August 28, 2003 CPSL news from CPSL website
NEWS
OPEN CANADA CUP A WIDE OPEN AFFAIR
It’s hard to realize that Kanata Post, the men’s flagship team of the 4,300-player Kanata Soccer Club and heroes of the CPSL’s Open Canada Cup, is a second division team in the Ottawa-Carlton Soccer League.
This same team dominated the Coliseum Soccer League last year and was one of nine senior amateur teams to accept the CPSL’s invitation to join with the pros and bid for the $10,000 prize and Open Canada Cup trophy.
They have more than survived, and are the only amateurs to do so. Following three wins in the earlier rounds the team is just two games from winning it all and gets an opportunity to do just that this Labour Day holiday weekend when five teams meet at Cove Road, home of the London City Soccer Club.
That's the site of the final round battle in a wide open affair after Ottawa Wizards were taken out by a recent boardroom decision.
As a general rule, pro teams in Canada are loath to mix with the amateurs—it’s that David might beat Goliath thing that pro clubs dread and have avoided through the ages.
The thought that an amateur team might upset a pro team and the ensuing damage to image poses too much risk for most owners.
Kanata knocked out a strong Toronto Supra side, unbeaten in the CPSL’s regular league competition and the pride of Toronto’s west-end. Supra didn’t fall to pieces—in fact they have continued their winning ways, but the loss has certainly raised eyebrows.
It’s the reason Canada is one of the few countries without a total club championship. If we did, the winner would qualify for a place on the CONCACAF (North, Central America with the Caribbean) stage.
The CPSL’s experiment to hold an Open Canada Cup competition has worked well and Kanata, an amateur team close to Canada’s capital, joins four CPSL pro teams in the final weekend of a competition that started back in May and will culminate with the Open Canada Cup Final on Monday.
Fri. Aug 29, 8:30 pm: Cove Road: WILD CARD GAME:
London City vs Durham Flames
Sun. Aug 31, 5:30 pm: Cove Road: SEMI-FINAL:
St. Catharines Wolves vs Metro Lions
Sun. Aug 31, 8:30 pm: Cove Road: SEMI-FINAL:
Kanata vs London City or Durham Flames
Mon. Sep 1, 3:45 pm: Cove Road:
OPEN CANADA CUP FINAL
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