CSL
LEAFORD HITS THREE IN BRAMPTON AWAY VICTORY OVER SC WATERLOO
Forward Leaford Allen struck an opening season hat-trick to lead Brampton City Utd to a 3-1 defeat of the current CSL champions SC Waterloo, while Serbian White Eagles opened their season with a 2-0 victory over North York Astros and York Region Shooters scored a 3-2 win over Kingston FC, three games in the Canadian Soccer League Sunday. Leaford found the net past Waterloo goalkeeper Imad Hakura at 46 minutes at Warrior Field, Waterloo, for a 1-0 score at the break. Waterloo midfielder Kiril Dimitrov tied it 1-1 at 57 minutes and Leaford completed his hat-trick with goals at 66 minutes and 93 minutes just before the final whistle, a 3-1 final score. York Region Shooters midfielder Hector Mackie opened the scoring at 47 minutes at the St. Joan of Arc ground at Maple, just north of Toronto and Kingston forward and league-leading goalscorer last season, Guillaume Surot, tied the game from the penalty spot following a hand ball at 63 minutes. Mackie put the Shooters in front, 2-1, his second goal at 70 minutes and Adrian Pena increased the lead for the home side with a goal at 73 minutes. Surot reduced the lead to 3-2 with his second goal at the 80th minute mark and it was 3-2 at the final whistle.
“Kingston played well as they usually do, so it was good to get the result, especially in the home opener,” said York Region manager John Pacione following the final whistle. Serbian White Eagles opened the scoring at Esther Shiner Stadium at the 41st minute mark when forward Sahjah Reid collected a save from Astros’ goalkeeper Kevin Lumsden Pinto to drive the ball into the net and it was 1-0 at half-time. Reid scored a second goal when he centered the ball from the corner flag and Pinto failed to collect the ball which drop pped over the line at 61 minutes for a 2-0 the score at the final whistle.
TWO GOALS BY MAKUBUYA LEADS NIAGARA TO VICTORY…Toronto Croatia goes down to visiting Burlington in CSL opener
Two goals by midfielder Keith Makubuya assured Niagara United of a convincing 4-1 victory over visiting London City at Kalar Park Saturday night, while in one other game in the opening weekend of the Canadian Soccer League regular season, Burlington SC surprised Toronto Croatia with a 2-0 win at the Hershey Centre in Mississauga.
Marin Vucemilovic Grgic opened the scoring for the visitors when he beat Niagara ‘keeper Angelo Cavalluzzo from the penalty spot giving London City a 1-0 lead at the 25th minute mark, but Niagara’s Matt Waddington tied the score 1-1 at 35 minutes. JohnGrabowski put Niagara into a 2-1 lead at 40 minutes and it was 2-1 at the break.
Makubuya, a former Toronto FC midfielder, struck at 49 and 65 minutes to complete the scoring, 4-1 at the final whistle.
Toronto Croatia has an impressive record since entering professional soccer in 1956, but fell short in the CSL First Division and in their championship bid in 2013. The previous year, 2012, was a different story, however, winning both the First Division and CSL Championship. The club appears determined to capture at least one of these titles this new season but failed to make the start they were looking for at the Hershey Field in Mississauga on Saturday night.
Forward Marco Machado put Burlington into the lead at 45 minutes with a drive from just outside the 18 yard line, a rebound after Toronto Croatia goalkeeper Antonio Ilic punched the ball out to clear his lines.
It was 1-0 at the interval, but Burlington midfielder Darren Chamber made it 2-0 at 57 minutes when he headed past Ilic from a free kick, a 2-0 final score.
There was one Second Division game played Saturday when Niagara United B and Winstars Shooters played to a scoreless tie.
CAN WATERLOO REPEAT? The best is yet to come: president Tony Kocis
CAN WATERLOO REPEAT ?
The best is yet to come: president Tony Kocis
TORONTO – Tuesday, May 19, 2014 – Enormous personal satisfaction enveloped SC Waterloo head coach Lazo Dzepina as the final whistle blew to end the Canadian Soccer League championship final at the Kalar Sports Park in Niagara Falls late Sunday afternoon on November 3.
Dzepina wrote the script after all, a scheme to bottle up a prolific opposition trio that had everything to do with the Kingston team finding the net more than any other in the league, resulting in an impressive, relentless week-by-week goal production that contributed more than anything else to the eastern Ontario team winning the First Division title.
