadium, Etobicoke, Ontario
Attendance: 2,553
Kick off Time: 8:00 PM
Final Score: Syracuse 4 Toronto 3 OT
Match Summary:
Riding the momentum of a strong performance in a win over the
playoff-bound Vancouver Whitecaps, the Toronto Lynx headed into Friday's
match against the Syracuse Salty Dogs in the front end of a home-and-home
series. In front of 2,553 exuberant fans at Centennial Park Stadium on the
Lynx Annual Mascot Night with Ethan Zohn, star of "Survivor All-Stars" and
"Survivor Africa" was on hand as the Lynx tried to keep their slim playoff
hopes alive. The Salty Dogs came in riding a 9-game unbeaten streak and
are tied with Atlanta for the 4th and final postseason birth in the
Eastern Conference. Both teams started slow with most of the play in the
midfield area but the Lynx controlled the ball the majority of the first
half with crisp passing and stiffling defence. Toronto opened the scoring
in the 21st minute when Vinicius Britto exploded by a defender and sent a
splendid ball to a wide open Ali Gerba for the tap in, his team-leading
13th goal of the season, tying the Lynx single-season scoring mark set by
Francisco Dos Santos in 1999. Toronto added to their lead in the 32nd
minute, this time it was Gerba that used a nifty header past a defender
and onto the foot of Darren Baxter who chipped a ball over 'Dogs 'keeper
Byron Foss and into the goal for a 2-nil Toronto lead. Syracuse finally
got on the board in the 36th minute when Shawn Faria was charged with a
hand-ball in the penalty area resulting in a penalty kick. Rene Rivas
stepped up and calmly found the low right corner to cut the deficit to 2-1
at halftime. Syracuse came out of the locker room with some jump to their
step and came close to equalizing in the 49th minute when Machel Millwood
displayed great footwork and launched a low ball from just outside the box
but it was stopped by a diving Bryheem Hancock. The Lynx would not be as
lucky in the 57th minute, when Rene Rivas found Tim O'Neill with a
sensational cross and that tied the match at 2. Toronto regained the lead
minutes later when John Barry Nusum won a foot race down the left side and
chipped a ball over a charging Foss, giving the Lynx a 3-2 lead. The 'Dogs
continued to press with 2 golden chances in the 70th minute, Rivas with
the first followed by Millwood, both denied by a sharp Bryheem Hancock.
Just as the Lynx were poised for another victory, Syracuse leveled the
score in the 89th minute courtesy Machel Millwood. His dazzling ball
control undressed two defenders on the left side of the box as he slipped
a left footer inside the right post to tie the match and send it to
overtime. Eight minutes into the extra period, Hancock was called for a
tackle on a Syracuse defender inside the penalty area resulting in another
Syracuse penalty kick. Rene Rivas hesitated before placing the game-winner
inside the left post past a diving Hancock to complete the comeback and
send the Lynx home empty handed. With the win the Salty Dogs take over
sole possession of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference while
the Lynx fall to 8-13-1 on the season. Toronto will meet the Virginia
Beach Mariners on Wednesday, August 18th at 7:30pm for Coaches
Appreciation Night at Centennial Park Stadium.
Highlights:
1st Half
21st min: Miguel Britto with an explosive burst inside the penalty area by
a defender and sent a perfect cross to a wide open Ali Gerba who tapped it
in, 1-0.
32nd min: Ali Gerba with a neat header past a defender and to the foot of
Darren Baxter who chipped a ball over Keeper Byron Foss and into the goal,
2-0.
36th min: Hand ball in the penalty area by Shawn Faria resulted in a
penalty kick...Rene Rivas with a low shot into the bottom right corner,
2-1.
43rd min: Tim O'Neill with a fine individual effort to get by a defender
but he whistled the shot wide of the left post.
2nd Half
49th min: Machel Millwood with great footwork launched a low ball from
just outside the box that was stopped by a diving Hancock.
57th min: Rene Rivas with a great cross to Tim O'Neill for the easy tap
in, 2-2.
61st min: John Barry Nusum wins the foot race down the left side and chips
a ball over a charging Byron Foss, 3-2.
78th min: Darren Baxter inside the box with some nifty moves got the shot
off from the right corner but it went just over the crossbar.
89th min: Millwood undressed 2 defenders before sliding a left footer just
inside the right post, 3-3.
Overtime
98th min: Hancock tackled a defender inside the penalty area that resulted
in a penalty kick...Rivas delivered for the second time in the match
beating a diving Hancock with a ball into the low left corner, 4-3 final.
Final Score: Syracuse 4 Toronto 3 OT
Lineups:
Syracuse: Foss, Lyssand, Schweitzer, Sanfilippo, Low (Dore, 73rd min),
O'Neill (Suarez, 83rd min), Rivas, Woan, Steele, Maher (Barnes-Homer, 55th
min), Millwood
Toronto: Hancock, Faria, Baxter, Bartolomeu, DeCarvalho (DiPlacido, 45th
min), Britto (Nusum, 45th min), Miguel, Dodds, Mayard, Gerba (Gbeke, 73rd
min), Mattacchione, Arango (Hansor, 64th min)
Cautions: Syr: Steele (56th minute), Suarez (90th minute) Tor:
Ejections: None
Shots: Syr: 12 Tor: 9
Saves: Syr: 1 Tor: 2
Fouls: Syr: 26 Tor: 12
Scorers: Syr: Rivas (36th minute), O'Neill (57th minute), Millwood (89th
minute), Rivas (98th minute) Tor: Gerba (21st minute), Baxter (32nd
minute), Nusum (61st minute)
The Lynx next home game is Wednesday, August 18th at 7:30 pm versus the
Virginia Beach Mariners.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
DAVID NUTT, MEDIA RELATIONS
416-251-4625 ext. 30
