PICTURE: When CSL soccer returns on Saturday, August 15, it will be a brief season, but an exciting one as five teams play for the league title followed by the CSL championship through to the end of October. There will be much action featured on the CSL website with regular game reports.
When FC Vorkuta opens the abbreviated 2020 season at Esther Shiner Stadium late Saturday afternoon the side at the top of Toronto will begin its brief campaign to keep up an impressive record of winning either the Canadian Soccer League championship or the First Division title since venturing into professional soccer in 2017.
The team – named after a community in northern Russia – became a strong member of the local community and Canada’s soccer community by investing in the organization with a decade in the amateur leagues after launching in Toronto in 2008. Stepping up to win the CSL First Division title in the opening 2017 season attracted a lot of attention and even more when winning the CSL Championship the following year. In third year 2019 Vorkuta captured the CSL First Division title yet again.
Such success on launching is a rare achievement in Canadian soccer and is attributed by some to Vorkuta adopting a duel role with the club’s strong interest in local talent and a careful selection of players from Europe.
The opener this coming weekend has Vorkuta hosting Brantford Galaxy at the Esther Shiner ground in north Toronto on Saturday at 5, part of a double header with Hamilton City vs Serbian White Eagles in a second game at 7.
“It is great to be back into it and our final practice on Wednesday puts us close to being ready. But we are very optimistic and confident about what we want from this season,” said FC Vorkuta GM Samad Kadirov.
Five teams (Brantford Galaxy, Hamilton City, Scarborough, Serbian White Eagles and FC Vorkuta) in the Canadian Soccer League First Division will take part in the long-awaited schedule, to be played at two grounds, Esther Shiner during August, followed by Centennial Stadium in Toronto’s west end during September, through to October 3 at the end of the regular schedule.
The CSL Championship playoffs will follow with the top four in the regular season league standings advancing to the playoff semifinals during October, followed by the championship game.
The Toronto city and Ontario provincial by-laws respecting the Covid-19 pandemic are in effect at all games, which limits spectator attendance to 100 and officials attached to participating teams during the time their game is in progress. A physical distance of at least two metres is a requirement of everyone watching the game.
The opening games:
Sat Aug 15 Esther Shiner Stadium 5 pm FC Vorkuta vs Brantford Galaxy
Sat Aug 15 Esther Shiner Stadium 7 pm Hamilton City vs Serbian White Eagles
Sat Aug 22 Esther Shiner Stadium 5 pm Scarborough SC vs Hamilton City
Sat Aug 22 Esther Shiner Stadium 7 pm Serbian White Eagles vs FC Vorkuta
Sat Aug 29 Esther Shiner Stadium 5 pm Brantford Galaxy vs Serbian White Eagles
Sat Aug 29 Esther Shiner Stadium 7 pm FC Vorkuta vs Scarborough SC
Tues Sep 1 Centennial Stadium 7 pm Hamilton City vs FC Vorkuta
Wed Sep 2 Centennial Stadium 7 pm Scarborough SC vs Brantford Galaxy