The 2010 Canadian Soccer League season (known as the Givova Canadian Soccer League for sponsorship reasons) was the 13th since its establishment where a total of 24 teams from Ontario and Quebec took part in the league. The season began on Saturday May 8, 2010, and ended on October 31. Brantford Galaxy SC won their first championship in their inaugural season with a 3–0 win over Hamilton Croatia in the CSL Championship Final at the Centennial Park Stadium in Toronto on October 31, 2010. The CSL administration restructured the league by combining both the International & National divisions to form the CSL First Division with a single table structure. The regular season title was claimed by the York Region Shooters, while the Serbian White Eagles Res. won their first reserve league championship.
The league was granted full membership in the Canadian Soccer Association allowing the CSL to work closely with the CSA in order to continue creating the developmental system required in the development of Canadian players, referees, coaches, and administrators . The season also witnessed the appointment of Domenic Di Gironimo as the new Commissioner after the resignation of Cary Kaplan at the conclusion of the 2009 season. The commissioner was appointed to the CSA Professional Soccer Committee to further continue the planned expansion of the league to a fully national league with regional divisions under the CSL banner. The league expanded throughout Ontario to include the Brant County, Hamilton, and Halton Region territories. The Montreal Impact ended their affiliation with Trois-Rivières Attak, but entered the Montreal Impact Academy as their academy team becoming the second professional academy club to join the league. The Reserve Division also expanded for the first time beyond the Greater Toronto Area to include 11 reserve teams, and an entry-level club Ottawa FC.
The CSL reached a sponsorship agreement with Givova which granted the company the naming rights to the league, and to the CSL Championship. Other major sponsorship's included Days Inns – Canada, and a record broadcasting agreement with Rogers TV, which provided coverage of 45 matches including all playoff games to the provinces of Ontario, New Brunswick and Newfoundland through the Rogers Super Sports Pack.
Changes from 2009 season Single table structure. Four new expansion clubs: Montreal Impact Academy, Milltown FC, Brantford Galaxy SC and Hamilton Croatia. Trois-Rivières Attak ended cooperation with Montreal Impact; they announced that they would take a sabbatical year in 2010 and return for the 2011 season.http://www.canadiansoccerleague.ca/news_archive.php?news_id=258671 Ottawa FC played as a guest team in the Reserve Division. Teams played a balanced schedule of 24 games.
Teams Team City Stadium Manager Brampton Lions Brampton, Ontario (Bramalea) Victoria Park Stadium Armando Costa Brantford Galaxy Brantford, Ontario Steve Brown Sports Complex Lazo Džepina Hamilton Croatia Hamilton, Ontario Brian Timmis Stadium Ron Davidson London City London, Ontario (Westmount) Cove Road Stadium Luka Shaqiri Milltown F.C. Milton, Ontario (Clarke) Bishop Reding SS Rafael Carbajal Montreal Impact Academy Montreal, Quebec Saputo Stadium Philippe Eullaffroy North York Astros Toronto, Ontario (North York) Esther Shiner Stadium Gerardo Lezcano Portugal FC Toronto, Ontario (Liberty Village) Lamport Stadium Carmine Isacco Serbian White Eagles Toronto, Ontario (Etobicoke) Centennial Park Stadium Niki Budalić St. Catharines Wolves St. Catharines, Ontario (Vansickle) Club Roma Stadium James McGillivray TFC Academy Toronto, Ontario (Exhibition Place) BMO Field Jason Bent Toronto Croatia Toronto, Ontario (Etobicoke) Centennial Park Stadium Alen Vukobrad York Region Shooters Vaughan, Ontario (Maple) St. Joan Of Arc Turf Field Filipe Bento Coaching changes TeamOutgoing coachManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming coachDate of appointmentBrampton LionsGoran RapaicReplaced June 27, 201013th in June Armando CostaJune 27, 2010North York AstrosMichael RidoutResigned July 4, 20106th in July Gerardo LezcanoJuly 10, 2010London CityAndrew LoagueResignedJuly 15, 201012th in July Luka ShaqiriJuly 15, 2010Toronto CroatiaKreso GrnjtoReplacedAugust 7, 20109th in AugustDaniel LekoAugust 17, 2010Toronto CroatiaDaniel LekoEnd of interim spellSeptember 15, 201010th in SeptemberAlen VukobradSeptember 15, 2010Serbian White EaglesDuško PrijićSackedSeptember 14, 20103rd in SeptemberNiki BudalićSeptember 15, 2010
Results table All stats as of games played October 9, 2010:
Standings
Playoffs
The postseason format began with a two-leg quarterfinal home and away series, followed by a one-game semifinal for the four surviving teams and a one-game final on Sunday, October 31.
