Yes the defense wasn't up to par, but the attack was back, it was a real back and forth game and HFX had sone nice chances at the end, just could not convert, they could've easily drawn. Leg 2 will be difficult, but they can do it.
MLS teams are prone to similar errors too, has nothing to do with tier, but the goalie one was just what was he thinking.
History has been made in Canadian Soccer! For the first time since 2008, a non MLS club beats an MLS club in the Canadian Championship and it was done by a Canadian Premier League club. CPL Cavalry FC defeats MLS Vancouver Whitecaps 2-1 on aggregate to advance to the Semifinals against the Montreal Impact. Calgary started 6 Canadians v. 3 Canadians for Vancouver. Despite a difference in wages, longevity, history and reputation, Cavalry's proved that Canadian soccer has lots of potential and untapped talent ready to emerge at club level. Montreal Impact defeats York9 3-2 on aggregate. Despite the defensive blunders in the 1st leg and the missed opportunities in the 2nd leg, Montreal struggled to eliminate York despite Piatti's return who brilliantly aimed for Abzi arm causing the penalty. Ottawa Fury defeats Halifax Wanderers 5-4 on aggregate. Halifax has been plagued with injuries for most of the season proved to be a handful against a good Ottawa team despite missing key players. Williams in goal is simply not good enough and the young Oxner should be #1. Ottawa Fury will play Toronto FC next
They continue to hold up the Alphonso Davies sale as evidence of how they are succeeding in this. That the second most successful player the club has put in MLS is from Ontario and would have been in TFC’s protected area had they waited 6-more months to get him is not mentioned— Duane Rollins (@24thminute) July 25, 2019 So let it be know that July 24, 2019 was the day that the myth of the Whitecaps as Canada’s best development club died. @tommywheeldonjr killed it.— Duane Rollins (@24thminute) July 25, 2019
TBF, by all reports, the Whitecaps do have a pretty good development system.. They just suck at pretty much everything else. The team needs an overhaul from the top to the bottom.
It sparked a huge debate within Canadian Soccer. It isn't about these academies "not being good". It's about pointing out that they aren't "good enough", especially when they market themselves as the "way to the promise land of international relevance ". Lots of people had a good laugh at that myth last night when Vancouver, who colonized Western Canada with their academies refusing to play ball with others, snobs most who aren't from their academy systems...gets beat in a home and away series (very forgiving for stronger teams) by a 3 months old team made of their own system rejects. "Mistakes were made when evaluation players", Dos Santos said after the 1st leg. Also, Cavalry started 6 Canadians versus 3 for Vancouver with 1/10 of their salary mass. Are they really Canada's best example of excellence in development or have we been going the wrong path for 8 years by ignoring everyone else outside the 3 MLS academies? I'll point to "results" which indicates that the status quo doesn't work. It's when I read Liam Millar recalling going to Europe because TFC told him "he was too short to succeed" that I'd rather not think of how much talent we bled over 6 years. *Hint* Liam Millar came knocking on TFC door from a Mississauga academy...he got snubbed, guess who got the solidarity payment Liverpool paid to acquire him...Not TFC. Not saying they aren't good, but the myth that they are "the best" got shattered last night among Canadian soccer circles. More scrutiny is welcome because we impatiently awaits the U23 roster for the Tokyo Olympics. If it's MLS heavy and we fail to qualify, there will be a reckoning.
There is a lot more wrong with the Whitecaps than their academy. The grassroots is going to have to get the ear of Garber somehow to put pressure on their reclusive owner to push change - even he can ignore the League Commissioner forever...
The Whitecaps are a bottom end MLS team and Calgary are clearly the top of the CPL. Even then, I'm surprised by this result as I thought the talent gap would simply be too big. Congratulations to Calgary! As a TFC fan, I will definitely be cheering for them to repeat the feat against Montreal (although not holding out much hope that they will).
