Canada: Crowd trouble avoided segregating Serb, Croat fans

Local media say Canadian football authorities opted for a novel measure to avert ethnic violence. The Toronto Sun reported that the Canadian Soccer League split its championship into a two-game affair, fearing violence between Serbian White Eagles and Toronto Croatia supporters in the first game Saturday. Canada: Crowd trouble avoided segregating Serb, Croat fans "But in the end," the paper said, "all that it took was rain and cold winds at North York's Esther Shiner Stadium to keep most fans away in droves in a game won by Toronto Croatia 4-1." CSL president Cary Kaplan decided to go to a two-game aggregate goal affair when it became apparent the White Eagles and Croatia would be the last two teams standing. The decision was made to have the first game with only Croat supporters allowed and today's game with only Serb supporters in the stands. "It is just ridiculous," Toronto Croatia supporter Frank Delisimunovic said prior to the game. "This is just a soccer match. Nothing more. Old politics should not enter into it." He said he had spoken to the others in the Croatian community and came away with the feeling that the controversy was media-created. "If someone hadn't gone on television to say the two teams had problems in the past, nothing would have come of it," Delisimunovic said. The CSL had tried to rent BMO Field, where the opposing supporters could have been separated, but construction of a bubble to cover the site for winter use prevented that from happening. "We really didn't have a choice," Kaplan said. "We just could not justify taking the risk of something untoward happening with both clubs' supporters in the same area." "Personally, I don't like it," Toronto Croatia president Joe Pavicic said. "I was talking to the Serbian side ... and they're really thinking the same way. We don't think this is necessary." White Eagles coach Branko Pavlovic agreed, but said once the decision was made there was little anyone could do about it. If the score is tied after today's regulation time, the teams will play a 15-minute session and if it's still tied after that a shootout will be held. Croatia got two goals from midfielder Jonathan Bustamante, in the 13th and 45th minutes, and singles from Peter Curic and Hayden Fitzwilliams. The lone Serbian goal was scored by defender Dragorad Milicevic.

Canada: Crowd trouble avoided segregating Serb, Croat fans

"But in the end," the paper said, "all that it took was rain and cold winds at North York's Esther Shiner Stadium to keep most fans away in droves in a game won by Toronto Croatia 4-1."

CSL president Cary Kaplan decided to go to a two-game aggregate goal affair when it became apparent the White Eagles and Croatia would be the last two teams standing.

The decision was made to have the first game with only Croat supporters allowed and today's game with only Serb supporters in the stands.

"It is just ridiculous," Toronto Croatia supporter Frank Delisimunovic said prior to the game. "This is just a soccer match. Nothing more. Old politics should not enter into it."

He said he had spoken to the others in the Croatian community and came away with the feeling that the controversy was media-created.

"If someone hadn't gone on television to say the two teams had problems in the past, nothing would have come of it," Delisimunovic said.

The CSL had tried to rent BMO Field, where the opposing supporters could have been separated, but construction of a bubble to cover the site for winter use prevented that from happening.

"We really didn't have a choice," Kaplan said.

"We just could not justify taking the risk of something untoward happening with both clubs' supporters in the same area."

"Personally, I don't like it," Toronto Croatia president Joe Pavicic said.

"I was talking to the Serbian side ... and they're really thinking the same way. We don't think this is necessary."

White Eagles coach Branko Pavlovic agreed, but said once the decision was made there was little anyone could do about it.

If the score is tied after today's regulation time, the teams will play a 15-minute session and if it's still tied after that a shootout will be held.

Croatia got two goals from midfielder Jonathan Bustamante, in the 13th and 45th minutes, and singles from Peter Curic and Hayden Fitzwilliams. The lone Serbian goal was scored by defender Dragorad Milicevic.