Fine weather is forecast for the Canadian Soccer League’s opening match of the season Saturday, a special event at Mississauga’s Churchill Meadows (Mattamy Sports Park) and tribute to Enio Perruzza who announced games for more than two decades in the CSL and elsewhere in the Canadian soccer community. Enio Peruzza died January 15 2021 at the age of 54.
Toronto Falcons, which played its debut year in the 2022 season ending in fifth position in the standings, will meet Serbian White Eagles, a team which entered the CSL in 2006 and dominated the league while becoming the second team in CSL history to reach the CSL Championship Final in four consecutive seasons. White Eagles won the championship in 2008 and 2016 and has also won the league’s regular season title five times, including the 2022 campaign.
“We are going into Saturday’s cup match with good confidence while in a position where we expect to continue the strong finish of last season, giving us the league title,” said president Dragan Bakoc earlier this week.
Toronto Falcons’ director Zhane Gendunov and partner in the organization GM Alex Yakimavets have also expressed confidence while moving into season number two. The club’s progress in recent years since the humble beginning as the TFT FC 6 vs 6 indoor team in 2015 to be now competing very well in the tough professional CSL with its many players from upper level clubs in Europe, has been a source of pride that is now showing on the field of play.
Several players are expected to be prominent in the team’s attempt to defeat Serbian White Eagles for the Royal CSL trophy on Saturday, including team captain defender Oleksandr Novikov, goalkeeper Vasyl Shpuk, midfielders Vasyl Matviyshin and Iaroslav Solonynko and forward Yevhen Osypenko. There is also a positive spirit following the decision of midfielder Maksym Rohovskyi to take on the role of player-coach for Saturday’s match and the upcoming campaign.
“” We know very well that Serbian White Eagles are a strong team. They may be considered favourites by many people. But we will do everything that’s in our powers to prove otherwise and we will fight to the last minute,” said Gendunov when pressed for a comment on his team’s chances of defeating Serbian White Eagles, a team that has a reputation for stepping up a notch in the big games.
Kickoff time Saturday is 4 pm. The CSL’s regular season kicks off May 28.