2018

A MANGA STEP FORWARD FOR CANADA

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Eli Emmanuel Manga

Soccer in Canada and the United States has become mainstream. In Canada, there are more soccer players registered than in hockey. There are more players registered for soccer in Canada than football, baseball and basketball combined.

This has all taken place during the past 50 years following strong leadership in the late 1960s and early 1970s by Americans Alan Rothenburg, president of US Soccer and Lamar Hunt, a wealthy businessman, and former Welsh national team player Phil Woosnam who, while he was the commissioner of  the new North American Soccer League and played a part in bringing the ’94  World Cup to the US. Canadian lawyer Bruce Thomas also played a strong part when in 1970 he launched the Toronto Metros in the NASL. Thomas was bestowed a Queen’s Counsel by Queen Elizabeth for outstanding judicial work in Canada’s financial districts but it’s assumed by some that his considerable community work (he was also president of the Toronto Soccer Association) also played a part in the coveted award.

In Canada today, there are signs that more could be done to step up soccer’s popularity and its position to be more competitive on the world stage, this at a time when the US-based NFL gets considerably more print media coverage in Canadian publications without a Canadian team in that league. 

Eli Emmanuel Manga, head of an expansion team entered in the CSL by AEEM Canada Sports and Entertainment, could be the one. Manga has impressive credentials while operating  ‘World wide International Intercultural Services’ which includes sport management.

AEEM’s team in the CSL has been approved by the league and will kickoff for the 2025 season mid May following release of the season schedule at the end of April.

“I look forward to seeing the project of the league with the passion of soccer promote and develop Canadian soccer football to the next level,” said Manga on receiving approval of his team membership.

THEY MADE THE GRADE…. AND MORE

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Stefan Vukovic

While continuing to recognize and pay tribute to the more than 40 players in the Canadian Soccer League who played for their country, mostly Canada – the most recent being TFC captain Jonathan Osorio – and also those players who were not capped internationally but moved on to play at a higher level, we think of Skylar Thomas, centre back, who was signed by Charleston Battery and made seven appearances for Canada’s U-23 team, full back Dino Gardner went to Edmonton FC, made appearances for both Canada U-18 and U-20.

We think of the well-travelled forward, the diminutive Allessandro Riggi who made 48 appearances for Montreal FC, with brief stints in Portugal, Spain and Italy and is now playing with AngkorTiger in the Cambodian Premier League, the top tier of Cambodian soccer.

Stefan Vukovic, the CSL leading scorer in 2011, was selected for Canada’s U-18 and U-20 teams and gained interest in Poland, followed by seven appearances for APS Zakynthos in Greece. His most recent club was the CSL’s Brantford Galaxy during the 2016 and 2017 seasons, scoring 11 goals. He was also an assistant coach for Hamilton City.

Ashton Morgan, an impressive defender in the CSL who retired from soccer July 2023, won the MLS Cup with Toronto FC in 2017 and made nine appearances for Real Salt Lake. Morgan was capped 18 times for Canada.

And we’ll bring you more…

Allessandro Riggi

HAMILTON CITY’S STEFAN MITROVIC IN DEMAND

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Stefan Mitrovic now with Red Star Belgrade

It doesn’t take a crystal ball to suggest that midfielder Stefan Mitrovic is well on his way to a strong future on both sides of the Atlantic.  Mitrovic played his way through youth soccer in Hamilton followed by a brief period with Toronto FC academy before entering the professional game with the CSL’s Hamilton City during April 2018 and through the 2019 season.

The Serbia-born Mitrovic – his family moved from Krusevac, Serbia to Hamilton, Ontario early 2003 when Mitrovic was a few months old – is now of interest to both Canadian and Serbian national teams. He qualifies for both and has so far made appearances for the Serbia U-20, Serbia U-21 and gained a full cap with a 4-1 winning debut against Sweden on September 24, 2022

Mitrovic played 12 matches for Hamilton City during 2018 and the 2019 season and was then signed by Radnicki Nis of the Serbian SuperLiga, making 57 appearances before being transferred to Red Star Belgrade in 2022. As an aggressive attacking midfielder with the now strong European experience Mitrovic, 20, would be an asset with the Canadian national team despite his leanings so far with Serbia.  Mitrovic was invited to the Canadian national team camp early 2022, but the call-up was cancelled when there was a COVID 19 threat.

Whatever the outcome during the upcoming World Cup games with both Canada and Serbia taking part, it looks as though Canadian coach John Herdman will be using some persuasion to bring Mitrovic on board, while the Serbian-born player will make the final decision.

 

Stan Adamson

ANY ONE OF THREE FOR TOP POSITION – Saturday’s games

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It’s a very close race at the top of the standings with just two points separating the top three which means either of these three could end the day at Centennial Stadium on top, or second or could be the trailing team of the three.

Scarborough is back on top and continues to be the only unbeaten side, but Serbian White Eagles now second in the standings are in fine form defensively and in attack to be unbeaten in the last five games while scoring 14 goals. It’s not surprising that three of the top five in the leading goalscorer chart, Durkovic, Kovacevic and Strizovic, are with Serbian Eagles. Scarborough and Serbian White Eagles tied 2-2 in their game of June 12.

York Region Shooters are favoured to win over winless BGHC 1, the team formed by Brantford Galaxy and Hamilton City on a temporary basis during the restrictions of COVID 19. The Shooters will be out to make amends after running into in-form Serbian White Eagles, losing narrowly on July 16.

Continentals FC and Toronto Falcons clash in the late game Saturday when Falcons will be out to repeat a narrow, but impressive victory on June 12 for the side’s first win in its inaugural CSL season.

A day admission for all three games is $10 and parking at Centennial Stadium is free.

A GLANCE BACK WHILE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEW SEASON

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PICTURE: The CSL meets with Southern Ontario teams recently as interest by new teams entering the league increases.

While the Canadian Soccer League is determined to be forward looking, it’s not going to be hard to look back.

With the approach of a new season, the league that was launched in the 1920s is forecasting a much earlier kickoff than the shorter campaign of 2021, a summer tormented by necessary pandemic restrictions due to the increasing prevalence of COVID-19.

The challenge will be to reproduce the kind of competitive, exciting soccer that brought out last year’s steady fan support to Centennial Stadium in Toronto’s west-end.

Several teams are possible newcomers for the end of May kickoff, including York Region Shooters, a team based at Maple in York Region just north-west of Toronto. The club was formed in 1994, merged with Vaughan Sun Devils in 2003 after being purchased the previous year by new owner Tony De Thomasis.

