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YORK REGION SHOOTERS STILL UNBEATEN WITH SATURDAY VICTORY

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York Region Shooters vs. Kingston FC (May 25, 2014)/>York Region Shooters extended their unbeaten streak to six games with a 2-1 defeat of Toronto Croatia, Burlington maintained their position near the top with a 3-2 victory over London City, the Astros picked up their second win of the season at Niagara and Kingston scored an emphatic 4-1 victory over Brampton City Utd, four games in the CSL First Division Saturday.

Midfielder Nathan Klemencic opened the scoring for Kingston FC in their game with Brampton at the Queen’s West Field, Kingston, a goal at 14 minutes and Klemencic scored again to increase the lead to 2-0 at the 23rd minute mark.

Forward Stephane Assengue of Cameroon who made appearances in 2009 for New England Revolution of MLS, added a third for a 3-0 score and this was followed by a goal from midfielder Oussama Slimani, increasing the lead to 4-0.  Olamilekan Jhon Fakoti of Brampton’s scored a second half lone goal for the visitors, a 4-1 final score.

Brampton ended the game with 10 men when Francisco Javier Juarez was shown the red card late in the second half.

Astros’ midfielder Andres Camilo Duenas headed in past Niagara goalkeeper Matt Greco to open the scoring at the Kalar Sports Park at Niagara Falls, the goal coming at the 17th minute mark and it was 1-0 at half-time.

It was a close contest throughout the second half until midfielderJose Goncalves De Sousa settled the victory for the visiting North York with a goal at 90 minutes. It was 2-0 at the final whistle for the Astros’ second win of the campaign.

York Region Shooters came back quickly from a 1-0 first half deficit against Toronto Croatia at the Hershey Centre in Mississauga to score twice for the 2-1 victory, increasing their unbeaten streak to six games.

Toronto Croatia opened the scoring at 8 minutes on a goal by midfielder Roberto Galle, but the lead was short-lived when at 16 minutes striker Richard West equalized for the Shooters. It was just one minute later when the visitors made it 2-1 with Mario Orestano finding the net from a 30 yard free kick which beat Toronto Croatia goalkeeper Antonio Ilic.

Marijan Vuka opened the scoring at 28 minutes for the visiting Burlington SC against London City at the Hellenic Centre and Tomas Darko made it 2-0 ten minutes later.

London forward Aldin Kukic reduced the lead to 2-1 when he found the net past Burlington goalkeeper Vladimir Vujasinovic at 47 minutes, the score at half-time.

Vuka struck at 70 minutes to make it 3-1 for the visitors and midfielder Sasa Vidovic scored for the home side at the 84th minute mark, a 3-2 final score in favour of Burlington.

Saturday’s Results:

Kingston FC 4, Brampton City Utd 1

York Region Shooters 2, Toronto Croatia 1

North York Astros 2, Niagara United 0

Burlington SC 3, London City 2

SECOND DIVISION

Milton FC 1, Niagara United B 0

Kingston FC  B 7, Brampton City Utd B 0

Burlington SC B 2, Winstars Shooters 1

SC Waterloo B vs Serbian White Eagles B POSTPONED

Sunday’s Game:

FIRST DIVISION

Warrior Field 7 pm SC Waterloo vs Serbian White Eagles

 

 

YORK REGION SHOOTERS ON TOP AND BIDDING TO EXTEND STREAK…..The Weekend Games

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York-RegionsLast week’s home defeat of Kingston FC to Burlington confirms the 2013 First Division title winner in unlikely to be back in the catch-me-if-you-can mode demonstrated throughout last season and which brought eventual success.

An additional three players – Nathan Klemencic, Akil DeFreitas and Michel Paulin – are returning from injuries to bring Kingston almost back to full strength, which is bound to make a difference starting with Saturday’s home encounter with Brampton City Utd. That’s a 6.45 pm. kickoff.

Much of the attention on Saturday will be on York Region Shooters, however, as the team from north of Toronto faces a tough proposition while visiting Toronto Croatia in a bid to extend an unbeaten streak to six games.

Toronto Croatia appears to have found their stride following a slow early season start and will looking to break the impressive run that has Shooters on top of the standings, and that’s unlikely to change given the superior goal differential of York Region, whatever the outcome of Saturday’s match. The game goes at 8 pm.

The current CSL champions, SC Waterloo, are struggling under a slow start to the season with just one win in their six games and are hoping to improve that record at home to Serbian White Eagles, a 7 pm kickoff on Sunday at Warrior Field at Waterloo.

