STOJILJKOVIC STRIKES FOUR FOR SCARBOROUGH VICTORY

STOJILJKOVIC STRIKES FOUR FOR SCARBOROUGH VICTORY

Scarborough SC striker Alexander Stojiljkovic led his side with four goals to a 5-1 defeat of Hamilton City in the only Canadian Soccer League First Division game played Sunday night.

It was a come-from-behind victory for the home side at Birchmount Stadium after Scarborough trailed 1-0 early. Hamilton’s Luke Rajain found the Scarborough net past goalkeeper John Trye from the penalty spot at just three minutes following a foul inside the box. The visitors kept their lead until Stojiljkovic equalized with a goal from a breakaway at the 40 minute mark and it was 1-1 at the interval.

Stojiljkovic struck again at 55 minutes to put Scarborough 2-1 in front and completed his hat-trick five minutes later with a goal off a corner kick for a 3-1 Scarborough lead at 60 minutes.

Forward Kiril Dimitrov beat Hamilton goalkeeper Stefan Avramovic to increase the lead to 4-1 at 70 minutes and Stojiljkovic scored his fourth goal for a 5-1 score at the 80th minute mark, the score at the final whistle.

Stojiljkovic’s 4-goals continues a goal scoring spree started near the end of the 2017 regular season when the prolific striker scored a hat-trick for Scarborough in a 3-3 tie with Royal Toronto FC on August 27, struck four goals in the 7-0 defeat of Milton SC on September 2 and another four when Scarborough went on to beat Brantford Galaxy 5-0, a total of 17 on the season to capture the 2017 CSL First Division leading goal scorer title.

Hamilton City will meet Brantford Galaxy at the Heritage Field next Saturday, June 2 at 8.30 pm and Scarborough’s next game will be a home encounter against FC Ukraine United at Birchmount Stadium the following night, Sunday, June 3 at 8 pm.

.The Weekend Summary

First Division
Serbian White Eagles 1, Vorkuta FC 1
CSC Mississauga 0, Brantford Galaxy 0
Scarborough SC 5, Hamilton City 1

Second Division
FC Vorkuta B 12, Serbian White Eagles B 1
Scarborough SC B 3, Halton United B 1

Stan Adamson

HOME TEAMS HELD TO A DRAW IN CSL ACTION FRIDAY

HOME TEAMS HELD TO A DRAW IN CSL ACTION FRIDAY

Serbian White Eagles and FC Vorkuta played to a 1-1 tie, and CSC Mississauga vs Brantford Galaxy game ended scoreless, two games in the Canadian Soccer League First Division Friday night.
It was a well-played encounter at Centennial Stadium, but also a heated one during the final 15 minutes of play when a claim for a penalty kick by Serbian White Eagles was denied and an ensuing dispute resulted in the home side being reduced to eight men for the remainder of the game against FC Vorkuta.
Serbian Eagles, playing their season opener, were earlier in the game reduced to 10 men when Misel Kusara was shown a second yellow and a red by referee at the 54 minute mark. The home side then lost defender Radenko Kanberovic and forward Milos Scepanovic at 81 minutes following incidents over the penalty claim.
Vorkuta attacked following the kickoff, but Serbian Eagles were first off the mark with a 1-0 lead at 41 minutes, scoring from a corner kick taken by Scepanovic and headed in by Kyle Stewart out of reach by Vorkuta goalkeeper Oleksandr Musiienko. The goal came minutes after Luka Bojic failed to score for Serbian White Eagles, an opportunity just short of the Vorkuta goal line.
Vorkuta equalized at 49 minutes, a strong drive straight down the middle by midfielder Valerii Haidarzhi that easily beat Serbian Eagles’ goalkeeper Goran Skaric for a picture goal from 25 yards.
Expansion club CSC Mississauga opened its inaugural season in the Canadian Soccer League against Brantford Galaxy at the Iceland Field in Mississauga and it was an even contest throughout for the scoreless tie.
There was one late game in the CSL Second Division Friday night with Vorkuta B dominating, a 12-1 victory over Serbian White Eagles B at Centennial Stadium in the second half of a double header following the earlier First Division clash.
There is one game scheduled in the CSL First Division on Sunday with Scarborough SC at home to Hamilton City, an 8.30 pm kickoff at Birchmount Stadium and there is another Second Division game scheduled over the weekend, Scarborough SC B at home to Halton United B at the OSA Soccer Centre Stadium on Saturday night, that a 7 pm kickoff

