2019 Canadian Soccer League season

The 2019 Canadian Soccer League season was the 22nd season under the Canadian Soccer League name. The season started on May 19, 2019, and concluded on October 26, 2019, with the CSL Championship final.[1] Fixtures for the 2019 season were announced on April 30, 2019.[2] The final consisted of Scarborough SC defeating FC Ukraine United at Centennial Park Stadium in Toronto, Ontario to claim their first championship title.[3] The First Division title went to FC Vorkuta along with the Second Division title, and championship.[4] The single new addition to the First Division was Kingsman SC, and the departures occurred in the Second Division with Halton United, London City, and Milton SC becoming founding members of the Canadian Academy of Soccer League (CASL).

Canadian Soccer League
Season2019
DatesMay 19 – October 5 (regular season)
October 12 – October 26 (playoffs)
ChampionsFC Vorkuta (First Division regular season)
Scarborough SC (First Division playoffs, 1st title)
Matches played90
Goals scored374 (4.16 per match)
Top goalscorerMykola Temniuk (18)
Biggest home winFC Vorkuta 7–2 CSC Mississauga
(June 8, 2019)
FC Vorkuta 7–0 SC Real Mississauga
(June 15, 2019)
Biggest away winReal Mississauga SC 1–8 CSC Mississauga
(August 3. 2019)
Longest winning run8 matches
FC Vorkuta
Longest unbeaten run18 matches
FC Vorkuta
Longest winless run4 matches
Brantford Galaxy
Longest losing run6 matches
Brantford Galaxy
2018
2020

Summary

Scarborough SC was the highlight of the season as they claimed their first CSL Championship after two previous consecutive attempts at the title.[5][6] Throughout the regular season, the eastern Toronto team were the consistent challengers to Vorkuta and finished as runners-up in the First Division.[7] They retained the services of Zoran Rajović as head coach and continued in the status quo of acquiring imports in maintaining competitiveness with the major clubs.[8]

FC Vorkuta continued in their standard of recruiting talent from the Ukraine, and as a result achieved a league milestone of three titles (First & Second division titles, and the DII Championship).[4] The club became the fourth club in CSL history after York Region Shooters in the 2014 season to achieve an undefeated regular season. A surprising early defeat to Kingsman SC in the early round of the postseason eliminated their chance of acquiring a perfect season. Only the Toronto Olympians and York Region Shooters accomplished this feat in the top division.

The third position in the First Division was primarily contested between FC Ukraine United, SC Waterloo Region, and Serbian White Eagles. The White Eagles held the position for fourteen weeks straight before relinquishing in the final three weeks to SC Waterloo and ultimately to Ukraine United. The Etobicoke-based team experienced a tumultuous season as general manager Vladimir Koval, and newly appointed head coach Mykhailo Hurka struggled in coordinating the usage of import players as they were fulfilling their commitments in Europe.[9] Injuries were also a factor in the team's performance, but late in the season, the club acquired several new players with Molham Babouli being the most notable domestic acquisition.[10][11] As a result, Ukraine United secured third place in the division and reached the championship final.[12]

SC Waterloo, and Serbian White Eagles both strengthened their core veteran squad with additional imports from the Western Balkans.[13][14] Throughout the majority of the season, the White Eagles held the third position, but a series of defeats late in the season allowed Waterloo to briefly secure the position until finishing fourth with a higher differential in scoring. Waterloo managed to hold the highly contested third position from Serbia three times throughout the season, and after winning six of its last seven games usurped the position permanently until the final match of the season with Ukraine United firmly securing the spot. Both Waterloo, and Serbia competed in the postseason with the former reaching the second round, and the latter facing an earlier departure in the first round respectively.

The final three playoff berths contended among CSC Mississauga, Hamilton City SC, and Kingsman SC. Kingsman SC an expansion franchise held the sixth position for the majority of the season and enjoyed the benefit of acquiring seasoned imports from FC Vorkuta.[15] After battling Kingsman for the sixth position Hamilton managed to steal the spot in the final stages of the regular season campaign. The town north of Vaughan accomplished a major upset in the postseason after handing Vorkuta its first defeat of the season. Subsequently, Kingsman was eliminated in the second round to Scarborough.[5] CSC Mississauga continued its focus on player development but followed the standard of the league's dominant clubs by attracting some foreign talent to remain competitive.[14] Its efforts were effective as the franchise secured its first playoff berth by finishing seventh with a higher goal differential from Kingsman.

