Stan Adamson

Burlington SC crushed Brampton City Utd with five goals before the interval, three by Burlington forward Vladimir Vujovic, for a 5-0 victory at Nelson Stadium, the only game played in the Canadian Soccer League First Division Sunday night.

There were two additional games scheduled and both were postponed. The London City vs Milton SC at the Hellenic Stadium in London where the playing surface was waterlogged, and a weather-related power outage at the SC Waterloo vs Scarborough SC game at Warrior Field in Waterloo  caused the second game to be called off during the afternoon.

Vujovic opened the scoring for Burlington at the 20 minute mark when he found the net from 20 yards past Brampton goalkeeper Cristian Montero-Valez and Burlington forward Nenad Simic made it 2-0 at 27 minutes.

The home side went ahead 3-0 at 33 minutes with a second goal by Vujovic,  and Vujovic completed a hat-trick from a corner kick, a 4-0 score at the 43 minute mark.

Midfielder Nicolas Mejia increased the Burlington lead to 5-0 at the 44 minute mark, the score at the break.

It was a scoreless second half with Burlington in control of the play, and Burlington missed two penalties – one in the first half at 22 minutes when referee Davor Kravic pointed to the spot following a foul inside the box and again in the second half at 63 minutes following a hand ball.

The game ended 5-0 in favour of Burlington SC.

There were two games in the CSL Second Division, Toronto Atomic FC B defeated Toronto Croatia B, 2-1, and Milton SC B played SC Waterloo B to a 1-1 tie.

Two games in the Canadian Soccer League have been postponed due to heavy rains.

Sunday’s CSL First Division game between London City and Milton SC scheduled for a 4 pm kickoff at the Hellenic Centre in London has been postponed due to heavy rains on the playing surface, while the SC Waterloo vs Scarborough SC game due to kickoff at 7 pm at Warrior Field in Waterloo, has been called of due to a power failure at the ground.

Both games will be rescheduled.

                                                  FIRST DIVISION

Sun May 31     Nelson Stadium 8 pm Burlington SC vs  Brampton City Utd

 

                                                SECOND DIVISION

Sun May 31    Karlovac Park  4 pm Toronto Croatia B vs Toronto Atomic FC B

Sun May 31    Jean Vanier Field 5 pm Milton SC B vs SC Waterloo B

 

 

 

Brantford Galaxy defeated York Region Shooters 3-2 and Toronto Croatia striker Tihomir Maletic hit a hat-trick to lead his team to a 4-2 victory over Toronto Atomic FC, two games in the Canadian Soccer League First Division Saturday night.

Following a scoreless first half at Lions Park in Brantford, forward Zdenko Jurcevic opened the scoring for the home side from a penalty kick after referee Goran Babic  called a foul inside the 18 yard line, the goal coming at the 55 minute mark.

Brantford’s Kyle Grootenboer put the ball into his own net past goalkeeper Luka Besenic  to tie the game 1-1 at 64 minutes, and eight minutes later York Region Shooters went ahead 2-1 on a goal by Michael Binns.

Galaxy tied the game 2-2 when defender Stuart Heath put the ball into the Shooters’ net following a free kick taken just outside the 18 yard line. Heath tapped the ball in following a collision involving York Region goalkeeper Adrian Ibanez and a defender, the goal coming at the 74 minute mark.

Brantford forward Aleksa Markovic struck the winner at 76 minutes, a 3-2 score at the final whistle.

Tihomir Maletic opened the scoring for Toronto Croatia with two quick goals at 34 and 35 minutes,  a 2-0 lead for the home side at the Loyola HS Stadium in Oakville.

Darren Chambers made it 3-0 at 42 minutes, finding the net past Atomic goalkeeper Semeniuk Oleksandr,  it was a  3-0 Toronto Croatia lead at the break.

Melnyk Ihor scored twice for Toronto Atomic at 47 and 49 minutes to reduce the home lead to 3-2, but Maletic scored a third goal for Toronto Croatia to complete the hat-trick at the 90 minute mark, a 4-2 lead that held to the final whistle.

