Cavalry FC and Forge FC have already secured their place in the finals of the inaugural season of the Canadian Premier League. Cavalry have been the dominant force in the Fall standings, leading the way to secure a place in the head-to-head finals with Forge, which will culminate in a two-legged playoff starting on October 26.
Cavalry will be keen to close out their regular season without incident and, most importantly, injuries – against FC Edmonton. With Forge’s regular season already completed, they will undoubtedly be watching the final Fall matchday with interest, scouting their finals rivals intently.
Both Cavalry and Forge have been the teams on the lips of all Canadian soccer pundits for much of the 2019 campaign. Following strong starts to their respective campaigns, Cavalry and Forge emerged at the front of the pack from an early stage and haven’t looked back. In fact, between the two sides, they have accumulated a stunning 112 league points before their final regular season head-to-head encounter.
The Canadian Premier League (CPL) was launched to provide a bigger and better platform for Canada’s homegrown soccer talent to flourish. However, in recent months, the CPL has certainly succeeded in bringing several overseas stars to the fore, many of whom are key players in Cavalry and Forge colors. Although none of them are likely to win FIFA player of the year awards anytime soon, they have made a significant impact in such a short space of time. The women’s game is also improving at a rapid rate of knots, with the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) proving that good things can happen when women’s sport is valued.
Cavalry’s midfield lynchpin, Julian Buscher, is one such player that has well and truly grabbed the bull by the horns this season.
The German playmaker is one of the most efficient passers in the CPL, averaging more than one line-breaking pass per game and almost 14 successful measured passes per game. What this means is that Buscher has become a vital cog in Cavalry’s wheel, helping to retain and recycle possession, while looking forward with attacking intent.
Fellow Cavalry star, Oliver Minatel, has become the team’s number-one frontman. With seven competitive goals in the CPL so far, the Brazilian has developed a genuine knack for arriving on cue in his debut season for Cavalry since signing from Australian NPL Victoria side, South Melbourne. Minatel was the club’s first-ever overseas import, and he has so far justified his inclusion.
As for Forge FC, the Hamilton-based club has also taken to professional soccer like a duck to water. The backbone of their success has focused more on homegrown talent.
26-year-old goalkeeper, Triston Henry, has relished the challenge of becoming a professional in the CPL. He has quickly developed a reputation for being comfortable with the ball at his feet and is also an underrated shot-stopper too.
It would also be wrong not to include the contribution of the powerful central defender, Dominic Samuel. The 25-year-old was another import from Sigma FC, like Henry. Sigma FC is an academy soccer team in Ontario that has helped develop players for the MLS and now the CPL. Despite being somewhat small for a center back at 5’ 10”, Samuel has demonstrated his speed and versatility, lining up across the backline throughout the regular season. Samuel’s role in the upcoming finals will be critical, given that Bertrand Owundi is suspended for the first leg with Cavalry.
The CPL has not only been well-received by soccer fans across Canada, but it has also been accepted as a feeder to the Canadian national team. CPL founders will have been justifiably proud to see Cavalry FC goalkeeper, Marco Carducci earn a call-up to the men’s national squad. Given that the CPL is still considered a start-up league, this is a real feather in the cap of the league’s organizers. The league’s increasing exposure has also extended to its inclusion on online sportsbooks, featuring in the match odds of betting sites like Betway and other leading operators.
It’s, therefore, safe to assume that the eyes of the North American soccer community will be fixed on the CPL’s upcoming finals.
Although it might not have the grandeur and gravitas of the Super Bowl, it means a lot to Canadian soccer. In the past, Canadian soccer stars like Jason De Vos and Jaime Peters were forced to head overseas to get international recognition. However, the CPL could change all of this and even give CPL teams a platform to make their mark at CONCACAF level.