The weekend games were underway Friday night when last year’s Second Division title winner, Toronto Croatia B, nudged past York Region Shooters B by a 3-2 score.

FIRST DIVISION

Sat July 5 Queen’s West Field 6.45 pm Kingston FC vs Brampton City Utd

Sat July 5 Kalar Sports Park 7 pm Niagara United FC vs North York Astros

Sat July 5 Hershey Centre 8 pm Toronto Croatia vs York Region Shooters

Sat July 5 Hellenic Centre 8.30 pm London City vs Burlington FC

Sun July 6 Warrior Field 7 pm SC Waterloo vs Serbian White Eagles

SECOND DIVISION

Fri July 4 Hershey Centre  Toronto Croatia B 3, York Region Shooters B 2

Sat July 5 Warrior Field 10 am SC Waterloo B vs Serbian White Eagles B

Sat July 5 Kalar Sports Park 4 pm Niagara United B vs Milton FC

Sat July 5 Queen’s West Field 4.30 pm Kingston FC B vs Brampton City Utd B

Sat July 5 Sherwood East Field 6.30 pm Burlington SC B vs Winstars Shooters

 

 

A MUCH NEEDED STRONGER PROFESSIONAL SOCCER STRUCTURE NOT ON THE HORIZON

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Canada is a one soccer-developing country that has failed to recognize the importance of strengthening its professional soccer as a means of being more competitive on the world stage.

As Colin Miller puts it ‘We need more Canadian pro franchises to give Canadian players a chance to play’.

Miller, the head coach of Edmonton FC, was explaining as the former head coach of Canada’s national team for nine games including the CONCACAF Gold Cup last year, ‘seven of our Canadian national team players were unattached.’  His comments were part of a story published by the Times Colonist newspaper of Victoria, British Columbia.

Miller further elaborated in a telephone interview with CSL media: “So many players without a professional club is unheard of at the international level.”

The Canadian Soccer Association has continued to dodge what FIFA, coaches and technical specialists have been saying for years that a strong professional soccer structure plays a big part in strengthening the performance of a country’s national team in international competition, including the World Cup. They define professional soccer to include the semi-professional game.

Back as 2001 FIFA president Sepp Blatter visited Canada and didn’t mince words at a weekend press conference in Toronto, saying: “You must do something with your professional soccer,” a comment made while spelling out the need to have an independent pro soccer structure for promising players to stay within the country for serious development.

FIFA had the experience of congested Europe to fall back on and Blatter made it clear that it’s not every talented kid who wants to go to another country in search of an often elusive success while competing with local players for a place with the top clubs. “And you mustn’t count on the United States, they have their own interests,” he said.

The Canadian Professional Soccer League (forerunner of today’s CSL) came into focus at a subsequent meeting in Montreal immediately following Blatter’s visit which included a stop in Ottawa seeking support of the federal government.  Michael Vandale, the pro soccer committee chair for the Canadian Soccer Association then released a paper which summarized the CSA’s pledge which included: ‘to support the expansion of the CPSL in their drive towards establishing divisions across the major regions of Canada.’

Vandale’s statement also said: ‘The CSA Board of Directors should go on record as actively encouraging the membership of this Association to become more involved with the promotion and support of their regional club in order to better assist the future of pro soccer in Canada.’

No discernable steps were taken by the CSA following decisions to assist semi-professional soccer despite the CSL’s reputation (and that of its forerunner leagues) as a feeder system for producing players like Paul Munster (London City) to Slavia Prague, a top team in the Czech Republic, Atiba Hutchinson (York Region Shooters) to Toronto Lynx then to Oster of Sweden, Alen Marcina (Ottawa Wizards) to PAOK of Greece, and others who signed for overseas clubs and gained international honours with their national youth teams.

The attempt to launch the combination of a top-flight Canadian United Soccer League (CUSL) as Canada’s Division One, with the CPSL to be Canada’s Division Two, failed to get off the ground.

The most recent attempt to strengthen professional soccer in Canada – the expansion of the CSL – was met with little enthusiasm by the CSA and the league is now private.

Canada’s professional soccer structure – five clubs in two U.S.-based leagues, the CSL, and two undefined leagues finding their feet in Ontario and Quebec, is slim indeed, and the wishes of the Colin Miller, who played professionally in Scotland, England and Canada, and 61 times for the Canadian national team before becoming one of Canada’s top coaches, may be disappearing from the horizon.

