Serbian White Eagles outplayed London City 5-1 to clinch the last berth in the post-season playoffs, one game in the CSL First Division Saturday night.
The Toronto-based team needed an outright win to be in the post-season championship competition – a tie would put London through – and it was clear that even in a game scoreless for most of the first half on home ground at Lamport Stadium in Toronto’s west-end the Serbian Eagles were going to be hard to beat.
London’s chances went downhill at 37 minutes when striker Guillaume Surot was shown the red card by referee Afsar Khan for Serious Foul Play and this was followed at 43 minutes by a goal from Serbian Eagles defender Mirko Medic. He drove the ball to the left of London ‘keeper Vladimir Markotic, putting the home side one up at half-time.
Midfielder Timotej Zakrajsek made it 2-0 at 52 minutes and Serbian White Eagles took a 3-0 lead at 84 minutes on a goal by Sahjah Reid.
Medic struck his second goal at 86 minutes and Reid scored his second at 88 minutes for a 5-0 lead, before Marin Vucemilovic Grgic reduced the lead for London City to 5-1, the score at the final whistle.
It was Vucemilovic Grgic’s 21 goal of the season for a 5-goal lead in the race for leading goalscorer.
The eight teams to kickoff the quarterfinals the weekend October 12 are: York Region Shooters, Toronto Croatia, North York Astros, Kingston FC, Burlington SC, SC Waterloo, Brampton City Utd and Serbian White Eagles.
York Region Shooters, Toronto Croatia. North York Astros and Kingston FC have home advantage in the quarterfinals and home advantage will be retained for the top four teams advancing to the semifinals.
The quarterfinals will be announced Sunday night.
The remaining games this weekend:
FIRST DIVISION
Sun Oct 5 Terry Fox Stadium 2.30 pm Brampton City Utd vs Kingston FC
Sun Oct 5 Esther Shiner Stadium 3.30 pm North York Astros vs Niagara Utd
Sun Oct 5 St Joan of Arc 6.30 pm York Region Shooters vs Toronto Croatia
SECOND DIVISION
Sun Oct 5 Terry Fox Stadium 12 pm Brampton City Utd B vs Kingston FC B
Sun Oct 5 Bishop Reding 12 pm Milton SC vs SC Waterloo B
Sun Oct 5 St. Joan of Arc 9 pm York Region Shooters B vs Toronto Croatia B
END OF REGULAR SEASON