<![CDATA[
A delayed Canadian Soccer League will kickoff Friday, May
Canadian Professional Soccer League
<![CDATA[
A delayed Canadian Soccer League will kickoff Friday, May
<![CDATA[
The Canadian Soccer League lost a team going into its well-attended Annual General Meeting on March 3, but gained a new one with the approval of SC Burlington from one of the fastest growing soccer communities in Ontario. TFC Academy withdrew its franchise from the CSL in the wake of the de-sanctioning announcement by the Canadian Soccer Association on February 13.
The Canadian Soccer League (CSL) has advised Canada’s soccer governing body, the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA), that it is prepared to take all necessary steps to reverse a recent decision by the CSA to strip the CSL of official sanctioning just two months prior to the kick-off of the CSL’s 2013 season.
The CSL is a semi-professional league, which in 2012 operated with 15 clubs in Ontario and one club in Quebec. It is the only league in Canada with direct membership with the CSA and has for many years been planning expansion on a regional basis across Canada, very much along the same lines recommended in the James Easton report (known also as the Rethink Management Group Report).
In a letter delivered to the CSA last week, CSL Chairman Vincent Ursini states that a recent decision taken by the CSA to remove the CSL’s sanctioning with immediate effect is invalid and “a miscarriage of justice”. In the letter, Mr. Ursini indicates that the CSA failed to adhere to its own rules, regulations and by-laws in arriving at the decision not to sanction the CSL, which at all times has been a member in good standing of the CSA. In particular, Mr. Ursini notes that the CSA provided the CSL with no prior notice of its plans to de-sanction, and no opportunity to meaningfully participate in or comment on a decision that materially affects the league’s membership status within the CSA and its CSA league sanctioning.
In the letter, Mr. Ursini documents the operational harm the CSA’s decision has already caused the CSL, given the timing of the announcement, with CSL exhibition games slated for late March and the 2013 season due to start in April.
Mr. Ursini advises CSA President Victor Montagliani in the letter that “the CSL requires an unequivocal, immediate, public statement and/or rescission of the motion whereby the CSA has refused to sanction the CSL…the CSA must realize that the CSL is prepared to take all necessary steps in order to maintain its sanctioned status within the CSA.”
The CSA’s decision to remove the CSL’s sanctioning was communicated to the CSL in a letter signed by Mr. Montagliani dated February 13th. The CSA letter provided a single reason for de-sanctioning the CSL – an earlier decision by the CSA Board of Directors to ratify and approve the recommendations of the James Easton Report, which favoured a national, regionally-based semi-professional league structure for soccer in Canada.
“The CSL and its owners and clubs will not sit idly by as ‘soccer road kill’ in the CSA’s efforts to force-fit a new structure into the existing professional soccer landscape in Canada without providing even basic fairness to the CSL,” Mr. Jazbec said. “We were never given notice and we never had any opportunity to comment on how the Easton Report recommendations should be implemented and we were never even asked by the CSA what impact the recommendations would have on our league. That is just unacceptable.”
In the letter to the CSA, Mr. Ursini questioned why a pledge given to the CSL and other participants at a November 16, 2012 CSA Professional Soccer Committee meeting to establish an internal CSA committee to discuss the recommended regionally-based concept and to work with existing leagues in the different regions of Canada, including the CSL, was abandoned, again without any notice to the CSL. He indicated that the CSL voted in favour of accepting the James Easton Report recommendations on the concept of a regionally-based pro soccer structure at the November 16th meeting.
“If anyone at the CSA had bothered to notify us and ask us our views before moving to de-sanction us without due process,” he said, “we would likely have asked for the opportunity to defer implementation of the James Easton Report until a later time in order to allow all stakeholders the opportunity to consider the best structure for Canada and how best to get there in a seamless manner and without the kind of upheaval to the CSL that the CSA’s actions have now triggered.”
