CSF looks to knock off the king

The Soccer Paper March edition is currently being distributed to several locations around the Lower Mainland.  For a list of pick-up locations, click here.  In the meantime, we are making some of our articles available on-line.

by Lucas Teodoro da Silva 

Dino Rossi is a passionate fan of the Canadian National Men’s Soccer Team. Rossi has habitually cheered for the Canadian Men’s Team at home games and is a regular on its Internet message boards.
But Rossi’s limit as a loyal fan of Canadian national soccer teams was reached when the Canadian U-20 Men’s Team, hosting the U-20 FIFA World Cup in Canada in the summer of 2007, failed to score a goal on their home turf, and were turfed from the their own tournament after round-robin play, the only team in tournament history to hold such a dubious distinction.
Rossi would not be so upset if the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA), the governing body responsible for soccer in Canada, had at least acknowledged Canada’s shortcomings and set about to fix the problem.  But the CSA didn’t – at least not in Rossi’s eyes.

Continue reading CSF looks to knock off the king…

Philadelphia and St. Louis rate Vancouver’s MLS hopes as good

The Soccer Paper March edition is currently being distributed to several locations around the Lower Mainland.  For a list of pick-up locations, click here.  In the meantime, we are making some of our articles available on-line.

by Lucas Teodoro da Silva

Vancouver soccer fans could hardly be faulted for feeling a pang of envy while watching the recent announcement awarding a Major League Soccer [MLS] expansion franchise to the city of Philadelphia.  The 2010 franchise marks the sixteenth team in the decade-old MLS soccer league.
Philadelphia’s team gives the MLS league some further geographical balance, following the fall announcement of a 2009 team, sprouting from the ashes of the United Soccer League’s Seattle Sounders, located just south of the Canada – U.S.  border, on the Northwest Coast.

Continue reading Philadelphia and St. Louis rate Vancouver’s MLS hopes as good…

VMSL Passionate Final

The Soccer Paper March edition is currently being distributed to several locations around the Lower Mainland.  For a list of pick-up locations, click here.  In the meantime, we are making some of our articles available on-line.

By Inácio Teodoro da Silva

Emotion, suspense, action, frustration and joy are fit to describe the encounter between Sporting FC “A” and West Van FC “A” on a warm late winter afternoon (March 9, 2008) at the Point Grey Turf Field in Vancouver. The two men’s soccer teams were fiercely disputing the top spot in the League Final of the Vancouver Metro Soccer League (VMSL) Premier Division. In the end, Sporting FC emerged as the 2007 – 2008 season victor, after scoring four times versus two scored by West Van FC.
Both sides carefully played the first half. Eleven minutes in, Sporting had two chances in the same play to make its mark and failed: Jay Gill (#4) sent a left footer right at the goalie, who also immediately managed to save Ryan Dormer’s (#16) rebound.
But Dormer managed to make his mark in the second half by scoring Sporting’s third goal, followed minutes later by a 4th goal, scored by Ryan’s brother, Steve Dormer (#14). Steve Dormer’s 4th goal came three minutes after West Van had scored its second goal.
Veteran Sporting player Steve Frasão (#10) had opened the game count nine minutes into the second half. Despite fierce combat, seven minutes before the whistle ended the back and forth match, the score was held at 3 - 2 for Sporting FC. West Van FC fought until the last second and even the 4th goal scored against them did not diminish their resolve.
There was a noticeable improvement in Sporting’s play compared to last year. Well organized, intelligent team play was executed and perfectly illustrated, such as when Ben Hunt (#21) held the soccer ball on the corner with the detemination of a mad mule and then gave a perfect pass to Dormer for the third goal.
West Van FC has had their share of attacking games in the recent past and possibly should have done more of what worked to bring them to the finals. In the 2007 –2008 Vancouver Metro Soccer League Premier Division, West Van FC proved to be an excellent team with a very active goalie; but they did not take the cup home.
Congratulations to Sporting FC “A” on their league Cup win. Congratulations to both teams for putting on such an entertaining finish, a great game that both sides should be proud of.