A top-flight Canadian national league is just not in the cards for Canada and recent decisions of the CSA have left a fractured lower professional level attempting to redefine its place and purpose on the Canadian soccer landscape.

 

 

SHOOTERS EXTEND UNBEATEN STREAK SUNDAY……Record high scoring in CSL Second Division

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Shooters 2014York Region Shooters extended their unbeaten streak to five games with a 3-1 victory over London City, while North York Astros ran over Brampton City Utd 5-0 and Burlington SC surprised Kingston FC with a 2-1 away win, three games in the CSL First Division Sunday.

Nathan Klemencic opened the scoring  for the home side at the Queen’s West Field in Kingston, finding the net past Burlington goalkeeper Vladimir Vujasinovic at the 12th minute mark and it was 1-0 for Kingston at half-time.

Burlington struck twice in the second half, the first at 73 minutes by forward Erwin Uzunovic who scored past Kingston ‘keeper Jaroslav Tesar and the winning goal by forward Darren Chambers at 89 minutes for a 2-1 Burlington away win.

Striker Jose Melo opened the scoring for North York Astros at Victoria Park in Brampton, the goal coming at the 5th minute and defender Jevon Vanderreyden made it 2-0 seven minutes later –  the score at half-time.

Melo then struck a second goal from the penalty spot, a drive that was saved by Brampton goalkeeper Euloge Awitor Kodzo against the goalpost and the Astros’ striker found the net from the rebound for a 3-0 score at 55 minutes.

Midfielder Andres Camilo Duenas made it 4-0 for the visitors at 77 minutes and Jose Goncalves De Sousa rounded out the scoring to 5-0 at 81 minutes, the score at the final whistle.

The 5-0 triumph, which is North York’s first win of the season, tops the previous notable away wins in recent times when in 2009 the Astros defeated Portugal FC 4-0 at Brockton Stadium on August 2, and a 4-1 result over London City at Cove Road a month later.

London City went ahead at 32 minutes in their away encounter with league-leading York Region Shooters at the St. Joan of Arc ground in Maple, the goal coming from striker Marin Vucemilovic Grgic on a breakaway following an attack by the home club. It was 1-0 at half-time.

Richard West tied the score 1-1 for the Shooters at 69 minutes, heading in past London goalkeeper Vladimir Markotic, then West added a second 10 minutes later for a 2-1 York Region lead.

Recently-signed forward Yora Enzam scored his first for York Region Shooters at 87 minutes for a 3-1 lead and the final score.

There were record-breaking individual and team scores in the CSL Second Division when forward Mademba Ba ran rampant in finding the net seven times in Kingston FC reserve team’s 9-1 blitz of Burlington SC reserves, a result that put the eastern Ontario side on top of the Reserve Division.

That high score was well short of SC Waterloo’s riot at Eglinton Flats in Toronto’s west end where the western Ontario reserve side thumped Serbian White Eagles B, 16-0. Waterloo’s Nikola Miokovic led with six goals.

The result means the second time SC Waterloo has achieved a record-breaking performance in the CSL, the 16-0 result follows the double championship victories of November 3, 2013 when the club that represents Waterloo region captured the CSL Championship and the Second Division Championship in the same season.

Sunday’s results:

Burlington SC 2, Kingston FC 1

North York Astros 5, Brampton City Utd 0

York Region Shooters 3,  London City 1

 

SECOND DIVISION

Milton FC 4, York Region Shooters B 3

Brampton City Utd B 2, Winstars Shooters 2

Kingston FC B 9, Burlington SC B 1

SC Waterloo B 16, Serbian White Eagles B 0

 

FIRST WIN OF THE SEASON FOR SC WATERLOO SATURDAY

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CSL current champions SC Waterloo gained their first victory of the new season with a 2-1 win over Serbian White Eagles at Lamport Stadium in Toronto, the only game in the CSL Saturday.

Serbian White Eagles opened the scoring when forward Milos Scepanovic collected the ball in the midfield, moved it to Sahjah Read who rounded Waterloo goalkeeper Irad Hakura before finding the empty net. The goal was scored at 17 minutes and it was 1-0 at the break.

Waterloo tied the game 1-1 at 52 minutes when Drazen Vukovic scored from the penalty spot, ordered by referee Jorge Oyague who pointed to the spot following a foul by Serbian Eagles defender Mirko Medic on Vukovic. It was Vukovic’s fifth goal of the season.