CSL GOALKEEPER EXTRA BRAVE

CSL GOALKEEPER EXTRA BRAVE

Dick Howard, a goalkeeper with several North American clubs and the Canadian national team, and former England goalkeeper Joe Corrigan, a frequent visiting coach to Canada, often remind young Canadian players who aspire to play between the posts: ‘you have to be brave’.
Howard and Corrigan have not met Austin Litow-Daye, at 17 the youngest player to sign for a Canadian Soccer League team this season. The young goalkeeper makes his first ever CSL appearance in a Second Division match between Scarborough SC B and Halton United B at the OSA Soccer Centre Stadium on Saturday, just five months after brain surgery, a procedure necessary for medical reasons in December.

Corrigan and Howard would consider Litow-Daye extra brave, even while wearing a now trade-mark protective cap, memories of Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech, a Czech Republic international goalkeeper who suffered a serious head injury on October 14, 2006 while playing for Chelsea at Reading in the English Premier League and who has worn the head gear ever since.

“Austin is a super young guy who just loves soccer, has been cleared to play by his doctors and he will be in the line-up and playing on Saturday,” said Eddy Coronel, head coach of Scarborough SC B, who is also with the Carlos Rivas Soccer Academy where Austin Litow-Daye developed his goalkeeping skills.

The Scarborough SC B vs Halton United B game, which kicks off at 7 pm, follows a Friday encounter when Serbian White Eagles reserves host FC Vorkuta second string at Centennial Park in Etobicoke. That’s a 9 pm start.

These two games mark the opening of the CSL Second Division season, which this year lists eight teams: Brantford Galaxy B, CSC Mississauga B, Halton United B, Milton SC B, SC Real Mississauga B, Scarborough SC B, Serbian White Eagles B and FC Vorkuta B.

Serbian White Eagles open their CSL First Division season this coming Friday with a home encounter with FC Vorkuta. Vorkuta won the First Division title in 2017, and is a side looking to repeat its inaugural year achievement by starting the 2018 campaign with two successive wins, including the season opener on May 13. Vorkuta defeated FC Ukraine United 2-1 in the opener and went on to win 3-0 over Hamilton City last weekend.

The Serbian White Eagles vs Vorkuta First Division clash, a 7 pm kickoff at Centennial Stadium in Etobicoke, will be followed at 9 pm by the CSC Mississauga vs Brantford Galaxy game at the Iceland Field in Mississauga. It’s the season opener for both teams.

There is also a First Division game this coming Sunday May 27 when Scarborough SC hosts Hamilton City at Birchmount Stadium. Both teams opened their season last weekend with a loss – Scarborough went down 2-0 to FC Ukraine United and Hamilton City dropped 3-0 to Vorkuta.

The SC Real Mississauga vs SC Waterloo fixture scheduled for the Hershey Centre in Mississauga on Friday night has been postponed due to a delay in players arriving following the end of their season in Europe

FC VORKUTA, UKRAINE UNITED FC SCORE HOLIDAY VICTORIES

FC VORKUTA, UKRAINE UNITED FC SCORE HOLIDAY VICTORIES

FC Vorkuta won their second game in as many weeks to defeat Hamilton City 3-0 at the OSA Soccer Centre Stadium Saturday and in one other game in the Canadian Soccer League played the same night of the Victoria Day holiday weekend,  Ukraine United FC beat Scarborough SC 2-0 at Centennial Stadium in Etobicoke.

Vorkuta opened the scoring at the 37 minute mark when midfielder Serhii Ursulenko found the corner of the net with a powerful drive out of reach of Hamilton goalkeeper Stefan Avramovic.

The home team increased the lead to 2-0 six minutes later when midfielder Iaroslav Solonynko struck from 14 yards and it was 2-0 at the interval.