Melnyk  was ejected near the end of the game after being shown a second yellow card.

There were three games in the CSL Second Division Saturday, Brantford Galaxy B defeated York Region Shooters B, 2-1, Burlington SC B scored a 2-1 victory over Brampton City Utd B, while Serbian White Eagles B and Niagara United B played to a 1-1 tie.

REMAINING GAMES THIS WEEKEND:

FIRST DIVISION

Sun May 31     Hellenic Centre  4 pm London City vs Milton SC POSTPONED – Ground conditions

Sun May 31     Warrior Field 7 pm SC Waterloo vs Scarborough SC – POSTPONED – Power failure at the ground

Sun May 31     Nelson Stadium 8 pm Burlington SC vs  Brampton City Utd

 

SECOND DIVISION

Sun May 31    Karlovac Park  4 pm Toronto Croatia B vs Toronto Atomic FC B

Sun May 31    Jean Vanier Field 5 pm Milton SC B vs SC Waterloo B

 

 

Serbian White Eagles’ Milan Kusic led the way with two goals in a resounding 7-1 defeat of Niagara United in the only game played in the Canadian Soccer League First Division Friday night.

Kusic opened the scoring at Centennial Stadium in Etobicoke with a well-taken header from a corner kick just after the opening whistle, recorded as the first minute of play.

Defender Mirko Medic made it 2-0 for the home side four minutes later, also heading into the net from a corner kick and at the 11^th minute mark Niagara United reduced the lead to 2-1 with a goal by defender Lucas Folino.

Midfielder Milos Ljubenovic found the net for Serbian White Eagles, beating Niagara goalkeeper Matthew Greco to make it 3-1 at 24 minutes and Milan Kusic scored his second to increase the score to 4-1 at 35 minutes, the score at half-time.

Forward Luka Maric increased the home lead to 5-1 at 60 minutes and Milos Scepanovic struck from the penalty spot after referee Goran Babic ordered the kick taken when Scepanovic was brought down in the box at the 71^st minute mark, a 6-1 lead.

Serbian Eagles’ forward Timothy Zakrasek rounded the scoring to 7-1 at 77 minutes, the score at the final whistle.

There was one other game scheduled for the First Division, Milton SC vs Scarborough SC, which was postponed due to ground conditions.

REMAINING GAMES THIS WEEKEND:

                                                       FIRST DIVISION

Sat May 30      Lions Park  7 pm  Brantford Galaxy  vs  York Region Shooters

Sat May 30      Loyola HS Stadium  7.30 pm Toronto Croatia vs Toronto Atomic FC

Sun May 31     Hellenic Centre  4 pm London City vs Milton SC

Sun May 31     Warrior Field 7 pm SC Waterloo vs Scarborough SC

Sun May 31     Nelson Stadium 8 pm Burlington SC vs  Brampton City Utd

 

                                                      SECOND DIVISION

Sat May 30     Lions Park  4.30 pm  Brantford Galaxy B vs York Region Shooters B

Sat May 30     Nelson Stadium 5 pm Burlington SC B vs Brampton City Utd B

Sat May 30     Eglinton Flats  6 pm Serbian White Eagles B vs Niagara United B

Sun May 31    Karlovac Park  4 pm Toronto Croatia B vs Toronto Atomic FC B

Sun May 31    Jean Vanier Field 5 pm Milton SC B vs SC Waterloo B

 

 

 

The Toronto FC vs Manchester City friendly on Wednesday  was really an event that represents everything Canadian soccer fans want more of, more of the world’s top soccer on Canadian soil.

Manchester City, funded generously from the United Arab Emirates by Sheik Mansour – who also owns MLS expansion team New York City FC –  is quickly becoming one of the top clubs of the world with a blend of talented, and expensive  players from home and abroad.