Waterloo’s Adis Hasecic struck the winner for the visitors at 61 minutes when he beat Serbian Eagles’ goalkeeper Stefan Avramovic with a drive from 16 yards and the 2-1 score held until the final whistle.

Remaining games in the CSL this weekend:

FIRST DIVISION

Sun June 29 Queen’s West Field 1 pm Kingston FC vs Burlington SC

Sun June 29 Victoria Park 5.30 pm Brampton City Utd vs North York Astros

Sun June 29 St. Joan of Arc 6.30 pm York Region Shooters vs London City

SECOND DIVISION

Sun June 29 Bishop Reding HS 12 pm  Milton FC vs York Region Shooters B

Sun June 29 Victoria Park 3 pm Brampton City Utd B vs Winstars Shooters

Sun June 29 Queen’s West Field 3.15 pm Kingston FC B vs Burlington SC  B

Sun June 29 Eglinton Flats 4 pm Serbian White Eagles B vs SC Waterloo B

 

YORK REGION SHOOTERS AIM TO REMAIN UNBEATEN…..The Weekend Games

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Astros-Vasas vs. Toronto Croatia - June 9, 2013York Region Shooters hope to maintain their early season record of being the only unbeaten team in the CSL First Division when they host London City at Maple on Sunday evening, while an improving Kingston FC will be bidding to take over at the top of the table if the team from southwestern Ontario pulls a shocker and hands the Shooters  their first defeat of the season.

The Shooters have a solid defence – conceding just three goals in the four games played so far, while the London side have been shy around the goalmouth, having found the net just five times in their first four games. This all means an upset is only a remote possibility.

Kingston are unbeaten in their last four games and their impressive 4-3 away win over Toronto Croatia last weekend – despite being plagued with a long injury list – suggests the eastern Ontario team may be about to hit the good form that brought several honours in 2013, including the First Division title.

Brampton City Utd return to their home ground at Victoria Park for both the First Division match with North York Astros and the Second Division encounter against Winstars Shooters Both games are on Sunday.

There is one game on Saturday, an evening clash between Serbian White Eagles and SC Waterloo at Lamport Stadium in Toronto’s west end and that’s a 7 pm kickoff.

FIRST DIVISION

Sat June 28  Lamport Stadium  7 pm Serbian White Eagles vs SC Waterloo

Sun June 29 Queen’s West Field 1 pm Kingston FC vs Burlington SC

Sun June 29 Victoria Park 5.30 pm Brampton City Utd vs North York Astros

Sun June 29 St. Joan of Arc 6.30 pm York Region Shooters vs London City

SECOND DIVISION

Sun June 29 Bishop Reding HS 12 pm  Milton FC vs York Region Shooters B

Sun June 29 Victoria Park 3 pm Brampton City Utd B vs Winstars Shooters

Sun June 29 Queen’s West Field 3.15 pm Kingston FC B vs Burlington SC  B

Sun June 29 Eglinton Flats 4 pm Serbian White Eagles B vs SC Waterloo B

SHOOTERS, BRAMPTON AND WATERLOO, ASTROS TIE SUNDAY

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csl_logonewsSC Waterloo were held to a 1-1 tie by North York Astros, while York Region Shooters and Brampton City Utd played to a scoreless draw, two games in the Canadian Soccer League First Division Sunday.

Following a scoreless first half at the Warrior Field in Waterloo, striker Drazen Vukovic struck his 4th goal of the season to open the scoring for SC Waterloo at the 50th minute mark, finding the net past Astros’ goalkeeper Kevin Lumbsden Pinto

North York tied the game 11 minutes later on a goal by defender Antoine Paul who beat Waterloo ‘keeper Imad Hakura, and the score held to the final whistle.

There were few scoring opportunities at the St. Joan of Arc ground at Maple where the game between the Shooters and Brampton City Utd ended scoreless, a game in which referee Joshua Jaramillo  ejected two players, one in each half.

York Region’s Des Humphrey was shown the red card for Serious Foul Play at 23 minutes and Reisandri Fernandez-Cervantes of Brampton was ordered off at 84 minutes, also for Serious Foul Play.

