AS Blainville advance to face Ottawa Fury FC in 2018 Canadian Championship

Diyaeddine Abzi scored a first half added time goal to secure a 1:0 (3:1) First Qualifying Round victory for AS Blainville at the Ontario Soccer Centre in Vaughan, ON on 13 June. After a 2:1 win at home in an exciting first leg on 6 June, AS Blainville move onto the Second Qualifying Round of the 2018 Canadian Championship against Ottawa Fury FC. The opening match kicks off at 19.30 ET on 20 June in Quebec live on mycujoo.tv/canada-soccer. 

The 6 June match in Laval was the first-ever Canadian Championship match featuring champions from the Première ligue de soccer du Québec and League1 Ontario. The opening match of the 2018 Canadian Championship featured 24 Canadians amongst the starters and substitutes.
 
2017 Canadian Championship winners Toronto FC became the second Canadian Championship winner in four years to make it to the Concacaf Champions League Final in 2018. In 2014-15, Montréal Impact made it through to the Grand Final with the last match the highest-attended in-stadia sporting event in Canada that year.
 
In 2018, Toronto FC will travel to meet the Qualifying Rounds winner in the opening leg of the Semi-final round, while Montréal will host Vancouver Whitecaps FC to open the other Semi-final. Both games kick off at 19.30 local on Wednesday 18 July with the second legs scheduled one week later on 25 July. 
 
The Voyageurs Cup will be presented on 15 August along with the George Gross Memorial Trophy to the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
 
2018 Canadian Championship Schedule (home team listed first)
 
1QR – First Qualifying Round
 
2018-06-06 – AS Blainville 2:1 Oakville Blue Devils
2018-06-13 – Oakville Blue Devils 0:1 AS Blainville
 
2QR – Second Qualifying Round
 
2018-06-20 – AS Blainville v Ottawa Fury FC – 19.30 ET / 16.30 PT
2018-06-27 – Ottawa Fury FC v AS Blainville – 19.30 ET / 16.30 PT
 
SF – Semi-Final Round
 
2018-07-18 – 2QR (Winner/Gagnant) v Toronto FC – 19.30 ET / 16.30 PT 
2018-07-18 – Impact de Montréal v Vancouver Whitecaps FC – 19.30 ET / 16.30 PT
2018-07-25 – Toronto FC v 2QR (Winner/Gagnant) – 19.30 ET / 16.30 PT
2018-07-25 – Vancouver Whitecaps FC v Impact de Montréal – 22.00 ET / 19.00 PT
 
Final Round
2018-08-08 – SF (Winner/Gagnant) v SF (Winner/Gagnant)
2018-08-15 – SF (Winner/Gagnant) v SF (Winner/Gagnant)
 
About the Canadian Championship

• The Canadian Championship is Canada Soccer’s highest domestic professional soccer competition and it is the sole qualification route for Canadian professional clubs into Concacaf Champions League and onto the FIFA Club World Cup
• The current champions are Toronto FC who have won the tournament six times
• Canadian content is a focus of the content and since 2017 competition regulations state that each team must field a minimum of three Canadian starters for each match
• The Voyageurs Cup has been awarded to the Canadian Championship winner since 2008; created by the Voyageurs Canadian Supporters group, the trophy represents Canadian fans’ commitment to the game in our country
• The George Gross Memorial Trophy recognizes the Canadian Championship’s most valuable player, with Sebastian Giovinco the reigning winner in 2017; the award is named after the late George Gross, an honoured member of the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame
• In 2018, the competition will feature six clubs from four different leagues: Vancouver Whitecaps FC, Toronto FC and Impact de Montréal from Major League Soccer (all earn automatic berths to the Semi-finals); Ottawa Fury FC from the United Soccer Leagues (who enter in the Second Qualifying Round); Oakville Blue Devils from League1 Ontario (who enter in the First Qualifying Round); and AS Blainville from the Première ligue de soccer du Québec (who also enter in the First Qualifying Round)
• Since 2008, three Canadian winners have reached the Quarter-final stage or further in Concacaf Champions League: Toronto FC twice (Semi-finals in 2011-12 and Grand Final in 2018); Impact de Montréal twice (Quarter-finals in 2008-09 and Grand Final in 2014-15); and Vancouver Whitecaps FC (Semi-finals in 2016-17)