Lynx Overcome Fever, Rout Fort Wayne 4-1

Date
May 28, 2008
Venue
Centennial Park Stadium, Toronto, ON
Final Score
Toronto 4 (0), Fort Wayne 1 (0)

Match Summary
The Toronto Lynx opened their 2008 PDL campaign this afternoon with a wild and hard-fought 4-1 victory over the visiting Fort Wayne Fever. Four second-half strikes by the Lynx sent the large School Day crowd home happy, and gave the Lynx their first win in a season opener since 2004. Danielle Revivo scored a pair of goals to pace the Lynx while Vince Petrasso and Chris DeAbreu added singles. Nils Binstock picked up the win in his PDL debut.

Revivo opened the scoring just after the second half whistle when he lunged to meet a Petrasso cross and flicked the ball neatly behind the Fort Wayne keeper. The lead was short lived, however, when off a Fort Wayne corner, Robby Lynch headed home the equalizer. The game proceeded to become hard-fouling affair in the ensuing minutes, culminating in a near-10 minute delay after Fever keeper JJ Billinski was injured in a collision with Lynx forward Kadian Lecky. Billinski received treatment and remained in goal for the remainder of the game.

The delay energized the visitors, but Toronto withstood the pressure, and in the 81st minute, Revivo added his second of the match to give the Lynx a 2-1 lead. Midfielder Lloyd Grist sent a long ball into the lanky forward, who struck it home just inside the near past. The goal seemed to deflate Fort Wayne, and the Lynx dominated the remainder of the match. Chris DeAbreu made the score 3-1 in injury time when he took a Medwin pass inside the box, eluded a number of Fever defenders and placed the ball perfectly past the Fort Wayne keeper. Petrasso iced the game when he scored his first career goal on a two-on-one break with Cam Medwin just minutes later.

The win was costly for the Lynx as three starters left the match with injuries, Rick Titus, Jean Tshimpaka and Kevin Omokhua, while forward Kadian Lecky picked up a red card after receiving two cautions and will miss the Lynx’ next game.

The Lynx return to Varsity Centre on Friday evening, May 30, to host the powerful Chicago Fire at 7:30 PM. The game is Homecoming Night for the Lynx, celebrating the team’s return to Varsity, and a number of former Lynx stars will be on hand to celebrate the evening. Tickets can be purchased through the Lynx ticket hotline at 416-251-4625 x 31 or at Varsity Centre one hour prior to kick-off.

Lineups
Toronto
Binstock, DiLorenzo, Jonke, Titus (Scott, 45), Grist, McNamara, DeAbreu (McBride, 90), Petrasso, Omokhua (Medwin, 60), Revivo (El-Masri, 90), Tshimpaka (Lecky, 31)

Fort Wayne
Billinksi, Peaslee (Scott, 90), Sommers (Meier, 90), Mangotic, Heller, Lynch, Boughton, McCarrol, L’Esperance (Wallbridge, 64), Sharp (Tulloch, 90), Wilson (Jones, 45)

Officials
Referee – Gianni Facchini, Referee’s Assistants – Emanoil Gherghel, Ihor Bokiy, Fourth Official – Peter Pendli

Cautions
Toronto (2)
Lecky, 62’, 90’

Fort Wayne (1)
Sommers, 42’

Ejections
Toronto (1)
Lecky, 90’ – 2 Cautions

Shots
Toronto 21 Fort Wayne 10

Saves
Toronto 0, Fort Wayne 6

Fouls
Toronto 13, Fort Wayne 7

Offsides
Toronto 2, Fort Wayne 3

Corners
Toronto 1, Fort Wayne 4

Scorers
Toronto
Revivo (Petrasso) 47′
Revivo (Grist) 81′
DeAbreu (Medwin) 90′
Petrasso (Medwin) 90′

Fort Wayne
Lynch (McCarrol) 50′