All the weekend games:

First Division

Kingston FC 4, Toronto Croatia 3

Niagara United 1, Burlington SC 1

London City vs Serbian White Eagles POSTPONED

York Region Shooters 0, Brampton City Utd 0

SC Waterloo 1, North York Astros 1

Second Division

SC Waterloo B 1, Milton FC B 1

Kingston FC B 5, Toronto Croatia B 0

Niagara United B 5, Burlington SC B 0

Winstars Shooters 1, Serbian White Eagles B 0

York Region Shooters B  3, Brampton City Utd B 0

 

 

KINGSTON 4-3 VICTORY AT TORONTO CROATIA SATURDAY….Niagara and Burlington tie 1-1

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Kingston-FCKingston FC gained a 4-3 away victory over Toronto Croatia and Niagara United FC played to a 1-1 tie with Burlington SC, two games in the Canadian Soccer League Saturday night.

Kingston opened the scoring at the 22nd minute mark at the Hershey Centre in Mississauga when Toronto Croatia defender Sven Arapovic put the ball into his own net for an own goal while attempting to head back to goalkeeper Christian Maraldo.

The visitors increased their lead to 2-0 four minutes later on a goal by forward Stephane Assengue.

Josip Keran struck for Toronto Croatia at 36 minutes, a low drive from 10 yards to beat Kingston goalkeeper Jaroslav Tesar, a 2-1 score, which was the score at half-time.

Forward Dario Brezak tied the score 2-2 for Toronto Croatia at the 66th minute mark and this was followed by two goals by Kingston midfielder Catalin Lichioiu who put the visitors 3-2 up at 68 minutes, and he scored a second at 83 minutes for a 4-2 Kingston lead.

Toronto Croatia reduced the lead to 4-3 at 88 minutes on a goal by midfielder Hayden Fitzwilliams, a 4-3 final score in favour of Kingston.

Darko Tomas headed in a cross from the right wing at 41 minutes to put Burlington SC into a 1-0 lead over Niagara United at Kalar Sports Park in Niagara Falls, the score at the break.

Striker Mohammed Mohammed scored his fourth goal of the season to equalize for Niagara United, the goal coming off a corner kick taken by Mark Stencel and the 1-1 score held to the final whistle.

One other game in the CSL First Division, London City vs. Serbian White Eagles, was postponed.

Sunday’s games in the CSL:

FIRST DIVISION

Sun Jun 22 St. Joan of Arc 6.30 pm York Region Shooters vs Brampton City Utd

Sun Jun 22 Warrior Field 7.15 pm SC Waterloo vs North York Astros

SECOND DIVISION

Sun Jun 22 Eglinton Flats 4pm Serbian White Eagles B vs  Winstars Shooters

Sun Jun 22 St. Joan of Arc 9 pm York Reg Shooters vs Brampton City Utd B

 

THE CSL THIS WEEK RETURNS…..Popular television show back on air

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The Canadian Soccer League is back with its weekly television show.

‘The CSL This Week’ will be shown across Canada and will feature match highlights, guest interviews including players and CSL teams, and items of interest to continue the attractive and successful 30-minute format of the past two years.

Alex Bastyovanszky is again the host and  producer, and the show will be available in partnership with the Ethnic Channels Group Ltd, which assures distribution of the program to many nationalities.

The program is available through various Canadian networks including Bell TV nationally and others such as Rogers, Cogeco and Shaw provincially, as well as a comprehensive listing of ethnic digital channels. It will be necessary to check your TV listings to determine air time, which presently is expected to be Thursday and Friday of each week. Further details will be available during the next few days and will be posted on the league website.

“We are delighted to have the show back on air and working with the Ethnic Channels Group to achieve this. We expect the programs to be enjoyable for those who follow this great game, and the program will result in even greater familiarity of the league with our fans,” said CSL president Vincent Ursini in making the announcement.

YORK REGION LOOK TO EXTEND WINNING STREAK…..Toronto Croatia vs Kingston feature in the Weekend Games

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York Region Shooters 2014York Region Shooters hope to extend an early season three-game winning streak this weekend which sees the team from Maple on top of the First Division standings and facing a home encounter with Brampton City Utd. Sunday. The Shooters are the only team not having dropped a point, and while these are early days they do appear to be poised yet again to occupy the upper level of the table and be in contention for league honours.

League honours came in 2006 when the Shooters won the CSL Championship, but while the team continues to be at or near the top season after season, the title has been elusive ever since. It’s a 6.30 pm kickoff at the St. Joan of Arc ground Sunday.

