Stan Adamson

STOJILJKOVIC FIREPOWER WINS PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARD

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   STOJILJKOVIC FIREPOWER WINS PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARD

 

 

 

If you want to see a CSL player with high level potential in soccer, visit Centennial Stadium in Etobicoke on Friday night where Aleksander Stojiljkovic will be attempting to pile on an already impressive rate of scoring that brought the CSL top goalscorer award to the attacking midfielder for the 2017 season.

His team, Scarborough SC, will be visiting the west Toronto ground for a clash with Serbian White Eagles, a side not easy to score against –they conceded just 14 goals in the 2017 regular season and have so far allowed only one goal in two games played in this early 2018 campaign.

Stojiljkovic hit four in Scarborough’s 5-1 defeat of Hamilton City on May 27 and earned the league’s first Player of the Week award for the achievement, a repeat of similar performances  when the prolific Serb scored 3, then 4, then another 4 in the last month of the 2017 regular season.

It’s not the first time Stojiljkovic has attracted attention. The now 28 year old brought interest in his native Serbia where he made a number of senior club appearances starting at the age of 16 and eventually  played for top Serbian clubs FK Cukaricki and FK Sindelic Beograd based in the capital Belgrade. All before signing for SC Waterloo in Canada in 2014, then Scarborough in 2016. Stojiljkovic won the CSL Rookie of the Year award in his first season.

Stojiljkovic’s positional play has changed over time. After playing mainly on the wing, he was moved inside as an attacking midfielder, increasing his goals output. It’s the left foot that does most of the damage to the opposition, particularly as a dead ball specialist from just outside the box.

“Aleksander is a very intelligent player and using his experience from Europe he has adopted a role of giving direction on the field and encouragement and is now the team captain,” said Kiril Dimitrov, who was instrumental in signing Stojiljkovic to Scarborough.

Friday’s Serbian White Eagles vs Scarborough SC encounter, a 7 pm kickoff,  is followed by three First Division games on Saturday when FC Ukraine United visit Heritage Field for a game with Hamilton City, a 6.30 pm start, then a game at the OSA Soccer Centre in Vaughan where FC Vorkuta are at home to Waterloo SC at 8 pm and the Brantford Galaxy vs CSC Mississauga at the Heritage Field at 8.30 pm.

There are two Second Division games on Sunday with FC Vorkuta B at home to Milton SC B at St. Roberts HS, a 2 pm kickoff,  and Scarborough B at home to Brantford Galaxy B, a 6 pm kickoff at the OSA Soccer Centre.

 

 

 

LATE GOALS GIVE UKRAINE UNITED SUNDAY VICTORY

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LATE GOALS GIVE UKRAINE UNITED SUNDAY VICTORY

FC Ukraine United scored three late goals to defeat Scarborough SC in a well- played and only game in the Canadian Soccer League First Division Sunday night.

It was a close, physical encounter through to the 64th minute when forward Pavlo Lukianets opened the scoring for a 1-0 Ukraine United lead at Birchmount Stadium and this was followed by a goal 10 minutes later by Ihor Malysh.
The visitors increased their lead at 80 minutes when Amir Hosic found the net to complete the scoring, giving Ukraine United its second win in the season following a 2-0 home victory over Scarborough on May 19.

FC Ukraine United will travel to Heritage Field in Hamilton for their next game, which is against the City on Saturday, June 9, a 6.30 pm start and Scarborough SC will be away to Serbian White Eagles for their next game, a 7 pm kickoff at Centennial Stadium on Friday, June 8.
There was on game in the CSL Second Division Sunday night when FC Vorkuta B defeated Scarborough SC B, 4-3, at St. Roberts Field.

WATERLOO AND HAMILTON CITY REGISTER SATURDAY VICTORIES

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WATERLOO AND HAMILTON CITY REGISTER SATURDAY VICTORIES

SC Waterloo defeated Real Mississauga 3-0 and Hamilton City scored a convincing 4-0 victory over Brantford Galaxy, two First Division games in the Canadian Soccer League Saturday night.