MLS teams are becoming, well, competitive with the likes of Manchester City, and the soccer-specific natural grass BMO Field offers the third component to deliver the very good exhibition football that is in short supply these days.

There are, of course, many side-bar stories attached to such an attractive event and the Canadian Soccer League keeps one eye on the Manuel Pellegrini connection with Toronto, an attachment forged by Carlos Rivas, the former Chilean star who came to Canada following a time when he was the pride of his country, scoring the winning goal against Ecuador that put Chile into the 1982 World Cup.

The Carlos Rivas-Pellegrini friendship goes back to their days when both played for Chile. Both were born in Chilean capital of Santiago.

Tony De Thomasis, owner of the CSL’s York Region Shooters, who has expended much energy and financial resources to see young Canadians with promise get a chance at the big time, is part of that equation, having worked with Rivas in local soccer, Carlos Rivas arrived in Canada in 1984 and soon established the Carlos Rivas Soccer School in north Toronto. With De Thomasis, he keeps a keen eye open for any young player deserved of a recommendation to Manuel Pellegrini and others in Europe.

The threesome had a chance to talk during the quick visit by the English Premier League side and that continues to reinforce a relationship that paves the way for young Canadians identified as being special enough for a referral overseas.

 

 

 

 

Brampton City Utd scored a convincing 4-1 home victory over London City, York Region Shooters enjoyed a decisive 3-0 win over Milton SC and Toronto Croatia recovered from a 1-0 deficit to tie Burlington SC 1-1, three games in the Canadian Soccer League First Division Sunday.

Forward Ardit Xhameni struck two first half goals to put Brampton into a 2-0 lead at the Avondale Stadium in Brampton, the goals coming at 15 minutes and 44 minutes for a 2-0 score at the break.

London City reduced the lead to 2-1 with a goal from Alex Eby at the 50 minute mark and at 77 minutes London were reduced to 10 men when referee Milomir Tomic  showed a second yellow card to Aldin Kozica.

Brampton forward Jean Tshimpaka found the net past London goalkeeper Vladimir Markotic at 80 minutes for a 3-1 lead, and Tshimpaka scored a second goal at 91 minutes for a 4-1 result at the final whistle.

Burlington SC took a 1-0 lead on a goal by Vladimir Vujovic against Toronto Croatia at Nelson Stadium in Burlington, the goal coming at the 13 minute mark for a 1-0 score at the interval.

Darren Chambers found the net from 10 yards at 59 minutes to tie the score for Toronto Croatia and the 1-1 tie held to the end.

York Region Shooters’ striker Richard West scored the only goal in the first half for a 1-0 home lead against Milton SC  at the St. Joan of Arc ground at Maple and West added a second at 69 minutes from a breakaway, taking the ball to the 6 yard line before beating Milton goalkeeper Zoran Pusica from close range.

York Region forward Michael Binns increased the score to 3-0 at 76 minutes, the final score.

SECOND DIVISION

Toronto Atomic FC B 3, Brampton City Utd FC B 1

Burlington SC B 3, Toronto Croatia B 1

York Region Shooters B 0, vs Milton SC B 5

 

 

Niagara United won their first game of the new season with a 3-2 defeat of Brantford Galaxy, while new teams Toronto Atomic FC and Scarborough SC played to a scoreless tie, two First Division games in the CSL Saturday.

Niagara took a 1-0 lead at the 13 minute mark when forward Mohamed Mohamed beat Brantford Galaxy goalkeeper Luca Besenic at 13 minutes at the Kalar Sports Park in Niagara Falls, a 1-0 home lead at half-time.

Lucas Folino made it 2-0 at 60 minutes and Niagara intercepted a Galaxy pass when Mohamed struck a second goal, giving the home side a 3-0 lead at the 75 minute mark.

Brantford attacked well to get back into the game late in the second half and forward Zdenko Jurcevic found the net twice, his first goal from the penalty spot at 79 minutes and he put the ball past Niagara ‘keeper Matthew Greco for his second goal at the 86 minute mark, reducing the Niagara lead to 3-2, a score which held to the final whistle.