The Toronto Croatia home match against visiting Kingston FC promises to be an interesting contest despite Kingston’s struggle to hit the form that attracted a lot of attention this time last year. Injuries have played a part in the early games and while the club is reporting defender Joe Zupo will return to the line-up this weekend, five other starters  – Edgar Soglo, Jean-Michel Paulin, Fergus Neil, Akil DeFreitas and Bryan Kommerowski – are all still out with various injuries. The clash with Toronto Croatia is at the Hershey Centre in Mississauga 7 pm Sunday.

The current CSL champions, SC Waterloo, host North York Astros, and that’s a 7 pm start at Warrior Field on Sunday, Niagara United FC entertain Burlington SC at the Kalar Sports Park 7 pm Saturday, and London City are at home to Serbian White Eagles, an 8.30 pm start at the Hellenic Centre, also on Saturday

FIRST DIVISION

Sat Jun 21   Hershey Centre 7 pm  Toronto Croatia vs Kingston FC

Sat Jun 21  Kalar Sports Park 7 pm Niagara United FC vs  Burlington SC

Sat Jun 21 Hellenic Centre 8.30 pm London City vs Serbian White Eagles

Sun Jun 22 St. Joan of Arc 6.30 pm York Region Shooters vs Brampton City Utd

Sun Jun 22 Warrior Field 7pm SC Waterloo vs North York Astros

SECOND DIVISION

Sat Jun 21 Warrior Field 10 am SC Waterloo B vs Milton FC

Sat Jun 21 Hershey Centre 4 pm Toronto Croatia B vs Kingston FC B

Sat Jun 21 Kalar Sports Park 4 pm Niagara United B vs  Burlington SC B

Sun Jun 22 Eglinton Flats 4pm Serbian White Eagles B vs  Winstars Shooters

Sun Jun 22 St. Joan of Arc 9 pm York Reg Shooters vs Brampton City Utd B

WATERLOO’S DRAZEN VUKOVIC HITS THREE IN 4-4 TIE AT KINGSTON SUNDAY

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kingston vs waterloo
Kingston midfielder Paul Willis attacks the
Waterloo goal. Kingston and Waterloo tied 4-4.
(PHOTO: Les Jones, Covershots)

Waterloo striker Drazen Vukovic scored a hat-trick in a 4-4 tie at Kingston FC, while Toronto Croatia scored at the last minute to defeat Brampton City Utd 1-0, York Region Shooters downed North York Astros 4-1 and Niagara United scored a 6-0 away victory over London City, four games in the CSL First Division Sunday.

Forward Drazen Vukovic opened the scoring for the visiting Waterloo against Kingston FC at the Queen’s West Field in Kingston, the goal coming at 33 minutes, and the prolific striker added two more for the hat-trick in a game that brought two goals just before the final whistle.

Ranko Golijanin made it 2-0 for Waterloo at 41 minutes, the score at half-time.

Kingston’s Catalin Lichioiu cut the lead to 2-1 at 52 minutes, scoring from a free kick and Paul Willis tied the game 2-2 for the home side at the 74th minute mark.

Vukovic put Waterloo into a 3-2 lead when he beat Kingston goalkeeper Jaroslav Tesar at 83 minutes and two minutes later Guillaume Surot scored his sixth of the season from the penalty spot following a hand ball to tie the game 3-3.

Vukovic completed his hat-trick at 94 minutes, scoring from the penalty spot to give Waterloo a 4-3 lead. The penalty was awarded when the striker was fouled inside the box.

Ryan McCurdy scored for Kingston just before the final whistle at 95 minutes, heading in off a corner kick past Waterloo goalkeeper Jeff Martins who took over from the injured Imad Hakura earlier in the second half.  A 4-4 final score.

It was looking like a scoreless tie between Brampton City Utd and Toronto Croatia at the Terry Fox Stadium until defender Sven Arapovic headed in to give Toronto Croatia a last gasp victory at 96 minutes.

The goal came from a free kick taken by  just outside the penalty box for Arapovic to beat Brampton goalkeeper Euloge Awitor Kodzo, a 1-0 victory for Toronto Croatia.

Striker Richard West scored the first of two goals at the 2-minute mark for York Region Shooters against the Astros at the St. Joan of Arc ground in Maple, but the visitors tied the game 1-1  7 minutes later on a goal by Jose Goncalves De Sousa who found the net past York Region goalkeeper Emanuelle Ameltonis.