It was the season opener for both SC Waterloo and expansion side Real Mississauga in the game played at RIM Park in Waterloo and forward Adis Hasecic opened the scoring for the home side for a 1-0 lead at 31 minutes. Hasecic struck again two minutes later, beating Brantford goalkeeper Semad Poracanin from 11 yards to put Waterloo ahead 2-0.

Waterloo went further ahead at the 40th minute mark, a goal by defender Vladimir Zelenbaba and the 3-0 score held to the final whistle.
Defender Arsen Platis opened the scoring for Hamilton City at the 8th minute mark against Brantford Galaxy in the game at Heritage Field and Ghanaian striker Sani Dey made it 2-0 ten minutes later. Dey struck his second goal, beating Brantford goalkeeper Georgi Jovicic at 39 minutes for 3-0 lead, the score at halftime.

Hamilton’s Vukasin Kovacevic found the Brantford net five minutes into the second half for a 4-0 final score.
It was a welcome victory for Hamilton City following two early season defeats, a 3-0 loss at FC Vorkuta on May 19 and a 5-1 result for Scarborough SC on May 27. Brantford Galaxy has played one earlier game, a scoreless tie against CSC Mississauga on May 25.

There is one CSL First Division game on Sunday when Ukraine United FC visits Birchmount Stadium for a game with Scarborough SC, that’s an 8 pm kickoff, and in the Second Division, FC Vorkuta B is at home at the St. Roberts HS ground against Scarborough B, a 2 pm start.

BOJIC STRIKE GIVES SERBIAN WHITE EAGLES FIRST VICTORY

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BOJIC STRIKE GIVES SERBIAN WHITE EAGLES FIRST VICTORY

A goal at 33 minutes by Serbian White Eagles’ forward Luka Bojic was enough to give his side victory over CSC Mississauga in the only game played in the Canadian Soccer League Friday.

Bojic found the net past Mississauga goalkeeper Faris Efendic at Centennial Stadium following a passing play by Andres Marinkovic and midfielder Milos Ljubenovic who broke through the Mississauga defence for Bojic to tap into the net from close range.

While Serbian White Eagles had a number of attempts to increase the lead following the interval, Mississauga also fought to bring the game to even terms with strong attempts by Abdullah Agbaje down the right and Cory Aarons. Their raids on the White Eagles’ goal almost succeeded on several occasions, particularly at the 90th minute mark when Agbaje found the net with a good drive from 20 yards only to be called offside.
Bojic also had good opportunities early in the game and late and may well have ended the night with a hat-trick. He and Ljubenovic were the most dangerous for the home side around the Mississauga goal.

It was the first win of the season for Serbian white Eagles following a 1-1 tie with FC Vorkuta on May 25, while CSC Mississauga are without a win in the new season, playing to a scoreless tie at home to Brantford Galaxy, also on May 25.
There are two CSL First Division games Saturday with SC Waterloo at home in RIM Park against Real Mississauga, that’s a 6.30 pm kickoff, to be followed at 8.30 pm by a game at Heritage Field with Brantford Galaxy at home to Hamilton City. One game on Sunday has Scarborough SC hosting FC Ukraine United at Birchmount Stadium.

There are two games in the CSL Second Division over the weekend, with Brantford Galaxy B travelling to Norton Park for a game against Halton United B, that’s at 8pm on Saturday, while the following afternoon on Sunday, FC Vorkuta B are at home at St. Roberts HS against the visiting Scarborough SC B, a 2 pm kickoff.

