May 24, 2004 CPSL Open Canada Cup Round 1 Results (from CPSL website)
NEWS
REAL VAUGHAN, AEK LONDON, TORONTO 777, G.S. UNITED, CAPITAL CITY AMBASSADORS AND PENICHE ALL ADVANCE
CPSL president Vincent Ursini (right) congratulates Peyvand Mossavat of Toronto-based Hearts Soccer Club for an outstanding game despite a loss to Peniche in a Preliminary Round game of the Open Canada Cup.
Despite two games being postponed due to wet ground conditions, the CPSL considered the opening weekend of the Open Canada Cup a success, producing six winners and a high level of interest by the participating teams and fans.
It was almost standing room only for the fans at the final Open Canada Cup game of the holiday weekend at The Soccer Centre on Victoria Day, a game that ended in a penalty kick win by Peniche S.C. over Hearts S.C., both teams from the Toronto area.
The highly charged atmosphere prompted league president Vincent Ursini to comment: "One day soon, this Open Canada Cup will be right across the country to produce a Canadian club champion for entry into the CONCACAF region."
Pedram Eynolhagh scored the lone Hearts goal after 10 minutes and Ricky Da Ponte tied the game for Peniche just before half-time. The 1-1 score held up to the end of 90 minutes and 30 minutes of overtime and it was Peniche who won the penalty kick decider by a 5-3 score to advance to the second leg of the Preliminary Round. Peniche will play 777 S.C and the winner will meet Capital City Ambassadors of Ottawa in Round Two.
GS United of the Ontario Soccer League romped over Brampton Dynamic Kickers, 6-0, in the first Open Canada Cup game of a Sunday afternoon double header played at The Soccer Centre in Vaughan.
In the second game, Capital City Ambassadors of the Ottawa Carlton Soccer League won a penalty kick decider following a scoreless tie at the end of 30 minutes overtime with Benfica of Toronto.
Four teams, Real Vaughan, AEK London, G.S. United (Toronto) and Capital City Ambassadors have now advanced to Round Two of the Open Canada Cup to be played during the Canada Day weekend, July 1 -4. 777 Soccer Club, a team in the Toronto Soccer Association, advanced to the second leg of the Preliminary Round with a 3-2 overtime win over Capital United from Ottawa in the only game played on Saturday. They will meet Peniche S.C.
The Hearts vs. Peniche game was one of three postponed due to heavy rains and lightning both at The Soccer Centre in Vaughan and at Cove Road, London.
But two games scheduled over the holiday weekend in London did not fare as well and were postponed indefinately due to a heavy accumulation of water at one end of a ground known for its reliability to withstand heavy rains.
The Open Canada Cup clash between Ottawa St. Anthony Italia and London Portuguese was called due to torrential rain. Also wiped out by the weather was a game that interested many fans, London City, winner of the 2003 Open Canada Cup vs. CPSL champs Brampton Hitmen scheduled at Cove Road on Monday.
Veteran Tom Kouzmanis and Gary Deleon each struck twice for G.S. United, while Vaughn Ward and Neill Mair scored singles in the 6-0 shutout.
G.S. United will meet Vaughan Shooters in the Open Canada Cup Round Two.
Goalkeeper Sabrahima Tradre was the hero for Capital City Ambassadors with the deciding penalty kick in a 5-4 win for the Ottawa team.
Sergio Rivadeneira opened the scoring for 777 at the 15th minute mark of the first game on Saturday night, and the 1-0 score held up until just one minute before the interval when Capital United’s Morris Richard made it 1-1.
Carlos Dias made it 2-1 for 777 at the 70th minute, but Julien Holdrinet made it 2-2 for the capital city team nine minutes later.
The game went into 2 x 15 minutes golden goal overtime, but was held up after six minutes due to bad weather.
The game resumed following a 22-minute delay, and five minutes following the resumption of play Kyle Jones of 777 scored a golden goal for the 3-2 win.
Real Vaughan, a team from Richmond Hill just north of Toronto in the OSL Regional League, made amends for their quick early exit in the 2003 Open Canada Cup when Friday night they defeated Ottawa Royals by a 2-1 overtime score to advance to Round Two and a big game against the CPSL’s Metro Lions the beginning of July.
The Real win was one of two Open Canada Cup games played Friday, the other to the west of the GTA where in London the AEK London locals scored a convincing 3-0 shutout over Woodbridge Sora.
Real opened the scoring at The Soccer Centre in Vaughan on a goal after 39 minutes by Rag Assamd, but Dan Cheney leveled the score for Ottawa on penalty kick after 63 minutes.
With the game tied 1-1 after 90 minutes and the game in overtime, Jeff Gonselves scored the golden goal winner after 104 minutes of play, just before the overtime interval.
In last year’s Open Canada Cup, Real were eliminated by a 2-1 score by Benfica of Toronto in the Preliminary Round.
AEK London looked strong yet again with their 3-0 shutout and will meet Durham Storm, the CPSL’s newest entry, in Round Two at the beginning of July.
Last year the London side romped 6-0 over Woodbridge Azzurri and surprised the CPSL’s Mississauga Olympians, 2-1, before losing to Durham Flames, 3-0, in Round Three.
Terry Peak (11 minutes), Martin Painter (70 minutes) and Selam Kaddory (89 minutes) struck for AEK in Friday's win.
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