Richard West struck his second at 34 minutes and it was 2-1 in favour of York Region at the break.

Defender Ricky Herron put the Shooters into a 3-1 lead at 56 minutes and York Region Shooters’ forward Oswald Adu rounded the scoring to 4-1 at 75 minutes, which held to the final whistle.

Striker Mohammed Mohammed and midfielder Richard Wilson each scored two goals, with Gary Boughton and Ephrain Cirillo each with singles in the Niagara United 6-0 defeat of London City in the late game played at the Hellenic Centre ground in London.

There were four games in the CSL Second Division:

Milton FC 1, Niagara United FC B 1

Toronto Croatia B 2, Brampton City Utd B 1

Kingston FC B 2, SC Waterloo B 2

Winstars Shooters 3, York Region Shooters B 1

Serbian White Eagles B vs Burlington SC B  POSTPONED

SCEPANOVIC HAT-TRICK LEADS SERBIAN WHITE EAGLES TO 6-0 VICTORY

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BCU-1st_DSC4641
Milos Scepanovic

Serbian White Eagles’ striker Milos Scepanovic led his team with three goals to a 6-0 rout of Burlington SC in the only game played in the Canadian Soccer League Saturday night.

Scepanovic opened the scoring at the 15th minute mark at Lamport Stadium in Toronto when he took a pass from Ramon Bailey to beat Burlington goalkeeper Vladimir Vujasinovic. Bailey was involved in several goals including the second for Serbian White Eagles when he crossed from the right wing for midfielder Luka Maric to head into the net at 24 minutes and it was 2-0, the score at half-time.

Maric made it 3-0 at the 62nd minute mark and Scepanovic made it 4-0 six minutes later.

Nikola Negojevic increased the lead to 5-0 at 81 minutes and Scepanovic  again took a pass from Bailey for the sixth goal, a move which caught goalkeeper Vujasinovic out of position and Scepanovic, a former Canada youth player,  put the ball into the empty net for the hat-trick, and a 6-0 victory for the home side.

There is a full slate of games in both the First and Second Division Sunday:

FIRST DIVISION

Sun Jun 15    Queen’s West Field      1:00 pm          Kingston FC vs SC Waterloo

Sun Jun 15    Terry Fox Stadium         5:30 pm         Brampton City Utd vs Toronto Croatia

Sun Jun 15    St. Joan of Arc                6:30 pm         York Reg. Shooters vs North York Astros

Sun Jun 15    Hellenic  Centre              8:30 pm        London City vs Niagara United

SECOND DIVISION

Sun Jun 15    Bishop Reding HS      12.00 pm    Milton FC  vs Niagara United FC  B

Sun Jun 15    Terry Fox Stadium      3.00 pm      Brampton City Utd. B  vs  Toronto Croatia B

Sun Jun 15    Queen’s Field West     3.15 pm      Kingston FC  B  vs SC Waterloo B

Sun Jun 15     Eglinton Flats              4.00 pm      Serbian White Eagles B vs Burlington SC  B

Sun Jun 15     St. Joan of Arc             4.00 pm     Winstars Shooters vs York Reg. Shooters B

 

 

 

KINGSTON AND WATERLOO MEET AGAIN…..the Weekend Games

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Logo CSL 2014 Kingston FC may have to pull out all the stops to gain a victory at home this weekend as they sideline four players – Jean-Michel Paulin, Edgar Soglo, Fergus Neil and team captain Joe Zupo,  all injured and not be able to play.

 It’s already a tough game against SC Waterloo, the team that defeated the eastern Ontario team in the CSL Championship Final last November 3. Kingston lost their opener, 3-2 to York Region Shooters this season and were held to a 3-3 draw by North York Astros last weekend. They have one win, a 2-1 defeat of Niagara United on May 31. It’s a 1 pm kickoff at Queen’s West Field on Sunday.

 The Astros were full marks for the tie against Kingston, looking particularly strong during a second half rally to recover from a 3-1 deficit, so it’s going to be interesting to see how they fare against a tough York Region Shooters on their home ground at Maple. That game goes Sunday at 6.30 pm.

 One game is scheduled for Saturday when Serbian White Eagles host Burlington SC at Lamport Stadium and fans are reminded that Brampton City Utd play their home game at the Terry Fox Stadium in Chiguacousy Park, Brampton, a change from the original Victoria Park.