“Make no mistake about it, our 2013 CSL season will take place whatever the CSA decides to do in response to our letter,” Mr. Jazbec said. “We haven’t been in business as a fixture of Canadian pro soccer for the past 87 years just to meekly fold the tents when our governing body acts in a manner we consider to be fundamentally unreasonable, unlawful and unfair. We hope that common sense will prevail, but we are ready to take whatever actions are necessary to defend our rights, our league and the commercial viability of our member clubs.”
The Canadian Soccer League issues the following statement in response to an erroneous online CBC story and broadcast of Thursday, January 31 ‘CSA cuts ties with the Canadian Soccer League’, also described by the CBC as ‘Canadian Soccer League loses sanctioning after match-fixing report’.
The Canadian Soccer League is still sanctioned by the Canadian Soccer Association and there has been no suggestion that the CSA is severing ties with the CSL.
The national governing body told the CSL recently it is considering a new professional soccer structure that, if adopted, will accommodate professional leagues in
The proposed change follows the CSA’s consideration of the James Easton Report following a study of the viability of Division II professional soccer in
Vincent Ursini, president of the CSL, who attended the Interpol conference for his league, said the CSA has expressed to him that it is important for the CSL to continue its legacy of 85 years in soccer. Ursini said on Thursday: “The CSL will continue to co-operate and work with the CSA and OSA towards a new structure aimed at the advancement of professional soccer in
The CSL has taken exception also, to the report in the CBC story that several requests for a comment from the CSL went unreturned. Ursini said this has been investigated and it is clear no such enquiry by the writer or any member of the CBC has been received.
Ursini explained the CSL is working hard toward the new season to kickoff late April, that it is business as usual and his hope that all teams, old and new, and fans will not be deterred by the unfortunate misleading story released by the CBC.
Ursini reported that according to the Interpol conference about $185 million is bet each year on CSL games world-wide, so the need for vigilance on the part of the CSL and a strategy by FIFA to prevent match fixing are paramount. The CSL will continue to follow the direction of the CSA and FIFA, to be given high priority by the CSL.
<![CDATA[
The CSL annual general meeting of teams is scheduled for Saturday, March 2, a time when the league formation and competition guidelines are finalized for preparation of the the 2013 season schedule, which is expected to kickoff late April. …….
LONDON CITY SOLD
New interests, headed by Hamilton entrepreneur Andrew Crowe, took over ownership of London City Soccer Club from the Gauss family early 2012. London City was launched on St. Valentine’s Day 1973 to become a fixture in Canadian professional soccer. The club has a reputation for developing young players, a number of which were signed over the years by clubs in Europe.
Markus (Max) Gauss – now a member of the London Sports Hall of Fame – started the club which was managed for many years by son, the late Harry Gauss, and subsequently by Harry’s son, Ryan.
BUSINESS OF SOCCER A LEAGUE PRIORITY URGES CSL TEAM OWNER
Tony De Thomasis, owner of York Region Shooters, warned his fellow owners in January that the future success of Canada’s only professional soccer league rests on the ability of all owners to run teams like a business.
De Thomasis, himself a successful businessman in the financial sector, said the CSL must turn its attention to the business of soccer with financial strength being a major consideration for the league’s future development.
GERARDO LEZCANO
The Canadian Soccer League and the soccer community lost popular North York Astros coach Gerardo Lezcano to cancer at the age of 65. Gerardo Jose Lezcano was born in Argentina’s Corrientes Province and soccer soon became his favourite sport as he developed into a defender, a position he played on arrival in Canada in 1972.
YOUTH TALENT IN ABUNDANCE AT CSL SHOWCASE
The CSL held a player showcase at the Hershey Centre in Mississauga on March 2 and the event was well-attended by coaches from Canada and the United States who saw some of the brightest young prospects in Ontario.
