Friday July 29, 2019 League 1 Ontario--L1O Playoffs On Horizon (from League 1 Ontario website)

  
Four Stories To Watch With L1O Playoffs On Horizon
07/19/2019, 3:45pm EDT
By Jeremy Nand

This year's 2019 League1 Ontario season has been all about the untried: the debut clubs and underdog sides 
that have more than held their own; the reworking of top clubs that have seen many of their star performers 
snatched up by Canadian Premier League (CPL) sides and other professional organizations around the globe.

Here are four storylines to watch as League1 Ontario nears an end to the 2019 regular season: 

1. Alliance United's Men's Meteoric Rise

Coming off a successful debut men's season in 2018 that saw a trip to the playoffs, Alliance has shown 
last year's success was no fluke.

AUFC, led by head coach Ilya Orlov, has taken his squad to the top end of the table.

Through 11 games they sit one point behind Vaughan Azzuri and Oakville Blue Devils, respectively, 
who both have a history of success in League1.

The key to the success of the club known affectionately as "Orange Crush"?

Alliance leads the league in defence with just four goals against and an incredible nine clean sheets.

2. Underperforming Contenders?

With only four games remaining for the majority of men's teams in the playoff hunt, several perennial 
contenders are at risk of not making the final round.

FC London is one of those sides. They finished atop the regular-season standings last season but have 
struggled as of late, winning only two of their last six matches. They currently sit in ninth place, 
two points back of the eighth and final playoff spot.

Two-time League1 Cup winners, Woodbridge Strikers, are another on-the-bubble team to watch out for.

Known to be one of the top forces in Ontario, Woodbridge has had major troubles keeping the ball out 
of their own net - a statistic the club will be uneasy with after several years of owning the best 
defensive record in the league. The Strikers currently sit in 10th place, four points back 
of the final playoff spot. 

Now to the teams currently on the inside of that eight team post-season group.

Darby FC and North Mississauga Panthers are two teams that must be closely followed.

Just like fellow east-GTA club, Alliance, Darby's men's season has been largely fruitful, as they find 
themselves in seventh place, tied with west-GTA counterparts North Miss for the final playoff spot 
but ahead on goal difference. 

Notwithstanding a mouthwatering clash between Darby and North Miss that is looming (July 26, 8 p.m., 
Whitby Soccer Centre, Whitby), Darby will be relishing the opportunity to secure a playoff berth as two 
of their final three matches are against teams outside of the playoff picture. The Panthers will 
be happy to see three of their final four fixtures are at home in Mississauga. 

These sides are competing for a spot in the top eight, which would see them seeded and put into a home 
and away format through the quarter finals, semi-finals and then - if all goes smoothly - advancing 
to the league championship, the winner of which will earn entry into the 2019 Canadian Championship.


Playoff tiebreaker chart: (picture from League 1 Ontario website)  

back to League 1 Ontario index

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