The 2015 Canadian Soccer League season was the 18th since its establishment where a total of 22 teams from Ontario took part in the league. The season began on May 9, 2015, and concluded on October 25, 2015. Toronto Croatia won their sixth championship (ninth including Canadian National Soccer League titles) in a 1–0 victory over SC Waterloo in the CSL Championship final held at Warrior Field in Waterloo, Ontario. In the regular season, the Serbian White Eagles clinched their fourth regular-season title, while Milton SC won their first second division championship.
The First Division saw an increase to 12 teams, while the Second Division remained the same. New additions to the first division were the return of Brantford Galaxy along with Toronto Atomic, and Scarborough SC as expansion franchises. Founding member North York Astros disbanded their professional team while Kingston FC departed to apply for League1 Ontario.
First Division
Changes from 2014 The number of clubs in the First Division saw an increase to 12 teams of the 10 teams that played in the First Division in 2014, eight returned. The departing clubs were North York Astros a charter club with history in the Canadian National Soccer League. The other member included Kingston FC, which had intentions of applying to League1 Ontario. After a two-year hiatus, Brantford Galaxy returned to the fold. Two new teams joined for 2015, Scarborough SC, and Toronto Atomic FC.
Toronto Atomic was granted a franchise after operating an academy in the Canadian Academy of Futbol (CAF). The acceptance of Atomic marked the return of a Ukrainian presence in the league since the 1981 season when Toronto Ukrainians played in the predecessor league. Scarborough SC was the brainchild of former player Kiril Dimitrov to provide professional soccer to the Scarborough territory. A third team, Milton SC, joined from the Second Division. Notable reforms were accepted at the 2015 annual general meeting of team owners where the allowance of import players was increased. On April 8, 2015, the league unveiled its new logo with the inclusion of the date when the league was formed under the National Soccer League banner.
Teams Team City Stadium Manager Brampton United Brampton (Bramalea) Victoria Park Stadium Juan Barreto Brantford Galaxy Brantford Steve Brown Sports Complex Tomo Dančetović Burlington SC Burlington Nelson Stadium William Etchu Tabi London City London Hellenic Centre Stadium Josip Dzale Milton SC Milton (Timberlea) Jean Vanier Catholic Secondary School Jasmin Halkic Niagara United Niagara Falls Kalar Sports Park David Currie Scarborough SC Toronto (North York) Downsview ParkKiril Dimitrov SC Waterloo Region Waterloo Warrior FieldLazo Džepina Serbian White Eagles Toronto (Etobicoke) Centennial Park StadiumUroš Stamatović Toronto Atomic FC Toronto (Etobicoke) Centennial Park StadiumVasyl Ishchak Toronto Croatia Mississauga Centennial Park Stadium Velimir Crljen York Region Shooters Vaughan (Maple) Joan of Arc Turf Field Tony De Thomasis
Coaching changes TeamOutgoing coachManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming coachDate of appointment Toronto Atomic FC Ihor Yavorskyi Resigned 6th in August Vasyl Ishchak
Results
Standings
Season statistics Goals
RankPlayerClubGoals1 Richard WestYork Region Shooters232 Zdenko JurčevićBrantford Galaxy213 Sahjah ReidSerbian White Eagles184 Adis HasečićSC Waterloo Region165 Jose De SousaScarborough SC156 Darren ChambersToronto Croatia12 Vladimir VujovićBurlington SC8 Jure GlavinaToronto Croatia119 Josip KeranToronto Croatia10 Oleksandr SemenyukToronto Atomic FC
Hat-tricks PlayerClubAgainstResultDate Marin Vučemilović-GrgićLondon CityScarborough SC3–3 (H) Tihomir MaleticToronto CroatiaToronto Atomic FC4–2 (H) Vladimir VujovićBurlington SCBrampton City United5–0 (H) Vladimir VujovićBurlington SCNiagara United8–1 (A) Zdenko JurčevićBrantford GalaxyNiagara United3–1 (H) Oleksandr SemenyukToronto Atomic FCBrampton City United4–1 (H) Adis HasečićSC Waterloo RegionBurlington SC3–0 (H) Sahjah ReidSerbian White EaglesLondon City4–0 (H) Jonathan JebbisonBrampton City UnitedBrantford Galaxy3–1 (H) Richard WestYork Region ShootersSC Waterloo Region4–1 (H) Jonathan JebbisonBrampton City UnitedScarborough SC6–0 (A) Jure GlavinaToronto CroatiaBrantford Galaxy5–0 (H) Richard WestYork Region ShootersNiagara United9–1 (A) Richard WestYork Region ShootersLondon City7–2 (A)Amardo OakleyBurlington SCScarborough SC4–3 (H) Adnan SmajićMilton SCBrantford Galaxy4–3 (H)
Playoffs
Bracket The top 8 teams qualified for the one-game quarter final, and a one-game semifinal that lead to the championship game played on October 25 at Warrior Field in Waterloo, Ontario.