FULL SLATE OF GAMES IN CSL THIS WEEKEND

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FULL SLATE OF GAMES IN BUSY CSL WEEKEND

The CSL season is gaining some momentum with a full slate of First Division and Second Division games being played this coming weekend June 1- 3, the third weekend of a 5-month campaign that goes through to the playoffs for the CSL Championship and the CSL Second Division title during October.
The weekend opening First Division game is on Friday evening when Serbian White Eagles are at home to CSC Mississauga in Centennial Stadium at 7 pm.
Serbian White Eagles, with a strong presence in Canadian soccer both at the professional and amateur levels for many years, entered the Canadian Soccer League in 2006 to be only the second team in the history of the CSL to be a finalist in the CSL Championship during the first four years of operation. Serbian White Eagles won the championship in 2008 and 2016.
“We aim to be on top again this season, particularly with new signings from Europe now taking place,” explained Dragan Bakoc, president of the Toronto area –based club while watching his team’s recent opening game at home ground Centennial Stadium in west Toronto. It was the team’s only First Division game so far in 2018, which ended in a 1-1 tie with FC Vorkuta.
Opposition team against the White Eagles is Mississauga; CSC is an expansion team entering professional soccer for the first time. The Mississauga side has also played only one game, an evenly contested scoreless tie with Brantford Galaxy on May 25.
The contrast between these two sides should make for an interesting weekend opener.
There are two First Division games on Saturday with SC Waterloo opening its season against new club Real Mississauga, that’s a 6.30 pm start at RIM Park, Waterloo, and Brantford Galaxy is opening its new season against Hamilton City at the Heritage Field, an 8.30 pm kickoff.
Brantford Galaxy made its mark in spectacular fashion early when in its inaugural year 2010 the new team from Southwestern Ontario became the first expansion franchise in CSL history to win the CSL Championship in its first season.
There is one First Division game on Sunday when FC Ukraine United visits Birchmount Stadium to take on Scarborough SC.
A schedule in the CSL Second Division has Halton United B at home to Brantford Galaxy reserve team on Saturday – an 8 pm kickoff, and the other game will be Scarborough B will visit FC Vorkuta B at 2 pm, .
Stan Adamson

STOJILJKOVIC STRIKES FOUR FOR SCARBOROUGH VICTORY

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STOJILJKOVIC STRIKES FOUR FOR SCARBOROUGH VICTORY

Scarborough SC striker Alexander Stojiljkovic led his side with four goals to a 5-1 defeat of Hamilton City in the only Canadian Soccer League First Division game played Sunday night.

It was a come-from-behind victory for the home side at Birchmount Stadium after Scarborough trailed 1-0 early. Hamilton’s Luke Rajain found the Scarborough net past goalkeeper John Trye from the penalty spot at just three minutes following a foul inside the box. The visitors kept their lead until Stojiljkovic equalized with a goal from a breakaway at the 40 minute mark and it was 1-1 at the interval.

Stojiljkovic struck again at 55 minutes to put Scarborough 2-1 in front and completed his hat-trick five minutes later with a goal off a corner kick for a 3-1 Scarborough lead at 60 minutes.

Forward Kiril Dimitrov beat Hamilton goalkeeper Stefan Avramovic to increase the lead to 4-1 at 70 minutes and Stojiljkovic scored his fourth goal for a 5-1 score at the 80th minute mark, the score at the final whistle.

Stojiljkovic’s 4-goals continues a goal scoring spree started near the end of the 2017 regular season when the prolific striker scored a hat-trick for Scarborough in a 3-3 tie with Royal Toronto FC on August 27, struck four goals in the 7-0 defeat of Milton SC on September 2 and another four when Scarborough went on to beat Brantford Galaxy 5-0, a total of 17 on the season to capture the 2017 CSL First Division leading goal scorer title.

Hamilton City will meet Brantford Galaxy at the Heritage Field next Saturday, June 2 at 8.30 pm and Scarborough’s next game will be a home encounter against FC Ukraine United at Birchmount Stadium the following night, Sunday, June 3 at 8 pm.