De Thomasis took the club to a new level, winning the Canadian Soccer League championship in 2011, a victory that many attributed to the new owner’s search for and identifying young local talent with promise, a list that includes Atiba Hutchinson, a player born in Brampton, Ontario of parents from Trinidad and Tobago. Hutchinson is now in the twilight of a sparkling career with top clubs in Europe and 95 caps for Canada’s national team, a number that’s expected to increase when Canada plays in the World Cup in Qatar this coming November.

Samad Kadirov, the former coach and general manager with the always impressive FC Vorkuta, is contemplating entry of new team Toronto Falcons  in the CSL, a move that will stir the nostalgia of a Toronto team name in the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) and the North American Soccer League (NASL) back in the 60s.

In addition to the CSL Championship leading to the final game late October, a new trophy competition is under consideration following last season’s successful  ProSound Cup won by FC Vorkuta. The CSL Championship will again wrap up the season.   Scarborough SC, under new head coach Mirko Medic, won its second championship title in 2021 after lifting the trophy in 2019, a period in which the east Toronto team had a remarkable run of five years (2017 – 2021) in the final.

Stan Adamson

 

 

IT’S KICKOFF TIME IN THE CSL

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The city's new professional soccer team is the Mississauga Eagles Football Club (MEFC), an offshoot of the Erin Mills Soccer Club. From left, three of the players are, Ivan Juric, Thierry Mangwa and Andrew Ornoch. Staff photo by Rob Beintema

The Canadian Soccer League will kickoff the new season with eight teams on Saturday, August 28 following the postponement of the opening day schedule of August 14 due to an insurance issue at the city-owned Centennial Stadium at Etobicoke in Toronto’s west end.

The CSL teams taking part are the defending CSL champions FC Vorkuta, the 2020 finalist Scarborough SC, Serbian White Eagles and BGHC, a team representing southern Ontario neighbours Brantford Galaxy and Hamilton City which have completed an arrangement to merge. The four teams invited to take part in a league format competition for the newly-introduced  ProSound Cup are Atletico Sporting Toronto,  Euru Futbol Academy, which is based in Hamilton, Ontario, St. Catharines Hrvat and Toronto Tigers.

The  3-game opener will kickoff the ProSound Cup invitational competition consisting of the 4 CSL teams and 4 invited teams  in a 32-game league  format and this will be followed by the CSL Championship playoffs moving the four CSL teams to the semi finals and final to conclude the season.

The opener on Saturday will remain the same schedule arranged for August 14, with Scarborough SC hosting Toronto Tigers in the first game at 3 pm, BGHC will be at home to FC Vorkuta at 5 pm and Serbian White Eagles will host Atletico Sporting Toronto at 7. All games will be played at Centennial Stadium in Etobicoke.

The Canadian Soccer league has also announced that the normal league rules and regulations will apply to the ProSound Cup competition.

In the event of a tie on points following completion of the 32-game schedule the Section 2009 tie-breaker rule applies:

  1.  Total wins during the 32-game competition
  2. Head-to-head record based on total points
  3. Goal difference
  4. Goals scored

The league discipline rules will apply including Rule 97005 that in all circumstances a player receiving a red card will automatically be suspended for the next game and the player is subject to additional game suspensions depending on the severity of the offence.

STADIUM REQUIREMENTS

On kickoff day, Saturday, August 28, a limited number of spectators are allowed into the stadium from 2.30 pm until  the final whistle of the third game at approx, 9 pm. An opening day pass for all three games is available at the gate for $10. Spectators are required to wear a mask or face covering in a manner that covers their mouth, nose and chin, unless they are entitled to an exemption. Physical distancing is required.

Stan Adamson

 

 

SERBIAN WHITE EAGLES CANADA’S IMPORT CHAMPIONS

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It’s been half a century since Serbian White Eagles took a bold step into the Canadian soccer community as an expansion team in the National Soccer League. It was 1970 and in that inaugural year the team,  founded in 1968 in Hamilton, Ontario, finished third in the table, winning 17 of its 26-games NSL league campaign and this was followed by an impressive second in the standings in 1972 and 1973.

The National Soccer League (NSL) was launched in 1926 and became the forerunner of today’s Canadian Soccer League with its first rebranding to the Canadian National Soccer League (CNSL), followed by the Canadian Professional Soccer League (CPSL) and the present Canadian Soccer League (CSL) in 2006.

Following those early successes in the NSL, Serbian White Eagles won the league title in 1974 and drew national attention by being the first Canadian soccer club to qualify for entry into the CONCACAF Champions Cup, facing teams throughout North America, Central America and the Caribbean. The Canadian team was eliminated by Mexican team CF Monterrey.

Serbian White Eagles scored a remarkable 118 regular season goals during that 1974 NSL season and continued to be a top draw until withdrawing from professional soccer in 1981, focusing on youth soccer and youth development, eventually entering an amateur team in the Ontario Soccer League.

The west Toronto organization returned to professional soccer in 2006 as an expansion team in the Canadian Soccer League drawing large attendances to be an immediate success on the field and in the stadium. The new entry took the CSL International  Division title in the first two seasons 2006 and 2007 and was a finalist in the CSL Championship in the first four years 2006 – 2009, winning the championship in 2008 and again in 2016.

Serbian White Eagles has been importing top players from Europe from as early as 1971, continuing the practice with a steady stream of talented and experienced players as well as highly skilled coaches, all of which helped in the success of the White Eagles and help to develop the CSL into one of  the most attractive soccer leagues in Canada. Their playing, coaching and mentoring skills played a big part in the development of local young players in and outside of the academy setting.

Uros Stamatovic, now and in recent years coach of Serbian White Eagles, Mirko Medic, recently appointed head coach of Scarborough SC, Niki Budalic, now on staff with Miami FC of Major League Soccer, Dusan Belic, Dragan Radovic, a top player who was the first player to be transferred internationally from Montenegro following that country’s independence in 2006, Sinisa Ninkovic, a former top player in Europe and an under-21 Serbian international, Bozo Milic, Sasa Viciknez, a fan favourite at Centennial Stadium in Toronto with his patented free kicks finding the net  just inside the post, Mark Jankovic, Uros Predic, Gabriel Pop, Nenad Stojcic, are just a few of the many who have played for Serbian White Eagles since its return to professional soccer.

But the best player of all arrived in earlier times when Serbian White Eagles were the talk of the town in 1973 following their NSL championship win and entry into the CONCACAF competition. The explosive Mike Stojanovic , a sought-after striker from Lapovo, Serbia, scored 96 goals including 52 in 1974, a record that is unlikely to be surpassed. Following his success with the White Eagles, Stojanovic made 179 appearances for Rochester Lancers, San Diego Sockers and San Jose Earthquakes in the North American Soccer League and was awarded the NASL’s Player of the year. A Canadian international with 15 caps, Stojanovic was inducted into Canada’s Soccer Hall of Fame in 2009. ‘One of the great players in American professional soccer a generation ago’, Michael Lewis of the New York Daily News wrote of Stojanovic  in 2010.