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
CSL Championship
Individual awards The annual CSL awards ceremony was held in Kitchener, Ontario. The Most Valuable Player award went to Josip Keran of Toronto Croatia. The York Region Shooters went home with two accolades with the CSL Golden Boot going to former Jamaican international Richard West, and Cyndy De Thomasis was honored with the Harry Paul Gauss award. Burlington SC received the most awards with three wins. Firstly the club was given the Fair Play award, while Andrew Stinger and Nikola Stanojevic were selected as the Goalkeeper and Defender of the Year.
Ihor Melnyk, a former Ukrainian Premier League veteran was named the Rookie of the Year, and Vasyl Ishcak was voted the Coach of the Year after clinching Toronto Atomic's first postseason berth. Goran Babic was voted the Referee of the Year by the CSL Referee Committee. AwardPlayer (Club) CSL Most Valuable Player Josip Keran (Toronto Croatia) CSL Golden Boot Richard West (York Region Shooters) CSL Goalkeeper of the Year Award Andrew Stinger (Burlington SC) CSL Defender of the Year Award Nikola Stanojevic (Burlington SC) CSL Rookie of the Year Award Ihor Melnyk (Toronto Atomic) CSL Coach of the Year Award Vasyl Ishchak (Toronto Atomic) Harry Paul Gauss Award Cyndy De Thomasis (York Region Shooters) CSL Referee of the Year Award Goran Babic CSL Fair Play Award Burlington SC
Second Division
Teams Of the 9 teams that played in the Second Division in 2014, seven returned. Kingston FC B left when their senior team left the First Division. Milton SC moved to the First Division and their reserve team joined the Second Division. Brantford Galaxy B returned when their senior team returned to the First Division after a two-year hiatus. Toronto Atomic FC B joined when their senior team joined the First Division.
Team City Stadium Manager Brampton United B Brampton Victoria Park Stadium Mike DiMatteo Brantford Galaxy B Brantford Steve Brown Sports Complex Anthony Giaitzis Burlington SC B Burlington Nelson Stadium Milton SC B Toronto Jean Vanier Catholic Secondary School Osman Begovic Niagara United B Niagara Falls Kalar Sports Park James McGillivery SC Waterloo Region B Waterloo Warrior FieldLazo Dzepina Serbian White Eagles B Toronto Centennial Park Stadium Goran Bakoc Toronto Atomic FC B Toronto Centennial Park StadiumVasyl Ishchak Toronto Croatia B Mississauga Centennial Park Stadium Daniel Jaksic York Region Shooters B Vaughan Joan of Arc Turf Field Gilbert Amaral
Results
Standings
Top goal scorers
RankPlayerClubGoals1 Nikola MiokovicSC Waterloo Region B152 Amardo OakleyBurlington SC B12 Edward SyllieSC Waterloo Region B4 Lucky MaghoriMilton SC B115 Raphael Barboza DaSilvaYork Region Shooters B9 Adnan SmajićMilton SC B7 Camilo VelozaBurlington SC B88 Matthew ArbinBrampton United B7 Milan BeaderBrantford Galaxy B Serhiy MarchakToronto Atomic FC B Aljay Sharkail WilsonToronto Croatia B Updated: December 17, 2015 Source: http://canadiansoccerleague.ca/2015-second-division-stats/
Playoffs
Bracket The top 8 teams qualified for the one-game quarterfinal, and a one-game semifinal that lead to the championship game played on October 25 at Warrior Field in Waterloo, Ontario.
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Second Division Championship
Individual awards AwardPlayer (Club) CSL Most Valuable Player Arsenije Japalak (Brantford Galaxy B) CSL Golden Boot Nikola Miokovic (Burlington SC B) CSL Goalkeeper of the Year Award Ihor Vitiv (Toronto Atomic B) CSL Defender of the Year Award Namanjar Sudar (Brantford Galaxy B) CSL Rookie of the Year Award Kingma Zach (Brantford Galaxy B) CSL Coach of the Year Award Amir Osmanlic (Milton SC)
References