While the two remaining clubs were Brantford Galaxy, and SC Real Mississauga finishing in the tenth, and ninth positions.[16] Brantford retained their veterans for the season, but struggled in making an impact and primarily was situated at the bottom of the standings the entire season.[17] Real Mississauga produced a similar result as Brantford finishing just three points ahead in the standings.

First Division

Changes from 2018

During the off-season former SC Toronto founder and league equity owner Isac Cambas died on March 1, 2019, from cancer.[18] The season commenced with all nine teams from the 2018 season returning with the approval of a single expansion team from five applicants.[19] The changes confirmed at the 2019 annual general meeting of team owners was the introduction of professional soccer to King, Ontario with Kingsman SC fielding teams in the First & Second divisions.[20][21] Originally the league released a press release announcing the return of professional soccer to Niagara Falls, Ontario under the name Niagara FC with former league veteran Timotej Zakrajsek, and Tamara Samardzija as the driving forces behind the bid.[22] Unfortunately, the project failed to materialize as the club didn't make its debut.

Changes occurred in the CSL executive committee and staff with Serbian White Eagles president Dragan Bakoc serving as the league's president.[18] Meanwhile, the Second Division fielded six teams for the 2019 season.[23] Several departing clubs became founding members of the Canadian Academy of Soccer League (CASL) a new professional league centered in Milton, Ontario, with Milton SC owner Jasmin Halkic initiating the operation along with the additions of Halton United, and London City.[24]

Teams

TeamCityStadiumManager
Brantford GalaxyBrantford, OntarioHeritage Field TurfMilan Prpa[25]
CSC MississaugaMississauga, OntarioParamount Fine Foods Centre FieldsJosip Raguz[26]
FC Ukraine UnitedToronto, Ontario (Etobicoke)Centennial Park StadiumMykhailo Hurka[27]
FC VorkutaVaughan, Ontario (Woodbridge)Ontario Soccer Centre
Hamilton City SCHamilton, Ontario (Stoney Creek)Heritage Field TurfSasa Vukovic[28]
Kingsman SCKing, OntarioEsther Shiner StadiumOleg Kalyadin[29]
Real Mississauga SCMississauga, OntarioHuron Park Soccer FieldKrum Bibishkov[30]
Scarborough SCToronto, Ontario (Scarborough)Birchmount StadiumZoran Rajović[31]
Serbian White EaglesToronto, Ontario (Etobicoke)Centennial Park StadiumUroš Stamatović[32]
SC Waterloo RegionWaterloo, Ontario (Eastbridge)RIM ParkRadivoj Panić[33]

Standings

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 FC Vorkuta (C) 18 15 3 0 66 15 +51 48 Playoffs
2 Scarborough SC (O) 18 12 3 3 50 18 +32 39
3 FC Ukraine United 18 10 2 6 43 22 +21 32
4 SC Waterloo Region 18 10 1 7 41 25 +16 31
5 Serbian White Eagles 18 9 4 5 42 33 +9 31
6 Hamilton City SC 18 6 3 9 26 39 13 21
7 CSC Mississauga 18 6 1 11 38 47 9 19
8 Kingsman SC 18 6 1 11 30 48 18 19
9 SC Real Mississauga 18 3 2 13 20 62 42 11
10 Brantford Galaxy 18 2 2 14 18 65 47 8
Source: http://canadiansoccerleague.ca/2019-csl-first-division-standings/
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners

Positions by round

Team ╲ Round1234567891011121314151617181920
Brantford Galaxy789101010101010101091010101010101010
CSC Mississauga10101067889887778887767
FC Ukraine United55554564644654544543
FC Vorkuta22211111111111111111
Hamilton City SC99776777778887778886
Kingsman SC86689656465566666678
SC Real Mississauga678989989991099999999
Scarborough SC41122222222222222222
SC Waterloo Region14345445556445455334
Serbian White Eagles33433333333333333455
Updated to match(es) played on October 6, 2019. Source:

