Canadian Soccer Archive

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Braunschweig to the Bundesliga: But will Edwini-Bonsu be back?

By
Steven Sandor
– 04/27/2013

Randy Edwini-Bonsu

Randy Edwini-Bonsu

Eintracht Braunschweig is going to the playground that’s ruled by the likes of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.

With a 1-0 win over FC Ingolstadt Friday, Braunschweig — home to Edmonton’s Randy Edwini-Bonsu — guaranteed it could do no worse than second in the Bundesliga 2. standings. That means Braunschweig will move up to the Bundesliga in 2013-14.

But will Edwini-Bonsu go up with them? He is a free agent at the end of the season.

Edwini-Bonsu, who was part of the Vancouver Whitecaps before making the move to Germany was called up for Canada’s most recent friendlies, playing in March losses to Japan and Belarus. But the forward hasn’t seen a lot of playing time in Germany this season. Braunschweig has played 31 times, and Edwini-Bonsu has appeared in just eight games, with no starts.
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TFC continues Cup dominance of the Impact

By
Mark Polishuk
– 04/25/2013

Doneil Henry

Doneil Henry

The Impact is going to need its own version of the “Miracle In Montreal” if it’s going to finally defeat Toronto FC in an Amway Canadian Championship series.

The Reds took command of the tie with a 2-0 win in the opening leg at BMO Field, putting the Impact in dire straits as they head to Saputo Stadium for the reverse fixture on May 1. Granted, the Impact’s hole is not as large as the one TFC dug themselves out of in 2009 (when their 6-1 win in Montreal overcame a huge goal-differential deficit and clinched the club’s first Voyageurs Cup) but the Reds’ current two-goal edge gives the Impact have little room for error next Wednesday.

“We’re definitely capable of scoring two, three or four goals in a game,” goalkeeper Evan Bush said. “When it comes to Cup games crazy things happen and hopefully we can get on the board early next week, dictate the play and get the result we need.”

The Reds are now 7-0-2 all-time against Montreal in Voyageurs Cup play. It scarcely seems to matter who wears the jerseys for either club in this competition, whether it be the first-choice starters or, as was the case on Wednesday, many of the backups.

“No offence to anybody but to be fair it was pretty much our reserve team out there, a lot of us young boys,” midfielder Emery Welshman said. Read the rest of this entry »

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5

Controversial goals, “leapfrogger” accusation: Late Whitecaps’ surge breaks FC Edmonton’s hearts

By
Steven Sandor
– 04/25/2013

FCE's Michael Cox, left, passes Vancouver's Daigo Kobayashi.

FCE’s Michael Cox, left, passes Vancouver’s Daigo Kobayashi.

FC Edmonton Colin Miller wasn’t around to see the Vancouver Whitecaps score the game winner.

Miller was sent off for abusing the officials after referee Silviu Petrescu made a controversial penalty decision, allowing Camilo to tie the first leg of the Amway Canadian Championship semifinal, 2-2. Then, as Miller was making the long walk down the Commonwealth Stadium tunnel, he could only hear the groans from most of the 2,838 in attendance as Tom Heinemann, in the process of falling down, banged in a rebound to give the Whitecaps the 3-2 advantage heading home to BC Place.

After going down to a disputed goal in the fourth minute, the NASL Eddies roared back with goals from Michael Cox and Chris Nurse to take a 2-1 lead at halftime. And only a fantastic face save by Whitecaps keeper Brad Knighton kept the Eddies from going up 3-1. But the Whitecaps pushed forward in the second half — but still couldn’t find the equalizer, raising hopes for a Cinderella story in this year’s cup.

But, with 10 minutes left in the game, Camilo went down in the box, feeling a touch from the boots of FCE defender Mallan Roberts, who was making his professional debut. Petrescu pointed to the spot. With Camilo already on a yellow, had Petrescu called a dive, the Brazilian might have been sent off. Instead, he finished the PK and the Cinderella story turned into A Nightmare on Elm Street for the home fans.
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2

The arbitrator rules: CSL can play in 2013, loses national sanction in 2014

By
Steven Sandor
– 04/24/2013

CSL-LOGO-e1305318993800-150x138The arbitrator’s ruling is in: And it’s a mixed bag.