FC Vorkuta made it 3-0 when Vadym Gostiev crossed the ball to Bohdan Riabets who drove the ball into the top of the net leaving Avramovic with little chance to make the save.  The goal came at 80 minutes and it was 3-0 at the final whistle.

Vorkuta defeated  Ukraine United FC 2-1 in the league opener on May 13.

It was a scoreless first half in the game at Centennial Stadium where Ukraine United FC took the lead during the second half at 74 minutes, a goal by Amir Hosic who found the net past Scarborough goalkeeper Adrian Ibanez.

Nazar Milishchuk increased the lead for Ukraine United to 2-0 at 83 minutes and the score held to the final whistle.

FC Vorkuta, which won the CSL First Division in its 2017 inaugural season in the CSL, will play its next game against Serbian White Eagles at Centennial Stadium on May 25, a 7 pm kickoff,  Ukraine United FC will play its next game away to Scarborough SC on June 3 at 8 pm and Hamilton City will travel to Scarborough on May 27, an 8.30 pm kickoff.

ATTRACTIVE GAMES IN CSL SET FOR VICTORIA DAY WEEKEND

PHOTO OF SCARBOROUGH SC 2017 FINALS

 

ATTRACTIVE GAMES IN THE CSL SET FOR VICTORIA DAY WEEKEND

Kathleen Nurse, manager of Hamilton City 1 SC, has no illusions about the strength of FC Vorkuta for the game at the OSA Soccer Centre in Vaughan on Saturday, the first of two attractive encounters in the CSL this coming Victoria Day weekend.

It’s a big test for the Steel City side, which took the 2017 season off to re-organize, a time Vorkuta entered the Canadian Soccer League with a sizeable professional player contribution from Eastern Europe. The team named after a Russian community near the Arctic Circle promptly won the CSL First Division title in its inaugural year.
“Vorkuta is a very good side and well organized,” said Nurse. “We are re- building, with some players recently signed and we are giving a number of our players from the earlier reserve team an opportunity to step up to what is a very competitive First Division, so it’s going to take a game or two to gain some measure of strength.”

Hamilton City struggled in the early part of the 2016 season, finishing 6th of eight teams in the top division, but advanced in the post season championship to reach the final before losing 2-1 to Serbian White Eagles, a last-minute goal in a game that could have gone either way.

Hamilton City SC marked the return to that community of professional soccer in 2016, the franchise being relocated from London where it was launched in 1973 by Markus Gauss, a German immigrant. Gauss sold the team to Andrew Crowe and partner Zoran Kliseric who in turn passed ownership to former player and coach, Sasa Vukovic.

Hamilton City’s first colours will be in blue and white this season and they will play home games out of the Heritage Green Sports Park.
The season opener for Hamilton City, Saturday’s away encounter with FC Vorkuta, is a 7 pm kickoff

In the second CSL game Saturday, Scarborough SC will be visiting FC Ukraine United at Centennial Stadium in Toronto’s west-end. Scarborough ended the 2017 regular season in fourth position in the standings and came close to a championship victory, losing a 6-5 penalty shootout to York Region Shooters in the final.
“We came so close to winning, but are even more determined this year as we strengthen our team with more overseas signings,” said GM Kiril Dimitrov, who was instrumental in returning the professional game to Scarborough in 2016.

Veteran Canadian national team defender Adrian Cann, with an illustrious career which included Colorado Rapids, Vancouver Whitecaps, Montreal Impact and Esbjerg of Denmark before playing 46 times for Toronto FC, will continue as team captain.

Dimitrov has negotiated a working relationship with the current CSL champions York Region Shooters following a decision by the Vaughan-based club to not field a team in 2018. The arrangement should reap benefits for the east Toronto club.

Saturday’s Ukraine United vs. Scarborough SC game will kickoff at 9 pm

FC VORKUTA DEFEATS UKRAINE UNITED IN CSL SEASON OPENER

Photo of player of FC Vorkuta’s Oleksandr Lakusta (25) the most prominent forward for the visitors, found the net past sprawling Ukraine United goalkeeper Oleksandr Popravka to tie the game 1-1 at 43 minutes. Vorkuta won the CSL opener 2-1.

