BC Soccer News, Tuesday, May 23, 2017

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC & MLS NEWS

2017 CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIP SEMIFINAL

 VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC  vs.  MONTREAL IMPACT

1ST LEG

TUESDAY, MAY 23, 2017, 7:00 PM

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BC PLACE, VANCOUVER, BC

TV: TSN 1   RADIO: TSN 1410   ONLINE: TSN GO

MLS PHOTOS: Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2, Sporting Kansas City 0, May 20, 2017 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive Photos for BC Soccer Web by Richard Howes

Whitecaps FC begin quest for second Voyageurs Cup versus Montreal Impact on Tuesday – Whitecaps FC
Vancouver Whitecaps FC are set to begin their run in the 10th edition of the Canadian Championship as they host Montreal Impact in the semifinal first leg on Tuesday, May 23 at BC Place at 7 p.m. PT.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. Montreal Impact | 2017 Can. Champ. Match Preview – MLS
The future of the Canadian National Team could be on display if prodigious midfielders Ballou Jean-Yves Tabla and Alphonso Davies tangle during Tuesday night’s Canadian Championship semifinal first leg between the Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps FC.

Canadian quota no challenge for the Whitecaps – The Province
There was a time when being forced to play Canadians might have been a problem for the Whitecaps.

Whitecaps FC name 23-man roster for Tuesday’s Canadian Championship semifinal – Whitecaps FC
Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced on Monday the 23-man roster for the 2017 Canadian Championship semifinal first leg on Tuesday night against Montreal Impact at BC Place (7 p.m. PT on TSN, TSN Radio 1040).

Impact, Whitecaps set to renew Voyageurs Cup rivalry – Red Nation Online
It’s going to be an old school west coast vs east coast battle in the Amway Canadian Cup semifinals on Tuesday night at B.C. Place. Mauro Biello and the Montreal Impact will look to get a first leg up on Carl Robinson and Vancouver Whitecaps FC.

Can Toronto FC repeat as Canadian club champions? – Sportsnet
The Canadian Club Championship shifts into high gear this week with the first leg of the semifinals.

Absence makes the ‘Caps grow stronger as they see off Western Conference leaders in return to BC Place – AFTN
Vancouver Whitecaps recent four game road stretch seems to have done them the world of good. They finally returned to BC Place to face the Western Conference leading Sporting Kansas City, in a match that was sure to test whether their recent good form was the start of something very promising.

Episode 196 – The AFTN Soccer Show (Win Peaks featuring Tim Parker) – AFTN
The boys are back in town. Well men, but Thin Lizzy didn’t sing that. And it was a case of men against boys for much of Saturday’s match at BC Place as Vancouver Whitecaps came away with a 2-0 victory over the Western Conference leading Sporting Kansas City.

Whitecaps see chance to “make a deep run” as chemistry, consistency grows – MLS
Consistency is the name of the game for Vancouver Whitecaps FC right now, and it’s no coincidence that it’s reaping results.

Travis Selje’s family blown away by Whitecaps fan tribute – The Province
Saturday’s tribute to deceased youth soccer player Travis during the Whitecaps game was “beautiful and difficult at the same time,” says his uncle Markus Selje.

Beyond the Lens – Decision Time – Eighty-Six Forever
Voyageurs Cup aka Amway Canadian Championship for the Voyageurs Cup or something or like that. Anyway, a 5 team tournament to decide who gets Canada’s spot in the 2018 Champions League, which starts in February. A change in format for the CONCACAF Champions League sees the group stage eliminated, thus saving (if you want to call it that) matches like last season’s Group C finale when Central FC traveled to Children’s Mercy Park in late October.

Game of two halves for Schrödinger’s Caps – Soccer Shorts
There aren’t really any “must win” games at this stage of the Major League Soccer season but the Vancouver Whitecaps home game to Sporting Kansas City at least felt like an “it would be really, really, nice to win” game.

MLS Weekend Rewind: Week 12 – SBI
The weekend action in Week 12 produced a good amount of blowouts, but there were a few close affairs across North America as well.

