Today was released the schedule for this years Amway Canadian Championship: Preliminary Round 11-May: Edmonton v Ottawa 18-May: Ottawa v Edmonton Semi-Finals 01-Jun: Ott/Edm v Vancouver; Toronto v Montreal 08-Jun: Vancouver v Ott/Edm; Montreal v Toronto Final 21/22-Jun: Lowest Seed v Highest Seed 28/29-Jun: Highest Seed v Lowest Seed Winner will qualify for 2017/18 CONCACAF Champions League
Of note: CONFIRMED: #VCup will be on @TSN_Sports this year. #canChamp— Simon Fudge (@SimonFudge74) April 14, 2016 Press Release
Neither Edmonton nor Ottawa is tearing it up early in the season, although both have played most of their games away. Based on nothing but a gut feeling, I'm picking Ottawa to go through for the first time.
I'll be at the game next week in Ottawa. Hoping for the Fury to advance for the first time, expecially since they've set it up so that they have a bye this week in NASL and FCE doesn't.
Good on Ottawa. A decent crowd by Edmonton standards. Here's to hoping for a good crowd and a good game in the return match next week.
http://www.concacaf.com/article/canada-intl-de-jong-savors-first-domestic-cup-chase-at-home is titled "Canada int’l de Jong savors first domestic cup chase at home."
Ottawa 0:2 Edmonton. Just like the English League Championship Semifinal between Derby County and Hull City, the away team scored all the goals with 3 goals in the first leg and 2 goals in the second leg. http://canadasoccer.com/ottawa-fury-through-to-championship-semi-finals-p159532
http://www.concacaf.com/article/ottawa-fury-ready-for-next-canadian-championship-hurdle is titled "Ottawa Fury ready for next Canadian Championship hurdle."
Ottawowa! Great result going into second game. I hope they manage to qualify to the final, it's time to see new champ and, at last, some other team in the final.
Good for Toronto. Too bad Ottawa couldn't pull the upset. Should be a good match up in the final, though.
It shows the difference between a first-team MLS squad and their NASL counterparts. I kind of expected it, but had hoped they could hold on to at least penalty kicks.
It's a shame for them because they never got De Jong and JDG on the pitch at the same time. They might have been able to create some scoring chances together as the rest of the team was dire. Realistically though, it was over when Vancouver got the penalty within three minutes. After that it just snowballed. The Whitecaps moved the ball with so much ease that it was almost like a training match.
Nobody posted here when Toronto FC won on away goals, which made FIFA's Week In Numbers. http://www.fifa.com/news/y=2016/m=7/news=speedy-strikes-and-a-uruguayan-wanderer-2811261.html says: "5 minutes of stoppage time: that was on the clock when Toronto FC scored against Vancouver Whitecaps to win the Canadian Championship on away goals. Toronto-born, Merseyside-raised Will Johnson got the title-clincher with his maiden goal in the tournament. It gave Toronto a record fifth Canadian Championship, two more than nearest rivals Montreal Impact."
I wonder if Ottawa's jump to the USL will affect next year's tournament? I can't imagine the CSA wants to shrink the tournament. As far as I'm aware, however, the USL is considered D3 which puts it (officially, anyway) at the same level as the L1O and the PLSQ and I don't think the CSA would want those teams in yet.