FC VORKUTA DEFEATS UKRAINE UNITED IN CSL SEASON OPENER
A penalty kick midway through the second half decided the Canadian Soccer League opening game of the new season between FC Ukraine United and visiting FC Vorkuta at Centennial Stadium in Toronto Sunday.

It was 1-1at 77 minutes to accurately reflect the evenly matched teams when referee Milomir Tomic pointed to the spot following a rough tackle by the Ukraine United defender inside the box. Vorkuta midfielder Oleh Kerchu drove the ball inside the left post to give the visitors a 2-1 lead. FC Ukraine United earlier opened the scoring at the 30 minute mark when a free kick from the left wing was headed against the Vorkuta post, leaving Vasyl Chornyl to beat Vorkuta goalkeeper Oleksandr Musilenko on the rebound. Vorkuta forward Oleksandr Lakusta, who appeared to be the most prominent forward for the visitors, struck the equalizer at 43 minutes, a drive from 7 meters out for the 1-1 tie at the break, Kerchu’s strike from the penalty spot held to the final whistle.

FC Vorkuta listed new players Oleksandr Yaremchuk and Bohdan Riabets from Europe, and Oleksandr Tarasenko was previously with FC Ukraine United. Ukraine United listed five new players, Amir Hosic, previously with Toronto Croatia, also new arrivals Ihor Malysh, Nazar Milishchuk, Roman Datsiuk and Serhly Savchenko. Milishchuk was recently honored as the best player in the Ukraine province of Lviv.

Both FC Ukraine United and FC Vorkuta have enjoyed extraordinary success since entering the amateur Canadian soccer community and stepping into the professional Canadian Soccer League Ukraine United was formed in 2006 to become a member of the Ontario Soccer League the following year, finishing third in their division and winning the George Finnie Cup. In 2008 the team won their division for promotion to a higher level Central Regional Division. Ukraine United won the Great Lakes Cup in 2010 and in 2011 was promoted to the OSL Premier Division with continuing success. The professional team under head coach Andrei Malychenkov, was entered into the CSL in 2016, finishing second in the First Division and won the Second Division title and post season Second Division Championship in 2017.

FC Vorkuta was formed in 2008 to join a Toronto downtown amateur league, winning the regular season title and playoffs. The following year the club moved to York Region, winning the Thornhill Soccer League championship. In 2017, the team was accepted into the Canadian Soccer League and under head coach Serhiy Zayets won the First Division title in its inaugural year.

IT’S DIVISION WINNERS FC VORKUTA AND FC UKRAINE UNITED IN THE OPENER

FC Vorkuta and FC Ukraine will be the first game Waterloo and Brantford Galaxy game will be played at later date.

To accommodate the home team and local scheduling requirements, the game between SC Waterloo and Brantford Galaxy set for this coming Saturday, May 12 at RIM Park, Waterloo, has been postponed to a later date, the Canadian Soccer League announced Monday.

The CSL season opener will, therefore, be the FC Ukraine United vs FC Vorkuta encounter scheduled for Sunday evening, May 13, bringing together FC Ukraine United and visiting FC Vorkuta at Centennial Stadium in Etobicoke, a 7 pm kickoff.

Both clubs are recent in the Canadian Soccer League, this being the third season for Ukraine United and the second campaign for FC Vokuta and both have achieved impressive early success.

Ukraine United, under coach Andrei Malychenkov, a former professional in the Russian First and Second divisions, finished in second position in the club’s inaugural 2016 CSL First Division season. The former Ontario Soccer League Premier Division side then won the CSL Second Division in 2017, going undefeated throughout, including post season playoff victories to capture the CSL Division Two Championship, a 5-2 victory over Burlington B in the final.

