Hellas SC repeats as provincial champions
August 15th, 2009
Hellas SC is returning to the BMO National Championships Challenge Trophy competition after winning the MSA Cup on Saturday. Hellas SC won 1:0 after extra time over Lucania. Hellas SC is back-to-back MSA Cup champions.
The championship goal was scored early in the second frame of extra time. The goal was in fact recorded as a Lucania own goal, although Hellas SC’s Vinny Ferlaino was the man responsible for applying the pressure and panic on the Lucania defence. Ferlaino was named most valuable player.
'The pressure was just enough for us to score the goal,' said Hellas SC coach Kostas Vailas. On the play, it was Tom Foderaro who crossed the ball into the Lucania box.
Hellas SC reached the final after winning 4:0 over Winnipeg Juventus in the semi-final stage on 13 August. Lucania SC, meanwhile, won 2:1 over Sons of Italy.
In the final, Hellas SC’s starting XI featured goalkeeper Dylan O’Connor, defenders Billy Economou, Dimitri Ifandis, Edin Kurbegovic and Tim Mullen, midfielders Foderaro, Jordan Goetting, Jorge Mendez, Trevor Perrault and Yiannis Tsalatsidis and forward Andy Giesbrecht. Ferlaino was one of the substitutes used in the match.
'We were much better looking than Lucania in the first half,' said coach Vailas. 'After some injuries we made substitutions for the second half and the game was more balanced.'
Last year, Hellas SC finished in eighth place at the BMO National Championships in St. John’s, NL. Fourteen players from last year’s squad were still on this year’s roster for the Manitoba Cup final.
Also of note, there are two Challenge Trophy winners on Hellas SC’s roster. Mullen won the 2001 Challenge Trophy with Halifax King of Donair, helping that team become the first Nova Scotia club to win the senior championship. Goetting, meanwhile, won the 2000 Challenge Trophy with Lucania in Saskatoon, which in fact marks the last time the competition was held in Saskatchewan.
Article courtesy of canadasoccer.com.
South End United repeats as provincial champions
August 8th, 2009
South End United qualified for the 2009 BMO National Championships with a 2:1 win in the Manitoba Cup final. South End United is the second club to qualify for the Jubilee Trophy competition which will be held in Saskatoon, SK this 7-12 October. South End United won 2:1 over Jabronis in the final at Norm Konowalchuk Stadium in Winnipeg.
South End United reached the final after winning its quarter-final and semi-final matches in the week-long women’s provincial competition. South End United won 7:0 over Classics in the quarter-final and then won 6-5 on penalties after an 0:0 draw with Winnipeg Sweat Shack. Teenager Brooklyn Dyce scored four goals in the big win over Classics.
In the final, Caley Miskimmin scored the opening goal midway through the first half. Catherine Duguay then made it 2-0 for South End United. Jabronis, who went down to 10 players, got one back on a goal by Kaley Beach. That was as close as Jabronis would come, however, as South End United captured its second-consecutive provincial championship.
Lewis’s starting XI featured Ashley Forbes in goal, Dana Baker, Meagan Smith, Carrie Nash and Jennifer Campbell on defence, Kathryn Ateah, Patricia Romeo and Desiree Scott at midfield, and Caley Miskimmin, Catherine Duguay and Karli Colpitts up front. Defender Carrie Nash was named player of the game.
South End United is making its second-straight trip to the BMO National Championships under head coach Chris Lewis, who took charge of the club in 2008. South End United should have plenty of experience as 12 of the team’s 16 players were there last year when the team finished seventh in the Jubilee Trophy competition in St. John’s, NL. In fact, six of those 12 players also previously competed in the BMO National Championships as members of Winnipeg Sweat Shack (in 2007 or in both 2007 and 2006).
Article courtesy of canadasoccer.com.