For Kljestan, Good Vibes and a ‘Fair Result’ – Empire of Soccer
New York Red Bulls captain Sacha Kljestan wasn’t completely satisfied with his team’s 1-1 draw against visiting Toronto on Friday night, but he knows the team made some positive strides.

Koffie “fit like a glove” in return to Revolution midfield – SBI
After six successful seasons in MLS, defensive midfielder Gershon Koffie tried his luck in Europe and latched on with Swedish side Hammarby IF over the offseason, signing a three-year contract in what he hoped was the next step in his professional career.

MLS Injuries: Galaxy’s Husidic breaks leg – Soccer America
LA Galaxy midfielder Baggio Husidic broke his leg in the first half of Sunday’s 2-1 victory at Minnesota United. His injury followed the foot injury suffered by Sebastian Lletget in March and knee injury Jermaine Jones suffered two weeks ago.

Timbers on the skids: Is the bloom off the Rose City? – MLS
Is the bloom off the Rose City?  The Portland Timbers came out of the 2017 gate at a furious pace, racking up a league-high 16 goals in their first six matches and losing just once over that span.

Third Time’s a Charm for New York City FC – Empire of Soccer
New York City FC and its fans will return home from Orlando with three points and no purple seats.

Ottawa Fury vs. Toronto FC | 2017 Canadian Championship Match Preview – MLS
Toronto FC forward Raheem Edwards is the embodiment of a young player who can use an opportunity in the Canadian Championship to turn heads and make inroads.

Ottawa Fury vs Toronto FC preview: Reds’ young guns begin defence of Canadian Championship – Waking the Red
Toronto FC head to the nation’s capital on Tuesday for their first clash with the USL’s Ottawa Fury. The Reds are looking to retain the Voyageurs Cup after winning it in dramatic fashion last year against Vancouver. If they do so, they’ll avoid an annoying play-in game for the 2018 CONCACAF Champions League, and qualify directly as Canada’s entrants.

No fear in Fury facing Toronto FC – Ottawa Sun
Tuesday night’s Canadian Championship semifinal match against MLS side Toronto FC is huge. In the first leg of a two-game series, Fury FC hopes to give the five-time Canadian champions and the current holders of the Voyageurs Cup all they can handle.

MLS: where the standing fan is fast becoming king – The Guardian
Los Angeles FC are the latest team to announce standing areas for their fans, and it is a trend supporters on the other side of the Atlantic will note.

3v3 Live Soccer Tour Comes to Canada

BC SOCCER NEWS

BC PROVINCIAL MEN’S A CUP PHOTOS: Club Inter 2 Aldergrove United 0, May 14, 2017 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive photos for BC Soccer Web by Monique Lamoureux.

BC PROVINCIAL WOMEN’S A CUP PHOTOS: Surrey United 1 NSGSC Renegades 0, May 13, 2017 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.

Elmes feels “the bond just got stronger” within TSS Rovers after securing first ever PDL victory – AFTN
It was always going to be a season of firsts for TSS Rovers in their inaugural year in the PDL, but Friday night’s 2-1 win over Calgary Foothills was a special one.

U-14 Residency team head to Sweden to face FC Barcelona and other top academies – Whitecaps FC
Whitecaps FC U-14 Residency are embarking on the biggest trip of their season as they get set to play in the Lennart Johansson Academy Trophy tournament in Stockholm, Sweden. This will be the final competition for the team before they disperse for their summer break, where the boys will be expected to stay in game shape and come back in August ready to build on the year that was.

U-18 and U-16 Residency sides earn 4-0 wins over Timbers Academy – Whitecaps FC
Vancouver Whitecaps FC U-18 and U-16 teams hosted rivals Portland Timbers Academy in their second-to-last regular season matches on Saturday, continuing to gain momentum for the Academy Playoffs.

Mid Isle FC transitions to summer soccer – Ladysmith Chronicle
The Mid Isle Mariners start their Pacific Coast Soccer League season next week.

Fighting Saints still on the march – North Shore News
It’s been a long road, but for the first time ever the St. Thomas Aquinas senior girls soccer team is heading to provincials. STA clinched a spot in this year’s provincial AA championships after defeating Howe Sound Secondary 2-0 Wednesday in a playoff match at Windsor Secondary.