CSL ANNOUNCES RECORD 16 TEAMS IN 2012 FIRST DIVISION
The CSL announced in April a record 16 teams in its First Division for the 2012 season with the opener set for the Invista Sports Centre in the picturesque community of Kingston, just east of Toronto. TFC Academy, the senior academy team of Toronto FC, visited Kingston FC on Saturday, May 5 and the visitors triumphed, 4-2.
IT’S FIRST DIVISION PRO SOCCER FOR NIAGARA UNITED
Niagara United announced at a press conference the formation of professional soccer for the first time in the world-renowned community.
THE CSL THIS WEEK KICKED OFF IN MAY
The CSL This Week, the popular weekly soccer show of game highlights, interviews and special features in the CSL, kicked off on Friday, May 18 for a season-long series,
JAREK WHITEMAN EARLY SEASON HAT-TRICK SINKS MISSISSAUGA EAGLES
Prolific SC Toronto forward Jarek Whiteman scored an early season hat-trick to lead his team to a 4-1 defeat of Mississauga Eagles FC at the Hershey Centre on May 18.
MONTREAL IMPACT ACADEMY TROUNCE ST. CATHARINES WOLVES 8-1
An impressive Montreal Impact Academy with several players under consideration for youth international duty, trounced St. Catharines Wolves 8-1 on May 20, while new-club SC Waterloo also raised eyebrows with a 5-0 resounding victory over London City.
TORONTO CROATIA’S VUCEMILOVIC-GRGIC HITS HAT-TRICK IN 6-0 WIN
Midfielder Marin Vucemilovic Grgic led Toronro Croatia with a hat-trick in a 6-0 romp over North York Astros on June 10, while Brampton City Utd slammed Brantford Galaxy, 8-2 on the same day.
CAMARGO HAT-TRICK LANDS TFC VICTORY
TFC Academy midfielder Sergio Camargo scored all three to give his team a decisive 3-0 victory over Mississauga Eagles FC on June 22.
SCEPANOVIC AND PRZEDNOWEK HAT-TRICKS SPELL DEFEAT FOR NORTH YORK ASTROS
Three goals by forward Milos Scepanovic propelled Brampton City Utd. to a 6-0 victory over North York Astros on June 24 and on July 6 the Astros were also caught on the receiving end of an in-form Brantford forward Jacek Przednowek who struck a hat-trick for a 5-2 Brantford victory.
NEW-LOOK KINGSTON FC UPBEAT WITH ANNOUNCEMENTS
The mood was upbeat when Kingston FC held a press conference at the Invista Sports Centre on July 6 to make a number of key announcements, including a shuffle in ownership, a new coach, several new players and a new sponsor. Kingston chairman Lorne Abugov introduced Irish-born Colm Muldoon as the new head coach and promised further strengthening of the fledgling franchise as the club’s inaugural season progresses.
TFC TAKES OVER TOP SPOT IN FIRST DIVISION
TFC Academy scored a late goal to salvage a 2-2 tie in their home game against Windsor Stars on July 27 and the point was enough to put the team on top of the First Division
RICHARD WEST HITS HAT-TRICK FOR SERBIAN EAGLES
Striker Richard West led Serbian White Eagles with a first half hat-trick to a 6-1 defeat of Niagara United on August 3.
DAVID GUZMAN HAT-TRICK LIFTS BRAMPTON
Midfielder David Guzman showed the way with a hat-trick in Brampton City Utd’s crushing 7-1 defeat of Brantford Galaxy at Victoria Park in Brampton on August 5.
SC TORONTO GOES ON TOP WITH OSORIO HAT-TRICK
SC Toronto scored an impressive 5-0 away victory over London City to take over the top spot in the CSL First Division on August 27 due in part to an impressive hat-trick by Jonathan Osorio.
WINDSOR STARS DOMINATE ST. CATHARINES 7-0 WITH KEITH LOUGH HAT-TRICK
Windsor Stars, led by newcomer Keith Lough with a hat-trick, extended their unbeaten streak to five games with a 7-0 rout of Brantford Galaxy at Windsor Stadium on August 25.