The top four teams had the option to play their first quarterfinal game at home or away and the home venue was awarded to the top seeded teams that advanced to the semifinals. The CSL Championship Final was played at Centennial Stadium in Etobicoke on October 31 and received coverage from Rogers TV.
In the event teams were tied on points in the final league standings, CSL rules provided for the following tiebreakers in the order listed: Total wins in regular season games. Head-to-head record based on total points in league games. Goal difference in regular season games. Goals scored in regular season games.
In the unlikely event teams were still tied, the rules provided for the lowest number of disciplinary points during regular season games and if necessary, by the luck of the draw.
In the quarterfinals, the two-game home and away series was decided by total points and if tied on points, it was to be total goals over the two games. There was to be a two 15-minute periods of extra time and FIFA penalty kicks in each game, if necessary. The semifinal and CSL Championship Final was one game, with two 15-minute periods of extra time and FIFA penalty kicks, if necessary.
Bracket
Quarterfinals
Toronto won the series on goals on aggregate, 3–1.
Brantford won the series on goals on aggregate, 1–0.
Portugal FC won the series on goals on aggregate, 3–2.
Hamilton won the series on goals on aggregate, 3–1.
Semifinals
Givova CSL Championship
GK 22 Melford James Jr. RB 3 Alvin Hudson CB 9 Tom Bilic CB 18 Ivan Razumović LB 17 Péter Tereánszki-Tóth RM 12 Daniel Niksic CM 20 Jamie Dodds (c) CM 14 Aidan O'Keeffe LM 19 Adam Leggett ST 23 Jason Shannon ST 6 Preston Corporal Substitutes:GK 1 Ante Culina DF 5 Martin Mamic DF 50 Andrew Leggett MF 7 Boris Vurdelja MF 11 Danny Jirta FW 2 Domagoj Bešlić FW 10 Jerko Grubisic Manager: Ron Davidson
GK 1 Ante Domjanovic (c) RB 4 Zach Tait CB 10 Zvonko Bakula CB 3 Stanko Karačić LB 6 Dragan Oluic RM 2 Kyle Grootenboer CM 25 Patrick Gerhardt CM 9 Miodrag Anđelković LM 15 Nenad Begović FW 8 Haris Fazlagić FW 11 Ranko Golijanin Substitutes:GK 0 Jeff Martins DF 12 Bob Turnbull MF 13 Patryk Misik MF 14 Austin White MF 7 Ben Turnbull MF 27 Stefan Dancetovic FW 16 Jake Simmons Manager: Lazo Džepina
Assistant referees: Steve Senderovich Richard Oliveira Fourth official: David Barrie
Goal scorers +2010 Goal ScorersRankPlayerTeamGoals1Tihomir Maletić Toronto Croatia172Miloš Šćepanović Serbian White Eagles143Aidan O'Keeffe Hamilton Croatia123Kadian Lecky York Region Shooters125Ranko Golijanin Brantford Galaxy 116Mahyar Khobad North York Astros106Lesly St. Fleur Milltown FC106Miodrag Anđelković Brantford Galaxy109Blazej Skoczylas Brampton Lions99Andrea Lombardo Portugal FC9
CSL Executive Committee and Staff The 2010 CSL Executive Committee. Position Name NationalityCommissioner: Domenic Di Gironimo CanadianDirector of Media and PR: Stan Adamson EnglishLeague Administrator: Pino Jazbec CanadianDirector of Officials: Tony Camacho Portuguese
Individual awards
The annual CSL awards were presented before the CSL Championship final on October 31, 2010. Toronto Croatia and York Region Shooters accumulated the most awards with 2 wins each. The MVP and Golden Boot was presented to Tihomir Maletic, a veteran striker for Toronto Croatia. The Serbian White Eagles established the best defensive record throughout the season, and as a result Milos Kocic, a Toronto FC player on loan was given the Goalkeeper of the Year. The league chose Trinidadian international Rick Titus with the Defender of the Year, after contributing to York Region's regular season title. Tony De Thomasis was awarded the Harry Paul Gauss award for his commitment and allegiance to the league.
