1989 Canadian Soccer League season

Last updated

Canadian Soccer League
Season1989
Champions Vancouver 86ers
Division Leaders Toronto Blizzard (East)
Vancouver 86ers (West)
Matches played130
Goals scored418 (3.22 per match)
Top goalscorer Ted Eck (21)
Best goalkeeper Paolo Ceccarelli (0.58 GAA)
1988
1990

The 1989 Canadian Soccer League season was the third season of play for the Canadian Soccer League, a Division 1 men's soccer league in the Canadian soccer pyramid.

Contents

Format and changes from previous season

The Victoria Vistas joined the Canadian Soccer League as an expansion team for the 1990 season, joining the West Division. [1] [2] The divisions were now even with five teams each.

The Calgary Kickers folded following the 1988 season, but the club was replaced by a community-owned team called the Calgary Strikers. [3] [4]

Similar to the previous season, the teams played an unbalanced schedule with two-thirds of a team's matches coming against teams in their own division(4 matches each) and one-third against the opposite division (2 matches each) for a total of 26 matches. Following the season, the top three teams in each division would advance to the playoffs, with the division leaders earning a first round bye, to designate a national champion club. [5] This season would see the first two rounds of the playoffs being played in two-legged times determined by aggregate score, while the final would remain a single match championship final.

Summary

Vancouver repeated as West Division champions, while Toronto won their first East Division title. Hamilton reached the final despite for the third consecutive year, where they faced Vancouver for the second year in a row, with the 86ers repeating as champions.

Vancouver was dominant again, losing but two regular-season matches en route to a second straight victory over Hamilton in the championship game. The 86ers went 46 consecutive games from the previous season into this one without losing, which is a record for a professional sports team in Canada. [6]

Regular season

East Division

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1 Toronto Blizzard 2616644827+2138Playoff semifinals
2 Hamilton Steelers 2615745628+2837Playoff quarterfinals
3 North York Rockets 2612953523+1233
4 Ottawa Intrepid 2678114146522
5 Montreal Supra 26391426462015

West Division

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1 Vancouver 86ers 2618626533+3242Playoff semifinals
2 Edmonton Brick Men 26931444551121Playoff quarterfinals
3 Calgary Strikers 26831536562019
4 Winnipeg Fury 26671335511619
5 Victoria Vistas 26461632532114

Overall

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1 Vancouver 86ers (C)2618626533+3242Playoff semifinals
2 Toronto Blizzard 2616644827+2138
3 Hamilton Steelers 2615745628+2837Playoff quarterfinals
4 North York Rockets 2612953523+1233
5 Ottawa Intrepid 2678114146522
6 Edmonton Brick Men 26931444551121Playoff quarterfinals
7 Calgary Strikers 26831536562019
8 Winnipeg Fury 26671335511619
9 Montreal Supra 26391426462015
10 Victoria Vistas 26461632532114

Playoffs

Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
1W Vancouver 86ers5 4 9
2W Edmonton Brick Men3 0 32W Edmonton Brick Men 3 0 3
3W Calgary Strikers 1 0 11W Vancouver 86ers3
2E Hamilton Steelers 2
1E Toronto Blizzard 1 1 2
2E Hamilton Steelers1 1 22E Hamilton Steelers1 2 3
3E North York Rockets 1 0 1

Quarterfinal

September 13, 1989 Calgary Strikers 1–3 Edmonton Brick Men Calgary, Alberta
Smith Soccerball shade.svg45'[ [7] Report] Fashanu Soccerball shade.svg21'
Rob Reed Soccerball shade.svg38'
Jorge Rodriguez Soccerball shade.svg91'
Stadium: Mewata Stadium
Attendance: 600
September 17, 1989 Edmonton Brick Men 0–0 Calgary Strikers Edmonton, Alberta
16:00[ [8] Report]Stadium: Clarke Stadium
Attendance: 878

Edmonton Brick Men won 3–1 on aggregate.

September 17, 1989 Hamilton Steelers 1–0 North York Rockets Hamilton, Ontario
19:30Hector Chazaretta Soccerball shade.svg13'[ [10] Report]Stadium: Brian Timmis Stadium

Hamilton Steelers won 2–1 on aggregate.

Semifinal

September 20, 1989 Edmonton Brick Men 3–5 Vancouver 86ers Edmonton, Alberta
18:00 Fashanu Soccerball shade.svg7', 23'
Jorge Rodriguez Soccerball shade.svg36'
[ [11] [12] Report] Catliff Soccerball shade.svg45'
Mitchell Soccerball shade.svg60'
Mobilio Soccerball shade.svg62'
Easton Jr. Soccerball shade.svg73', 89'
Stadium: Clarke Stadium
Attendance: 1000

Vancouver 86ers won 9–3 on aggregate.

September 20, 1989 Hamilton Steelers 1–1 Toronto Blizzard Hamilton, Ontario
21:00Gary Morrow Soccerball shade.svg[ [14] Report] Fletcher Soccerball shade.svgStadium: Brian Timmis Stadium
Attendance: 2200
Referee: Brian Smith

Hamilton Steelers won 3–2 on aggregate.