Quarterfinals

October 12, 2019 FC Vorkuta 2–2 (a.e.t.)
(2–4 p)
Kingsman SC Vaughan, Ontario
18:00 Temniuk
Volchkov
Report Oleksandr Alieksieiev
Bortnik
Stadium: Ontario Soccer Centre
October 12, 2019 Scarborough SC 2–1 (a.e.t.) CSC Mississauga Toronto, Ontario
18:00 Gonzalo Matias Cabrera Celis , Report Berezovyi Stadium: Birchmount Stadium
October 12, 2019 SC Waterloo Region 1–1 (a.e.t.)
(5–4 p)
Serbian White Eagles Waterloo, Ontario
19:00 Miodrag Kovacevic 55' Report Tadic 71' Stadium: RIM Park

Semifinals

October 19, 2019 Scarborough SC 4–2 Kingsman SC Toronto, Ontario
16:00 Gonzalo Matius Cabrera Celis
Radakovic
Rajovic
Odain Omaro Simpson
Report Belmokhtar , Stadium: Birchmount Stadium
October 20, 2019 FC Ukraine United 5–3 SC Waterloo Region Toronto, Ontario
16:00 Milishchuk 20'
Ihor Sorotoskyi 34'
Nuno Ponte 64'
Babouli 75'
Rick Di Vincenzo 90'
Report Žugelj 39'
Petar Dordevic 47'
Dado Hadrovic 53'
Stadium: Centennial Park Stadium

Finals

Goals

Rank Player Club Goals[34]
1 Ukraine Mykola Temniuk FC Vorkuta 18
2 Serbia Aleksander Stojiljkovic Scarborough SC 13
3 Serbia Vladimir Strizovic[35] Serbian White Eagles 10
4 Syria Molham Babouli FC Ukraine United 9
Montenegro Miodrag Kovacevic[36] SC Waterloo Region
Ukraine Dmytro Polyuhanych Kingsman SC
5 Ukraine Said Belmokhtar Kingsman SC 8
Chile Gonzalo Matias[37] Scarborough SC
Serbia Marko Stajic[38] Serbian White Eagles
6 Jamaica Kavin Bryan Scarborough SC 7
Ukraine Yaroslav Solonynko FC Vorkuta
7 Aleksander Bozovic SC Waterloo Region 6
Ukraine Taras Kryvyi FC Ukraine United
Croatia Pero Menalo CSC Mississauga
Serbia Zoran Rajovic Scarborough SC
Ukraine Serhiy Ursulenko FC Vorkuta

Hat-tricks

Player Club Against Result Date
Ukraine Taras Kryvyi FC Ukraine United CSC Mississauga 3–0 (A) 31 May 2019
Ukraine Yaroslav Solonynko FC Vorkuta Brantford Galaxy 6–0 (H) 1 June 2019
Chile Gonzalo Matias Scarborough SC SC Real Mississauga 5–1 (A) 8 June 2019
Ukraine Mykola Temniuk FC Vorkuta SC Real Mississauga 7–0 (H) 15 June 2019
Matthias Garcia CSC Mississauga Kingsman SC 4–0 (A) 16 June 2019
Ukraine Mykola Temniuk FC Vorkuta SC Waterloo Region 5–1 (H) 22 June 2019
Serbia Aleksandar Bozovic SC Waterloo Region SC Real Mississauga 4–3 (A) 29 June 2019
Ukraine Pavlo Lukyanets FC Ukraine United CSC Mississauga 5–2 (H) 14 July 2019
Serbia Vladimir Strizovic Serbian White Eagles Brantford Galaxy 6–3 (H) 26 July 2019
Ukraine Said Belmokhtar Kingsman SC Serbian White Eagles 4–2 (H) 3 August 2019
Serbia Aleksander Stojiljkovic Scarborough SC Kingsman SC 3–3 (A) 10 August 2019
Canada Molham Babouli FC Ukraine United Brantford Galaxy 5–0 (H) 8 September 2019
Serbia Aleksander Stojiljkovic Scarborough SC Brantford Galaxy 6–1 (A) 14 September 2019
Canada Molham Babouli FC Ukraine United SC Real Mississauga 5–2 (H) 1 October 2019

Second Division

The Second Division remained the same as the previous season with six teams. The new additions were the reserve teams of CSC Mississauga, Hamilton City SC, and Kingsman SC. The departing clubs were Halton United, London City, and Milton SC to become inaugural members of the Canadian Academy of Soccer League (CASL), thus making the Second Division primarily a reserve division for its senior clubs. FC Vorkuta B successfully defended its championship and division title for the second consecutive season.