Dzepina was aware striker Guillaume Surot had just hours earlier been feted with no less than three awards including the CSL’s MVP for his goalscoring, and that the native of Vihiers, France was determined to cap the season with much of the same today.
The Waterloo defence worked the script and the lone Kingston goal – by midfielder Nathan Klemencic in the 3-1 result – meant the well-marked goalscoring trio had failed, and this led to a Waterloo victory.
“We added two important players and following a regular season loss to Kingston we worked on a number of things to give us a good chance if we were to meet this team in the playoffs and It all came together, ” said Dzepina through interpreter Zoran Kukic following the final whistle.
“We do believe there is more to come,” said a confident Waterloo president Tony Kocis recently. We certainly peaked at the right time last season but our best soccer is in the future.” The club represents a large section of Southwestern Ontario and is now entering its fourth season in the CSL.
Waterloo will be bidding for a top four finish at the end of the upcoming regular season – the club finished fifth in 2013 to just miss home advantage in the playoffs. Another goal is to be placed in the top three in the CSL’s competitive Second Division.
The team has re-signed Kitchener native Jake Inglis, to a professional contract that will see the young defender stay until 2016 and a two new signings are expected soon following a busy European scouting mission by the head coach. Dzepina, 46, played professionally in Europe before arriving in Canada to play a brief period for the CSL’s Hamilton Thunderbirds in 2005. The highly regarded coach holds a UEFA licence and coached NK Dinara of Croatia, his last club in Europe before settling in Canada.
While it is clear the will to win is an integral part of the SC Waterloo culture, reflected by the unprecedented double header achievement to include the Second Division Championship win on November 3 – it also speaks of the quality of the organization in terms of player development from which young players in the region will be the ultimate beneficiaries.
And they are wondering now if Waterloo can repeat in 2014.
Media recap: SC Waterloo, just three years in the Canadian Soccer League, stunned just about everyone by reaching the CSL Championship Final and the Second Division Championship Final, a double-header event at Kalar Park, Niagara Falls on November 3, 2013.
Waterloo went on to win both games convincingly, defeating First Division winner Kingston FC, 3-1, and the Second Division winner Toronto Croatia B, 2-0.
No club had previously won both finals.
PEOPLE IN THE NEWS…Bobby Graham has reason to celebrate
Bobby Graham of the CSL Second Division new entry Winstars Shooters is celebrating these days after having one of his earlier players dress for Benfica in the Europa Cup Final played May 14. Toronto-born Steven Vitoria played for Woodbridge Strikers 2004 and 2005 before signing for FC Porto of Portugal and following a series of loans the centre back signed a four-year contract for Benfica on June 16, 2013. Vitoria was a substitute for Benfica in their penalty kick loss to Sevilla in the final and was the second player coached by Graham to play for the Portuguese team. Fernando Aguiar played for the Winston Academy director who coached the Wexford team in 1987. Aguiar went on to sign for Toronto Blizzard, then Maritimo of Portugal and eventually, Benfica.
Former CSL player Atiba Hutchinson, has been selected to play against Bulgaria in Ritzing on May 23 and Muldova in Mauer, Austria on May 27. The talented midfielder was born in North York, played most of his early soccer in Brampton and eventually played for the CSL’s York Region Shooters organization before being selected for Canada and has since made 69 appearances for his country.
Thiago Freire is a young Brazilian who just graduated from the Sport Management Program at Humber College in Toronto and as part of the program worked his internship at the CSL office during 2013. While at CSL headquarters he said his dream is to one day be appointed president of the Brazilian Football Federation. Thiago Freire has made a good start in being accepted to work for the Marketing Team at the upcoming 2014 World Cup and leaves for Brazil on May 28. Thiago has just completed a term with the Local Organizing Committee of the 2015 Pan American Games. “I was able to use the skills I learned with the Canadian Soccer League, so I would like to thank you guys once again for giving me the opportunity to work in the CSL and work with my passion sport, it taught me many things and I’m collecting the benefits today,” he explained recently.
CSL HAS MUCH TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN THE NEAR TERM AND BEYOND: URSINI
CSL president Vincent Ursini made it clear during an interview on TSN radio May 11 that his league has much to look forward to in the near term and beyond despite attempts by the Canadian Soccer Association during the past two years to remove the longstanding professional league from the Canadian soccer community.
“We look forward to working with the newly-formed American Soccer League and we have also been invited to consider another international opportunity elsewhere,” said Ursini after explaining the CSL’s position that the CSA’s heavy-handed actions are certainly going to finish up in court.