On the coaching side, the legendary Dragoslav Sekularac tops the list both by his winning attitude which brought results, and for his celebrity status which attracted considerable attention from players and the soccer community at large. Sekularac, a Serbian attacking midfielder with unusual dribbling skills, was considered to be one of the top players in Europe and a favourite after joining Red Star Belgrade in 1955, playing 470 games and scoring 119 goals. He was a youth international 10 times and made 41 appearances for the Yugoslavia national team.

Sekularac was appointed coach of the Serbian White Eagles CSL team on its return to professional soccer in 2006 and with his star-studded line-up attracted large crowds at Centennial Stadium while winning the International Division title in both 2006 and 2007. The CSL championship was won in 2008 so that in the four years 2006 to 2009 Serbian White Eagles captured three league titles and was in the championship final all four seasons.

Serbian White Eagles has generally trailed FC Vorkuta and Scarborough SC since winning the CSL championship in 2016, but with new close season signings, which includes Sierra Leon international goalkeeper John Trye, and with the present import player strength, head coach Uros Stamatovic  expects a stronger performance in the upcoming ProSound Cup competition and the CSL championship.

Serbian White Eagles’ players in 2020 and on the 2021 roster that played in Europe include defender Nemanja Simeunovic, previously with Waterloo and Scarborough SC, Branislav Vukomanovic, a defender formerly with London City and one of  the most experienced players in the CSL having played in Serbia, Czech Republic, Sweden, Romania, Bosnia Herzegovina, Hungary and Albania before arriving in Canada in 2013 to make 113 club appearances for Serbian White Eagles, defender Zoran Pesic, played extensively in Serbia, Bojan Zoranovic played in Serbia and Bosnia Herzegovina and signed for the CSL’s  CSC Mississauga and Scarborough SC, before a move to Serbian White Eagles.

Serbian White Eagles’ opening season game for the ProSound Cup is scheduled against Atletico Sporting Toronto for Saturday, August 28, a 7 pm kickoff at Centennial Stadium in Etobicoke.

 

Stan Adamson

 

 

 

 

CSL PLAYERS SEE ACTION ABROAD

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PICTURE: Fadi Salback now recognized by town’s residents as a celebrity. IM PR INC EIN PRESSWIRE

Fadi Salback, the university student from Bowmanville Ontario, spotted in 2019 by FC Vorkuta during a winter off-season indoor soccer game and signed for a trial in the Canadian Soccer League team’s reserve squad to score four goals in his opening game, has caught the eye of the European media and the fans while playing for FC Podillava Khmelnytskyi in the Ukrainian Second Division.

Salback, 22, with promising credentials prior to that indoor match, was promptly moved to the Vorkuta first division squad where more goals followed in quick succession.

Salback’s earlier signs of talent came when the Israeli-born striker was selected for Ontario’s Provincial U-16 team before entering Ontario Tech University at Oshawa, Ont. to study software engineering. Selected also for the university team, he scored a record 16 goals in his first season, was named the all-Canadian Rookie of the Year and named an east division first team all-star.

Salback was signed by the Ukrainian club following a two-week trial late summer and has now caught the eye of the European media after scoring five goals in his first six games since Ukraine kicked off a new season in October. One news report explains that when Salback walks through Khmelnytskyi, Ukraine, he’s recognized by the town’s residents as a celebrity.

Vorkuta GM Samad Kadirov considered Salback to be an exceptional player when he was first seen by Kadirov, Vorkuta FC owner Igor Demitchev, and Steve Kokkoros of the Thornhill Soccer Club just north of Toronto during that indoor winter season match. “ We are pleased to sign him and he’s now considered one of our top assets with real promise for the future,” said Kadirov at the time.

Demitchev takes it a step further and believes the local youth talent has contributed greatly to the success of his club since its launch at the amateur level in Toronto in 2008. The team, formed by Demitchev and Kadirov, both immigrants from Russia, stormed into professional soccer as an expansion team in the Canadian Soccer League in 2017. With high level players from Eastern Europe and local players with promise, FC Vorkuta has attracted a lot of attention while winning two Canadian Soccer League championships and three league titles in just four seasons. FC Vorkuta is today one of the top teams in Canadian soccer.

Demitchev, a Toronto lawyer, considers his club has been successful while partnering the Thornhill Soccer Club to select local youth for competition in the tough CSL, then continuing with a process that provides every opportunity for further development and eventually the all-important recognition of a player destined for an even higher game elsewhere. “Fadi Salback is living proof of what can happen,” he says.

Soccer in Canada has grown in leaps and bounds during the past 30 years with now more player registrations than hockey and more than baseball, football and basketball combined and there are signs that more high level players are emerging. Demitchev considers that aligning his club with youth soccer helps to make young special players more visible, and they are surrounded by coaching skills from abroad, all of which contributes to furthering the Canadian game.

Fadi Salback’s new-found success follows a number of CSL players that have made the grade at a higher level, including Jonathan Osorio from SC Toronto to Toronto FC, Paul Munster from London City to Slavia Prague and a number of others stretching back to Atiba Hutchinson who played briefly for York Region Shooters before moving on to play for the Toronto Lynx and five teams in Europe before joining his present club, Besiktas of Turkey.

Igor Demitchev and FC Vorkuta also believe the increased popularity of the game in Canada is about to pay dividends as more players surface for the highest level professional ranks in Europe and other parts of the world. Transfer fees are expected to exceed the recent Canadian record $46.5 million paid by French club Lille for Jonathan David of Ottawa. That fee was quick to eclipse the earlier fee of more than $20 million, which included bonuses yet to be earned, for the transfer to Bayern Munich of Alphonso Davies from the Vancouver Whitecaps of Major League Soccer.

In the meantime, the progress of Fadi Salback is of interest from a number of points of view, not the least of which is the rarity of a Canadian being signed in a country with limited opportunities for the abundance of local soccer talent attempting to enter a relatively small professional football structure.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?       

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WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

        CSL players moving up……………Part 2

FROM THE CSL TO EUROPE

More CSL players ventured to Europe during the past decade, including Fidan Nika of St. Catharines Roma Wolves to German clubs FC Passau, SG Bogen II,  SV Poppenreuth and most recently SV Mitterteich, while Gil Hong and Christian Kusiewicz of Mississauga Eagles FC was transferred to Gyori ETO FC  Hungary and today is with Oakville Blue Devils of Ontario League 1. Marcus Godinho of Toronto FC II moved to Heart of Midlothian in the Scottish Premier League and in 2018 with Berwick Rangers, also of Scotland. David Monsalve of North York Astros was signed by FC Inter Turku of Finland, and returned to Canada recently to play for Ottawa Fury of the USL. Igor Pisanjuk of Mississauga Eagles FC and later Vasas Astros SC, both of the CSL, was with Hungarian clubs Ferencvarosi, Szolnoki MAV FC, Kecskemeti, Egri FC and Vasas FC.

