Manitoba Cup
Winnipeg’s NKMB Saints FC won their first Manitoba Cup men’s provincial championship on Saturday as they qualified for the 2025 National Championships in St. John’s, Newfoundland & Labrador. The North Kildonan squad scored one in each half as they won 2:1 over 10-men Winnipeg Lucania FC.
Abdul Suleiman and Segun Akinshipe were the goalscorers for the winners before Rinor Hoxha scored late for Lucania FC. Suleiman scored on play from Rodion Kichimov while Akinshipe scored on a pass from Sina Barazandeh.
In the Saturday provincial final, NKMB Saints FC’s starting XI featured Evan Barker in goal, Aly Mostafa, Yahia Chihab and Reginald Jean-Paul as central defenders, Noah Mekonnen and Sahand Barazandeh out wide with Rodion Kichimov and Temi Oshode as central midfielders, Abdul Suleiman and Mohammed Bouhaddou as wingers, and Segun Akinshipe up top as the striker. In the second half, coach Karl Martens also featured Ibrahim Bezzahou, Cherno Diallo, Sina Barazandeh, and Ismail Karim. The team also has Daniel Ajeibi (injured), André Baires (injured), Osama Alali, Ali Bakhtiari, Sam Barazandeh, and Adrian de Klein.
Coach Martens said that Saturday’s achievement was 25 years in the making led by club owner Bruce Ulrich. The club previously reached the men’s provincial final in 2023, but lost that final to FC Winnipeg Lions.
Canada Soccer’s National Championships serve as the pinnacle event to the 2025 season, bringing together the best amateur clubs from across the country. The 2025 edition will be played in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador from 8 to 13 October with 10 men’s teams playing for the Challenge Trophy and eight women’s teams playing for the Jubilee Trophy.
The 18 qualified teams for the 2025 National Championships qualify through their respective provincial league and cup competitions that run from September 2024 through September 2025. This year marks the 101st edition of the Challenge Trophy competition and the 42nd edition of the Jubilee Trophy competition.
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