TORONTO CROATIA LED THE WAY TO GAIN FIRST PLAYOFF BERTH
Toronto Croatia became the first team to secure a playoff berth with their 4-1 defeat of TFC Academy on September 7.
TWO HAT-TRICKS IN 7-3 GOALFEST AT KINGSTON
Richard West and Zoran Rajovic each scored three goals in a 7-3 Serbian White Eagles victory over Kingston FC on September 8
DRAZEN VUKOVIC SCORES THREE IN SC WATERLOO ROMP
Drazen Vukovic scored a hat-trick in a 6-0 romp over North York Astros on September 9
THE CSL’s STATES ITS POSITION ON PLAYING GAMES WHICH CLASH WITH CANADIAN NATIONAL TEAMS
The CSL responded to criticism in September that the league should avoid playing games on a night the Canadian National Team is playing. The league explained that the CSL cares about and is a strong supporter of the Canadian man’s national team and its progress in the World Cup and also about Canada’s women – with pride in the recent Olympic achievement. The shortage of suitable enclosed stadia in certain cities makes it difficult to avoid certain nights completely, particularly at weekends where there are not enough dates to accommodate the busy almost 6-month long CSL season. Occasionally, therefore, while the league will avoid dates when an important national team is playing, a clash is sometimes unavoidable.
CSL RELEASES A STATEMENT FOLLOWING CBC REPORT OF MATCH FIXING
The Canadian Soccer League issued a statement in September 13 that it was aware of accusations that a regular season league game of September 12, 2009 between the home side Trois-Rivieres Attak and Toronto Croatia played at Trois-Rivieres, Quebec and won 4-1 by Trois-Rivieres Attak, was tampered with in favour of certain betting interests in Europe.
The CSL statement explains that match fixing in soccer is prevalent in many parts of the world and is a threat to the game The CSL stated it will continue its pledge to take the necessary steps to prevent any activity considered to be tampering with the outcome of any CSL match.
RICHARD WEST STRIKES ANOTHER HAT-TRICK
Serbian White Eagles striker Richard West scored his second hat-trick of the campaign in a 4-1 victory by Serbian White Eagles over Brantford Galaxy on September 16. West scored three on August 3.
TORONTO CROATIA ROMPS 7-0 TO GO SEVEN POINTS CLEAR
Toronto Croatia romped by a score of 7-0 over St. Catharines Wolves on September 19 to go seven points clear in the First Division standings.
TORONTO CROATIA CLINCHES FIRST DIVISION TITLE WITH 2-1 VICTORY
Toronto Croatia won the CSL First Division on September 30 with a 2-1 victory over Windsor Stars.
MONTREAL IMPACT ACADEMY HITS REMARKABLE NINE-GAME WINNING STREAK
A remarkable nine-game winning streak by Montreal Impact Academy ended their regular season with a 4-2 victory over TFC Academy on October 10.
TORONTO CROATIA WINS CSL CHAMPIONSHIP WHILE SC TORONTO RESERVES WIN SECOND DIVISION
Toronto Croatia defeated Montreal Impact Academy 1-0 to take the CSL Championship for the second year in succession and SC Toronto Reserves scored a 3-1 victory over Brampton City Utd Reserves to win the Second Division championship – both games played at Centennial Stadium in Etobicoke on October 27.
MARIN VUCEMILOVIC-GRGIC VOTED MVP IN THE CSL
Toronto Croatia’s outstanding midfielder Marin Vucemilovic-Grgic was voted the CSL’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) for 2012 and was honoured with other recipients at the CSL Annual Awards night on November 25.
ARMANDO COSTA DIES
Armando Costa, the Technical Director and Head Coach of the CSL’s Brampton City Utd and one of Canada’s high profile and highly regarded coaches, lost his battle with cancer on December 7.