Toronto Atomic and Scarborough SC played to a scoreless tie at Centennial Stadium in Etobicoke, a game with few opportunities, but well-played mostly in the midfield. Both teams remain undefeated.

There were two games in the CSL Second Division Saturday when Brantford Galaxy B scored a 3-2 edge over Niagara United B and Serbian White Eagles B were held to a 2-2 by the visiting SC Waterloo B.

Remaining games this weekend:

FIRST DIVISION

Sun May 24 Avondale Stadium 5 pm Brampton City Utd vs London City

Sun May 24 Nelson Stadium  6 pm Burlington SC vs Toronto Croatia

Sun May 24 St. Joan of Arc 6.30 pm York Region Shooters vs Milton SC

    SECOND DIVISION

Sun May 24 Avondale Stadium 3 pm Brampton City Utd B vs Toronto Atomic FC B

Sun May 24 Nelson Stadium 8 pm Burlington SC vs Toronto Croatia B

Sun May 24 St. Joan of Arc 8.45 pm York Region Shooters B vs Milton SC B

 

A goal at 64 minutes by Waterloo midfielder Adis Hasecic was enough to give the Southwestern Ontario team a 1-0 victory over Serbian White Eagles at Centennial Stadium in Etobicoke, the only game in the Canadian Soccer League Friday night.

While other opportunities to find the net in a game which centred around the midfield were few and far between, midfielder Milos Ljubenovic and forward Luka Maric of Serbian White Eagles both came close to putting the ball past Waterloo goalkeeper Imad Hakura and change the outcome of what turned into a close encounter to the end.

Maric’s miss in front of an empty net at 82 minutes gave the home side the best chance to tie the game, but it was 1-0 in favour of the visitors when referee Marco Jaramillo blew the final whistle.

Hasecic’s goal, with a drive from 8 yards inside the right post followed a move down the middle of the field with forward Drazen Vukovic playing a part.

The victory is Waterloo’s second in three games played, while Serbian White Eagles have yet to open their account in the new season, they have two ties and a loss.

The remaining games in the CSL this weekend:

FIRST DIVISION

Sat May 23 Kalar Sports Park 7 pm Niagara United vs Brantford Galaxy

Sat May 23 Centennial Stadium 8.45 pm Toronto Atomic FC vs  Scarborough SC

Sun May 24 Avondale Stadium 5 pm Brampton City Utd vs London City

Sun May 24 Nelson Stadium  6 pm Burlington SC vs Toronto Croatia

Sun May 24 St. Joan of Arc 6.30 pm York Region Shooters vs Milton SC

    SECOND DIVISION

Sat May 23 Kalar Sports Park 4 pm Niagara United B vs Brantford Galaxy B

Sat May 23 Eglinton Flats 6 pm Serbian White Eagles B vs SC Waterloo B

Sun May 24 Avondale Stadium 3 pm Brampton City Utd B vs Toronto Atomic FC B

Sun May 24 Nelson Stadium 8 pm Burlington SC vs Toronto Croatia B

Sun May 24 St. Joan of Arc 8.45 pm York Region Shooters B vs Milton SC B

 

 

 

 

 

At the risk of stating the obvious, that it’s a bit early in the season to start making predictions, it would appear the early results suggest the new teams in the CSL may just be unwilling to take a back seat while the CSL schedule moves along into what promises to be an interesting new season.

First year Toronto Atomic FC and Scarborough SC come together at Centennial Stadium Saturday night, both teams unbeaten from their opening season two games.  Atomic are on top with two wins, but probably the biggest surprise of the first two weeks was Scarborough’s 2-1 victory over Toronto Croatia, with nine CSL championships and two Croatian world club titles to its name and the most consistent side to be at, or close to, the top of the table in recent years.