Vorkuta, with 32 points, won the competitive CSL First Division in its inaugural 2017 season while under head coach Serhiy Zayets, a former Ukrainian professional with FC Dynamo Kyiv, one of the top clubs in the Soviet Union at the time. The team, named after and dedicated to a Russian town located near the Arctic Circle and representing the Russian speaking community in Canada, won the First Division following a week-by-week ding-dong struggle with long-standing CSL teams Serbian White Eagles (31 points) and York Region Shooters (30 points).

Both teams are highly competitive, have signed players from Europe and are attractive to watch. The opener can be considered one of the highlights of the opening of the new CSL season. Centennial Stadium is located on Renforth Drive just south of Eglinton Ave.in the city’s west end – just west of Highway 27.

Other teams in the CSL First Division are Brantford Galaxy, Hamilton City 1, Scarborough SC, Serbian White Eagles, SC Waterloo, and new clubs CSC Mississauga and SC Real Mississauga.
The current CSL champions, York Region Shooters, are expected to return in 2019, while Milton SC are in the CSL Second Division.

CSL COACHES WILL BE LOOKING FOR THAT SPECIAL PLAYER

When in 2004 Paul Munster, a 23 year old striker stepped on the Strahov Stadium surface in the Czech Republic to play for Slavia Prague, it was hard to realize the native of Northern Ireland had just a few months earlier sought a trial at Cove Road in London, Ontario in an attempt to play for London City reserves in the Canadian Soccer League, known then as the forerunner CPSL.

Munster was recommended to London City by Eddie Edgar, a well-known coach in Kitchener whose son, David Edgar played for Newcastle United in the English Premier League. The younger Edgar, 19, caused a stir when scoring an important tying goal in only his second game for Newcastle against Manchester United before 52,000 fans on New Year’s Day, 2006.

Munster made the London City reserve team, scoring 12 goals in just three games and the talented striker was then moved to the first team where he found the net 25 times to win the CSL First Division scoring title by a record-breaking 10-goal margin.

Munster later played for Orebro SK of Scandinavia, was then transferred to Bunkeflo IF, assisting the club in promotion. He eventually returned to the Czech Republic to join SK Hradec Kralove, finishing as the club’s top scorer before returning to Northern Ireland to play for Linfield where he won the league title and Irish Cup and was the club’s top scorer in the 2009/2010 season.

London City players won the CSL Rookie of the Year honors in 1998, 1999 and 2004, a time when several players followed Munster’s footsteps to gain trials in top soccer overseas. Defender Tyler Heming signed for Toronto FC, goalkeeper Scott Mueller, strikers Semir Mesanovic and Cameron Medwin all travelled to Europe.

Other CSL clubs were similarly busy with trials and signing players showing promise. Bermuda-born full back Andre Manders said “Playing for York Region Shooters definitely helped me get into the national team of Bermuda. Playing in the CSL helped me physically and mentally.”
A number of players in the CSL have been selected for Canada’s national youth teams, such as centre back Nikola Paunic of Serbian White Eagles. Others in the league to gain youth honors in recent years were centre back Skylar Thomas, full backs Dino Gardner and Jordan Murrell, defender Tyler Pasher, midfielders Keven Aleman, Bryce Alderson and Oscar Cordon. And the list goes on, with Justin Maheu, Sergio Camargo, Jonathan Lao, Brennan McNichol, Matthew Stinson and Ashton Morgan all playing in the CSL prior to being selected Odaine Demar was selected to play for the Jamaican U-20 team, Julien Edwards and Taylor Benjamin were selected for Guyana, Stephane Emard named to the St. Lucia team. There are more, of course, particularly in Quebec where players of the CSL teams were selected for Canada’s youth squads.

CSL clubs continuing with trials leading up to kickoff time for a new 2018 season later this month, a time when CSL coaches will be attempting to identify more prospects for higher level soccer in Canada and elsewhere.

FOR PROMISING PLAYERS IT CAN BEGIN IN THE SECOND DIVISION

Dick Howard presents CSL 2012 Rookie of the Year to Jonathan Osorio of SC Toronto.