“How is it possible for a league such as the CSL, a league that has contributed so many players to the national program to be de-sanctioned for reasons of making way for a lesser structure in this country.” he said.
Responding to questions from program hosts Lindsay O’Connor and Peter Irvine on the International Sports Report, Ursini said the CSA has never explained what rule violations caused the recent expulsion of the CSL from its membership.
The CSL had earlier clarified that the league was never invited or required to attend a hearing to discuss any issues that might lead to expulsion. Such action by a national sports body is extraordinary and appears to be unprecedented.
The CSL, formed in 1926, was de-sanctioned by the CSA in 2013 to make way for a new semi-professional soccer structure recommended by the US-based Rethink Management Group, but the decision to de-sanction was overturned for a period of one year until February 2014 by the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre Canada which operates under the auspices of Sport Canada and the federal government.
The CSL kicks off its new season with two divisions the weekend May 23 -24.
ASTROS PROMISE ENTERTAINMENT PACKAGE…..Toronto Croatia steps up player development
The CSL kicks off its season as a private league with two divisions on Friday, May 23 following a number of pre-season exhibition encounters played during the past month. The next scheduled exhibition is at Earlscourt Park in Toronto’s west end where North York Astros take on Toronto Croatia on Sunday, May 17, a 5 pm kickoff.
The Astros have been busy during the off season and it will all show up in entertainment value at their home games. For the home opener on Sunday, May 25 (at Esther Shiner Stadium vs Serbian White Eagles at 3.30 pm) there will be an opening mini game, a Challenge Cup competition at half-time, vendors stalls, shows and entertainment for an attractive and busy afternoon.
The Toronto Croatia first team experienced an unusual dry year in 2013 and were out of the championship final after finishing third in the standings, but the club’s second squad made up for any loss of glamour with an outstanding first year, winning the Second Division, then going on to make a gallant attempt at the Second Division championship, losing 2-0 to Waterloo B in the final.
Toronto Croatia are so encouraged by the success of its reserve team that it has decided to invest even more in the development side of the club, arranging overseas affiliations with Orijent Rijeka Academy in Croatia and the Ferenc Puskas Football Academy in Hungary. Second team GM Igor Beram explains that players showing promise in Canada will be considered for an overseas trial.
Toronto Croatia home games are slated for the Hershey Centre this year and the first team opener is set for Saturday, May 24 against Burlington SC, a 7 pm kickoff, with the reserve team opener the night before on Friday, May 23, also against Burlington and a 7 pm kickoff.
KINGSTON AIMS FOR SECOND DIVISION HONOURS…..Michael Caccavo will lead new entry Winstars Shooters
Joe Scanlon, co-owner and president of Kingston FC would now like to see his promising reserve team take the honours in the Second Division and that may well be the club’s focus following the relentless and successful game-by-game pursuit of the top division by the Kingston first team last year.
Kingston FC led early and never looked back while winning the CSL First Division in 2013 and the triumph was impressive with the eastern Ontario side came out on top in16 of the 22-games played, scoring 69 goals in regular season play – 17 more than the next highest and eventual CSL champion, SC Waterloo.
“Our goal is to build a stronger reserve division team, while maintaining or improving our already strong 1st division team. The reserve division players will be the first team players of tomorrow, and they will be well worth watching this season. We hope our fans will feel it worthwhile to take in both games,” said Scanlon.
Three players from France showed up at a recent open practice and two were good enough to be invited to attend the main Kingston camp.They were Antoine Chassignoux, a goalkeeper and Nelson Galvinelli, a midfielder. Five others invited to camp included three from Ottawa – Ali Ercan, a midfielder, Frank Mboue, a striker and Antonios Assaad, a striker.There were three from Montreal – Diego Perna Alvarado, midfielder, Olivier Parizeau, defender and Justin Smith, midfielder.
Winstars Shooters, from the young talent-laden Winstars Academy and one of two new entries in the CSL Second Division, have appointed Mississauga native Michael Caccavo to captain the team in its inaugural CSL season. In making the announcement, academy director Bob Graham said: “Michael Caccavo is an excellent defender, has a passion for the game and represents all that Winstars stand for.”
Winstars Shooters are included in a summer tour of Virginia and will play at the James Madison University on August 25.
