TORONTO — The Oakville Blue Devils started work early this season, looking to make the most of a berth in the newly expanded Canadian Championship.
Canada’s annual knockout soccer showcase has opened its doors to League I Ontario champion Oakville and Quebec club champion AS Blainville, who will face off in a new two-legged qualifying round starting this week.
For the amateur Blue Devils, it’s a chance to showcase their skills on a bigger stage.
"It’ll be obviously the biggest game our club’s played to date," said Oakville coach Duncan Wilde. "If we win, we climb up the ladder and get even more competitive. So it’s an exciting time for us."
The first leg is Wednesday in Laval, Que., with the rematch June 13 in Oakville. The winner faces the USL’s Ottawa Fury FC in the second qualifying round, with defending Canadian and MLS champion Toronto FC awaiting the victor. The Montreal Impact play the Vancouver Whitecaps in the other semifinal.
The Canadian champion gets to hoist the Voyageurs Cup and earns a berth in the CONCACAF Champions League.
Oakville, which normally starts its pre-season in early April, began training in January. Wilde also took his full squad to Bermuda for five days, playing games against the Bermuda junior national team and an island all-star lineup.
The team got some help from the Bermuda Football Association, doing some soccer camps and coaching clinics while there to help offset the costs. Sponsors also stepped up with the players contributing towards the flight.
"We think we’ve done as much as we possibly can to give ourselves a shot," said Wilde.
The extra work seems to be paying off. Oakville stands second in the League 1 standings this season with a 3-0-2 record.
The team had not given up a goal prior to a 2-2 tie with Windsor on Sunday when Wilde brought several players off earlier than usual. Centre back Connor McNamara, who was taking a firefighter course, was given the day off.
Midfielder Taylor McNamara captains the squad. Forward Anthony Novak, who worked his way up through the club academy, leads the Blue Devils in scoring with four goals. Matt George is solid in goal. Former Canadian international Stephen Ademolu, 35, adds experience off the bench.
No stranger to pressure, Oakville won the League 1 Ontario championship final 4-3 in a penalty shootout over Woodbridge after the teams played to a 1-1 draw.
Blainville, which clinched the 2017 Quebec title with three matches remaining, currently sits atop the PLSQ standings with a 4-0-2 record. Forward Pierre-Rudolph Mayard leads the league with six goals.
The debut of the Canadian Premier League in 2019 will further expand the Canadian Championship field. Wilde expects top talent from League 1 to graduate to the CPL, with younger players taking their place.
"I think ourselves and four to five other clubs are going to have some rebuilding to do," he said.
Wilde has no objections, seeing the CPL as another opportunity to develop Canadian talent.
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