On Tuesday night, the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada issued its ruling in the battle between the embattled Canadian Soccer League and the Canadian Soccer Association. It found that that the CSA has the right to “de-sanction” the CSL. However, it ruled that the CSA’s decision to de-sanction the semipro circuit can’t go into effect until February of 2014 — as the league needs time to adjust to the new reality of the Canadian soccer landscape.

So, in simple terms, the CSL — which boasts 12 member semipro teams, all based in Ontario — is sanctioned to play out its 2013 season, then will lose the national sanction in early 2014.

“The Canadian Soccer Association decision to de-sanction the CSL was made in light of the endorsed recommendation provided by the Division II viability study conducted by James Easton and the Rethink Management Group to move towards a model of a regional semi-professional development-focused league,” said CSA president Victor Montagliani in a release. “We remain committed to this vision moving forward.”

The CSA has said it will make no other comment on the ruling.
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2

Two comebacks help Canada to third-place honours at U-17 Championship

By
Steven Sandor
– 04/20/2013

Jordan Haynes

Jordan Haynes

The Canadian team played the third-place match as if it was playing for gold.

Canada scored two dramatic equalizers against Honduras — one at the end of normal time, one at the end of extra time — and then won the penalty shootout 4-2, to take the third-place game at the CONCACAF U-17 Championship.

In a consolation game, and with several lineup changes made ahead of the match in Panama City, it would have been all to easy (and forgivable) for coach Sean Fleming’s teen charges to mail this one in.

But, despite spending most of regulation time down 1-0, Canada got its equalizer four minutes into stoppage time. TFC Academy’s Elias Roubos crossed the ball in for his club-and-country teammate, Jordan Hamilton, to head home.

Having finally clawed back into the game, the Canadians put themselves in a position where another comeback was needed. Sixteen minutes into extra time, Honduras’s Steven Ramos finished with his left foot to give the Central Americans the 2-1 lead.
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Three great moments from three great players: Hall of Famers Helland, Devos and Peschisolido

By
Steven Sandor
– 04/19/2013

Paul Peschisolido in 1997.

Paul Peschisolido in 1997.

When players I’ve covered over the years earn major awards, I don’t think about the stats they’ve accumulated over the courses of their careers. I think about the moments I remember the most vividly, the marks that these athletes made on my brain. It’s what makes sport so special, the connection between athlete and spectator.

And in the end, that’s what we in the sports journalism business are — spectators, albeit spectators who bring laptops to the games.

In the cases of Janine Helland, Jason DeVos and Paul Peschisolido, they were all part of moments that remain fresh in my mind. All three were named as inductees into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame on Friday.

In the case of Helland, the bio tells us that the University of Alberta grad played for Canada in two World Cups — in 1995 and 1999, and was twice considered for the Female Player of the Year award. But I remember a lot of chilly spring afternoons in 2004, talking with Helland after Aviators’ practices. She was the team’s head coach, and the team was an extension of the optimism about women’s soccer in Alberta after Edmonton nearly sold out Commonwealth Stadium for the 2002 U-19 final.
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Canada scores early, but can’t hang on against Panama in U-17 semi

By
Steven Sandor
– 04/18/2013

CONCAPANAMACanada took the lead before the five-minute mark, but couldn’t hang on in hostile territory.

Ervin Zorrilla’s 81st-minute goal gave Panama a 2-1 win over Canada in a CONCACAF U-17 Championship semifinal in front of a partisan home crowd at the Estadio Rommel Fernandez.

Canada’s goal of making it to the U-17 World Cup was achieved simply bu qualifying for the semifinal, but this crop of kids couldn’t repeat the feat of their predecessors — making it to the final of this tournament, that is.