.The Weekend Summary

First Division
Serbian White Eagles 1, Vorkuta FC 1
CSC Mississauga 0, Brantford Galaxy 0
Scarborough SC 5, Hamilton City 1

Second Division
FC Vorkuta B 12, Serbian White Eagles B 1
Scarborough SC B 3, Halton United B 1

Stan Adamson

HOME TEAMS HELD TO A DRAW IN CSL ACTION FRIDAY

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HOME TEAMS HELD TO A DRAW IN CSL ACTION FRIDAY

Serbian White Eagles and FC Vorkuta played to a 1-1 tie, and CSC Mississauga vs Brantford Galaxy game ended scoreless, two games in the Canadian Soccer League First Division Friday night.
It was a well-played encounter at Centennial Stadium, but also a heated one during the final 15 minutes of play when a claim for a penalty kick by Serbian White Eagles was denied and an ensuing dispute resulted in the home side being reduced to eight men for the remainder of the game against FC Vorkuta.
Serbian Eagles, playing their season opener, were earlier in the game reduced to 10 men when Misel Kusara was shown a second yellow and a red by referee at the 54 minute mark. The home side then lost defender Radenko Kanberovic and forward Milos Scepanovic at 81 minutes following incidents over the penalty claim.
Vorkuta attacked following the kickoff, but Serbian Eagles were first off the mark with a 1-0 lead at 41 minutes, scoring from a corner kick taken by Scepanovic and headed in by Kyle Stewart out of reach by Vorkuta goalkeeper Oleksandr Musiienko. The goal came minutes after Luka Bojic failed to score for Serbian White Eagles, an opportunity just short of the Vorkuta goal line.
Vorkuta equalized at 49 minutes, a strong drive straight down the middle by midfielder Valerii Haidarzhi that easily beat Serbian Eagles’ goalkeeper Goran Skaric for a picture goal from 25 yards.
Expansion club CSC Mississauga opened its inaugural season in the Canadian Soccer League against Brantford Galaxy at the Iceland Field in Mississauga and it was an even contest throughout for the scoreless tie.
There was one late game in the CSL Second Division Friday night with Vorkuta B dominating, a 12-1 victory over Serbian White Eagles B at Centennial Stadium in the second half of a double header following the earlier First Division clash.
There is one game scheduled in the CSL First Division on Sunday with Scarborough SC at home to Hamilton City, an 8.30 pm kickoff at Birchmount Stadium and there is another Second Division game scheduled over the weekend, Scarborough SC B at home to Halton United B at the OSA Soccer Centre Stadium on Saturday night, that a 7 pm kickoff

CSL GOALKEEPER EXTRA BRAVE

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CSL GOALKEEPER EXTRA BRAVE

Dick Howard, a goalkeeper with several North American clubs and the Canadian national team, and former England goalkeeper Joe Corrigan, a frequent visiting coach to Canada, often remind young Canadian players who aspire to play between the posts: ‘you have to be brave’.
Howard and Corrigan have not met Austin Litow-Daye, at 17 the youngest player to sign for a Canadian Soccer League team this season. The young goalkeeper makes his first ever CSL appearance in a Second Division match between Scarborough SC B and Halton United B at the OSA Soccer Centre Stadium on Saturday, just five months after brain surgery, a procedure necessary for medical reasons in December.

Corrigan and Howard would consider Litow-Daye extra brave, even while wearing a now trade-mark protective cap, memories of Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech, a Czech Republic international goalkeeper who suffered a serious head injury on October 14, 2006 while playing for Chelsea at Reading in the English Premier League and who has worn the head gear ever since.

“Austin is a super young guy who just loves soccer, has been cleared to play by his doctors and he will be in the line-up and playing on Saturday,” said Eddy Coronel, head coach of Scarborough SC B, who is also with the Carlos Rivas Soccer Academy where Austin Litow-Daye developed his goalkeeping skills.

The Scarborough SC B vs Halton United B game, which kicks off at 7 pm, follows a Friday encounter when Serbian White Eagles reserves host FC Vorkuta second string at Centennial Park in Etobicoke. That’s a 9 pm start.

These two games mark the opening of the CSL Second Division season, which this year lists eight teams: Brantford Galaxy B, CSC Mississauga B, Halton United B, Milton SC B, SC Real Mississauga B, Scarborough SC B, Serbian White Eagles B and FC Vorkuta B.