THE EUROPEAN TOUCH

Jonathan Lao (above picture) an impressive Toronto area attacking midfielder over the years, played in the CSL for Toronto FC II, was signed by FC Rot-Weiss Erfurt of Germany and was later a standout for the York University side including winning the Joe Johnson Memorial Award as the most outstanding university player in 2016. Jonathan, 25, considers that talented young Canadian players should seek a spot in Europe to experience the difference in culture and mentality for the game if they desire to pursue professional football. Lao was in the Canadian youth program as early as 15 and represented Canada in the 2009 CONCACAF U-17 Championship in Mexico.

FROM THE CSL TO INTERNATIONAL DUTY

During the period following 2010, a procession of players were travelling extensively from CSL clubs to represent their country at the youth level, including Odaine Demar, Julien Edwards and Taylor Benjamin of the CSL’s  Capital City of  Ottawa. Demar was selected for the Jamaica U-20 national team in the CONCACAF championships, Edwards and Benjamin were selected for their native Guyana. Stephane Emard, playing for Kingston FC was selected for the St. Lucia national team for the Gold Cup qualifiers. Canadian Soccer Association coaches  also stepped in to identify the promising players under contract with CSL clubs and several players with Montreal Impact II playing in the CSL were selected They included midfielder Allesandro Riggi, striker Stephan Vukovic, (the CSL’s top scorer in 2011), midfielder Kevin Luarca and defender Kai Morton. Striker Reda Agourram, midfielder Pierre Rudolph Mayard, former Trois-Riviers Attak defender Karl Ouimette, and full back Aron Mkungilwa were also selected to Canada’s youth teams.

SKYLAR THOMAS FIRST WINNIPEG SIGNING

Skylar Thomas showed good natural ability when in 2012 he entered the CSL with the Toronto FC reserve squad while also playing at Syracuse where he captained the university team. The tall (6’ 3”) Scarborough-born defender was signed by Reading United in the U.S.-based USL League Two, where in 2014 he played before returning to the Toronto FC club to make 47 appearances in the reserve team.  He then signed for Charleston Battery of the USL in 2017 and played regularly through the 2018 season. Thomas, 25, is the first signing for Valour FC, the Winnipeg team in the newly-formed Premier Soccer League (PSL) which is scheduled to kickoff in 2019. Valour head coach and GM Ron Gale described Thomas on Global News radio as being “a strong centre-back, athletic and quick, and good in the air”. Thomas has made seven appearances for Canada’s U-23 squad.

SERGIO CAMARGO A CAVALRYMAN

The soccer career of Sergio Camargo kicked off in earnest when in 2009 when the Colombia-born midfielder turned out for Toronto FC II in the CSL during the 2009 season. In 2010 Camargo won both the CSL Reserve Division MVP and Rookie of the Year awards before playing college soccer with Coastal Carolina and in Syracuse with a string of achievements. In 2015 he was captain of the Waterloo, Ontario-based K-W United when the team won the USL Premier Division Championship and in 2017 was signed by Toronto FC. In 2018 Camargo, now 24, played for Calgary Foothills of USL League Two and has signed for Cavalry FC, the Calgary team to kickoff in the Canadian Premier League’s inaugural 2019 season. Camargo made his debut for Canada in the 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

DRAGOSLAV SEKULARAC

Dragoslav Sekularac, the former Red Star Belgrade attacking midfielder considered to be one of the top legendary players in world soccer and who managed a successful re-launch of Serbian White Eagles of the CSL in 2006, died at age 81 last Saturday, January 5.  Sekularac was considered one of the most popular players to wear a Red Star shirt due to his exceptional ball skills that raised the stadium noise volume whenever he took possession. Sekularac made his debut for Red Star Belgrade in 1955, playing 470 games scoring 119 goals in 11 seasons. He played 41 times for the Yugoslavia national team. Sekularac was not new to Canada when appointed GM in 1966, having spent time with Serbian White Eagles of the CSL’s forerunner National Soccer League in 1975. His presence in 2006 attracted some of the largest crowds to watch a CSL game and there was considerable success on the field of play, winning the International Conference with both the best offensive and defensive record with 17 wins, 4 draws and 1 defeat.

 

THE 2018 CSL SEASON IN REVIEW

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ALL SET TO GO

Expansion teams CSC Mississauga and Real Mississauga joined Brantford Galaxy, Hamilton City , Scarborough SC, Serbian White Eagles, FC Ukraine United, FC Vorkuta and SC Waterloo to form the 2018 CSL First Division with a new season kickoff date of May 13.

Halton United B also entered the CSL, to start its campaign in the CSL Second Division with Brantford Galaxy B, Milton B, Scarborough B, Serbian White Eagles B and FC Vorkuta B to form the division two teams that completed the 2018 competition.

 

HOW IT ENDED

Without a serious challenge from any one of three or four teams in the CSL First Division, the regular season league title was expected to go to FC Vorkuta or FC Ukraine United. As the five-month long season unfolded, these two teams – both recent in Canada’s only professional soccer league – took over at the top, each ending with 38 points, nine points ahead of teams 3rd and 4th in the table.  Ukraine United eventually won the First Division and Vorkuta won the Canadian Soccer League Championship. The following are events of interest in the five-month long campaign:

 

MAY KICKOFF

FC Vorkuta and FC Ukraine United, the two most successful teams in 2017, came together for the 2018 CSL First Division season opener on May 13, a 2-1 opening victory for Vorkuta at Centennial Stadium. The winner was scored from the penalty spot midway through the second half by Oleh Kerchu, the Vorkuta captain, who entered the CSL in 2016 with today’s opposition, FC Ukraine United, before being transferred to Vorkuta in 2017. The CSL Second Division kicked off two weeks later on May 25 when Vorkuta reserve team dominated Serbian White Eagles reserves, 12-1.

 

GREAT SCORING

Number 4 is a lucky number for Alexander Stojiljkovic of Scarborough SC who led his side with four goals to a 5-1 defeat of Hamilton City on May 27. It was not the first time Stojiljkovic scored four goals, the Serbian-born striker hit four against Milton in a 7-0 victory on September 2, 2017 and followed up with another four in a 5-0 win against Brantford Galaxy which assured him of the CSL 2017 scoring title with total 17 goals.

 

JUNE’S DOUBLE HAT-TRICK

It’s not often one team scores two hat-tricks in a match, but this occured on June 30 when forward Yevhen Falkovskyi and midfielder Pavlo Lukianets both scored a three goals for FC Ukraine United in a 9-0 First Division victory against SC Waterloo at RIM Park. Falkovskyi and Lukianets each had distinguished careers in Ukraine before arriving in Canada during the 2016-17 period to play for FC Ukraine United in the CSL.