Moving onto the bumpy grass pitch at the big stadium for the first time in the tournament, Canada actually looked more comfortable through the first 20 minutes than the home team did. And, before the game was five minutes old, the Canadians got a deserved lead. After a nice switch of play to the left wing, Matthew Chow laid in a perfect cross to Marco Bustos to head home.
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Take that, CSA: CSL announces 12-team first division, vows to kick off season May 3

By
Steven Sandor
– 04/15/2013

CSL-LOGO-e1305318993800-150x138The Canadian Soccer League has announced its plans to kick off first- and second-division play on May 3.

The league, which found out earlier this year that it was no longer being sanctioned by the Canadian Soccer Association, has taken its case to the dispute resolution body for sports in this country. The CSL stated in a release issued on Monday that a decision is expected by April 21.

The CSL continues to operate its outreach campaign by going from press release to press release, but isn’t addressing independent media questions. But, in today’s announcement, the league said it will have 12 teams in its pro division and 10 teams in the second division for the upcoming year. Since finding out it was no longer sanctioned, the league has taken a damn-the-torpedoes course and has promised to play its schedule. This new release shows the CSL is showing little sign of backing down.

From the CSL: “The new league formation introduces Burlington SC, which brings a team to the CSL from that Ontario community for the first time, while the academy teams of Toronto FC and Montreal Impact have moved the competition side of their player development programs elsewhere — TFC Academy will play in Ontario, while the Montreal Impact Academy will play in the United States.
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Canadians can expect Panamanian gamesmanship, even at the U-17 level

By
Steven Sandor
– 04/15/2013

PHOTO: Canada Soccer/MEXSPORT

PHOTO: Canada Soccer/MEXSPORT

It doesn’t matter if it’s men or boys on the pitch — when Panama is hosting an international soccer match, there’s going to be gamesmanship.

Canada faces the Panamanians in the semifinals of the CONCACAF U-17 championship on Wednesday. And, even though Canada clinched a berth in the U-17 World Cup with the 4-2 quarter-final win over Jamaica, coach Sean Fleming was clear that the team’s goal is to win the confederation championship.

“We let the boys enjoy it for 48 hours,” said Fleming in a conference call on Monday. “And today it’s back to work.”

But it won’t be easy. The semifinals will be staged at the national stadium, on grass — where a large crowd is expected to support the home side. Canada’s group-stage matches and quarter-final match was staged on an unpredictable artificial surface.

Will Canada get the chance to train on grass ahead of the game? No. Fleming said they’ve been allocated a turf field. Funny that no grass fields were available. And that’s a big thing: Anyone who has trained on turf in the heat knows that not only is it harder on the knees, but it reflects the heat in a way that grass doesn’t. If it’s hot outside, it’s even hotter on the turf.
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Canadians rally from two deficits and book their spot in U-17 World Cup

By
Steven Sandor
– 04/14/2013
Gordon_Andrew_D2012www

Andrew Gordon

For the second game in a row, a Canadian team faced adversity on Central American soil, And, unlike so many editions of Canadian national teams we’ve seen before, they rose to the occasion.

Canada fell behind twice to Jamaica in the quarterfinal of the CONCACAF U-17 Championship quarterfinal in Panama. And twice they came back — and then some. Final score, Canada 4, Jamaica 2 — and coach Sean Fleming’s crew wrapped up a spot in this year’s U-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

Late last week, Canada fell behind 1-0 to Costa Rica in its final group-stage match, but rallied with a late goal from Hanson Boakai to ensure the end of that match wouldn’t be a nervous one — and clinched the Group B title.

And Canada trailed to Jamaica, too. The quarter-final, the most important game of the tournament for the Canadians as it acted as a single-game World Cup qualifier, didn’t start off well for the boys in red. Jamaican striker Khalil Stewart got behind the backline and converted the chance, just five minutes after the kickoff.
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