Serbian White Eagles open their CSL First Division season this coming Friday with a home encounter with FC Vorkuta. Vorkuta won the First Division title in 2017, and is a side looking to repeat its inaugural year achievement by starting the 2018 campaign with two successive wins, including the season opener on May 13. Vorkuta defeated FC Ukraine United 2-1 in the opener and went on to win 3-0 over Hamilton City last weekend.

The Serbian White Eagles vs Vorkuta First Division clash, a 7 pm kickoff at Centennial Stadium in Etobicoke, will be followed at 9 pm by the CSC Mississauga vs Brantford Galaxy game at the Iceland Field in Mississauga. It’s the season opener for both teams.

There is also a First Division game this coming Sunday May 27 when Scarborough SC hosts Hamilton City at Birchmount Stadium. Both teams opened their season last weekend with a loss – Scarborough went down 2-0 to FC Ukraine United and Hamilton City dropped 3-0 to Vorkuta.

The SC Real Mississauga vs SC Waterloo fixture scheduled for the Hershey Centre in Mississauga on Friday night has been postponed due to a delay in players arriving following the end of their season in Europe

FC VORKUTA, UKRAINE UNITED FC SCORE HOLIDAY VICTORIES

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during Canadian Soccer League match between FC Ukraine United and FC Vorkuta at Centennial Park Stadium on May 13, 2018 in Etobicoke, Ontario Canada. Photo: Michael Fayehun/F10 Sports Photography

FC VORKUTA, UKRAINE UNITED FC SCORE HOLIDAY VICTORIES

FC Vorkuta won their second game in as many weeks to defeat Hamilton City 3-0 at the OSA Soccer Centre Stadium Saturday and in one other game in the Canadian Soccer League played the same night of the Victoria Day holiday weekend,  Ukraine United FC beat Scarborough SC 2-0 at Centennial Stadium in Etobicoke.

Vorkuta opened the scoring at the 37 minute mark when midfielder Serhii Ursulenko found the corner of the net with a powerful drive out of reach of Hamilton goalkeeper Stefan Avramovic.

The home team increased the lead to 2-0 six minutes later when midfielder Iaroslav Solonynko struck from 14 yards and it was 2-0 at the interval.

FC Vorkuta made it 3-0 when Vadym Gostiev crossed the ball to Bohdan Riabets who drove the ball into the top of the net leaving Avramovic with little chance to make the save.  The goal came at 80 minutes and it was 3-0 at the final whistle.

Vorkuta defeated  Ukraine United FC 2-1 in the league opener on May 13.

It was a scoreless first half in the game at Centennial Stadium where Ukraine United FC took the lead during the second half at 74 minutes, a goal by Amir Hosic who found the net past Scarborough goalkeeper Adrian Ibanez.

Nazar Milishchuk increased the lead for Ukraine United to 2-0 at 83 minutes and the score held to the final whistle.

FC Vorkuta, which won the CSL First Division in its 2017 inaugural season in the CSL, will play its next game against Serbian White Eagles at Centennial Stadium on May 25, a 7 pm kickoff,  Ukraine United FC will play its next game away to Scarborough SC on June 3 at 8 pm and Hamilton City will travel to Scarborough on May 27, an 8.30 pm kickoff.

ATTRACTIVE GAMES IN CSL SET FOR VICTORIA DAY WEEKEND

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SCARBOROUGH SC

PHOTO OF SCARBOROUGH SC 2017 FINALS

 

ATTRACTIVE GAMES IN THE CSL SET FOR VICTORIA DAY WEEKEND

Kathleen Nurse, manager of Hamilton City 1 SC, has no illusions about the strength of FC Vorkuta for the game at the OSA Soccer Centre in Vaughan on Saturday, the first of two attractive encounters in the CSL this coming Victoria Day weekend.

It’s a big test for the Steel City side, which took the 2017 season off to re-organize, a time Vorkuta entered the Canadian Soccer League with a sizeable professional player contribution from Eastern Europe. The team named after a Russian community near the Arctic Circle promptly won the CSL First Division title in its inaugural year.
“Vorkuta is a very good side and well organized,” said Nurse. “We are re- building, with some players recently signed and we are giving a number of our players from the earlier reserve team an opportunity to step up to what is a very competitive First Division, so it’s going to take a game or two to gain some measure of strength.”