Armando’s life-long passion for soccer never really left him since growing up in Bombarral in central Portugal where he was born 63 years ago and where he was eventually signed by the local professional club SCE Bombarralense. He came to Canada in 1963.
Armando Costa lived the game. His life-long passion never really left him since growing up in Bombarral in central Portugal where he was born 63 years ago and where he was eventually signed by the local professional club SCE Bombarralense. The popular, former player turned coach and one of the most talented technical men in Canadian soccer, the head coach and director of soccer operations for Brampton City Utd, passed away on Friday following a two-year battle with cancer. “But he worried more about Canadian soccer and about the Canadian national team and talked about it a lot,” said nephew Alain, who followed his uncle’s soccer career in Armed with a Class A coaching certificate, Armando Costa took First Portuguese to win the NSL Super Cup, became a High Performance coach for the Ontario Soccer Association involved in both the provincial and national programs and was on the coaching staff of the Toronto Lynx in the USL Division 1. He was commissioned to coach Saadi Ghaddafi of FIFA man Dick Howard, a former professional goalkeeper in the Bob Iarusci, one of landscape, believed we could produce great players here…he was a dedicated coach who took his talents locally, provincially, nationally and internationally. I will miss his phone calls and his stories,” said Iarusci
In 2008 Armando Costa was appointed head coach of Brampton Lions of the Canadian Soccer League and was retained by Brampton City Utd in a change of ownership in 2010. “Armando’s presence was important to us and I’m personally a better person for having known him,” said Michael DiMatteo, part-owner of Brampton City Utd.
Armando is survived by his wife Linda, daughters Sandy (son-in-law Pedro) Natalie and Catarina, brother Emilio, sister Idalina, and two grandchildren, Joshua and Raquel
The Canadian Soccer League, the team owners and staff, match officials and all who benefited by Armando Costa’s presence, send their sincerest condolences to Armando’s wife Linda and the entire family.
A repeat of the 2011 championship victory – this time a 1-0 defeat of Montreal Impact Academy on October 27 – followed a regular season title win in the 16-team CSL First Division, while the Individual awards presented at the season-end dinner included Toronto Croatia midfielder Marin Vucemilovic-Grgic, who took the CSL Most Valuable Player Award, and Antonio Ilic, voted the Goalkeeper of the Year.
Vucemilovic-Grgic was prominent throughout for his outstanding two-way play and scoring 16 goals in the regular season, and Ilic was a big reason for the champions’ outstanding defensive record, conceding just 13 goals in the 22-game regular season schedule.
Drazen Vukovic of SC Waterloo won the leading goalscorer trophy with 20 goals in the CSL First Division. Vukovic, 30, who arrived in
Maxim Tissot of
Quebec-born Tissot, 20, played in the CSL for Trois-Rivieres Attak before joining the Impact academy team, while Rookie winner Osorio, 20, is a standout midfielder who found the net 11 times for SC Toronto.
Coach of the Year in the First Division went to Stefano Vagnini of Windsor Stars, a team which ended the regular season with a late flourish to finish fourth in the standing, making the playoffs in their second year in the CSL.
The complete awards list:
CSL Champions:
Runners-up:
CSL First Division Awards
First Division Champions
Most Valuable Player (MVP)
Marin Vucemilovic-Grgic
Top Goalscorer
Drazen Vukovic SC
Goalkeeper of the Year
Antonio Ilic
Defender of the Year
Maxim Tissot
Rookie of the Year
Jonathan Osorio SC
Coach of the Year
Stefano Vagnini
CSL Second Division Awards
Second Division Champions
TFC Academy II
Most Valuable Player (MVP)
Gino Berardi
Top Goalscorer
Gino Berardi
Goalkeeper of the Year
Mark Rogal TFC Academy II
Defender of the Year
Malcolm Mings
Rookie of the Year
Mark Wadid TFC Academy II
Coach of the Year
James McGillivray
Other awards
Harry Paul Gauss Award
Ryan Gauss
Presented to the individual who has best demonstrated during the year exemplary allegiance, commitment and support to the league and its member clubs.
