Mirror-Guardian: Supra Out of Canada Cup
Supra out of Canada Cup
PRO SOCCER
SAM LASKARIS More from this author
Aug. 6, 2003
The Toronto Supra are still undefeated in regular season action but there is one trophy the Etobicoke-based Canadian Professional Soccer League team will not win this season.
The Supra were blanked 1-0 on Monday by Kanata in a third-round game of the Open Canada Cup. That match was held in Vaughan.
The season-long tournament features all 13 CPSL clubs as well as any other senior teams from Ontario or Quebec wishing to participate.
A total of nine senior squads, including Kanata, accepted the challenge to take part in the Open Canada Cup, which consists of a single-game knockout.
With Monday's upset victory, Kanata has advanced to the semifinal round along with the Ottawa Wizards, Scarborough-based Metro Lions and Durham Flames from Oshawa.
The semifinals are scheduled for Aug. 29 while the final is set for Sept. 1.
Toronto Supra general manager Victor Cameira believes his side, which sports a 6-0-2 regular season mark, did not approach Monday's contest with a proper frame of mind, since they were playing a supposedly lower-calibre senior team.
"Psychologically, I'm sure they were thinking this was going to be an easy game," Cameira said of his players. "But there are no easy games in soccer."
Cameira believes some of his players were probably upset they were forced to play during a holiday weekend. The game was originally scheduled for this past Saturday. It was then rescheduled for Monday about two weeks ago.
Some of the Supra players were then forced to alter their holiday plans in order to be available for the contest.
"Nothing went right for us," Cameira said. "We had so many opportunities to score. We definitely outplayed. We just couldn't put the ball in the net."
Cameira added he was ticked his squad is no longer alive in the Open Canada Cup playdowns.
"We're in every competition to win," he said. "It's a letdown for us. It's a letdown for the management, for our players and for our fans."
The team remains one of the stronger clubs in the CPSL and are currently five points behind conference leaders Ottawa Wizards.
Toronto Supra's next regular season game is Friday on the road versus the Vaughan Sun Devils. The team's next home match is Aug. 12 versus the Metro Lions. Kickoff at Centennial Stadium is at 8:30 p.m.
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