THE CSL BALL BOUNCING BACK TO EXPANDED FIVE-MONTH SEASON
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
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