| |
Standings,
results and other stats
Pete Halkidis dashed Polonia’s hopes of a league and cup
double with an extra time winner in Pancyprian Freedom’s thrilling
3-2 Manning Cup final victory at the rain-lashed Verazzano Sports
Complex last Sunday.
The Greek-Cypriots retained the trophy they won with a 4-1 romp
over Irish Rovers last season.
Close to 300 fans, most of them rooting for Polonia, braved the
steady downpour to watch the titanic grudge match between the two
Cosmopolitan Soccer League giants battling for first place in Division
One (East).
The cup final: two hours of action replete with near misses, cautions,
two ejections and a Julio Cesar Santos brace, did not disappoint.
Pancyprian, who’ve played second fiddle to Polonia in the league
where they trail the Poles by six points, drew first blood after
21 minutes through Santos. This, after the Brazilian hitman had
latched onto a Taso Polydefkis pass.
Polonia’s response was swift -- Damian Janicki slotting home
from close range in a goalmouth scramble two minutes later.
There were chances on either end before Santos, an ex-pro who counts
AC Milan star Ronaldo among his former teammates in Brazil, restored
Pancyprian’s lead (55th), thanks to Peter Pavlakos’ assist.
Ten minutes later Polonia were reduced to ten men after a dangerous
tackle on Jeff Matteo. Pancyprian stepped it up a notch and Santos
spurned an excellent chance to complete his hat trick when he missed
an empty net after being set up by Halkidis.
To their credit, the Poles hung tough and found themselves back
on par, numerically, in the 81st minute when Pancyprian center-back
John Katsanos was dismissed for a second booking.
From the ensuing free kick the cup holders failed to clear the ball
and the rebound off goalie Stef Kazantzis was stroked home by Robert
Rzeczycki, forcing extra time.
Evidently the fitter of the two sides, Pancyprians pressed forward
for the winner which would come in the 100th minute, courtesy of
Halkidis with Matia Damiani providing the assist.
Said Pancyprian official George Halkidis -- Pete’s father:
“Overall, it was a tough match with numerous blown scoring
chances by the Pancyprian squad.
“Coach Luka Luckovic made the right moves with substitutions
and tactical realignment resulting in our second consecutive State
title.”
Halkidis lauded Polonia and their supporters for creating a great
cup final atmosphere. “It’s been a while since we saw
a team with such a following,” he added, estimating the turnout
at 300 -- with 200 of them cheering for the Poles.
Polonia manager Roman Gierczak graciously conceded defeat, which
gave the Greek-Cypriots a 2-1 edge this season, following 1-0 wins
by both clubs in the league.
“It was a pretty even game, both teams had their chances but
they (Pancyprian) were a little better,” said Gierczak.
Polonia can make amends for the loss -- just their second in all
competitions this season, by avoiding defeat against New York Albanians
at McCarren Park this Sunday and clinching the First Division East
title.
MANNING CUP RUN
To reach the final, Pancyprian, who were on bye in the first round,
coasted past the Long Island Soccer Football League’s Integral
7-3, Central Park Rangers 4-1 and Lansdowne Bhoys 4-2, in that order.
Polonia dismissed West Babylon 3-2, New York Athletic Club 2-0 and
Barnstonworth Rovers 2-0 after extra time in the semis.
D’ARPINO REPEAT
Saku Cox maintained the New York Greek-American/Atlas reserves’
hold on the D’Arpino Cup with a dramatic late goal against
Irish Rovers in the 2007 final.
Cox scored with a minute to spare at Verazzano to hand Atlas a 1-0
victory. The Greeks beat New Hyde Park by the same score in last
year’s final.
PHOTO FINISH
The title race in the Western conference went to the wire before
defending CSL champs Brooklyn Italians held on to their crown on
goal difference with a 2-0 win over New York Greek-American/Atlas
at Verazzano.
David Salazar and Enzo connected for Brooklyn (8-3-5, 29) who fended
of New York Athletic Club’s stumbling challenge.
NYAC (9-5-2, 29) pipped Manhattan Kickers 1-0 to snap a two-match
losing streak that cost them dearly in their quest for a seventh
CSL title, but it was too little, too late.
Graham Albert (25th) got the NYAC goal at Verazzano that left Kickers’
First Division fate hanging on a thread.