Hopes for blow-up soccer dome in 2017 deflated – Kelowna Daily Courier
Stoppage time will be needed to choose a location for West Kelowna’s new indoor soccer pitch. Evaluating the pros and cons of possible sites will take a lot longer than was originally hoped, city council will hear Tuesday.

PDL PHOTOS: TSS Rovers 2 Lane Utd. 2, May 12, 2017 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.

2017 BC Soccer Adult Provincial Championships – BCSA
The Road to Burnaby continues! Complete brackets and results from the weekend’s games in the BC Provincial Cups.

3V3 LIVE NATIONAL SOCCER TOUR COMES TO ABBOTSFORD – 3v3 Live Canada
3v3 Live Soccer Tour and Holbrook Sports Management are excited to announce the expansion of the 3v3 Live Soccer Tour into the Canadian soccer market.  With the first event previously announced to take place on the August 19/20 weekend in Surrey, BC, the 3v3 Soccer Tour will expand to Abbotsford, BC, on August 20 and will include men’s and women’s open divisions.

2017 VISL JACKSON CUP PHOTOS: Nanaimo Utd. 2 Cowichan LMG 1 (XT), April 2, 2017 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive Photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.

FVSL PHOTOS: Pakenham Cup Final, PMO Rangers 1 PMO Lordco Gunners 0, April 1, 2017 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive Photos for BC Soccer Web by Richard Howes.

REVIEW: The Miracle Mile. Stories of the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games – BC BookLook
Author Jason Beck is curator of the BC Sports Hall of Fame in BC Place Stadium, Vancouver, and convenor two years ago of an excellent exhibition about the 1954 Games. In his first book, he proves to be a meticulous researcher, a compelling story-teller, and a crafty realist who knows how to hook his readers. Watch how, two pages into the book, he uses filmic technique to evoke the arriving athletes’ youthful buzz and give period colouring and costuming, but then smartly moves his camera in to introduce his stars.

TSS Rovers launch website & 2017 Season Ticket Campaign – TSS Rovers
TSS FC Rovers play their inaugural season in the PDL at iconic Swangard Stadium. Season Tickets are $70 for Adults, $49 for U12 Youth.

Becoming a BC Soccer Referee – BCSA
Whether you are an experienced referee new to British Columbia or if you are new to the discipline of refereeing BC Soccer Assoc. has a clinic and a pathway for you.  The minimum age to become a referee is 12 years old (small sided) and 14 years old (11-a-side). Please enjoy the short video showcasing some Referee programs that BC Soccer offers and continue below for more on how to become a referee in BC!

To our Readers: A Choice – BC Soccer Web
Soccer has brought us to the United States many times. It’s a great place with decent people. We especially look forward to our Cascadia trips to Seattle and Portland. They’re incredible cities with wonderful supporters. That’s why it was so disheartening to see chaos and fear take hold in the airports and borders of our neighbours to the south.

Victoria Highlanders 2017 Season Passes now on sale – Highlanders FC
Support local soccer on Vancouver Island. Join the excitement of Highlanders FC PDL Soccer!

PHOTOS: CANADA WEST WOMENS FINAL, UBC 3, TWU 0, NOVEMBER 6, 2016 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.

Free Physiotherapy Clinical Trial for Achilles Pain at UBC – UBC Centre for Hip Health & Mobility
Do you have Achilles pain? Interested in free Physiotherapy? If yes, join our clinical trial to look at the effectiveness of intramuscular stimulation (IMS), a form of acupuncture therapy, in treating Achilles tendon pain.

The BC Soccer Web Guide to Empire Field – BC Soccer Web
Empire Fields and Plateau Sports Park is the lofty and formal name given to Vancouver’s newest addition to the soccer scene. Yet, anyone who’s ever kicked or carried both kinds of footballs around these parts knows the place by heart.

Introducing BC Soccer Web Syndication – BC Soccer Web
You can now add BC Soccer Web news to your website simply by adding our new RSS Feed! Find out more.

Send your Soccer News to BC Soccer Web! – BC Soccer Web
BC Soccer Web is the hub for soccer in British Columbia. We want to share your soccer news with the entire province, and you can help by letting us know! We want your match reports, club news, league standings, and info on upcoming tournaments and clinics. Whether you submit links to existing news on the web, or your own original writing, we want to share it with the soccer community in B.C.

