Guelph United captures league title in inaugural season
WOODBRIDGE – Guelph United FC put the icing on the cake of their dream inaugural season in the League1 Ontario Men’s Premier division with the championship win Sunday at the Ontario Soccer Centre.
United capped off their season with a 3-1 victory over Blue Devils FC of Oakville in the final.
Guelph United 3 Blue Devils 1
The title win gives United a berth in the 2022 Canadian Championship tournament.
Sunday, United jumped ahead in the 20th minute as Jace Kotsopoulos capitalized on a Blue Devils miscue in the box.
United extended their lead seven minutes later as Thomas Skublak broke between a pair of defenders to take a pass from the left side from Dion Stergiotis before driving it home.
Kotsopoulos added to Guelph’s lead in the second half when he connected on a penalty kick with 10 minutes to play.
Leaford Allen ruined the clean sheet bid by Guelph keeper Svyatoslav Artemenko with a goal in second-half stoppage time.
Kotsopoulos was named MVP of the final. He had won the league’s golden boot award as top scorer in the regular season when he netted 15 goals and he added three more in the playoffs.
United posted a 10-2-0 record to finish atop the West Division and had two wins in the playoffs to capture league honours.
Blue Devils were second in the West at 9-1-2 and split their two playoff matches.
Major League Soccer teams Toronto FC and CF Montreal are to meet in this year’s Canadian championship final. Date and location have yet to be determined.
This year’s tournament also included the Vancouver Whitecaps of the MLS, Canadian Premier League teams Atletico Ottawa, Cavalry FC of Calgary, FC Edmonton, Forge FC of Hamilton, HFX Wanderers FC of Halifax, Pacific FC of Langford, B.C., Valour FC of Winnipeg and York United of North York, Première Ligue de soccer du Québec champion AS Blainville and 2019 L1O champion Master’s Futbol Academy of Scarborough.
Master’s were defeated 5-0 by York United in the preliminary round Aug. 21 at York Lions Stadium.
- Guelph Sports Journal