To survive, Mike Fitzgerald’s last place Kickers (3-8-4, 13)
must beat Pancyprian in their remaining game and pray that New York
Albanians (4-9-2, 14) lose to Polonia.
Kickers’ reserves lost 4-2 to NYAC.
CPR SAFE
Central Park Rangers assured their stay in the top flight by thrashing
relegated Eastern conference side New York Fury 4-1.
Veterans Tony DeLorenzo, Adam Brown and Malik Ashiru (two) scored
for the 5-9-2 CPR.
“This result was a great way to end the season -- we insured
our Division One status in style,” said manager Yuval Lion.
His reserves went one better, trouncing the Fury seconds 5-0 on
goals by David Lovercheck, Marcus Frost, Serge Verdoux, Marc Cheesman
and Robbie Newman.
BHOYS EDGED
At Tibbets Park, CD Iberia’s Vinnie Russo (10th) sent Lansdowne
Bhoys reeling to a 1-0 defeat in a First Division tussle.
INVINCIBLE STAL
Needing a point to win the Second Division title, Stal Mielec bagged
all three from Koha who they beat 3-2 at Randalls Island to claim
the championship with two games to spare.
Ex-Polonia forward Robert Brozyna, Sylwester Godlewski and Lukasz
Jagodzinski were on target to give Stal (12-0-4) an unassailable
40 points.
BULGARIA CLOSE
Hristo Kaloferov (50th) and Plamen Mihaylov (85th) rallied FC Bulgaria
from a goal down at half time to edge NIFA 2-1 and move the East
Europeans closer to promotion.
Bulgaria (10-4-2, 32) have two more matches to hold off the third
place Manhattan Celtic (7-3-5, 26) who have a game in hand.
IAN STRIKES
Celtic boss Ian Woodcock was one of the marksmen in his club’s
3-3 tie with FC Japan at Wards Island.
His 75th minute strike tied the game 2-2, this after Shigeru Aoe
(60th) and two-goal hero Kenta Hidaka (70th) had canceled out Michael
Thomas’ opener (50th).
Hidaka’s second appeared to have won it for Japan, however,
David Linn (88th) popped up in the dying minutes to salvage a point
for Celtic in their penultimate fixture.
Undaunted by the result, GM Tosh Tatezawa said Japan were still
aiming for third place finish.
“We played catch-up but were still a little disappointed. We
should have a taken all three points,” rued Woodcock.
RESERVE ROMP
Celtic’s Tom Flannery (20th), Barry O’Connell (30th),
the Vega brothers Chris (50th) and Brian 965th), and James Flynn
(85th) connected in the reserve’s 5-2 romp.
WALSH WINNER
Player-coach Robbie Walsh’s diving header put the Metro Div.
One (West) title within Shamrock’s grasp after the Irishmen’s
2-1 win over ASA McCarthy at Wards Island.
Matt Schnugg (40th) was the other Shamrock scorer.
Walsh’s excellent finish (70th), a day after his 35th birthday,
upped the Rocks’ record to 9-3-3 (30) two points ahead of Sporting
Astoria who have a game in hand.
The Rocks’ wrap up against Sporting this Sunday while Sporting’s
final match will be against third-place S.C. Ukrainians (9-3-2,
29), who beat BW Gottschee 4-2 at the weekend and have game in arbitration.
Summing up Shamrock’s title prospects, Walsh observed: “We
have to keep on winning and hope results go our way.”
PERKY UKRAINIANS
Ukrainian made the most of Sporting’s weekend off to slip into
second spot in Metro Div. One (West) after dispatching BW Gottschee
4-2 at McCarren Park.
“A very tough game – we were winning 2-0 then they came
back and got as close as 3-2 at one point,” said Ukrainian’s
longtime coach Steve Kovalenko.
Piotr Brzezinski (10th), Adam Maliniak (15th), Bartek Kamionka (55th)
and Marcin Trzaska (80th) produced the win.
L.I. CRASH
Two weeks after Long Island United’s remarkable run of 13 consecutive
victories in Metro Div. Two ended with a 3-all tie against EMC,
the CSL newcomers tasted their first defeat in the league.
Frosinone knocked off United 3-0 at Herricks Field, on goals by
Jose Aquije, Hugh Campbell and Cem Drumkuay, to go top of the standings.
|