WINNING WINSTARS ENTER THE CSL…Strong player development partnership with YRS
Oakville Winstars was once described as ‘a Canadian amateur soccer dynasty of international proportions’ following a series of successes in the 90s and into the early years of 2000 and the name has been prominent ever since for a host of good reasons, including today’s highly regarded Winstars Soccer Academy, now based in Woodbridge, Ontario. But in those early years it was the other side of Toronto close to the shores of Lake Ontario that Winstars was born with the help of sponsor Ford Motor Company in Oakville, a time the new Windstar minivans were rolling off the assembly line and often seen leaving the Ford property for the Queen Elizabeth Way on their way to transport young Winstars soccer players for a game somewhere in the region (note the name change from the orginal Ford Windstars minivan).
Oakville Winstars was launched by the Oakville Soccer Club president of the day, Charlie Sciberras, together with Bobby Graham, now the academy director of Winstars Soccer Academy. Sciberras held an important position with the car maker, while Graham was becoming known as one of soccer’s top technical people in Ontario. A more up-to-date description lists the Scottish-born Graham as one of the most knowledgeable coaches in North America following many years with Canadian teams at U.S.-based tournaments – the best-known being the prestigious annual Dallas Cup. Successes for Oakville Winstars at home were commonplace in those days, including in the Canadian National Championship. Graham and his Winstars Academy Group have entered a team in the CSL Second Division, to known as Winstars Shooters following an affiliation arrangement and close alignment with York Region Shooters. Graham holds a long list of awards following decades of support and encouragement from his father, Bill Graham, 80, who today is the only living member of the original four who started the Oakville Soccer Club, one of the largest community soccer organizations in Canada with more than 12,000 players and a trophy list of eight national championships and 55 Ontario Cups. “I am really excited to be part of the Shooters organization and the CSL following a friendship of many years with York Region Shooters’ presiden
t Tony De Thomasis with whom I share a close philosophical approach to player development,” said Graham in announcing the partnership. The CSL Second Division will provide tough competition for a Winstars Shooters team of the more promising academy players and these players will also have an opportunity for games in the York Region First Division team. “We are really pleased to be working with the Winstars to add CSL competition to what is already a superb academy environment – the players will benefit even more,” said De Thomasis. Winstars Shooters will play their CSL Second Division opener against Niagara United on May 25 at the St. Joan of Arc ground in Maple, a 4 pm kickoff.
MILTON DESERVES TO BE ON THE SOCCER MAP…Pro soccer returns to fast growing soccer community
Milton deserves to be on the soccer map. Close enough to Toronto to be part of the GTA, the Town of Milton is undergoing its second attempt to introduce professional soccer to what is billed as the fastest growing community in Canada. Located just west of the big city, Milton has become part of a region where the number of young soccer players on a per capita basis is one of the highest in Canada. So Jasmin Halkic and Jasmin Halkic are taking steps to bring more soccer skills and experience to Milton. Yes, there are two, a father and son soccer combination that’s entered a semi-pro team in the CSL Second Division and setting up an academy structure and agency to teach the skills and move young players to an overseas trial if they show enough promise. “Milton is perfect,” said Halkic Sr who resides in London. Ontario where for the past two years he has been a key member of London City of the CSL following the acquisition of the club from the Gauss family in 2012.
“Milton is a wonderful growing community and soccer is really big there.” Milltown FC was the first professional team to represent Milton when they launched with fanfare in the CSL on February 24, 2010, but following a promising show on the field that delighted the community, the club failed to re-enter the pro CSL for the 2011 season and opted for a local amateur league. “We are very aware of how competitive the CSL is, so we are taking a more careful, step by step approach by entering the CSL Second Division. This is the right environment for our development program, a challenge for our players for sure, but a level that’s ideal to help them become stronger and more skillful in the early stages,” said Halkic Sr. Halkic Sr landed in Quebec from Bosnia in 1995 following a professional playing career which included Germany and Slovenia.
A defender with good pace, he switched to playing on the wing, then became an outstanding attacking midfielder. But it all stopped abruptly when cut short by a career-ending injury. The younger Jasmin Halkic, a midfielder with the CSL’s London City in 2013, will be very much involved in the new Milton operation and defenders Slavko Nenadov and Bajro Junuzovic, together with midfielder Agata Jefferson, will be players in the new Second Division side – all with CSL experience. Stefan Ristic, who played for Dinamo Vranje in Serbia, is expected to join a team of young developing players and some with overseas experience. CSL Administrator Pino Jazbec considers the CSL Second Division an ideal entry to professional soccer for teams where serious player development is a high priority. “Most of our Second Division is reserve teams from our First Division clubs and Milton will find this first step a good starting point before moving into the top level next year or in 2016,” he said. The six-month CSL season kicks off with two divisions in May – Milton SC will play out of the Bishop Reding SS ground in Milton.
