Battle of the North continues with 2018 Canadian Championship Semi-Final Round

Ottawa Fury FC are hoping third time’s the charm in the Semi-Final Round of the Canadian Championship. Up against the reigning Canadian champions for the third year in a row, Ottawa Fury are primed to win their two-match knock-out series against their Ontario rivals.
 
After advancing from the 2018 Canadian Championship Qualifying Round, Ottawa Fury FC will host Toronto FC in the first leg on Wednesday 18 July at 19.30 local. At the same time, Impact de Montréal will host Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the other Semi-Final Round.
 
Both Canadian Championship matches will be carried LIVE on CanadaSoccer.com and Yahoo Sports Canada (19.30 ET / 16.30 PT). The Ottawa-Toronto match will be played at TD Place in Ottawa while the Montréal-Vancouver match will be played at Stade Saputo in Montréal.
 
Ottawa Fury FC, who defeated AS Blainville in the Second Qualifying Round, will look to capitalize on their history in the competition as they face the defending Canadian Championship winners. The Fury defeated Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2:1 in their inaugural 2016 Canadian Championship Semi-Final match at home and followed up with a 2:0 victory in last year’s Canadian Championship Semi-Final Round first leg. Toronto FC enter the competition as tournament Champions after last year’s memorable treble-winning season ended in penalty kicks in the 2018 Concacaf Champions League Final.
 
Montréal host the other Semi-Final Round first leg in a rematch with Whitecaps FC. After earning their place in last year’s Canadian Championship Final Round, the Impact seek a return to Concacaf Champions League play after their historic run to the Final in 2015 that saw 61,004 fans attend the second leg at Montréal’s Stade Olympique. Vancouver are also seeking a return to Champions League play as they work to earn their second Canadian Championship title after hoisting the Voyageurs Cup in 2015.
 
Canadian Content rules stipulating the inclusion of a minimum of three Canadian starters in each match have been in place since 2017. To date, the 2018 Canadian Championship has seen 30 Canadian players earn at least one start across the four matches.
 
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
AS Blainville advance 3:1 on aggregate.
 
2QR – Second Qualifying Round
 
2018-06-20 – AS Blainville 0:1 Ottawa Fury FC
2018-06-27 – Ottawa Fury FC 1:0 AS Blainville
Ottawa Fury FC advance 2:0 on aggregate
 
SF – Semi-Final Round
 
2018-07-18 – Ottawa Fury FC 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 Ottawa Fury FC – 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).