Hamilton City struggled in the early part of the 2016 season, finishing 6th of eight teams in the top division, but advanced in the post season championship to reach the final before losing 2-1 to Serbian White Eagles, a last-minute goal in a game that could have gone either way.

Hamilton City SC marked the return to that community of professional soccer in 2016, the franchise being relocated from London where it was launched in 1973 by Markus Gauss, a German immigrant. Gauss sold the team to Andrew Crowe and partner Zoran Kliseric who in turn passed ownership to former player and coach, Sasa Vukovic.

Hamilton City’s first colours will be in blue and white this season and they will play home games out of the Heritage Green Sports Park.
The season opener for Hamilton City, Saturday’s away encounter with FC Vorkuta, is a 7 pm kickoff

In the second CSL game Saturday, Scarborough SC will be visiting FC Ukraine United at Centennial Stadium in Toronto’s west-end. Scarborough ended the 2017 regular season in fourth position in the standings and came close to a championship victory, losing a 6-5 penalty shootout to York Region Shooters in the final.
“We came so close to winning, but are even more determined this year as we strengthen our team with more overseas signings,” said GM Kiril Dimitrov, who was instrumental in returning the professional game to Scarborough in 2016.

Veteran Canadian national team defender Adrian Cann, with an illustrious career which included Colorado Rapids, Vancouver Whitecaps, Montreal Impact and Esbjerg of Denmark before playing 46 times for Toronto FC, will continue as team captain.

Dimitrov has negotiated a working relationship with the current CSL champions York Region Shooters following a decision by the Vaughan-based club to not field a team in 2018. The arrangement should reap benefits for the east Toronto club.

Saturday’s Ukraine United vs. Scarborough SC game will kickoff at 9 pm

FC VORKUTA DEFEATS UKRAINE UNITED IN CSL SEASON OPENER

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during Canadian Soccer League match between FC Ukraine United and FC Vorkuta at Centennial Park Stadium on May 13, 2018 in Etobicoke, Ontario Canada. Photo: Michael Fayehun/F10 Sports Photography

Photo of player of FC Vorkuta’s Oleksandr Lakusta (25) the most prominent forward for the visitors, found the net past sprawling Ukraine United goalkeeper Oleksandr Popravka to tie the game 1-1 at 43 minutes. Vorkuta won the CSL opener 2-1.

FC VORKUTA DEFEATS UKRAINE UNITED IN CSL SEASON OPENER
A penalty kick midway through the second half decided the Canadian Soccer League opening game of the new season between FC Ukraine United and visiting FC Vorkuta at Centennial Stadium in Toronto Sunday.

It was 1-1at 77 minutes to accurately reflect the evenly matched teams when referee Milomir Tomic pointed to the spot following a rough tackle by the Ukraine United defender inside the box. Vorkuta midfielder Oleh Kerchu drove the ball inside the left post to give the visitors a 2-1 lead. FC Ukraine United earlier opened the scoring at the 30 minute mark when a free kick from the left wing was headed against the Vorkuta post, leaving Vasyl Chornyl to beat Vorkuta goalkeeper Oleksandr Musilenko on the rebound. Vorkuta forward Oleksandr Lakusta, who appeared to be the most prominent forward for the visitors, struck the equalizer at 43 minutes, a drive from 7 meters out for the 1-1 tie at the break, Kerchu’s strike from the penalty spot held to the final whistle.

FC Vorkuta listed new players Oleksandr Yaremchuk and Bohdan Riabets from Europe, and Oleksandr Tarasenko was previously with FC Ukraine United. Ukraine United listed five new players, Amir Hosic, previously with Toronto Croatia, also new arrivals Ihor Malysh, Nazar Milishchuk, Roman Datsiuk and Serhly Savchenko. Milishchuk was recently honored as the best player in the Ukraine province of Lviv.