London City produced another Rookie of the Year with Thomas Beattie, who later advanced to the S.League. After leading Hamilton Croatia to the CSL Championship final Ron Davidson was named the Coach of the Year. The CSL Referee Committee voted Geoff Gamble for the Referee of the Year., and TFC Academy received their second Fair Play and Respect award.
Award Player (Club) CSL Most Valuable Player Tihomir Maletic (Toronto Croatia) CSL Golden Boot Tihomir Maletic (Toronto Croatia) CSL Goalkeeper of the Year Award Milos Kocic (Serbian White Eagles) CSL Defender of the Year Award Rick Titus (York Region Shooters) CSL Rookie of the Year Award Thomas Beattie (London City) CSL Coach of the Year Award Ron Davidson (Hamilton Croatia) Harry Paul Gauss Award Tony De Thomasis (York Region Shooters) CSL Referee of the Year Award Geoff Gamble CSL Fair Play Award TFC Academy
CSL Reserve League
The reserve league expanded for the first time beyond the Greater Toronto Area border to include 11 teams. While the division operated as feeder and youth developmental system it also began to serve as entry-level division to the First Division for clubs with a limited amount of financial resources. All first division clubs operated a reserve team with the except of Toronto Croatia, London City, and the Montreal Impact Academy. Throughout the regular season Brampton Lions won the regular season title, while the Serbian White Eagles claimed the championship.
Teams Team City Stadium Manager Brampton City United B Brampton, Ontario Victoria Park Stadium Brantford Inter-City SC Brantford, Ontario Steve Brown Sports Complex Peter Pollilo Carmine Romano Hamilton Croatia Res Hamilton, OntarioBrian Timmis StadiumAnthony Giaitzis Milltown FC Res Mississauga, Ontario Hershey Centre Vladimir Klinovsky North York Astros B Toronto, Ontario Esther Shiner Stadium Portugal FC Res Toronto, Ontario Lamport Stadium Ottawa FC Ottawa, Ontario St. Joan Of Arc Turf Field Serbian White Eagles B Toronto, Ontario Centennial Park Stadium St. Catharines Wolves B St. Catharines, Ontario Club Roma Stadium Clayton Rosario TFC Academy II Liberty Village, Toronto Lamport Stadium Stuart Neely York Region Shooters B Vaughan, Ontario St. Joan Of Arc Turf Field
Final standings
Final
Individual awards Award Player (Club) CSL Most Valuable Player Sergio Camargo (TFC Academy II) CSL Golden Boot Wesley Cain (Portugal FC Res.) Jonathan Singh (Brampton Lions Res.) CSL Goalkeeper of the Year Award Jesse Castillo (Brantford Galaxy Res.) CSL Defender of the Year Award David Ferreira (Brampton Lions Res.) CSL Rookie of the Year Award Sergio Camargo (TFC Academy II) CSL Coach of the Year Award Alex Di Matteo (Brampton Lions Res.)
References
External links Official Canadian Soccer League website