Referee of the Year
David Barrie
Fair Play and Respect Award
The Fair Play and Respect Award is awarded to
Media Award
Robin Glover
For his continuing interest and loyalty in reporting CSL news and game reports for the CNSL, CPSL and the CSL since 1995.
Broadcaster Award
Enio Perruzza
For game announcement number 3,000 on October 5, 2012, following a period of 26 years behind the microphone with the CNSL, CPSL and the CSL and other major soccer games played in the Canadian soccer community.
Justin Soscia is a taller than avarage16 year old centre back who feels very comfortable playing for York Region Shooters reserves in the CSL Second Division where the pace is a bit quick and things can get a little physical.
But the rigours of Second Division CSL soccer is precisely why he played there during the CSL season just ended, and why he is now in Italy in a high level academy environment connected to Empoli FC, a Serie B team formed in the Tuscany region of Italy more than 90 years ago. Justin Soscia one of eight CSL players invited from a larger group to stay on for further coaching and to train with coaches from the Empoli team.
York Region Shooters have a relationship with a company called Italian Soccer Management (ISM) which partners with Empoli FC for camps and scouting of players and Soscia was spotted by Luis Pomares of Empoli during a recent visit to
“I’ve always encouraged Justin to play at a level higher than his age and it’s paying off,” said Tony Soscia, Justin’s father. The elder Soscia was explaining his son’s successful past season in the CSL and the opportunity to continue with the ISM program in
Other CSL players now in Italy for an extended stay into December are Blerie Lame, Maurizio Ragone, Jesse Rogers, Michel Downey and Marcello Tantalo of York Region and O’Neil Spencer, Nathan Harlow and Nicholas Okot from SC Waterloo.
Anita Kovacevic of the Shooters organization and manager of the contingent of players that made the trip from southern
IN OTHER NEWS………….
The CSL congratulates referee Silviu Petrescu for being named the MLS 2012 Referee of the Year. The
The Impact also have a number of academy players in national youth team projects including the selection of midfielders Yacine Ait Slimane, (he played in the CSL final), and Jeremy Gagnon-Lapare. Both are included in the Canadian youth camp now underway in California.
The playing season is over, but not the shouting.
The shouting, cheering, applauding will take place at the outstandingly elegant Mississauga Convention Centre on Sunday evening, November 25. That’s when the annual CSL Awards Banquet takes place, to honour and pay tribute to the winners – clubs, teams, players, coaches and the best of the referees, will all receive their awards.
We do know that Toronto Croatia successfully defended their previous year CSL Championship win, leaving a gallant, gutsy, younger
We know also, that SC Toronto Reserves captured the Second Division Championship on the same day, a 3-1 victory over Brampton City Utd. TFC Academy II had earlier won the regular season Second Division league title.
Drazen Vukovic, a midfielder with SC Waterloo won the First Division goalscoring title with 20 goals, while Gino Berardi, a forward with Windsor Stars, topped the Second Division scoring with 17 goals.
But the majority of the CSL’s best, both club and individual, will not be known until presentation night.