Both FC Ukraine United and FC Vorkuta have enjoyed extraordinary success since entering the amateur Canadian soccer community and stepping into the professional Canadian Soccer League Ukraine United was formed in 2006 to become a member of the Ontario Soccer League the following year, finishing third in their division and winning the George Finnie Cup. In 2008 the team won their division for promotion to a higher level Central Regional Division. Ukraine United won the Great Lakes Cup in 2010 and in 2011 was promoted to the OSL Premier Division with continuing success. The professional team under head coach Andrei Malychenkov, was entered into the CSL in 2016, finishing second in the First Division and won the Second Division title and post season Second Division Championship in 2017.

FC Vorkuta was formed in 2008 to join a Toronto downtown amateur league, winning the regular season title and playoffs. The following year the club moved to York Region, winning the Thornhill Soccer League championship. In 2017, the team was accepted into the Canadian Soccer League and under head coach Serhiy Zayets won the First Division title in its inaugural year.

IT’S DIVISION WINNERS FC VORKUTA AND FC UKRAINE UNITED IN THE OPENER

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FC Vorkuta and FC Ukraine will be the first game Waterloo and Brantford Galaxy game will be played at later date.

To accommodate the home team and local scheduling requirements, the game between SC Waterloo and Brantford Galaxy set for this coming Saturday, May 12 at RIM Park, Waterloo, has been postponed to a later date, the Canadian Soccer League announced Monday.

The CSL season opener will, therefore, be the FC Ukraine United vs FC Vorkuta encounter scheduled for Sunday evening, May 13, bringing together FC Ukraine United and visiting FC Vorkuta at Centennial Stadium in Etobicoke, a 7 pm kickoff.

Both clubs are recent in the Canadian Soccer League, this being the third season for Ukraine United and the second campaign for FC Vokuta and both have achieved impressive early success.

Ukraine United, under coach Andrei Malychenkov, a former professional in the Russian First and Second divisions, finished in second position in the club’s inaugural 2016 CSL First Division season. The former Ontario Soccer League Premier Division side then won the CSL Second Division in 2017, going undefeated throughout, including post season playoff victories to capture the CSL Division Two Championship, a 5-2 victory over Burlington B in the final.

Vorkuta, with 32 points, won the competitive CSL First Division in its inaugural 2017 season while under head coach Serhiy Zayets, a former Ukrainian professional with FC Dynamo Kyiv, one of the top clubs in the Soviet Union at the time. The team, named after and dedicated to a Russian town located near the Arctic Circle and representing the Russian speaking community in Canada, won the First Division following a week-by-week ding-dong struggle with long-standing CSL teams Serbian White Eagles (31 points) and York Region Shooters (30 points).

Both teams are highly competitive, have signed players from Europe and are attractive to watch. The opener can be considered one of the highlights of the opening of the new CSL season. Centennial Stadium is located on Renforth Drive just south of Eglinton Ave.in the city’s west end – just west of Highway 27.

Other teams in the CSL First Division are Brantford Galaxy, Hamilton City 1, Scarborough SC, Serbian White Eagles, SC Waterloo, and new clubs CSC Mississauga and SC Real Mississauga.
The current CSL champions, York Region Shooters, are expected to return in 2019, while Milton SC are in the CSL Second Division.

CSL COACHES WILL BE LOOKING FOR THAT SPECIAL PLAYER

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When in 2004 Paul Munster, a 23 year old striker stepped on the Strahov Stadium surface in the Czech Republic to play for Slavia Prague, it was hard to realize the native of Northern Ireland had just a few months earlier sought a trial at Cove Road in London, Ontario in an attempt to play for London City reserves in the Canadian Soccer League, known then as the forerunner CPSL.

Munster was recommended to London City by Eddie Edgar, a well-known coach in Kitchener whose son, David Edgar played for Newcastle United in the English Premier League. The younger Edgar, 19, caused a stir when scoring an important tying goal in only his second game for Newcastle against Manchester United before 52,000 fans on New Year’s Day, 2006.

