For the second year in a row, Toronto Olympians completed the 'double' of the League Championship and the League Cup. In Sunday's League Cup Final, the Olympians brushed aside the challenge of Toronto Croatia with a 3 - 0 win.
Olympians opened strongly but the heroics of Croatia goal-keeper, George Aczurra, kept them in the game. It wasn't until the 40th. minute that the Olympians found the net. After a quick throw-in from the right wing, Eddy Berdusco spotted Chris Handsor unmarked on the left side of the field - a quick pass to Handsor - a clean shot past the goal-keeper and Olympians had a 1 - 0 lead.
In the second half, two goals from Elvis Thomas in the 60th. and 65th. minutes made sure of the win for Olympians - their second League Cup Championship in a row in CPSL action. In both cases, Croatia failed to clear the ball from their penalty area and Elvis made no mistake from close in.
Elvis Thomas was named Olympians MVP of the game and George Aczurra, in goal, was named MVP of the game for Croatia.
With the League Championship and the League Cup now in the bag, Olympians are looking for the one trophy that eluded them last season - the Play-off Championship. The Play-off semi-finals are on Friday, October 1st. at Oshawa Civic Stadium. Glen Shields Sun Devils play Toronto Croatia at 7:00 p.m. followed by Toronto Olympians against London City at 9:00 p.m. The play-off final is on Saturday, October 2nd, kick-off 5:00 p.m., also at Oshawa Civic Stadium.
In the curtain raiser to Sunday's League Cup Final, the CPSL All-Stars played the CSA National Training Centre squad and picked up a 2 - 1 win. The CSA team was a mix of top young prospects along with National Team members, Dwayne DeRosario, Nevio Pizzolito and Carl Fletcher and players with A-League experience such as Toronto Lynx members, Marco Reda and Adrian Serioux.
It was Dwayne DeRosario who opened the scoring for the NTC squad with a goal direct from a free kick in the 14th. minute. From just outside the penalty area, DeRosario looked like he was going to blast the ball through the defensive wall but pulled up and chipped the ball over the wall and into the top corner of the net. However, just three minutes later, the CPSL All-Stars tied the game when Willy Guimarra also scored direct from a free kick. His kick was placed around the wall and just inside the post.
The game was not settled until the 80th. minute when Willy Guimarra found some space on the right wing, caught the goal-keeper out of position and chipped the ball over the keeper and into the net for the winning goal, his second of the game.