                                                                       FIRST DIVISION

 

Sat Jun 14     Lamport Stadium           7:00 pm           Serbian White Eagles vs Burlington SC

Sun Jun 15    Queen’s West Field        1:00 pm           Kingston FC vs SC Waterloo

Sun Jun 15    Terry Fox Stadium         5:30 pm         Brampton City Utd vs Toronto Croatia

Sun Jun 15    St. Joan of Arc                6:30 pm         York Reg. Shooters vs North York Astros

Sun Jun 15    Hellenic  Centre              8:30 pm         London City vs Niagara United

                                                                   SECOND DIVISION 

Sun Jun 15    Bishop Reding HS      12.00 pm    Milton FC  vs Niagara United FC  B

Sun Jun 15    Terry Fox Stadium     3.00 pm      Brampton City Utd. B  vs  Toronto Croatia B

Sun Jun 15    Queen’s Field West     3.15 pm      Kingston FC  B  vs SC Waterloo B

Sun Jun 15     Eglinton Flats              4.00 pm     Serbian White Eagles B vs Burlington SC  B

Sun Jun 15     St. Joan of Arc             4.00 pm     Winstars Shooters vs York Reg. Shooters B

 

 

SKEPTICISM ABOUNDS CSA SESSION…collection of buzzwords and MBA bafflegab: The Globe and Mail

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The Canadian Soccer Association revealed on June 3 its most recent technical development vision for Canada, a pathway that consists of three streams – recreation soccer, competitive and high performance.

It’s hard to say if the CSA has run its course on the multitude of promises over the years to fix the men’s national team dilemma, which is the driving force behind the numerous technical strategic plans that keep coming forward, but one thing is clear – skepticism continues to abound.

The most telling criticism is contained in a Globe and Mail story of June 7 in which the newspaper’s Cathal Kelly writes ‘ After years of corrosive in-fighting between its fractured potentates, the CSA is trying to solve the next issue in the chain – organized instruction and a straight line from the youth team to the national team.’

Kelly attended the CSA session and describes the proceedings as being ‘an almost unintelligible collection of buzzwords and MBA bafflegab. By the end of it, you had no idea what you had been told.’

The Globe suggests the CSA is too much PowerPoint and not enough passion.

 The men’s national team is now 110th in the world, pushing two years without a win and has only recently broke a 14-month goalless streak.

Of significance is the obvious reference to the Canadian Soccer League’s contribution to player development. The Globe story explains: ‘The last decent generation of Canadian players were largely developed in the semi-pro ranks of this country, and then snaked their way to better clubs in Europe. That avenue has closed.’

The 88 year-old CSL was de-sanctioned in 2013 and expelled from CSA membership earlier this year without a hearing or conviction of any rule violation. (The CSL has already announced these steps are in the hands of its lawyers and the league will be seeking substantial damages.)

The national association’s abrupt actions were taken after a study revealed 40 players from the CSL were selected for various national teams throughout the world – mostly under 21 and under 23 – during the three seasons 2010, 11 and 12.

The CSA’s repeated attempts to ease the anger and frustration with promises that fail to bring results comes on the heels of FIFA, the world governing soccer body, being besieged by heavy criticism and pressure to come to terms with the allegations of bribery and corruption within its ranks.

On the brighter side, by virtue of being the most desirable team sport in the world, the beautiful game is becoming larger and stronger – 270 million players world-wide.

 It’s little wonder, however, that the vast majority of those playing the world game prefer to be unaffiliated and unregistered (about 68 per cent of players are not associated with formal governance) and why in Canada there are rumbles of discontent and disillusionment with suggestions of separation by those presently affiliated. The high cost and disproportionately small benefits to teams and clubs across the country are aggravating factors to the general discontent, including the lack of Canada’s participation in the World Cup finals.

 Fans wonder how can Canada’s dismal record of no World Cup qualification for almost 30 years despite an increasing player population that’s greater than the Canadian mainstream sports, and while Canada is considerably better off than a number of poorer countries which manage to advance to the last 32 with their inadequate resources.   

The CSA and the provincial associations would be wise to follow the successful football nations and put player development in the capable hands of the two levels of professional soccer, which is where the skills, experience and high level coaching exist. They should also be some much needed encouragement, with greater recognition, even incentives for the academies.

That would open up more time for what governing bodies do best –  govern with intelligent oversight. A study by the CSA of the reason why there appears to be a a growing desire by affiliated, registered soccer in Canada to become unaffiliated and private, would also be productive and timely.

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