When it was suggested to Scarborough GM Kiril Dimitrov that his team did well to defeat such a good team,  he responded with confidence and without hesitation:  “But we are a good team, too.”

Toronto Croatia will be in Europe at the end of June to defend their Croatian world club championship title win of 2011, but this coming Sunday night they will be at Nelson Stadium for a 6 pm evening encounter with Burlington. Current CSL champions, York Region Shooters, are looking for their first win of 2015, at home at the St. Joan of Arc ground in Maple where they take on Milton SC.  That’s a 6.30 pm start, also on Sunday.

The weekend games:

     FIRST DIVISION

Fri May 22  Centennial Stadium 7 pm Serbian White Eagles vs SC Waterloo

Sat May 23 Kalar Sports Park 7 pm Niagara United vs Brantford Galaxy

Sat May 23 Centennial Stadium 8.45 pm Toronto Atomic FC vs  Scarborough SC

Sun May 24 Avondale Stadium 5 pm Brampton City Utd vs London City

Sun May 24 Nelson Stadium  6 pm Burlington SC vs Toronto Croatia

Sun May 24 St. Joan of Arc 6.30 pm York Region Shooters vs Milton SC

    SECOND DIVISION

Sat May 23 Kalar Sports Park 4 pm Niagara United B vs Brantford Galaxy B

Sat May 23 Eglinton Flats 6 pm Serbian White Eagles B vs SC Waterloo B

Sun May 24 Avondale Stadium 3 pm Brampton City Utd B vs Toronto Atomic FC B

Sun May 24 Nelson Stadium 8 pm Burlington SC vs Toronto Croatia B

Sun May 24 St. Joan of Arc 8.45 pm York Region Shooters B vs Milton SC B

 

Burlington SC gained a 2-0 away win at Brantford, SC Waterloo scored two goals in the first three minutes to defeat the current CSL champions York Region Shooters, and Brampton and Serbian White Eagles battled to a 1-1 tie, three games in the CSL First Division Sunday.

Midfielder Marko Miketic opened the scoring for Serbian White Eagles at 62 minutes at Avondale Stadium in Brampton, a drive from 16 yards into the roof of the net.

The lead was short-lived as the home team tied the score less than two minutes later, a goal by Brampton defender Dale Cudmore who drove the ball from 10 yards into the middle of the net out of reach of Serbian Eagles goalkeeper Goran Skaric.

It was 1-1 at the interval and at the final whistle following a scoreless second half in a game that could have gone either way.

Nicolas Mejia scored the opening goal at 28 minutes for Burlington in the game with Brantford Galaxy at Lions Park in Brantford, a diving header from six yards from a cross by Alen Kucalovic. It was 1-0 at half-time.

Nenad Simic increased the lead for the visitors at 72 minutes. He beat Brantford goalkeeper Luka Besenic  following a cross from Asher Quave-Robinson that was miscued in the Galaxy defence, leaving Simic to score from close range. The final score was 2-0 for Burlington.

It took just three minutes for SC Waterloo to gain a 2-0 lead over York Region Shooters at Warrior Field in Waterloo, goals coming from Drazen Vukovic and Adis Hasecic.

Ramon Bailey increased the lead to 3-0 for Waterloo at 27 minutes and York Region were on the score sheet with a goal by Richard Edwards at 29 minutes for a 3-1 Waterloo lead at the interval.

Hasecic struck a second goal for Waterloo at 66 minutes and it was 4-1 in favour of the home side

at the final whistle.

There were four games in the CSL Second Division over the weekend:

Serbian White Eagles B 2, Toronto Atomic B 0

Brantford Galaxy B 2, Burlington SC B 1

York Region Shooters B 3, SC Waterloo B 2

Niagara United B 3, Milton SC  B 1

 

Toronto Atomic FC defeated London City 4-2 and SC Scarborough scored a 2-1 come-from-behind victory over Toronto Croatia, two games in the CSL First Division Saturday.

