12 July 2024

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weekend preview

As NDC Ontario hone in on the Women’s Premier crown, the Men’s Premier title race is wide open.

vaughan player running


Don’t look down

Sigma have a chance to move out of the Men’s Premier Division’s relegation playoff spot, at least temporarily, on Friday night as they entertain Simcoe County Rovers who are only two points above them in the standings.

Pickering will have the same ambitions in the Men’s Championship having lost their last five games, and they are now stuck in the relegation playoff spot, but a win against BVB IA Waterloo on Friday would lift them out of the dreaded drop zone.

Pickering have however enjoyed an upturn of form in the Women’s Championship, winning their last two matches and climbing to fourth in the table. Darby are their hosts on Friday night.

But the Men’s Championship’s St Catharines Roma Wolves have had a run of form that many envy, picking up four wins on the bounce and shooting up to fourth in the standings. They face Windsor City next.

Grudge match

There’s a Women’s Premier Division Final repeat on the cards this weekend, with the 2022 and 2023 finalists Alliance United and NDC Ontario meeting at Centennial College. What’s different about previous meetings is that these two teams are at different ends of the 2024 standings.

NDC Ontario have the title in their grasp, but their closest challengers are North Toronto who are five points behind. North Toronto edged out a thrilling 3-2 victory against Woodbridge Strikers in midweek and, on Saturday, they visit sixth-placed Simcoe County Rovers who tied against Vaughan Azzurri on Wednesday.

The Men’s Premier Division title picture is wide open, with Alliance United one of the four teams within three points of the table-toppers Woodbridge Strikers. Alliance host a Guelph United side with other ambitions as they look to steer clear of the relegation playoff spot.

Blue Devils and ProStars are the only teams who have won their last two games in the Men’s Premier; the former visit Scrosoppi, who would temporarily go top with a victory against the Oakville side, and in this week’s men’s livestream, ProStars face struggling Burlington who have dropped to fifth and four points adrift of the current leaders.

In pole position are Woodbridge Strikers on 23 points and they visit North Toronto on Saturday having won just once in their last five. Vaughan Azzurri however are right behind Woodbridge with the same points tally, and face bottom side Hamilton United on Sunday.

north toronto player shooting

Points mean prizes

The Men’s Championship’s leading two, TFC Academy and FC London, are both at home on Saturday as they welcome Master’s FA and North Mississauga respectively – two sides in the battle to avoid the relegation playoff spot.

Not far behind them are Unionville Milliken, who need to win against Darby if they are to keep pressure on the top two.

After tying against ProStars in midweek, Burlington’s women’s team need victory against fellow Women’s Championship strugglers Tecumseh United if they are to steer away from relegation. This is a huge matchup for survival in the second tier.

ProStars are back in action as they face Unionville Milliken on Saturday, and title-chasing Scrosoppi visit Hamilton United with three points taking them top for at least the night.

Sudbury Cyclones are also chasing their inaugural title as they aim to win the Men’s League2 Northeast Conference and the division’s overall crown; their next opponents are Master’s FA B.

The only other League2 ‘A’ team in action this weekend are St Catharines Roma Wolves’ women’s team, and they face Unionville Milliken B off the back of losing their last two outings.

Close encounters

Sunday has a very interesting Women’s Premier Division matchup, as third-placed FC London visit fourth-placed Woodbridge Strikers. Blue Devils and Guelph United also meet in a battle between two teams in the lower half of the Women’s Premier Division.

Vaughan Azzurri’s game against North Mississauga wraps up Matchweek 12 in the women’s top flight. The Panthers come into this one having lost to their neighbours in the standings, Alliance United, 2-1 on Wednesday.

BVB IA Waterloo have the chance to make it six wins on the bounce on Sunday as they face Rush Canada, who will have relegation worries of their own. Regardless of results before them, victory for Waterloo on Sunday will see them stay top of the table into Matchweek 13.

Published On: 12 July 2024

League1 Ontario staff