The following were nominated by the CSL member clubs, the winners to be announced at the banquet on November 25:
CSL First Division – Nominations
Most Valuable Player (MVP)
Drazen Vukovic SC
Tihomir Maletic
Wandrille Lefevre
Matt Waddington
Anthony Santilli
Marin Vucemilovic-Grgic
Jonathan Osorio SC
Goalkeeper of the Year
Antonio Ilic
Anthony Santilli
Sandy Matika
John Deluca
Jason Beaulieu
Scott Cliff SC
Defender of the Year
Nikola Paunic
Maxim Tissot
Josip Keran
Matt Waddington
Gerard Ladiyou SC
Zvonko Bakula
Michael Chiandussi
Zoran Kukic SC
Rookie of the Year
Sergio Camargo
Yacine Alt Slimane
Mohammed Mohammed
Nikola Paunic
Jonathan Osorio SC
Michael Chandussi
Kai Morton
Petar Mignon
Coach of the Year
Velimir Crljen
Danny Dichio
Stefano Vagnini
Lazo Dzepina SC
Philippe Eullaffroy
James McGillivray
CSL Second Division – Nominations
Most Valuable Player (MVP)
Evroy Junior Ellis SC
Ben N’Goran
Gino Berardi
John Bahdi
Mark Wadid TFC Academy II
Goalkeeper of the Year
Brad Gemmell
Adam Majer
Mark Rogal TFC Academy II
Praveen Ahilan SC
Dajo Olagbegi
Defender of the Year
Alain Sargeant TFC Academy II
Chris Suta .
Malcolm Mings
Justin Soscia
Aaron Grant St. Catharines Roma Wolves B
Rookie of the Year
Jordan Hamilton TFC Academy II
Joel Kahula
Matt Lopoyda
Justin Soscia
Mark Wadid TFC Academy II
Dylan Sacramento TFC Academy II
Coach of the Year
Anthony Capotosto TFC Academy II
James McGillivray
Ryan Mendonca
Stefano Vagnini
Tickets are still available – call 905 564-2297
<![CDATA[
For considerably diverse reasons, the CSL is paying tribute to three individuals in the Canadian soccer community and did so in its match program for the CSL Championship Final on October 27. Here’s why…………..
Midfielder Hayden Fitzwilliams scored the only goal of the match at 18 minutes, a header from 15 yards off a free kick with pace from the right wing by Tihomir Maletic that left Clint Irwin in the
It was a close, even game throughout that could have gone either way.
It was
Velemir Crljen, in his fourth year as head coach of
Crljen said he was pleased with the season, close to winning the First Division, winning in
Shaun Harris, head coach of
The CSL season started early May with 14 teams in each of two divisions and will announce its individual award winners November 13. Mississauga Eagles FC B, the club’s reserve team in the CSL, won the Second Division championship by defeating Brampton City Utd B on October 22.
It’s
THE TEAMS
CSL FIRST DIVISION -2012 | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | PTS |
1 | 22 | 15 | 1 | 6 | 57 | 13 | 51 |
2 | 22 | 14 | 3 | 5 | 52 | 17 | 47 |
HOW THEY GOT THERE !
The top eight teams in the regular season final standings entered a quarterfinal playoff, with
Quarterfinals:
Serbian White Eagles 1, SC
Semifinals:
There could not be a greater contrast to compare
and
Most players in the
In Saturday’s line-up for the Quebec side are midfielder Kevin Luarca, 19, and Kai Morton, 18, who were included in the Canada U-20 camp for the four-nation Marbella Cup in Spain recently, while Anthony Jackson-Hamel, 19, forward, Hugo LaPointe-Senecal, 19, have also been called by Canada. Midfielder Wandrille Lefevre and forward Mircea Ilcu have been called to the Montreal Impact Major League Soccer (MLS) team.
Looking back on history,
Defender Josip Bonacin, 28, has played in three European countries, midfielder Dino Buljan, 21, defender Josip Keran, forward Bozenko Lesina, 32, Tihomir Maletic, 32, a prolific striker with 13 goals in the regular season, midfielder Josip Raso, 22, Andelo Srzentic, 22, and Marin Vucemilovic-Grgic, 25, the team’s leading goalscorer with 16 in the regular season, have all played at a high level in Europe.
The CSL Championship between
The Canadian soccer League would like to thank its sponsors for their generous support of this CSL Championship Day, with special mention to partners Days Inn, Rogers TV, Locust
Admission to Centennial Stadium is $25 for adults, $10 seniors and students. Family admission (2 adults, 2 youth) is $50.
