Ottawa Fury FC advances to semi-final round of Canadian Championship

Ottawa Fury FC have clinched their spot alongside Toronto FC, Montréal Impact FC, and Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the semi-final round of the 2018 Canadian Championship. […]

Ottawa Fury FC have clinched their spot alongside Toronto FC, Montréal Impact FC, and Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the semi-final round of the 2018 Canadian Championship. Ottawa won heir two-match series 2-0 over Blainville after back-to-back 1:0 victories in Laval and Ottawa. In the 27 June match, Ottawa captain Carl Haworth scored the lone goal while goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau and his backline posted the clean sheet.
 
Ottawa advance to the semi-final round to face Toronto FC in a two-match series on 18 and 25 July. The first match will be played in Ottawa on Wednesday 18 July with the return leg one week later in Toronto at BMO Field. Montréal faces Whitecaps in the other semi-final series, with the first leg in Montréal at Stade Saputo and the return leg in Vancouver at BC Place.
 
Toronto FC are the reigning Canadian champions, having qualified for 2018 Concacaf Champions League and becoming the second Canadian team in four years to reach the Grand Final. Toronto followed the success of Montréal who, in 2014-15, also reached the Concacaf Champions League Grand Final.
 
This marks the second year in a row that Ottawa Fury FC will face Toronto FC in the Canadian Championship semi-final round. In 2017, Ottawa won the opening leg 2:1 at TD Place before Toronto FC won the return leg 4:0 at BMO Field to clinch the total goals series 5-2.
 
In the opposite series, this marks the fifth time in the last eight years that Vancouver and Montréal have faced each other in either the semi-final or championship final. In 2017, Vancouver won the first leg 2:1 at BC Place, but then Montréal won the return leg 4:2 at Stade Saputo to clinch the series 5-4.
 
This year marks the 11th edition of the Canadian Championship. Beyond the semi-finals, the two-leg final will be played 8 and 15 August with the winner qualifying for the 2019 edition of Concacaf Champions League on the road to the FIFA Club World Cup.

 
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 0:1 Ottawa Fury FC
2018-06-27 – Ottawa Fury FC 1:0 AS Blainville – 19.30 ET / 16.30 PT
 
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)