STOJILJKOVIC FIREPOWER WINS PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARD
If you want to see a CSL player with high level potential in soccer, visit Centennial Stadium in Etobicoke on Friday night where Aleksander Stojiljkovic will be attempting to pile on an already impressive rate of scoring that brought the CSL top goalscorer award to the attacking midfielder for the 2017 season.
His team, Scarborough SC, will be visiting the west Toronto ground for a clash with Serbian White Eagles, a side not easy to score against –they conceded just 14 goals in the 2017 regular season and have so far allowed only one goal in two games played in this early 2018 campaign.
Stojiljkovic hit four in Scarborough’s 5-1 defeat of Hamilton City on May 27 and earned the league’s first Player of the Week award for the achievement, a repeat of similar performances when the prolific Serb scored 3, then 4, then another 4 in the last month of the 2017 regular season.
It’s not the first time Stojiljkovic has attracted attention. The now 28 year old brought interest in his native Serbia where he made a number of senior club appearances starting at the age of 16 and eventually played for top Serbian clubs FK Cukaricki and FK Sindelic Beograd based in the capital Belgrade. All before signing for SC Waterloo in Canada in 2014, then Scarborough in 2016. Stojiljkovic won the CSL Rookie of the Year award in his first season.
Stojiljkovic’s positional play has changed over time. After playing mainly on the wing, he was moved inside as an attacking midfielder, increasing his goals output. It’s the left foot that does most of the damage to the opposition, particularly as a dead ball specialist from just outside the box.
“Aleksander is a very intelligent player and using his experience from Europe he has adopted a role of giving direction on the field and encouragement and is now the team captain,” said Kiril Dimitrov, who was instrumental in signing Stojiljkovic to Scarborough.
Friday’s Serbian White Eagles vs Scarborough SC encounter, a 7 pm kickoff, is followed by three First Division games on Saturday when FC Ukraine United visit Heritage Field for a game with Hamilton City, a 6.30 pm start, then a game at the OSA Soccer Centre in Vaughan where FC Vorkuta are at home to Waterloo SC at 8 pm and the Brantford Galaxy vs CSC Mississauga at the Heritage Field at 8.30 pm.
There are two Second Division games on Sunday with FC Vorkuta B at home to Milton SC B at St. Roberts HS, a 2 pm kickoff, and Scarborough B at home to Brantford Galaxy B, a 6 pm kickoff at the OSA Soccer Centre.