Teamtalk: New Teams Challenge CPSL Champions
by Winnipeg Fury

New teams challenge CPSL champions

by Andy Morris

15 August 2001 (TEAMtalk) -- Two expansion teams are homing in on first place in the CPSL, as defending champions Toronto Olympians look vulnerable.

Ottawa Wizards and Toronto Supra are well placed, with games in hand on the top team.

Olympians are under pressure to win their home game against Durham Flames on Wednesday to try and preserve the gap over the chasing teams.

Olympians were held to a 1-1 draw by Toronto Croatia in their last game at Birchmount Stadium. With the Wizards beating Glen Shields Sun Devils 3-1, it put the team from the capital just five points behind with four games in hand.

Ottawa look more like potential champions as the season goes on, earning their sixth victory in nine games with the win over Glen Shields.

Russell Shaw scored twice. Abraham Osman netted the other for his 11th of the season, and Gus Kouzmanis replied.

The previous day Glen Shields had been on the receiving end of another 3-1 scoreline, away to Montreal Dynamites. The Quebec team kept up their challenge for a high place with a fifth league win in nine attempts.

Leo Incollingo scored twice for the Dynamites, Karl Stephen adding the other and Kouzmanis on target for the visitors. Gerry Pean of Montreal and Agostino Vaglica plus coach David Benning of the Sun Devils were ejected from the game.

On the same day, Brampton Hitmen, another of the expansion teams, beat London City 3-2 for their first league win.

This weekend's action should go a long way towards proving who will be challenging at the end of the season.

Toronto Supra, four points behind Olympians with two games in hand, take on the Wizards at home on Saturday.

St. Catharines Roma Wolves, who gained a valuable point at Supra last weekend, have another difficult test at Olympians on Sunday. The Wolves currently lie second in the table, three points behind this weekend's opponents and having played a game more.

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