March issue now available

INTERVIEW: BOB LENARDUZZI

[Some of this issue’s articles are being made available online as a special sample issue to new readers. Subscribe to the Soccer Paper today to receive the print copy of our paper in the mail and get more articles like this one next month.]

By Lucas Teodoro da Silva

LENARDUZZI SPEAKS ABOUT THE GALAXY GAME, NEXT SEASON, MLS EXPANSION and THE CSA

We spoke to Bob Lenarduzzi, GM of the Vancouver Whitecaps, following their disappointing season in which the club fell from defending USL champions in both men’s and women’s categories to being knocked out in the first round of playoffs in men’s play and not qualifying for the post-season in women’s action. Continue reading INTERVIEW: BOB LENARDUZZI…

What’s Wrong with Canadian Soccer?

[Some of this issue’s articles are being made available online as a special sample issue to new readers. Subscribe to the Soccer Paper today to receive the print copy of our paper in the mail and get more articles like this one next month.]

We have too many youth teams and players in what we consider our premier leagues

By Colin Elmes

In light of the recent turmoil at the Canadian Soccer Association and as the owner of BC’s largest private soccer academy, I feel it’s important to cast light on the deficiencies of our present youth soccer structure. Like many Canadians, I feel strongly about the game and want nothing more than for Canada to emerge as a strong soccer nation – but under the current conditions, I don’t see this happening. Continue reading What’s Wrong with Canadian Soccer?…

Columbus Coach Praises Organization for Success

By Lucas Teodoro da Silva

Provincial Cup Champions. Imperial Cup Champions. Open Canada Cup Western Champions. Open Canada Cup Runners Up. National Club Championships Runners Up. It’s an impressive list of titles and accomplishments.

That this list was accomplished in one year of playing soccer says a lot about Columbus-Clan FC, a Vancouver-area soccer team that competes in the Vancouver Metro Soccer League’s Premier Division. Continue reading Columbus Coach Praises Organization for Success…

Columbus Clan FC take home the Silver Medal in 2007

Led by veteran striker Joey Scigliano, Columbus Clan F.C. have been on a surge as of late, fairing well in every local championship above the sun. The most recent challenge put forth for the 2007 Provincial Cup, Imperial Cup, and Open Canada Cup Western Champions were the Nationals, which took place over the Thanksgiving weekend from October 3th-8th, 2007.

Opening strong in front of 1000 spectators, Columbus carried the momentum of their winning ways into their first game, defeating the host team, Halifax City, by a 2-1 margin. Veteran Tiernan King opened the score midway through the first half as he raced in all alone before slotting the ball past the Nova Scotia goalkeeper. Columbus continued to apply pressure and could easily have added another goal or two during the rest of the first half but the numerous scoring chances went awry. Despite the fact that Halifax City was reduced to 10 men due to the expulsion of one of their players, the home team tied things up early in the second half on a questionable penalty kick. Columbus, however, fought back valiantly and eventually got the winner when Tiernan King became the provider and set up Joey Scigliano for an easy tap-in with a brilliant cross. Defensively, Columbus was very strong with playing-coach Carmine D’Onofrio, Tony Gaita, Craig Richards, and Frank Mollica limiting Halifax to very few chances. Continue reading Columbus Clan FC take home the Silver Medal in 2007…

PRE-SEASON TOURNAMENT: BURNABY METRO SELECTS

By Lucas Teodoro da Silva

The 2007 Burnaby Legends of Summer Soccer Tournament was held on the turf fields, at the Burnaby Lake Sports Complex, on the weekend of August 25th-26th. Hosted by the Burnaby Selects Metro Club, this year’s tournament saw boy’s select teams from four different age divisions (U14 through U18) battle it out for supremacy in a well-organized tournament. Continue reading PRE-SEASON TOURNAMENT: BURNABY METRO SELECTS…

Burnaby Metro Tournament

EVENT: Burnaby Metro Tournament DATE: August 25-26, 2007 LOCATION: Burnaby Lake West Photos by The Soccer Paper VIEW PICTURE SHOW (4m in length)