Sudbury's last shot to win the 2009 Ontario Cup came crashing down, along with heavy rain, on James Jerome South Field on Sunday.
After the Panhellenic U-21 womens soccer team lost 2-1 to the Richmond Hill Raiders in the game before, Croatia Adria were blown out by the Hamilton Serbians.
The Serbians keeper could be seen jogging from one end of the 18-yard box to the other and stretching from time-to-time, preparing for a challenge that never really came.
"They were simply a better passing team," said visibly tired Croatia Adria captain Mike Asunma. "We didn't do too much wrong. I mean, we committed too many fouls by the box and they had some good players we could score off set pieces. But really, I just think they had a better game."
In the 5-1 defeat, Croatia Adria didn't manage to get a menacing shot on net until late in the second half, nearing injury time.
Croatia's Dieri Drame broke in on Hamilton's keeper and surprised him with a rocket. The keep deflected the shot, which only returned to the foot of Drame. He made no mistake.
"It was a good effort, we tried to stay in until the end, but they were simply a little too fit, better at moving the ball than we were and their spacing was a lot better," Asunma said.
Before that point, Hamilton had the only challenging shots on net, unfortunately five of them beat Croatia's keeper.
Hamilton's first goal was a laser fired from roughly 30 yards out by striker George Stojkovic. Croatia gave the striker too much space. Croatia's keeper had no chance and barely had time to move.
"We had a good game today, and we finished our chances," Hamilton coach Richie Bennet said. "When you're playing and you get early goals, you set the stage for the rest of the game."
Later in the first half, Croatia defender Tony Tagliafierro committed a rough slide tackle inside of the penalty area, in which he uncharacteristically didn't win the ball first.
By the end of the first half, it was 2-0, although Hamilton could've netted two or three more, with the amount of defensive miscues that plagued a usually-sound Croatian defense.
The Serbians scored three more in the second half, and were virtually unchallenged in their end, with the exception a few cross attempts and a dangerous indirect free kick by Finnish midfield wizard Asunma, which his teammates failed to get ahead on.
Throughout the game, Hamilton controlled all thirds of the pitch. They attacked hard, with a good mixture of carrying and crossing in Croatia's defensive third.
They controlled the midfield with patience and stunning footwork. And their defense was incredibly steady-footed.
The most impressive player of the game, arguably, considering Stojkovic's hat-trick, was Hamilton's Aleksander Cavic.
Nearing six-and-a-half feet in height and dominating any and all challenges and tackles that he was called upon to make, the composed left back was unstoppable. In his own end, he shut down Croatia.
When he attacked, all the way from left back, he put shots on net and dangled his way through defenders with ease.
Heavy rainfall and an approaching storm forced fans from the stands at roughly the eightieth minute. Croatia and Hamilton faithful could be seen huddled under the roof at the complex, and some even took shelter under the stands to watch the final minutes.
In the end, it wasn't Croatia's best showing, and Hamilton's coach noticed.
"For the Ontario Cup, we usually come out to play," Bennet said. "We wanted to be ready, mentally and physically. I'm not sure they were. They're not a bad side, it wasn't their best game."