 

FROM CENTENNIAL STADIUM TO RUSSIA IN JULY

Not many years ago, Joe Fletcher ran the line in Canadian Soccer League games at Centennial Stadium in Etobicoke and other grounds on the CSL circuit. In earlier times, Fletcher was known as a speedy player before a decision to become a match official in soccer, to be noticed eventually by CSL referee-in-chief Tony Camacho who offered the Niagara Falls teenager an opportunity to run the line in a nearby Roma Wolves home game at the Club Roma Stadium on Vansickle Road in St. Catharines.

The now 41 year old Chartered Accountant is still running the line, but to a different audience. Seen by billions of soccer fans around the world, the estimated TV audience watching the 1918 World Cup in Russia, Fletcher was Assistant Referee for the England vs Colombia World Cup match in Moscow on July 3. It was his second World Cup assignment after being selected to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Eight years in the CSL led to assignments in Major League Soccer, followed by key games in CONCACAF and other international matches. He was on the line for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada and was assigned to matches at the Olympic Games in London in 2012.

 

SUCCESSFUL AUGUST RETURN

August 3 marked the return to the microphone at CSL matches of announcer Enio Peruzza for game number 3,527 since his pro soccer announcing debut 32 years ago on August 3, 1986. That was a Toronto Blizzard home game to be followed over the years with the announcing of Benfica from Portugal, Red Star Belgrade from Serbia, the Italian Military Team, the Mexico U-20 national team and others sprinkled from time to time between regular CSL games. Italian-born Peruzza, 52, returned to announce the Serbian White Eagles vs Hamilton City at Centennial Stadium that Friday night August 3 during in the season just ended, a  return that followed successful by-pass surgery.

 

AUGUST MEMORIES OF A VISIT FROM SAO PAULO

It was on August 28 that Anarqui Futebol & Amigos, a Brazilian veterans team visited Toronto to play a CSL All Star veterans side at the St. Joan of Arc Stadium in Maple, just north of the city. The visit of the team based in Sao Paulo, Brazil, was the first of four exhibition matches in North America, with visits to Montreal, Quebec City and Orlando, Florida to follow.  Anarqui Futebol & Amigos usually tour Europe, a routine followed for the past 11 years and there have also been visits to the African continent. This was the first visit to North America. Sao Paulo is well known as a place to see the best of football in South America including Santos, one of Brazil’s most successful clubs and the team Pele played for. The CSL Veteran All Stars won 6-2 on August 28, an entertaining encounter, and while the stature of the teams cannot be compared, the recent match brought back memories of the Santos (with Pele) visit to Toronto in 1973 which filled Varsity Stadium and the neighboring rooftops. Santos beat Italy’s Bologna, 2-1.

 

SEPTEMBER RARITY

Goalkeeper Senad Poracanin scored the opening goal for Real Mississauga on September 7, a rarity that helped his team to a 2-0 victory against Brantford Galaxy. It was a penalty kick decision and Poracanin was selected as the most likely player to find the net.

 

ALL SQUARE IN SEPTEMBER – EXCEPT THE GOALS

The First Division league title was undecided until the last regular season game when FC Ukraine United clinched the top position with a superior goal differential. Both Ukraine United and FC Vorkuta ended the regular season with 12 wins, 2 losses, 2 draws and 38 points. Both conceded 16 goals, but Ukraine United found the net 60 times compared to Vorkuta’s 55.

 

A GALLANT OCTOBER EFFORT

Halton United, a Mississauga-based expansion team playing its inaugural pro soccer season in the CSL Second Division, took an impressive step forward after finishing in the runner-up spot in the regular season standings. The team with a strong academy player development environment then advanced to the CSL Second Division Championship Final, losing narrowly 3-2 to Vorkuta B.

FC Vorkuta won the coveted championship trophy in October to be CSL overall champions and FC Vorkuta Reserves won the Second Division championship, a feat achieved only once in CSL history, by SC Waterloo which captured the double in 2013.

 

 

CSL CHAMPIONSHIP SUMMARY

Quarterfinals

SC Waterloo 2, Serbian White Eagles 1

Scarborough SC 4, Hamilton City 1

FC Ukraine United 0, Brantford Galaxy 0 (after extra time) FC Ukraine United won 8-7 on penalty kicks

FC Vorkuta 2, Real Mississauga 1

Semifinals

FC Vorkuta 2, SC Waterloo 2 (after extra time) Vorkuta won 4-3 on penalty kicks

Scarborough SC 2, Ukraine United 1

CSL Championship Final

FC Vorkuta 1, Scarborough SC 1 (after extra time) FC Vorkuta won 6-5 on penalty kicks

CSL SECOND DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP

Semifinals

FC Vorkuta B 3, Brantford Galaxy B 1

Halton United B 3, Scarborough SC B 1

CSL Second Division Championship

FC Vorkuta B 3, Halton United 2

WHERE ARE THEY NOW …….CSL players moving up

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The first of series.

We all know what former Canadian Soccer League player Jonathan Osorio is doing these days as one of the most visible members of the Toronto FC team with a club record of 171 appearances. Osorio, also now a Canadian national team regular with 22 appearances and now on a break from competition during the off season, first entered local professional soccer with CSL first division team SC Toronto in 2012. A prolific goal scorer, Osorio was awarded the Rookie of the Year Award in his debut CSL season.

But what about other players who have shone in the CSL and, like Osorio, have moved on to higher levels in Canada and elsewhere. Where are they now? This is the first of a series to detail the experiences in North America and overseas countries of players introduced to professional soccer in the Canadian Soccer League, or by its predecessor league, the Canadian Professional Soccer League (CPSL) the league’s name before re-branding in 2006.

Let’s start with Kitchener native David Edgar who started his soccer career with the CPSL’s London City, playing briefly in 2001 before trialing with Newcastle United in the English Premier League. The tall defender made his debut for Newcastle United reserve team in 2003 and made his debut for Canada’s U-20 team the same year. Edgar’s first team debut for Newcastle came on December 26, 2006 and a week later, on New Year’s Day January 1, 2007, he was in the spotlight in his home debut by scoring a goal against Manchester United, a game that ended in a 2-2 draw. Edgar was transferred to English team Burnley in 2009, making 99 appearances before moving to Swansea, Birmingham City, Huddersfield Town and Sheffield United, before returning to Canada to play for Vancouver Whitecaps. Edger, now 31, played at Nashville recently and is now under contract with Ottawa Fury in the US-based USL. He is Canadian men’s team regular with 42 caps.