TEN TEAMS TO LAUNCH NEW CSL SEASON MID-MAY
TORONTO – Thursday, March 13, 2013 – Ten teams will kickoff a new First Division season and launch a new era in the Canadian Soccer League mid-May, a six-month schedule supplemented by cross-border games against teams in the soon-to-be launched American Soccer League playing out of the northeastern United States.
It will be a historic venture for the staunchly Canadian semi-professional CSL, which was originally launched as the National Soccer League in 1926 and re-branded through the years to become the CSL as we know it today. Now operating as a private league – which the league has elected to do on more than one occasion in its history – the CSL will have a working relationship with its U.S. counterpart to also include youth player development and marketing.
The ten teams to kickoff the CSL top division in the new season are Brampton City Utd, Burlington SC, London City, Kingston FC, Niagara United, North York Astros, SC Waterloo, Serbian White Eagles, Toronto Croatia and York Region Shooters. Teams for the CSL Second Division will be announced March 31.
SC Waterloo, which provides a much-needed professional soccer presence in the densely-populated youth soccer region that exists in the twin cities of Kitchener-Waterloo and the regional soccer community that reaches out to out as far as Cambridge, Guelph and Stratford, are the current CSL champions following a 3-1 victory over Kingston FC in the Championship Final November 3. The southwestern Ontario club also captured the Second Division title when their second string defeated Toronto Croatia Reserves on the same day, the first time a CSL club has taken both titles in the same season.
“It certainly was a great season when all of the hard work paid off and we want to build on our success and do even more to provide attractive soccer and help in player development throughout the region, all while the Canadian Soccer League continues to grow as a strong member of the Canadian soccer community,” said Tony Kocis, president of SC Waterloo.
SC Waterloo are scheduled for their opening home game at Warrior Field in Waterloo on Sunday, May 25, a day set by several clubs for their home opener. Serbian White Eagles will have Lamport Stadium in Toronto’s west-end as their home ground in 2014 and have scheduled their home opener for Saturday, May 31.
CSL CLUBS INVITE PLAYERS……Toronto Croatia move to Hershey Centre
Toronto Croatia, the most decorated club in the CSL with championship victories 1970 through 73, 2004, 2007, 2011 and 2012, will be playing out of the Hershey Centre in Mississauga while Etobicoke’s Centennial Stadium undergoes renovation for the Pan American games. The First Division team’s home opener will be on Saturday, May 24.
While the Toronto Croatia first team was notably absent from the championship final following a third-place league finish, the reserve squad made an outstanding return to competition to finish on top of the Second Division, to then reach the final of the Second Division Championship. Igor Beram, the second squad GM credited with putting together the winning combination in 2013, is opening the door to players looking for a first entry step into professional soccer. Players are invited to send a curriculum vitae to torontocroatiareserves@live.ca and those who qualify will be invited to a trial at the Hershey Dome Field, Mississauga, on Friday, March 21 from 9 – 11 pm.
Similarly, North York Astros are inviting players to make application for a trial through the club’s website at www.northyorkastros.ca. The team’s home opener will be played on May 25 at Esther Shiner Stadium.
The Canadian Soccer League continues to encourage players considering entry into semi-professional soccer to contact their nearest CSL club.
CSL CLUBS INVITE PLAYERS……Toronto Croatia move to Hershey Centre
Toronto Croatia, the most decorated club in the CSL with championship victories 1970 through 73, 2004, 2007, 2011 and 2012, will be playing out of the Hershey Centre in Mississauga while Etobicoke’s Centennial Stadium undergoes renovation for the Pan American games. The First Division team’s home opener will be on Saturday, May 24.
While the Toronto Croatia first team was notably absent from the championship final following a third-place league finish, the reserve squad made an outstanding return to competition to finish on top of the Second Division, to then reach the final of the Second Division Championship. Igor Beram, the second squad GM credited with putting together the winning combination in 2013, is opening the door to players looking for a first entry step into professional soccer. Players are invited to send a curriculum vitae to torontocroatiareserves@live.ca and those who qualify will be given a trial.
Similarly, North York Astros are inviting players to make application for a trial through the club’s website at www.northyorkastros.ca. The team’s home opener will be played on May 25 at Esther Shiner Stadium.
The complete 2014 CSL schedule will be released early April.
