The 1998 CPSL League Cup was the inaugural edition of the Canadian Professional Soccer League's league cup tournament running from July through late September. The tournament final was played in a two-game series final at Club Roma Stadium in St. Catharines, Ontario, and at Birchmount Stadium in Toronto, Ontario. The tournament was won by the Toronto Olympians after defeating St. Catharines Roma Wolves 3-0 on goals on aggregate.
Overview After proposals made in 1996 by the USL A-League to create an open cup competition within Canada failed to materialize the newly formed Canadian Professional Soccer League launched the CPSL League Cup in 1998 as the successor league cup to the Canadian National Soccer League's. Though initially the tournament was restricted to CPSL member clubs plans were formulated for future participation of USL A-League Canadian franchises and the champions of the various top provincial leagues. Eventually the league's objective would be reached in the 2003 Open Canada Cup as the tournament officially became open to all Canadian professional and amateur clubs in order to provide a potential candidate for the CONCACAF Champions' Cup. The original format of the tournament was organized into a group stage with the two top teams advancing to the semifinals.
Group stage
Group A TeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsStatusGlen Shields6510193+1616Advanced to the semi-final North York Astros631276+110Toronto Croatia63031614+29London City SC6006524−190
Group B TeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsStatusToronto Olympians6510217+1416Advanced to the semi-final St. Catharines Roma Wolves63212010+1011York Region Shooters6114920−114Mississauga Eagles P.S.C.61051023−133
Knockout stage Bracket
Semi-finals
St. Catharines won 6–1 on aggregate.
Toronto won 9–1 on aggregate.
Finals
GK 1 Brian Bowes RB 20 Danny ZiannisCB 4 Ian Cardey LB 5 Tony MarshallCM 16 Daryl Holmes RM 17 John Matas CM 6 Peyvand Mossavat CM 7 Gong Lei LM 10 Chris Handsor ST 23 Eddy Berdusco ST 11 Gus Kouzmanis Substitutes:DF 15 Louie Katsavrias DF 12 Louie Ouroutzaglou MF 8 Bayete Smith MF 2 Ian Carter Manager: David Gee GK 1 Dino Perri RB 3 Joe Carbonara CB 7 John McNeilCB 6 Keith Moore LB 4 Albert Reinhart RM 8 Pat Dugas CM 13 Lucio IanieroCM 22 Gary McGuchan LM 10 Tony Carbonara ST 18 Carlo Arghittu ST 14 Anwar Ahmao Substitutes:GK 21 Brian MacDonald MF 17 Marco Antonio Marino FW 15 Luciano Berarocco FW 9 Jerry Cipriani Manager: Dino Perri
Assistant referees: Silviu Petrescu Amato DeLuca Fourth official: Manuel Orellana Toronto won 3–0 on aggregate.
References