So after the first leg of the semi-finals, TFC is looking good and, although Calgary still has a chance, they are in an uphill battle against Montreal. Total attendance so far is 105 780 which already makes this the second-most attended running of the tournament. Assuming they draw at least 8581, someone at the return game in Toronto will make this the best attended Canadian Championship ever even with the Calgary game and the entire final series still to go.
Montreal certainly left themselves exposed by not capitalizing on a chance to go up 3-0 and then getting stung by Camargo's away goal. If what I hear is true having never traveled to Western Canada, Calgary's elevation is going to play as much of an issue as the uncertain pitch, so everything's up in the air in that tie which is exciting. Piatti is by far the most talented player that Cavalry has faced thus far, but he's still getting to match fitness and the elevation could play into that questionable fitness. Also, players who thrive with the ball at their feet tend to be much more sensitive to pitch conditions so who knows if he could be completely neutralized. Montreal does have that new signing, but who knows what his fitness level is. What is Alberta's elevation compared to places like Colorado or Mexico City anyway?? E2A: having looked it up it is about bit more than half the average elevation of Colorado (a bit more than half of Denver) and a bit less than half of that of Mexico City. Still up there, but not to the extent of those two.
I'm hoping that Calgary can pull off an upset, but it would be just that - an upset. Montreal is definitely in the driver's seat. Montreal has also certainly played in western Canada before as they regularly play in Vancouver.
I think Unak means he hasn't. But then, you can't get more sea level than BC Place and still have dry feet.
TFC easily puts Ottawa away. Calgary can't pull out another David over Goliath win and falls to Montreal. The crowd of 5633 is their biggest ever. Off we go to another Toronto-Montreal final.
Ottawa...for all their postering about CPL and being in USL "the better league" while bragging about being the strongest team they've been in years... they got smoked by TFC B-Team while both York9 and Cavalry kept it close... Oh well... I'm sure CONCACAF weren't impressed either... Next games TFC vs. Montreal!!! On Onesoccer.ca
Montreal up 1-0 after the first leg. As a TFC fan, I'm disappointed in the result (and lack of an away goal) but it does set up a compelling final leg.
Montreal win on penalties. As a TFC fan, I'm disappointed, especially because (win or lose) I despise penalties as a way of resolving soccer games. Hopefully Montreal will represent Canada well at the CCL. Total attendance for the 2019 tournament was a record 156 268 beating the previous high of 114 360. The smallest crowd was 728 in York and the biggest was 21 365 at last night's game at BMO Field. So even with the record total we can hopefully look forward to even more fans in 2020.
It was a fair result due to the clear penalty miss. To add to this, TFC pulling their 2 Canadians and still losing, there was some justice after all! Shamit Shome was incredible last night. My hopes for 2020 Revamp of the format. No teams should get a bye straight to Semifinals. Only the 3 MLS teams and Cavalry should go straight to Quarterfinals CPL expansion increasing the number of team. CSA doing a better job at promoting the tournament. Let CSB promote it instead Increase the quota to 4 Canadians : The CPL and this tournament proves that it's time to go there
I think we all considered this year's format to be a one-time thing. Both the semifinal bye and the slotting of the CPL teams were arbitrary. There are certainly a number of different possible formats and the addition of more CPL teams and a BC D3 team will necessitate changes in the year(s) ahead anyway. I saw promotion but then I'm plugged into the soccer community already. If they want a wider audience maybe don't restrict all the games to OneSoccer. Put at least some games on CBC and/or TSN. I like seeing the Canadian players and I wouldn't be hung up on whether it's three or four. Often times even the MLS teams are playing more than three as it is.
BC League One seemed to have been postponed to 2021. Mediapro was willing to resale games but no one wanted to buy. We should be grateful that they paid that money to acquire the rights, otherwise, TSN would have lowballed the CSA, sat on the rights and only show the Montreal-TFC game. At least, they were all televised. TFC finishing the game with only 1 Canadian and still losing is both an embarrassment and justice. Speaks more about them then the talent of the pool. Time for the CSA to increase it.