Doneil Henry, a defender, was captain of the Toronto FC II side for two seasons in the CSL and was the first reserve team player to sign for the Toronto FC senior team in Major League Soccer. In 2014, Henry was transferred to Appollon Limassol of the Cypriot first division, returning on loan to Toronto FC before signing for West Ham United in England. Henry has been on loan to Blackburn Rovers of England and Horsens of Denmark before returning to Canada and playing for the Vancouver Whitecaps in 2018. The Whitecaps have picked up the option on Henry’s contract and he is presently on loan to Ottawa Fury. Now 25, the Brampton, Ontario, native has represented Canada at the senior level 24 times.

Nikola Budalic, a talented midfielder played for Glen Shields Sun Devils in the CPSL in 2001 before elevating his playing career in Canada with the Toronto Lynx of the US-based A-League before going overseas to play for Orebro of Sweden. Budalic then returned to Canada and the Impact, then signed for Haugesund of Norway before returning to the CSL in 2008 to join Serbian White Eagles. Budalic was then loaned to Toronto FC reserves before returning to Serbian Eagles to coach the CSL team. In 2016 Budalic was appointed assistant GM of Orlando City in MLS and was promoted to General Manager.

Atiba Hutchinson, who played briefly for York Region Shooters in the CPSL back in 2002, is a regular with the Canadian national team while near the end of a sparkling career in Europe. Hutchinson’s career took the midfielder from the CPSL to the Toronto Lynx before his European career started with top clubs Oster and Helsingborg (Sweden), then Copenhagen (Denmark) and PSV Eindoven (Netherlands). Now 35, Hutchinson is today with Besiktas, a top club in Turkey. The Brampton, Ontario native has won the Canadian Men’s Player of the Year award five times, and has indicated his wish to retire as a player in 2019.

Andre Manders, a talented Bermudian full back sometimes midfielder with the CSPL’s Capital City of Ottawa in 2002, who signed for York Region Shooters the following season, went on to play in Antigua and is presently with Whitechurch United in the Wessex League in England. At 32, Manders has 14 international caps with his native Bermuda, including World Cup qualifiers.

Nikola Paunic, who played in the CSL for Serbian White Eagles, was selected in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft by Vancouver Whitecaps but eventually signed for Orange County Blues, an affiliate of Los Angeles FC in MLS. Paunic, a defender, captained the Toronto SF Academy team and was selected for the Canada U-20 side.

Ashtone Morgan, an impressive young defender with Toronto FC in recent years, played in the CSL with Toronto FC II during the seasons 2009 and 2010 and has since made 118 appearances for the Reds’ senior team. Morgan, a regular with the Canadian men’s team, has contract options with his club and is expected to continue at the BMO Field in the upcoming 2019 season.

Karl Ouimette was standout defender in seasons 2009 and 2010 for Trois-Rivieres Attak, a team in the CSL affiliated with Montreal Impact. The Quebec native signed for the Impact in 2012 where he was picked up by New York Bulls of MLS, was then signed by Jacksonville Amada of the NPSL, followed by the San Francisco Deltas of the NASL and in 2018 played for Indy Eleven of the USL. Ouimette has played 18 times for the Canadian men’s team following games with Canada’s U-17 and U-23.

Paul Munster arrived at Kitchener, Ontario from Northern Ireland in 2004 and was put on a trial in the CPSL’s London City reserve side where he scored an impressive 12 goals in his first three matches, earning a quick place in City’s first team. The young striker then led the CPSL scoring with 25 goals to end the season with a record 10-goal lead. He was voted winner of the league’s Rookie of the Year Award. The Irishman became an immediate fan favourite at London City and attracted the attention of Slavia Prague of the Czech Republic to embark upon a European career which took him from Prague to Sweden, then back to the Czech Republic. Three seasons with Linfield in his native Northern Ireland followed, then a brief period playing in Germany. Munster was then appointed manager of Assyriska BK of the Swedish second division and was appointed to managerial and head coach responsibilities in three other clubs. Munster, 36, is today in India where in 2018 he was appointed technical director of Minerva Punjab in the Indian I-League.

Andrew Ornoch entered professional soccer briefly in 2002 with Mississauga Olympians of the CSL and following university soccer trialed successfully with Papai FC of Hungary, then Esbjerg of Denmark. Brief stints with Harecles Almelo, then Veendam of the Netherlands followed before the midfielder, sometimes forward, returned to the CSL playing three games with Mississauga Eagles. Ornoch then played for Telstar in the Netherlands, returned to Canada in 2014 at age 30 and signed for Vaughan Azzurri. He represented Canada three times.

IMPORT PLAYERS FOR A BRIGHTER CANADIAN SOCCER LEAGUE

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IMPORT PLAYERS FOR A BRIGHTER CANADIAN SOCCER LEAGUE

There is no doubt that Oleh Kerchu, team captain and a leader off the field of play, played a big part in FC Vorkuta’s remarkable success in winning three titles since the York Region-based club became an expansion team in the Canadian Soccer League’s 2017 season.

Kerchu, 34, is an example of many players who have ventured to Canada for the express purpose of playing football in the Canadian Soccer League. Import signings strengthens the teams and provides many benefits for the league as a whole. Games become more attractive for the fans, the players bring strong technical skills following many years’ experience at high levels, particularly coaching expertise to the benefit of players in the local soccer community.

Ukrainian-born Kerchu, like several players in this year’s CSL championship side, entered the Canada as an import player following an extensive professional career in Europe. Now a midfielder, Kerchu started his football career as a defender in Bukovyna in Central Europe in 2001 and following stints with two other Ukrainian clubs. He was a member of the Bukovyna championship side both in the 2005-6 season and again in 2009/10 following a return to that club in 2008.

Other Vorkuta players had similar career paths. Goalkeeper Oleksandr Musiienko, 31, played for several teams in the Ukraine before arriving in Canada in 2017, Serhii Ursulenko, 31, was with FC Balkany Zorya when the team was promoted to the Ukrainian first league, and striker Sergii Ivlieve, 35, a veteran in the Ukraine who played more recently in Poland, signed in 2016 for CSL’s FC Ukraine United, then transferred to Vorkuta in 2017 to top the scoring in the CSL First Division with 13 goals in the season just past.  These, and others,  arrived in recent times to play a role in the success of FC Vorkuta, formed by members of the Russian community in Canada while paying tribute to its namesake city in Russia north of the Arctic Circle.

Myakhaylo Riabyi,  35, is considered to be the engine on the field of play for the Vorkuta professional team. In addition, FC Vorkuta is a busy member of the York Region soccer community with amateur teams in Richmond Hill and Thornhill, just north of Toronto.