The CSL Second Division of eight teams will get the 2018 campaign underway on Friday, May 25 for a four-month schedule through to the second half of September. The regular season will be followed by post-season Second Division Championship quarter-final playoff games on September 28, the semifinals will be played on October 5 and the Second Division Championship Final the week of October 12.
Six of the Second Division teams (Brantford Galaxy B, CSC Mississauga B, Real Mississauga B, Scarborough B, Serbian White Eagles B and Vorkuta B) are all part of larger clubs with teams in the top CSL First Division. Burlington B and Milton B make up the eight.
The CSL Second Division provides an opportunity for local players to take a first step into a professional environment with and a further step into the nearby tough CSL First Division, a path which, for many players, been a prelude to higher level soccer at home and abroad.
Many young players have taken the CSL route to a highly successful professional career, the most visible example today being Toronto FC’s Jonathan Osorio, 25, a goal scoring midfielder who was named CSL Rookie of the Year in 2012 while playing for CSL First Division side SC Toronto. Osorio was invited to join the Toronto FC Academy, signed by Toronto FC in 2013 and has been a regular since. He has appeared 30 times for the Canadian national men’s team.
In earlier times, the most successful former CSL player has been Brampton-born Atiba Hutchinson who made a brief appearance for York Region Shooters. Hutchinson has played at a high level in Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands and is presently with Besiktas of Turkey. While playing for Besiktas in a UEFA Champions League game against English Premier League side Arsenal, won 1-0 by the English team, Arsenal manager Arsena Wenger described Hutchinson as the most impressive Besiktas player.
The three seasons prior to 2012 were particularly productive for the CSL when no less than 40 players throughout the league played for various national teams, mostly youth U-21 and U-23, in different parts of the world.

MAY 12 KICKOFF FOR CANADA`S CSL

Player of the Week tops introduction of several new features<--more-->
Saturday, May 12 marks kickoff day for the Canadian Soccer League 2018 season, a five-month campaign that gets underway at RIM Park in Waterloo for a southwestern Ontario clash between SC Waterloo and visiting Brantford Galaxy. It’s a 6:30 pm kickoff.
The opening weekend also has FC Ukraine United hosting 2017 First Division title holders FC Vorkuta on Sunday, May 13 for an attractive 7 pm encounter at Centennial Stadium in Etobicoke. Ukraine United returns to the CSL’s First Division following success at the top of division two and winning the Second Division playoffs in 2017.
Nine teams form the 2018 CSL First Division schedule, including two new entries – CSC Mississauga and Real Mississauga –both located just outside Toronto’s western perimeter. Serbian White Eagles, SC Scarborough, and Hamilton City, a team under new management, including former outstanding player and Coach Sasa Vukovic, complete the 9-team top group. There are eight teams in the CSL Second Division, which gets underway May 25.
The regular season will end late September followed by the playoffs during the first half of October for a Championship Final during the week of October 12. The Canadian Soccer League is announcing a number of weekly features for the upcoming season, to include a Player of the Week and Team of the Week, together with the most outstanding goal scored and the game considered during the week to be the most attractive to watch. These selections will be posted on the league’s bright, new-look website, which is also expected to accommodate streaming of games throughout the season.
“The CSL is Canada’s semi-professional league with a resolve to continue creating opportunities for Canadian players seeking first entry into pro soccer, while a number of member clubs also sign players from Europe and elsewhere,” explained Pino, the league’s administrator while releasing the new details. “We encourage fans to follow our news and new developments while enjoying the games and we look forward to receiving any comments you may have.”
The CSL First Division schedule will be posted and further announcements will be released in the coming days.

CANADIAN SOCCER LEAGUE 2018 PREVIEW

CANADIAN SOCCER LEAGUE 2018 PREVIEW

Two new clubs look to make their Canadian Soccer debut in the 2018 season. The first is Real Mississauga, the team will be playing out of the Hershey Center for their inaugural season. Their philosophy is surrounded by the idea of creating a successful soccer club in Mississauga. Along with the men’s first division side, Real Mississauga is also opening up a soccer academy to recognize young talent in the surrounding community. With high-level experienced coaches, the academy teams will cater to players between the ages of 4 and 12. Real Mississauga’s goal is to provide opportunities for young players to progress through their academy and feel comfortable playing in men’s leagues, in addition to helping these players gain scholarships. The club looks at running community out-reach programs and create a friendly atmosphere for the residents of Mississauga. Their vision is finally being brought to life this summer, as the club prepares for opening day kickoff. Real Mississauga will be holding open tryouts for both the Division I and Division II teams. The tryouts will be held April 14th and April 15th at Loyola Catholic Secondary School in Mississauga between the hours of 5-7 pm. For more information about the club, and to register for their tryouts, visit www.screalmississauga.ca

