Winnipeg Hellas SC wins 2022 Manitoba Soccer men’s provincial championship

Hellas SC won their third Manitoba Soccer men’s provincial championship on Saturday after they beat city rivals FC Winnipeg Lions 3-0 on kicks from the penalty mark in the 2022 final. The two sides were even 1-1 after 90 minutes and even 2-2 after 120 minutes, but then Joseph Cannizzaro, Joey Pagano and David Krowiak scored from the penalty spot while goalkeeper Waldemar Friebus saved two attempts. With the provincial win, the former national champions Hellas SC qualified for Canada Soccer’s 2022 Toyota National Championships.

Krzysztof Szulc opened the scoring in the 55th minute for FC Winnipeg Lions, but then Matteo De Luca equalised for Hellas SC in the 82nd minute. In extra time, De Luca made it 2-1 in the 103rd minute, but then Stuart Hodges equalised for FC Winnipeg Lions in the 118th minute.

In the Saturday final, player-coach Edin Kurbegovic started Fribus in goal, Dimitri Ifantis at right back, Alex Haiart and Seidu Mohammed at centre back, Cannizzaro at left back, Tom Fodero, Paul Olowe and Krishaal Sugumaran at midfielder, Nathan Douglas and Dylan Sacramento on the wings, and Pagaro up front. De Luca, Kurbegovic, Krowiak, Francesco Ferlaino and Sam Larson featured as substitutes while Sandor Lopez, Gavin VanHeer, Gaetan Infantino and Jake Martin dressed but did not feature.

Hellas SC previously won the Manitoba Soccer men’s provincial championship in 2008 and 2009, notably winning Canada Soccer’s National Championships in 2009 when they beat Royal-Sélect Beauport in Saskatoon. They’ve also finished as Manitoba runners up four times (2003, 2006, 2012, 2016), notably losing twice on kicks to FC Winnipeg Lions (2012 and 2016). From 2012 to 2019 before the global pandemic, FC Lions were seven-time provincial winners in an eight-year span.

The 23 July 2022 Manitoba Soccer final, played at the Ralph Cantafio Soccer Complex in Winnipeg, was the first provincial final since the global pandemic canceled events in 2020 and 2021.