Serbian White Eagles was the first CSL club to set a trend with a procession of professional players from Central and Eastern Europe after joining the league as an expansion team in 2006 and Sasa Viciknez was one of the most exciting imports to make an early arrival.  A forward, mostly on the left wing, Viciknez came to the CSL in 2006 following 10 years at a high level, highlighted by UEFA Champions League games in the 1998-99 seasons which included a memorable game against Bayern Munich.  The Serbian-born Viciknez was a master of the dead ball free kick which, when taken just outside the box, usually skimmed the inside of the post to find the net without the goalkeeper making a move. Viciknez was named to the CSL All Stars and earned the league’s MVP award in 2006 and 2009.

Serbian Eagles also landed Dragoslav Sekularac to coach the team when entering the CSL in 2006.  Sekularac was considered in the 1960s to be one of the top players in the world, a celebrity with a household name in Central and Eastern Europe.

Other prominent players signed from Europe by Serbian White Eagles included Branislav Vukomanovic who played first division football in Serbia and Montenegro , Slovakia , Romania and Bosnia – Herzegovina,  Uros Stamatovic, who has coached the team in recent years, played first division in Serbia, Dusan Belic, a first division goalkeeper in Serbia and Belgium, and Radenko Kamberovic , a solid defender who played first division in Serbia and Montenegro. Marko Krasic, a central midfielder played in Europe and Hong Kong. Others who arrived over the years were Marko Marovic, a midfielder, who played in Serbia and Romania, Bozo Milic,  Goran Svonja, and the impressive Mirko Medic who was voted the CSL defender of the year in 2009, all played at a high level overseas. Milan Mijailovic is the present coach of Serbian White Eagles following a sterling European career that included 236 games in the Serbia’s  SuperLiga.

Brantford Galaxy was also one of the early clubs in the CSL to sign European professionals, a decision that brought the CSL Championship to the Southwestern Ontario community in that debut season.  Signings in 2010 included Miodrag Andelkovic, a goalscorer who played in no less than 14 countries during his professional career, Ranko Golijanin , who also played in Europe and the A-League in the United States before arriving in Canada to play for the Galaxy, Swiss-born defender Patrick Gerhardt, who played in Switzerland, Australia, Bosnia-Herzigovina, as well as being selected for the Liberian national team for which he qualified through heritage. Nenad Begovic signed following an impressive career playing in Serbia and Montenegro, Kazakhstan, Russia, Azerbaijan and Israel. Drazen Govic played in Croatia and Belgium and Boris Milicic, at 39 one of the most experienced players in the CSL following a career in Serbia and Hungary, is still under contract with the Galaxy until the upcoming end of November.

FC Ukraine United has met with considerable success while signing players from Europe in the three seasons playing in the CSL. Attractive soccer and teamwork has been a feature of the side throughout. Several players have many years of overseas experience and topping the list could be Ukrainian-born defender Mykhailo Gurka. The prominence of  Pavlo Lukianets with his goalscoring power, stands out on the score sheet.

CSC Mississauga were strengthened by Croatian-born Pero Menalo, previously with the CSL’s Toronto Croatia who played in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzigovina, also Mykhaylo Berezovyy and forward Vitalii Koliesnikov from the Ukraine.

New CSL entry Real Mississauga benefited in 2018 with the presence of Krum Bibishikov who played more than 300 professional games for several teams overseas, including Levski Sofia and Lokomotive Sofia of Bulgaria, Steaua Bukarest of Romania,  Penafiel of Portugal and Bayern Munich’s reserve team in Germany .Bibishikov played one International game for Bulgaria and now holds a UEFA B coaching license which he is putting to good use in Canada.

Joining Scarborough SC since the club was formed in 2014 were import players Dobrin Orlovski from Bulgaria, Serbian striker Aleksander Stojiljkovic, a prolific scorer who led the CSL’s first division with 17 goals in 2017, Zoran Knezevic, who played mostly in Serbia and Russia,  Kavin Bryan, 34, a Jamaican international forward who played in the Jamaican Premier League, in Norway and for several teams in Vietnam before signing for York Region Shooters then Scarborough in the CSL. Others are goalkeeper Mladen Kukrika, 27, who played in Bosnia- Herzegovina and Albania, Kiril Dimitrov from the Belasitsa Petrich team in Bulgaria to play for Serbian White Eagles and SC Waterloo before being instrumental in returning professional soccer to Scarborough where he  both plays for and manages the new franchise.

Hamilton City SC has signed several import players since joining the CSL in 2016, including forward defender Nikola Stanojevic previously with FK Zemun of Serbia, Igor Krmar with an extensive career in Serbia, the Czech Republic, Bosnia and Herzegovina and lately in Macedonia. Midfielder Haris Fazlagic, who signed for several CSL teams since arriving to play for Brantford Galaxy in 2010, played in Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, forward  Drazen Vukovic, 36, played most of his career in Croatia,  midfielder Zdenko Jurcevic, 32, from Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

SC Waterloo won the overall CSL championship and Second Division title in 2013 and was a finalist two years later with an attractive side that included head coach Lazo Dzepina, who played for and later coached NK Dinara of Croatia, and played in Serbia and Bosnia-Herzigovina. The championship team was sprinkled with impressive players including Vladimir Zelebaba, now 36, a well-travelled midfielder who has played in Serbia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Thailand and Bosnia-Herzegovina and who scored twice in the memorable championship final. Aleksander Stojiljikovic and Keril Dimitrov (both now Scarborough) joined later.

Milton SC, now in the CSL Second Division, recruited several players with experience elsewhere when the club was formed in 2014. Milton recruited Adam Shaban, now 36, a Kenyan international with 34 caps, who came from Kenya’s Premier League. Shaban later played in the Norwegian first division, then Oman on the Arabian Peninsula. The Kenyan defender first signed for Kingston FC in 2014, then transferred to Milton. Radovan Ivkovic played in Croatia and Serbia before signing and full back Zoran Belosevic, who played in Serbia, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Greece played briefly. Vladimir Vujovic, with a long career in Serbia, scored five goals for Milton in 2018.

CSL clubs will continue to bring high level players from Europe and elsewhere while remaining focused developing and signing Canadian-born talent to provide what appears to be an ideal blend for the league’s future and further expansion.

 

 

 

 

SANY DEY OVERCAME TORRENTIAL RAIN TO WIN SCORING TITLE….Kezic top scorer in CSL Second Division

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SANY DEY OVERCAME TORRENTIAL RAIN TO WIN SCORING TITLE….Kezic top scorer in CSL Second Division

             

Striker Sany Dey became the Canadian Soccer League’s First Division top scorer in driving rain during final regular season game at the Heritage Field on September 25. That’s a big achievement in the tough CSL, but it’s become somewhat routine for the Ghana-born striker to take top soccer honors since arriving in Canada from that country in 2016.