Final

October 1, 1989 Vancouver 86ers 3–2 Hamilton Steelers Vancouver, British Columbia
19:30 Muirhead Soccerball shade.svg51'
Valentine Soccerball shade.svg57'
Mobilio Soccerball shade.svg67'
[ [16] [17] Report] Gray Soccerball shade.svg42'
Hector Chazaretta Soccerball shade.svg76'
Stadium: Swangard Stadium
Attendance: 7942
Referee: Derek Douglas

Statistics

Top scorers

RankPlayerClubGoals
1 Flag of the United States.svg Ted Eck Ottawa Intrepid 21
2 Flag of England.svg Justin Fashanu Edmonton Brick Men 17
3 Flag of Argentina.svg Amadeo Gasparini Hamilton Steelers 15
4 Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg Flag of Cyprus.svg Vladan Tomić North York Rockets 14
5 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Billy Domazetis Hamilton Steelers 13
6 Flag of Scotland.svg Andy Smith Calgary Strikers 11
Reference: [18]

Top goaltenders

RankPlayerClubGAA
1 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Paolo Ceccarelli North York Rockets 0.58
2 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Paul Dolan Hamilton Steelers 1.00
3 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Pat Harrington Toronto Blizzard 1.04
4 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Pat Onstad Winnipeg Fury 1.20
5 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Don Ferguson North York Rockets 1.23
Reference: [18]

Honours

The following awards and nominations were awarded for the 1989 season. [18] [19]

AwardPlayerTeam
Most Valuable Player Flag of England.svg Justin Fashanu Edmonton Brick Men
Rookie of the Year Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Paul Peschisolido Toronto Blizzard


League All-Stars

PlayerPosition
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Pat Harrington (Toronto Blizzard) Goalkeeper
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Steve MacDonald (Vancouver 86ers) Defender
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Peter Sarantopoulos (North York Rockets) Defender
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Drew Ferguson (Hamilton Steelers) Defender
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Trevor McCallum (Toronto Blizzard) Defender
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Paul James (Ottawa Intrepid) Midfielder
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Carl Valentine (Vancouver 86ers) Midfielder
Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg Flag of Cyprus.svg Vladan Tomić (North York Rockets) Midfielder
Flag of the United States.svg Ted Eck (Ottawa Intrepid) Forward
Flag of England.svg Justin Fashanu (Edmonton Brick Men) Forward
Flag of Argentina.svg Amadeo Gasparini (Hamilton Steelers) Forward

Reserves

PlayerPosition
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Paul Dolan (Hamilton Steelers) Goalkeeper
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Shaun Lowther (Winnipeg Fury) Defender
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Joseph Majcher (Toronto Blizzard) Midfielder
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg John Catliff (Vancouver 86ers) Forward

Front office

PersonRole
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Bob Lenarduzzi (Vancouver 86ers) Head Coach
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Alan Errington (Vancouver 86ers) Assistant Coach
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Mary Morris (Hamilton Steelers) General Manager

Average home attendances

Pos.TeamGPAverage Attendance
1 Vancouver 86ers 264,951
2 Winnipeg Fury 264,404
3 Edmonton Brick Men 262,273
4 Toronto Blizzard 262,173
5 Victoria Vistas 262,039
6 North York Rockets 261,937
7 Montreal Supra 261,841
8 Hamilton Steelers 261,819
9 Ottawa Intrepid 261,357
10 Calgary Strikers 261,233
Total Attendance2602,403
Reference: [17]

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References

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  4. "Calgary Kickers/Strikers (1987-89)". CSL Memories.
  5. MacDonald, Archie (February 26, 1987). "Soccer rebirth". The Vancouver Sun . p. F3.
  6. "The 1989 Vancouver 86ers". BC Sports Hall of Fame Inductees. Archived from the original on February 12, 2015. Retrieved April 5, 2013.
  7. Ireland, Joanne (September 14, 1989). "Brick Men take giant step forward". Edmonton Journal . p. 63.
  8. Ireland, Joanne (September 18, 1989). "Listless B-Men move on". Edmonton Journal . p. 49.
  9. Koep, Bob (September 14, 1989). "Rockets and Steelers tie one on". Toronto Star . p. C15.
  10. Koep, Bob (September 18, 1989). "Rockets fizzle out of soccer playoffs". Toronto Star . p. D8.
  11. Ireland, Joanne (September 21, 1989). "Brick Men crumble in defeat". Edmonton Journal . p. 65.
  12. "86ers rally by Brick Men". Nanaimo Daily News . September 21, 1989. p. 6.
  13. Stinson, Dan (September 25, 1989). "Mitchell puts 86ers into final". Vancouver Sun . p. 15.
  14. Koep, Bob (September 21, 1989). "Blizzard lucky to escape with tie against Steelers". Toronto Star . p. C9.
  15. Koep, Bob (September 25, 1989). "Steelers' Bunbury again burns Blizzard in final". Toronto Star . p. B7.
  16. Harrison, Don (October 2, 1989). "Soccer and 86ers both win". The Province . p. 10.
  17. 1 2 Jose, Colin (2001). On-Side - 125 Years of Soccer in Ontario. Vaughan, Ontario: Ontario Soccer Association and Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum. pp. 130, 132.
  18. 1 2 3 "1989 CSL Stats" (PDF). Canadian Soccer League.
  19. Grossman, David (October 5, 1989). "Soccer star dreams of pro career in Italy". Toronto Star .