Canada’s soccer community celebrates CBC’s Soccer Day in Canada this Saturday 20 June. The third annual event is aired live from four different locations across Canada – Bowmanville, ON, Stratford, PE, Medicine Hat, AB and Vancouver, BC.
The show airs from 12.00-18.00 ET (09.00-15.00 PT) and includes two live matches during the broadcast: the Impact de Montréal vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC match from Montréal (Stade Saputo) and the Spain vs. South Africa international match from the FIFA Confederations Cup South Africa 2009.
Clive Wilkinson has been inducted as a soccer coach and builder in the Sault Ste. Marie Sports Hall of Fame. Wilkinson is one of four 2009 inductees, joining alpine skier Brigitte Acton, swimmer Jessica Tuomela and boxer Steve Beaupre in the Class of 2009.
Wilkinson has been involved in soccer for more than 50 years. He has been an Ontario Soccer Association Coaching Instructor since 1978 and is the former president of the Sault Amateur Soccer Association. He is also the president and founding member of the Sault Soccer Coaches Association as well as chair of the Sault Ste. Marie Indoor Soccer Facility committee.
With Vancouver Whitecaps FC’s big win on Tuesday night, goalkeeper Jay Nolly set the Nutrilite Canadian Championship record for clean sheets in a season. Nolly posted his third consecutive clean sheet in the 2:0 victory over Toronto FC, pushing Vancouver into first place in the competition standings.
With but one match left in the championship, Vancouver must wait for the 18 June result between Toronto FC and the Impact de Montréal. Vancouver will win the championship if the Impact can hold Toronto FC to three goals or less. Toronto FC needs to win by four goals in difference to retake first place and win the championship.
Canada was the top points earner within CONCACAF this past month on the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Rankings. Canada gained 36 points and moved up six spots on the world ranking after a 1:0 victory over European opponent Cyprus on 30 May.
Canada remains the eighth-ranked CONCACAF country in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Rankings. Canada moved up to 83rd place on the world ranking and closed the gap behind Jamaica to just 26 points (Jamaica lost 24 points on the ranking). USA, Mexico and Honduras remain the top-three CONCACAF countries on the ranking.
Vancouver Whitecaps FC have put themselves in the driver’s seat in the effort to win the 2009 Nutrilite Canadian Championship. With a 2:0 victory over Toronto FC at Swangard Stadium in Vancouver – both goals scored by Ansu Toure – Vancouver jumped into first place in the Nutrilite Standings.
It may be a new rivalry on the Canadian sports landscape, but it hasn’t taken long to come to a boil. Canadian club pride will be on the line Tuesday night when Vancouver Whitecaps FC hosts Toronto FC on match day five of the Nutrilite Canadian Championship. The two sides will meet this 2 June at Swangard Stadium in a showdown that could determine the championship.
The 2009 Nutrilite Canadian Championship will be on the line Tuesday night in Vancouver, as Toronto FC need only a win or draw to clinch the Championship and move on to represent Canada in the CONCACAF Champions League. Meanwhile, Vancouver are facing a must-win situation and will then need help from the third team in the competition, Impact de Montréal, when Toronto visits Montréal on 18 June in the final match of the 2009 Championship. A full list of detailed tie-breaking criteria and possible scenarios are below.
Canada’s men’s national team completed a successful week in Larnaka, Cyprus, capped by a 1:0 victory on Saturday night against the host. Stephen Hart picked up the victory in his return as head coach while striker Simeon Jackson scored in his first appearance with the national team.
Coach Stephen Hart says the week “was about getting the relationships working right, letting the players understand what needs to be done when you play away from home, and what we needed to do offensively and defensively.”
Canada’s men’s national team had its final day of training today in advance of Saturday’s international friendly match against Cyprus. The 30 May match will be Canada’s first of the 2009 season – a 20.00 local kickoff at the Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium in Larnaka, Cyprus.
“They are a very good team (and) they have some very good individual players,” says coach Stephen Hart. “Italy had score very late to win their (recent) game (against Cyprus). Cyprus is still in a shout for FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, so they will take the game very serious.”