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The Soccer Spotlight - Men
Featured player of the week: Jim Brennan
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| Jim Brennan |
| Photo: Dale MacMillan |
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In just its second season, Toronto FC has strung together a four-game unbeaten streak. Canadian captain Jim Brennan, the original member, has been a big part of the turnaround after the team finished last in their innagural MLS season. What hasn’t changed in Year II, though, is the good old Canadian support. TFC’s home turf, BMO Field, has been filled to the rafters for each of its 2008 home games.
Through early May, Jim and Toronto FC have put together a 3-1-2 record, good enough for fourth in the East standings. Under new head coach John Carver and with the acquisition of some key players, Toronto FC has shown promise in its sophomore year. Forget those awkward years of expansion development, the team’s army of red supporters is expecting nothing less than a playoff position in 2008.
[More]
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The Soccer Spotlight - Women
Featured player of the week: Jonelle Filigno
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| Jonelle Filigno |
| Photo: Tony Quinn |
Jonelle Filigno has learned a thing or two that she might be sharing with her fellow youth players at Canada’s women’s U-20 camp in Indiana this week. Before joining the U-20 team for its camp and series of games in the FCI PDA International Cup, Filigno helped Canada’s senior team qualify for the 2008 Women’s Olympic Football Tournament in Beijing. It will be the first time in Association history that Canada is sending a women’s team to the Olympics.
Filigno was the youngest player on Canada’s senior team at the 2008 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualification Tournament in Juarez, México. Canada qualified for the Olympics by defeating hosts México on 9 April at the Estadio Olímpico Benito Juarez. Filigno played the full 90 minutes of that 1:0 victory. [More]
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The Soccer Spotlight - Men
Featured player of the week: Patrice Bernier
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| Patrice Bernier |
Welcome to my hometown. If there is one player that seems to get a few more cheers than his teammates this 20 June in 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ Qualifiers, it is likely Patrice Bernier. The 2007 Fédération de soccer du Québec player of excellence comes from Brossard, a suburb of the great city of Montréal where the first Canadian match will be played in 2008. Canada faces Saint Vincent & the Grenadines at Stade Saputo (19.30 kickoff).
Patrice hopes to be a part of the Canadian team that head coach Dale Mitchell selects next month. The team will train together for several weeks before heading to Kingstown, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines for the first leg of the two-game set (15 June). The team will then fly to Montréal for the return leg to be played on 20 June. [More]
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The Soccer Spotlight - Women
Featured player of the week: Melissa Tancredi
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| Rhian Wilkinson and Melissa Tancredi |
| Photo: Mexsport |
So a star has been born. That was the message Melissa Tancredi delivered when she scored four times in four games at the recent CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualification in Juarez, México. Tancredi, who plays up front alongside legendary captain Christine Sinclair, scored three game-winning goals and one game-tying goal as Canada qualified for the first-time ever to the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament.
In Canada’s first three games at the Estadio Olímpico Benito Juarez, Tancredi scored the opening and game-winning goal three-straight times. In the all-important semi-final against hosts México - which opened the door for an Olympic berth - Tancredi coolly scored the winner in the 25th minute after a Méxican mistake. After a México’s back defender fell on her heels, Tancredi won the ball and strode in for an easy breakaway goal. [More]
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The Soccer Spotlight - Men
Featured player of the week: Kevin McKenna
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| Kevin McKenna |
Kevin McKenna is in his first season with 1. FC Köln in the German Bundesliga 2. The 28-year old Calgary native has been playing professionally in Deutschland for several years, previously playing for Energie Cottbus from 1998-2001 and 2005-2007.
The tall defender has been a mainstay with Canada’s senior national team. The Canadian captain has already won 37 caps with the senior team, including two in 2007. This past month, he was in Tallinn for a friendly with Estonia (he did not feature). In 37 games as a defender and forward, he has nine goals for Canada. [More]
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The Soccer Spotlight - Women
Featured player of the week: Christine Sinclair
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| Christine Sinclair |
| Photo: Tony Quinn |
This week, Canuck captain Christine Sinclair and her teammates will embark on the all-important confederation qualification for the Beijing Summer Olympics. Sinclair and Canada open the CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualification Tournament tonight against Trinidad and Tobago in Juarez, Mexico.
All of Canada’s matches at the CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualification Tournament will be webcast on CBCSports.ca. Canada’s first two matches (2 April against Trinidad & Tobago and 6 April against Costa Rica) as well as the two semi-finals will be broadcast on GolTV. Tournament matches will also be televised by host broadcaster PCTV in México. [More]
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