CSC Mississauga is the second team looking to provide a exciting debut in the Canadian Soccer League.  CSC Mississauga will be playing out of Iceland Soccer Fields in Mississauga.  In addition to the Men’s first division side, CSC will also bring forth a second division side. Much like Real Mississauga, and other existing CSL clubs,  their goal is to help develop young players across Canada, and prepare them chances and the professional level, as well as opportunities for scholarships. CSC Mississauga will be holding open tryouts as well, on April 10th, 12th, and 14th, at 7 pm at Centennial Park in Etobicoke. They look to scout out talent for both of their First and Second Division teams, as they prepare for the CSL season, which is set to begin at the end of May. For more information about CSC Mississauga, and their tryouts, they can be reached at cscmississuga@gmail.com

The Canadian Soccer League is looking forward to the start of the 2018 season and eager to see the impact of the two new clubs, as well as the existing clubs as well. The 2018 season will bring much more intrigue, as the battle for the Champion starts soon.

 

Canadian Soccer League 2018 Season

>The 2018 Canadian Soccer League

In May of 2018 the start of the season of Canadian Soccer League. The CSL is pleased to announce the integration of two new clubs, who will be joining the league this year. The two new clubs are based out of Mississauga; the first new club to participate in CSL in 2018 is Real Mississauga, the second newcomer in this season will be CSC Mississauga. The two new clubs will enter the CSL this 2018 season, and will try to establish themselves as a competitor and contender for the title, together with the other clubs they will try to make an exciting season for the fans and players throughout the league. In addition to the two new clubs, CSL is also pleased to announce one returning club. The Hamilton City club will rejoin the league after a one-year hiatus. All the clubs in Canadian Soccer League look to a new and competitive season of excellent soccer and to welcoming the 2018 season with much improved CSL,  and the intrigue who will be the champion it will bring players and spectators to enjoy the game across the league. More information about the new clubs will be released soon!

 

YORK REGION WINS CSL CHAMPIONSHIP…..FC Ukraine United defeats Burlington for Second Division title

When Tony De Thomasis took the leap from the community to professional soccer in 2003, his Vaughan Shooters won lots of first prizes for finishing second, both in the outdoor Canadian Professional Soccer League and in the Ontario Men’s Futsal Championship. That will change, he vowed, it’s just a matter of time.

The big wins arrived in 2008 and again in 2014 and York Region Shooters won the CSL Championship yet again with a 5-4 penalty kick victory over Scarborough SC at Lamport Stadium in Toronto on Saturday afternoon.

It was touch and go throughout. Scoreless at halftime, York Region took a 1-0 lead at 51 minutes when Evan Beutler found the Scarborough net past goalkeeper Milos Djurkovic and just 10 minutes later Haris Fazlagic put the ball past York Region goalkeeper Adam Majer.

It was 1-1 at the end of regulation time and two periods of overtime, leading to penalty kicks which led to York Region taking the championship on a  5-4 decision.

In the earlier game, FC Ukraine United maintained its remarkable regular season success by sweeping through the playoffs to defeat Burlington SC 5-2 in the CSL Second Division Championship Final.

Ukraine ended the regular season on top of the Second Division standings  undefeated with an impressive 13-0-1 WLT record, 9 points clear of second place Burlington.  After gaining a bye in the playoff quarterfinals, Ukraine dominated its semifinal opposition Brantford Galaxy by a 6-0 score, leading to Saturday’s championship victory over Burlington.

Midfielder Taras Hromiak struck two for the winners, with Pavlo Lukianets, Roman Pitsur and Yevhen Falkovskyi also finding the net for Ukraine United in the 5-2 final score.

