If at first you don’t succeed, try, try and try again. And so it goes with Scarborough SC having been a finalist in the CSL Championship Final in 2017 and 2018, losing both in penalty kicks following a tie at 90 minutes, then overtime.
Scarborough’s determination following those two defeats, together with the team’s superior goal scoring with three players accounting for 28 of the 50 goals scored during the regular season just ended, stands out as consistent and important strengths not likely to be absent in the Championship Final with FC Ukraine United on Saturday.
Striker Aleksander Stojiljkovic has 13 of the goals, to be second in this season’s First Division scoring chart. He was top scorer with 17 goals in 2017 and has tallied 46 goals for Scarborough since joining the team from Waterloo in 2016.
Ukraine United was not as potent during the first half of the campaign, but that changed with the signing of Molham Babouli early September, resulting in the team scoring five goals in each of three games with the former U-23 Canada striker finding the net nine times in his four games played by season end.
Ukraine United demonstrated a winning attitude with a strong background of achievement in the Premier Central Division of the Ontario Soccer League before entering the CSL in 2016. The club finished its inaugural CSL season in the First Division runner-up spot and followed up with the regular season league title in 2018. Between these years, the club took a voluntary drop to the Second Division in 2017 to win the Second Division league title and the Second Division championship.
Two balanced teams, for sure, setting up an attractive CSL Championship that follows a similarly attractive opener with the two best teams in the Second Division. The exceptional FC Vorkuta reserve team’s presence with Serbian White Eagles reserves is bound to produce an exciting twin bill at Centennial Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The opener Vorkuta FC B vs Serbian White Eagles B kicks off at 1 pm, with the CSL Championship Scarborough SC vs FC Ukraine United at 3.
Admission for the afternoon for the two championship games is $20. Free program, Free parking
HOW THEY GOT THERE!
CSL Championship – Quarterfinals
FC Vorkuta 2, Kingsman A 2 (after extra time) Kingsman wins 4-2 on penalty kicks
Scarborough SC 2, CSC Mississauga 1 (after extra time)
SC Waterloo 1, Serbian White Eagles 1 (after extra time) Waterloo wins 5-4 on penalty kicks
FC Ukraine United 1, Hamilton City 1 (after extra time) Ukraine United wins 4-3 on penalty kicks
CSL Championship – Semifinals
SC Scarborough 4, Kingsman A 2
FC Ukraine United 5, SC Waterloo 3
CSL Second Division Championship – Quarterfinals
The two top teams in the regular season standings, FC Vorkuta B and Serbian White Eagles B, gained a bye to the semifinals
CSC Mississauga B 1, Brantford Galaxy B 0
Hamilton City B 3, Kingsman B 2
CSL Second Division Championship – Semifinals
FC Vorkuta B 5, Hamilton City B 1
Serbian White Eagles B 2, CSC Mississauga B 0
CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS Centennial Stadium, Etobicoke
CSL SECOND DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL – 1 pm
FC Vorkuta B vs Serbian White Eagles B
CSL CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL – 3 pm
Scarborough SC vs FC Ukraine United