 Premium Classified Advertising on BC Soccer Web Starting at 50 cents per day!

CANADA SOCCER NEWS

CanPL cannot fall victim to “culture of free” which pervades Canadian soccer – the11.ca
CanPL is only as good as the fans who are willing to support it, not just with our voices, but with our cash and credit cards.

Canada Soccer U-15 Showcase a success for Men’s National Team Program – CSA
Canada Soccer’s future stars were on display this week as more than 100 young players from across the country were in Toronto. The Men’s National Team Program had the opportunity to watch and engage with young prospects taking part in the third annual Canada Soccer U-15 Showcase.

Wondergoal sees Foothills knock off Sounders – Calgary Herald
Usually, one play doesn’t define an entire game. Ali Musse’s wondergoal for Calgary Foothills FC on Sunday evening, though, was an exception.

Saskatoon soccer players represent heritage in annual World Cup tournament – Star-Phoenix
Saskatoon soccer players sported jerseys from their heritage in the eighth annual World Cup tournament over the May long weekend.

Connaught Series: picking playoff heroes for 24 national championships – CSA
The Connaught Series was Canada’s national competition from 1913 to 1939, crowning 16 different winners over the course of 24 championships. With the 2017 launch of the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame and in celebration of Canada’s 150th anniversary, Canada Soccer has gone back into its records and identified the would-be playoff hero from all 24 championships.

Register for the Western Canada College ID Camp at Shawnigan Lake

UNITED SOCCER LEAGUE

WFC2  vs.  REAL MONARCHS SLC

SUNDAY, MAY 28, 2017, 3:00 PM

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McLEOD ATHLETIC PARK, LANGLEY, BC

LIVESTREAM: WHITECAPSFC2.COM

Match Recap: Fury FC -v- New York Red Bulls II – Ottawa Fury
It was the highest scoring game in club history Saturday afternoon in New Jersey and thanks to a pair of goals in the final three minutes, Fury FC claimed a 4-3 win over New York Red Bulls II.

Rest and Recovery for Eddies comes at pivotal point ahead of Indy clash – FC Edmonton
After a tough spell of five matches in 15 days, FC Edmonton continues to recharge with an off-week ahead of the Indy Eleven’s visit to Clarke Stadium on Saturday, May 27.

USL Rewind: Rowdies, Battery keep battling atop East; SLC, San Antonio shine in West – SBI
The ninth week of USL action saw the Real Monarchs and San Antonio FC continue to rule the roost in the Western Conference. The Charleston Battery and Tampa Bay Rowdies also kept their dogfight atop the East going strong. Reno 1868 got themselves another blowout win and a wild finish in New York gave Ottawa Fury FC a massive win over an MLS reserve side.

NASL Rewind: Miami rolls on with road win – Soccer America
Miami FC won its fourth straight game, 2-0, at Indy Eleven. Week 9’s other two games were also won by the visitors: North Carolina won, 2-1, at Puerto Rico, whose coach was fired last week, and Jacksonville beat San Francisco, 3-0.

FCC Weathers Steel FC in Front of 18,441 – USL
FC Cincinnati’s new signing found the scoring output he has been longing for. Danni Konig, who was recently acquired in a trade with OKC Energy FC, scored his first two goals to lead Cincinnati to a 2-1 victory on Saturday in front of a crowd of 18,441 at Nippert Stadium.

USL’s ambitious efforts paying off with rapid growth, ‘great ownership’  – LA Times
Since its first season in 2011, USL has doubled in size to 30 teams – making it the world’s largest tier-two league – by adding franchises in 13 states and two Canadian provinces. Fresno, Las Vegas and Nashville will join next season with Birmingham and up to eight additional clubs being added by 2020.

Reign FC entertain the Pride in Seattle – Prost Amerika
Orlando stepped onto the Memorial Stadium Pitch in Seattle on Sunday night to take on the home Reign FC. Seattle was coming off a 6 goal performance a week earlier against Washington Spirit and had scored 11 goals in the two previous home matches.