Montreal Impact Academy defeated York Region Shooters 3-1 and Toronto Croatia downed their old rivals Serbian White Eagles 4-0 in the semifinals of the CSL Championship Sunday.
The Montreal Academy side enjoyed their 11th successive victory at the St Jean de Vianney sport centre in Quebec and they will meet the current CSL champions Toronto Croatia following their victory at Centennial Stadium in Etobicoke.
Toronto Croatia took a 1-0 lead over Serbian White Eagles when defender Josip Keran found the net at the 19th minute mark and it was 1-0 at the break.
Tihomir Maletic struck twice in the early stages of the second half as the home side began to control the game, the prolific forward beat Serbian Eagles goalkeeper Milos Djurkovic at 51 and 54 minutes for a 3-0 lead.
Toronto Croatia went further ahead at 86 minutes on a goal by midfielder Andelo Srzentic who found the net from a rebound off the post and the 4-0 score held to the final whistle.
The Quebec side took 1-0 lead at the St Jean de Vianney sport centre at the 26th minute mark, a penalty kick called by referee Christopher Grabasse following a heavy challenge in the box and Wandrille Lefevre drove the ball to right of York Region goalkeeper Emanuelle Ameltonis.
Forward Kadian Lecky tied the game 1-1 for York Region Shooters at the 35th minute mark and it was 1-1 at the interval.
Almost immediately after the re-start, Lefevre moved the ball to Anthony Jackson-Hamel on a breakaway to score the home side’s second goal, a 2-1 lead that held until 94 minutes when Yacine Alt Slimane sealed the victory with a third Montreal goal, it was 3-1 at the final whistle.
The two sides will meet at Centennial Stadium on Saturday, October 27, a 3 pm kickoff and the game will be preceded by the Second Division Championship Final for CSL reserve teams at 12.30 pm.
SC Toronto B and Brampton City Utd B will meet in the Second Division Championship following a 2-0 victory by Brampton over York Region Shooters B at the Avondale ground in Brampton Sunday night.
Following a scoreless first half with Brampton coming close to scoring on several occasions, the home side did take the lead at the 69th minute mark on a goal by forward Michael Tcherenkov who drove the ball into the bottom right corner from the edge of the box.
Midfielder Yusif Walied struck three minutes later to give Brampton a 2-0 lead and the score held to the end of the game to move Brampton to the final.
In the first semifinal played at Downsview Park on Saturday night, Evan Brandon John opened the scoring for SC Toronto, heading home a corner kick out of reach of Mississauga Eagles goalkeeper Mitchell Cavaco, a 1-0 lead at the break.
Mississauga midfielder Laudelino Joe De Sousa then struck twice, at 53 and 58 minutes to put his side 2-1 up and last year’s reserve champions were heading for the Second Division final again this season until Brandon John scored his second goal for the Toronto side, a 2-2 tie at 90 minutes and the score at regulation time.
The teams battled a scoreless15 minutes each way for a 2-2 tie at 120 minutes to take the game into penalty kicks, won 4-3 by SC Toronto reserves.
Weekend summary:
CSL Championship – Semifinals
Montreal Impact Academy 3, York Region Shooters 1
T
oronto Croatia 4, Serbian White Eagles 0
CSL Second Division Championship – Semifinals
Brampton City Utd B 2, York Region Shooters B 0
Played Saturday, October 20: SC Toronto B 2, Mississauga Eagles FC B 2 (after extra time) (SC Toronto won 4-3 on penalty kicks)
Upcoming Games:
CSL Championship – Final
Saturday, Oct 27 Centennial Stadium, Etobicoke 3 pm Montreal Impact Academy vs Toronto Croatia
CSL Second Division Championship – Final
Saturday, Oct. 27 Centennial Stadium, Etobicoke 12.30 pm SC Toronto B vs Brampton City Utd B