Playing for Mohawk College following arrival, Sani Dey raised eyebrows when the 19 year-old struck all four goals for Mohawk’s men’s team in an OCAA 4-0 victory over Lambton Lions at Sarnia on September 26, 2016.

In 2017, Dey scored the goals that brought the U-21 North American youth cup to Hamilton and was named top scorer and best player in the tournament after scoring 11 goals in the four knockout games.

Dey entered the CSL in 2017, signing for Burlington SC in the Second Division, a transfer from Erin Mills Soccer Club of the Ontario U-21 Provincial League.

Dey was trailing the CSL regular season goals coring until that rain-soaked match, but the two strikes lifted the prolific forward to 13 goals and top position, a single more than Pavlo Lukianets of FC Ukraine United with 12.

Kristijan Kezic of Vorkuta B took the top goal scorer award in the CSL Second Division, a total of 12 in the regular season campaign, two more than Milton B forward Marko Mitrusic.

Croatian-born Kezic’s family moved to Germany in 1995 and was signed by FC Rastatt 04 Youth before moving to Canada in 1999 where he then played for Richmond Hill Madrid. He became known for prolific goal scoring, receiving the top goal scorer award and was attracted to and signed by CSL expansion team Vorkuta in 2017.

VORKUTA, VORKUTA, VORKUTA SPELLS THREE CSL TITLES

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VORKUTA, VORKUTA, VORKUTA SPELLS THREE CSL TITLES

Vorkuta, Vorkuta, Vorkuta ! chanted fans at Centennial Stadium in Toronto’s west end, urging their team on in during a hotly contested, entertaining CSL Championship Final against Scarborough SC Saturday afternoon.

And the encouragement was for good reason. The York Region-based Vorkuta had already secured the CSL Second Division Championship with its reserve team in the first game of a championship double header just an hour earlier – a second 2018 title following the team’s Second Division league win back in mid-September.

A CSL Championship victory would set a unprecedented three titles in the same Canadian Soccer League season and that was the outcome as FC Vorkuta fought off a gallant Scarborough side to win on penalty kicks following a 1-1 tie at 90 minutes and the same score at the end of extra time 30 minutes later.
Vorkuta’s found the net with all six penalty kicks, Scarborough dropped one of its six and the team named after a community in northern Russia, entered the CSL as recent as 2017, took its third title to end the 2018 CSL season.

Both sides set a strong pace and Scarborough came close early when forward Kiril Dimitrov’s drive from the right wing deflected just wide.
Vorkuta took a 1-0 lead at 29 minutes when referee Marcos Jaramillo pointed to the penalty spot after Oleh Kerchu was brought down in the box. Defender Lubomyr Halchuk easily found the nest past Scarborough goalkeeper John Trye.

Five minutes later Scarborough had another setback when referee Jaramillo showed Scarborough defender Alen Kucalovic the red card following a second caution, and it was 1-0 at the break.

Scarborough went on the offensive in the second half and rallied to equalize at 77 minutes when midfielder Odain Omaro Simpson headed in from a left wing cross.

Both teams kept up the tempo in a physical encounter that brought down players from both sides. There were missed opportunities and regulation time came with a 1-1 tie. The overtime 30 minutes each way was similar, but scoreless, leading to the penalty kicks decider. Vorkuta completed scoring all six, while Scarborough struck five and one was saved.

Commenting on Vorkuta’s achievements in winning three titles, head coach Samad Kadirov emphasized team play as being important, “But we also have some quality players, some performing well just at the right time and others were unexpected heroes,” he said.

FC VORKUTA: Volodymyr Bidlovskyi (defender), Denys Diachenko (midfielder), Valerii Doroshenko (midfielder), Vadym Gostiev (defender), Liubomyr Halchuk (defender), Valerii Haidarzhi (midfielder), Sergii Ivliev (forward), Oleh Kerchu (midfielder), Oleksandr Lozinskyy (goalkeeper), Oleksandr Muslienko (goalkeeper), Bohdan Riabets (midfielder), Mykhailo Riabyl (midfielder), Iaroslav Solonynko (midfielder), Oleksandr Tarasenko (defender), Serhii Ursulenko (midfielder), Oleksandr Volchkov (defender), Oleksandr Yaremchuk (defender), Valerii Yarmosh (midfielder). Head coach: Samad Kadirov, Assistant coach: Yanchuk Denys

SCARBOROUGH SC: Angel Angelov (defender), Hammud Ali Atif (forward), Kavin Bryan (forward), Ivan Cendic (defender), Kiril Dimitrov (forward, Adrian Ibanez (goalkeeper), Zoran Knezevic (midfielder), Alen Kucalovic (defender), Neven Radakovic (midfielder), Zoran Rajovic (midfielder), Momcilo Rudan (defender), Odain Omaro Simpson (midfielder), Milorad Stefanovic (midfielder), Stefan Stojiljkovic (midfielder) , Aleksander Stojiljkovic (forward), John Trye(goalkeeper), Ivan Prieto (midfielder), Cruz Coronel(defender). Head coach: Zoran Rajovic, Assistant coach: Imad Hukara.
TWO GOALS BY KEZIC LEADS VORKUTA B TO CSL SECOND CHAMPIONSHIP

In the earlier CSL Second Division Championship match, Christian Truyen opened the scoring for Halton United B at the 13th minute mark, heading into the net out of reach of FC Vorkuta B goalkeeper Oleksandr Lozinskyy and Vorkuta B tied 1-1 when Kristijan Kezic found the net one minute later.
This was followed shortly after the restart when Ihor Melnyk made it 2-1 for Vorkuta B at 15 minutes and Robert Melo equalized for Halton United B, 2-2 at the 35th minute mark. It was 2-2 at halftime.
Vorkuta B went ahead 3-2, Kezic scoring his second goal and the winner at 71 minutes and the score held to the final whistle.

CSL CHAMPIONSHIP SUMMARY

Quarterfinals
SC Waterloo 2, Serbian White Eagles 1
Scarborough SC 4, Hamilton City 1
FC Ukraine United 0, Brantford Galaxy 0 (after extra time) FC Ukraine United won 8-7 on penalty kicks
FC Vorkuta 2, Real Mississauga 1

Semifinals
FC Vorkuta 2, SC Waterloo 2 (after extra time) Vorkuta won 4-3 on penalty kicks
Scarborough SC 2, Ukraine United 1

CSL Championship Final
FC Vorkuta 1, Scarborough SC 1 (after extra time) FC Vorkuta won 6-5 on penalty kicks

CSL SECOND DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP

Semifinals
FC Vorkuta B 3, Brantford Galaxy B 1
Halton United B 3, Scarborough SC B 1

CSL Second Division Championship
FC Vorkuta B 3, Halton United 2

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Contact

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