Canadian Soccer League current champions Scarborough SC will meet expansion team York Region Shooters in the league’s opening game at Centennial Stadium in Toronto’s west end on Sunday, May 29, a 2 pm kickoff.
The opening schedule announcement at an upbeat meeting of league owners April 30 sets up a season looking more like pre-COVID 19 times suggesting a quick return to normalcy and that just maybe, happy times are here again.
The end of May opener brings together two contrasting teams, with a Toronto east-end side with several players on its roster having reached a high level while playing in countries overseas, and York Region Shooters displaying for many years a distinct Azzurri blue to reflect its cultural allegiance but demonstrating always a longstanding reputation of developing and using players almost entirely from the Canadian community.
The opener will be a test for the return of the York Region side. The Shooters last played in the semi-professional CSL in 2017-and it’s with some irony that Scarborough was the opposition in that last game squeaker championship final. York Region Shooters finished on top with a 5-4 penalty kicks victory following a 1-1 tie.
CSL president Dragan Bakoc announced also at the virtual meeting that six teams will compete for the league championship from a May 29 start, through to an August 29 final, to be followed by the invitational Enio Perruzza Memorial Trophy competition which takes the season into October. A 12=day break is included in the expanded schedule.
“ We are pleased to see the return of York Region Shooters which brings back memories of a team once going the entire season undefeated, and to welcome new club Toronto Falcons. We appreciated the support in the stands last season and the five-month season will bring even more of those very attractive games, “ said Bakoc following the meeting.
Teams in the upcoming schedule being released soon are Scarborough SC, Serbian White Eagles, Toronto Falcons, FC Vorkuta ,York Region Shooters and BGHC 1 which represents Brantford Galaxy and Hamilton City.
Stan Adamson