Canadian Soccer League
Second Division
Season2019
ChampionsFC Vorkuta B (Second Division regular season)
FC Vorkuta B (Second Division playoffs, 2nd title)
Matches played45
Goals scored251 (5.58 per match)
Top goalscorerMarko Stajic (13)
Biggest home winFC Vorkuta B 11–1 Serbian White Eagles B
(June 22, 2019)
Biggest away winKingsman SC B 2–12 FC Vorkuta B
(September 25, 2019)
Longest winning run9 matches
FC Vorkuta B
Longest unbeaten run9 matches
FC Vorkuta B
Longest winless run4 matches
Brantford Galaxy B
Longest losing run6 matches
Hamilton City SC B
2018
2020

Teams

TeamCityStadiumManager
Brantford Galaxy BBrantford, OntarioCardinal Newman S.S. Field (Stoney Creek, Hamilton)
CSC Mississauga BMississauga, OntarioOntario Soccer Centre (Woodbridge, Vaughan)
FC Vorkuta BVaughan, OntarioSt. Robert S.S. Field
Hamilton City SC BHamilton, OntarioCardinal Newman S.S. Field (Stoney Creek, Hamilton)
Kingsman SC BKing, OntarioOntario Soccer Centre (Woodbridge, Vaughan)
Serbian White Eagles BToronto, OntarioIceland Sports Complex (Mississauga)

Standings

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 FC Vorkuta B (C, O) 15 13 0 2 74 19 +55 39 Playoffs
2 Serbian White Eagles B 15 8 1 6 56 57 1 25
3 CSC Mississauga B 15 7 2 6 38 45 7 23
4 Kingsman SC B 15 4 4 7 27 41 14 16
5 Hamilton City SC B 15 3 4 8 28 36 8 13
6 Brantford Galaxy B 15 3 3 9 28 48 20 12
Updated to match(es) played on October 3, 2019. Source: http://canadiansoccerleague.ca/2019-second-division-standings/
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners

Positions by round

Team ╲ Round123456789101112131415
Brantford Galaxy B556666666666666
CSC Mississauga B443342333333333
FC Vorkuta B122111111111111
Hamilton City SC B234555555444555
Kingsman SC B311234444555444
Serbian White Eagles B665423222222222
Updated to match(es) played on October 4, 2019. Source:

Quarterfinals

October 15, 2019 Kingsman SC B 2–3 Hamilton City SC B Toronto, Ontario
21:00 Pitel 75', 85' Report Arsen Platis 30'
Marco Serlez 50'
Illija Bajcetic 70'
Stadium: Esther Shiner Stadium

Semifinals

October 19, 2019 FC Vorkuta B 5–1 Hamilton City SC B Toronto, Ontario
13:30 Kristijan Kezic 58', 70'
Oleksandr Yaremchuk 63'
Borovskyi 66', 80'
Report Haris Osmanagic 50' Stadium: L'Amoreaux Sports Complex
October 19, 2019 Serbian White Eagles B 2–0 CSC Mississauga B Toronto, Ontario
14:00 Vladimir Strizovic 22'
Luka Milidragovic 37'
Report Stadium: Centennial Park Stadium

Finals

Top Goal Scorers

Rank Player Club Goals
1 Serbia Marko Stajic[39] Serbian White Eagles B 13
2 Canada Matthaus Garcia[40] CSC Mississauga SC B 11
Serbia Vladimir Strizovic Serbian White Eagles B
3 Israel Fadi Salback FC Vorkuta B 9
4 Pat Wilson Brantford Galaxy B 6
5 Ukraine Bohdan Borovskyi FC Vorkuta B 5
6 Canada Donart Beqiri Brantford Galaxy B 4
Ukraine Bogdan Bortnik Kingsman SC B
Croatia Kristijan Kezic[41] FC Vorkuta B
Canada Misel Klisara Serbian White Eagles B
7 Marko Dzaric Hamilton City SC B 3
Ukraine Sergiy Ivliev FC Vorkuta B
Vukasin Kovacevic Hamilton City SC B
Ukraine Danylo Lazar FC Vorkuta B
Ukraine Ihor Melnyk FC Vorkuta B
Marko Milanovic Serbian White Eagles B
Ukraine Yaroslav Solonynko FC Vorkuta B
Serbia Dorde Vukobrat Hamilton City SC B

Updated: October 4, 2019
Source: [42]

References

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