Burlington goals were scored by Brandon Wellington and Amardo Oakley, both from the penalty spot called by referee Javier Prior for fouls in the box. Referee Prior later ejected Ukraine defender Ivan Kucherenko at 80 minutes following a second caution.

PLAYOFFS SUMMARY

CSL CHAMPIONSHIP – Final

York Region Shooters 1, Scarborough SC 1

(York Region Shooters win 5-4 on penalty kicks)

CSL CHAMPIONSHIP – Semifinals

York Region Shooters 2, Serbian White Eagles 1

Scarborough SC 1, FC Vorkuta 0

CSL CHAMPIONSHIP – Quarterfinals

Serbian White Eagles 5, SC Waterloo 3 – AFTER EXTRA TIME

FC Vorkuta 6, Royal Toronto FC 3

Scarborough SC 6,  Brantford Galaxy 2

York Region Shooters 3,  Milton SC  0

SECOND DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP – Final

FC Ukraine United 5, Burlington SC 2

SECOND DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP – Semifinals

Burlington SC  B  4, FC Vorkuta B 1

FC Ukraine United B  6,  Brantford Galaxy B 0

SECOND DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP – Quarterfinals

Ukraine United B gained a bye to the semifinals

Brantford Galaxy B 2, Serbian White Eagles B 1

FC Vorkuta B 5, SC Waterloo B 0

Burlington SC B  3, Royal Toronto FC B  0

 

SHOOTERS vs SCARBOROUGH FOR CSL CHAMPIONSHIP…..Burlington vs Ukraine Utd for Division Two title

York Region Shooters and Scarborough SC will meet for the CSL Championship at Lamport Stadium on Saturday, September 30, a 4.30 pm kickoff to follow the Second Division Championship game between Burlington SC B and FC Ukraine United B at 2 pm.

York Region defeated current CSL Champions Serbian White Eagles 2-1 in the playoff semifinal on Friday night, while Scarborough SC eliminated FC Vorkuta 1-0 on Saturday. In the CSL Second Division Championship semifinals, Burlington SC B beat FC Vorkuta B, 4-1, and FC Ukraine United B dropped Brantford Galaxy B, 6-0.

Midfielder Hassan Abdulmumini opened the scoring for York Region Shooters at 22 minutes of the first half against Serbian White Eagles in ideal match conditions at Centennial Stadium in Etobicoke Friday night. It was an evenly contested encounter in the first half and  Serbian Eagles’ forward Ivan Nikolic found the net past York Region goalkeeper Adrian Ibanez to tie the score at 35 minutes for a 1-1 score at half-time. Bryan Kavin blasted the winner into the roof of the net for a 2-1 score at 52 minutes and the score held to the final whistle to move the Vaughan-based club into the championship final.

It was a similar close contest at Esther Shiner Stadium on Saturday when Scarborough SC advanced to the CSL Championship final with a first half goal which held to the final whistle for a 1-0 victory. It will be Scarborough’s first CSL Championship Final, while York Region Shooters will be bidding for a third title, having won the trophy in 2014 and in 2008 as Italia Shooters.

PLAYOFFS SUMMARY

CSL CHAMPIONSHIP – Semifinals

York Region Shooters 2, Serbian White Eagles 1

Scarborough SC 1, FC Vorkuta 0

 CSL CHAMPIONSHIP – Quarterfinals

Serbian White Eagles 5, SC Waterloo 3 – AFTER EXTRA TIME

FC Vorkuta 6, Royal Toronto FC 3

Scarborough SC 6,  Brantford Galaxy 2

York Region Shooters 3,  Milton SC  0

SECOND DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP – Semifinals

Burlington SC  B  4, FC Vorkuta B 1

FC Ukraine United B  6,  Brantford Galaxy B 0

SECOND DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP – Quarterfinals

Ukraine United B gained a bye to the semifinals

Brantford Galaxy B 2, Serbian White Eagles B 1

FC Vorkuta B 5, SC Waterloo B 0

Burlington SC B  3, Royal Toronto FC B  0