NWSL Rewind: Spirit’s struggles continue in Pugh debut – Soccer America
Mallory Pugh made her debut for the Washington Spirit in front of a hometown crowd of 3,714 fans, but the last-place Spirit fell, 1-0, to visiting FC Kansas City, dropping to 1-4-1.

NWSL: Julie King Hopes to Lead Boston to New Success – MLS Multiplex
Julie King has been with the Boston Breakers for all 5 seasons in NWSL. After a solid start, the captain could be leading the team to their most successful year in the league.

The greatness of NWSL internationals continues to be underappreciated – Four Four Two
If Sam Kerr and Nahomi Kawasumi were American, we would have heard a lot more about their huge weeks.

Carli Lloyd banned three games for Manchester City after elbow – ESPN W.
U.S. national team star Carli Lloyd has been suspended for three Manchester City games after getting a red card for elbowing an opponent in the head.

Hibs make it two in a row with SWPL Cup victory – Scottish WPL
Hibs Ladies took the SWPL Cup trophy back to Edinburgh for the second season in a row after a dominant performance against Celtic.

How one Portuguese women’s soccer club amassed a cult following in its first season – Excelle Sports
If you think Americans are the craziest about women’s professional soccer, you obviously haven’t been to Lisbon, Portugal. The capital city’s home club, the Sporting CP Lionesses, has made tens of thousands of fans roar across Portugal while breaking attendance records in women’s soccer clubs across the continent.

Sport to conduct security reviews after Manchester attack – BBC Sport
Sporting events and venues in England are conducting major security reviews after 22 people were killed in an attack at Manchester Arena.

Manchester clubs release statements after terror attack – NBC Sports
Both Manchester United and Manchester City released statements on Tuesday as a suicide bomber struck Manchester Arena late on Monday, killing 22 and injuring 59 as families and young children walked out of an Ariana Grande concert.

As seasons end around Europe, talk moves from titles to farewells, transfer market – SI.com
Titles, Champions League places, farewells and eyes to the future were on the docket around Europe, as a number of league seasons came to a close.

Arsenal left out of Champions League with Wenger in limbo – Toronto Star
Liverpool, Man City get final two spots to play in Europe next season; missing out might prompt Arsenal to change its manager.

Nonstop celebrations for Madrid after winning league title – Winnipeg Free Press
Real Madrid’s title celebrations show no sign of abating. The Spanish champions celebrated through the night after winning their 33rd league title on Sunday, and continued the festivities on Monday by meeting with local officials and fans at some of the city’s iconic sites.

Juventus wins Serie A for sixth season in a row – Toronto Star
Forward thinking — specifically Massimiliano Allegri having the brass to play four up front — integral in the Bianconeri having a historic season.

How Tigres and Chivas landed in the Liga MX final as Clausura playoffs wrap up – Fox Soccer
The Liga MX final is set: Chivas Guadalajara and Tigres UANL will face off to be named the Liga MX Clausura champion. So how did each team get to the final?

Ajax danger man Dolberg on the United final – UEFA
“It’s hard to predict what’s going to happen next but I’m sure it’s going to be great,” Ajax’s 19-year-old striker Kasper Dolberg told UEFA.com as he looked forward to facing Manchester United.

Week 38 review: Monaco seal superb season – Ligue 1
AS Monaco capped their campaign with a 12th-straight win on the final day of the season, while Marseille fended off Bordeaux for a Europa League berth. Lorient are in the play-offs, while Bastia and Nancy were relegated.

Bundesliga appoints Bibiana Steinhaus as first female referee – BBC Sport
Bibiana Steinhaus will become the first female to referee in the Bundesliga. The 38-year-old police officer has been named as one of four new referees in Germany’s top flight for 2017-18.

Manager David Moyes resigns from Sunderland after relegation – Sportsnet
David Moyes quit as Sunderland manager on Monday following relegation from the English Premier League, having failed to revive a reputation damaged so badly at Manchester United.

This retired cabbie might be Man United’s most devoted fanatic – ESPN FC
This season-ticket holder has not missed a first-team home match at Old Trafford since December 1974 against Leyton Orient, when United were still in the old second division. That’s 1,190 consecutive home games.