Semeniuk Oleksandr opened the scoring for Toronto Atomic against London City at the 27^th minute mark at Centennial Stadium in Etobicoke, and defender Stas Katana made it 2-0 at 44 minutes, the score at the break.

Midfielder Olekandr Tomakh found the net past London City goalkeeper Corey Laureano at 61 minutes to increase the Toronto Atomic lead to 3-0, but the visitors fought back to score twice when Taylor Benjamin struck at 80 and 89 minutes, reducing the home side’s lead to 3-2.

Forward Mykola Voytsekhovskyy assured Toronto Atomic of the victory with a goal at 90 minutes, a 4-2 final score.

It’s the second win in as many games for Toronto Atomic following a 3-0 defeat of Niagara United on May 9

Josip Keran opened the scoring for Toronto Croatia against SC Scarborough at Birchmount Stadium, a free kick from 22 yards that found the net past Scarborough goalkeeper Mladen Kukrika. The goal came at the 44^th minute mark and it was 1-0 at the interval.

Midfielder Kevin Dhillon tied the game for the home side at 63 minutes and forward Jose Melo struck the winner for Scarborough at 88 minutes for a 2-1 score at the final whistle.

It was the home opener for CSL expansion club SC Scarborough and the win follows a 3-3 tie against London City on May 9.

There was one game in the CSL Second Division Saturday, Serbian White Eagles B defeating Toronto Atomic B 2-0.

Remaining games in the CSL this weekend:

FIRST DIVISION

Sun May 17         Avondale Stadium          5 pm         Brampton City Utd  vs Serbian White Eagles

Sun May 17         Lions Park                       7 pm         Brantford Galaxy  vs Burlington SC

Sun May 17         Warrior Field                 7 pm         SC Waterloo  vs York Region Shooters

SECOND DIVISION

Sun May 17        Worrior Field                      3.30 pm    SC Waterloo B vs York Region Shooters B

Sun May 17        Lions Park                            4.30 pm    Brantford Galaxy SC  B vs Burlington SC  B

Sun May 17        Jean Vanier Field                5.30 pm    Milton SC  B vs  Niagara United B

 

Milton SC defeated Niagara United 3-0 at the Jean Vanier Field in Milton, the only game in the Canadian Soccer League Friday night.

The home side went ahead at six minutes from a penalty kick awarded by referee Goran Babic following a hand ball infringement by Niagara United.  Zoran Belosevic scored from the spot, driving the ball past Niagara goalkeeper Matthew Greco.

Milton defender Predrag Papaz made it 2-0 at 44 minutes, the score at the break.

Milton made it 3-0 at the 80^th minute mark when midfielder Zoran Zec drove the ball into the net from 20 yards and the score held to the final whistle.

It was Milton’s first victory after being elevated from last year’s Second Division and follows a 2-0 loss to Brampton City Utd. in their season opener on May 9, while Niagara United suffered their second defeat after losing to Toronto Atomic, also on the opening weekend.

Remaining games this weekend:

FIRST DIVISION

Sat May 16         Birchmount Stadium      7:30 pm    Scarborough SC  vs Toronto Croatia

Sat May 16         Centennial Stadium        8:45 pm    Toronto Atomic FC vs  London City

Sun May 17         Avondale Stadium          5 pm         Brampton City Utd  vs Serbian White Eagles

Sun May 17         Lions Park                       7 pm         Brantford Galaxy  vs Burlington SC

Sun May 17         Warrior Field                 7 pm         SC Waterloo  vs York Region Shooters

SECOND DIVISION

Sat May 16         LCI Soccer Complex            4 pm        Toronto Atomic B vs Serbian White Eagles B

Sun May 17        Worrior Field                      3.30 pm    SC Waterloo B vs York Region Shooters B

Sun May 17        Lions Park                            4.30 pm    Brantford Galaxy SC  B vs Burlington SC  B

Sun May 17        Jean Vanier Field                5.30 pm    Milton SC  B vs  Niagara United B