Munster made the London City reserve team, scoring 12 goals in just three games and the talented striker was then moved to the first team where he found the net 25 times to win the CSL First Division scoring title by a record-breaking 10-goal margin.

Munster later played for Orebro SK of Scandinavia, was then transferred to Bunkeflo IF, assisting the club in promotion. He eventually returned to the Czech Republic to join SK Hradec Kralove, finishing as the club’s top scorer before returning to Northern Ireland to play for Linfield where he won the league title and Irish Cup and was the club’s top scorer in the 2009/2010 season.

London City players won the CSL Rookie of the Year honors in 1998, 1999 and 2004, a time when several players followed Munster’s footsteps to gain trials in top soccer overseas. Defender Tyler Heming signed for Toronto FC, goalkeeper Scott Mueller, strikers Semir Mesanovic and Cameron Medwin all travelled to Europe.

Other CSL clubs were similarly busy with trials and signing players showing promise. Bermuda-born full back Andre Manders said “Playing for York Region Shooters definitely helped me get into the national team of Bermuda. Playing in the CSL helped me physically and mentally.”
A number of players in the CSL have been selected for Canada’s national youth teams, such as centre back Nikola Paunic of Serbian White Eagles. Others in the league to gain youth honors in recent years were centre back Skylar Thomas, full backs Dino Gardner and Jordan Murrell, defender Tyler Pasher, midfielders Keven Aleman, Bryce Alderson and Oscar Cordon. And the list goes on, with Justin Maheu, Sergio Camargo, Jonathan Lao, Brennan McNichol, Matthew Stinson and Ashton Morgan all playing in the CSL prior to being selected Odaine Demar was selected to play for the Jamaican U-20 team, Julien Edwards and Taylor Benjamin were selected for Guyana, Stephane Emard named to the St. Lucia team. There are more, of course, particularly in Quebec where players of the CSL teams were selected for Canada’s youth squads.

CSL clubs continuing with trials leading up to kickoff time for a new 2018 season later this month, a time when CSL coaches will be attempting to identify more prospects for higher level soccer in Canada and elsewhere.

FOR PROMISING PLAYERS IT CAN BEGIN IN THE SECOND DIVISION

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Dick Howard presents CSL 2012 Rookie of the Year to Jonathan Osorio of SC Toronto.

The CSL Second Division of eight teams will get the 2018 campaign underway on Friday, May 25 for a four-month schedule through to the second half of September. The regular season will be followed by post-season Second Division Championship quarter-final playoff games on September 28, the semifinals will be played on October 5 and the Second Division Championship Final the week of October 12.
Six of the Second Division teams (Brantford Galaxy B, CSC Mississauga B, Real Mississauga B, Scarborough B, Serbian White Eagles B and Vorkuta B) are all part of larger clubs with teams in the top CSL First Division. Burlington B and Milton B make up the eight.
The CSL Second Division provides an opportunity for local players to take a first step into a professional environment with and a further step into the nearby tough CSL First Division, a path which, for many players, been a prelude to higher level soccer at home and abroad.
Many young players have taken the CSL route to a highly successful professional career, the most visible example today being Toronto FC’s Jonathan Osorio, 25, a goal scoring midfielder who was named CSL Rookie of the Year in 2012 while playing for CSL First Division side SC Toronto. Osorio was invited to join the Toronto FC Academy, signed by Toronto FC in 2013 and has been a regular since. He has appeared 30 times for the Canadian national men’s team.
In earlier times, the most successful former CSL player has been Brampton-born Atiba Hutchinson who made a brief appearance for York Region Shooters. Hutchinson has played at a high level in Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands and is presently with Besiktas of Turkey. While playing for Besiktas in a UEFA Champions League game against English Premier League side Arsenal, won 1-0 by the English team, Arsenal manager Arsena Wenger described Hutchinson as the most impressive Besiktas player.
The three seasons prior to 2012 were particularly productive for the CSL when no less than 40 players throughout the league played for various national teams, mostly youth U-21 and U-23, in different parts of the world.

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