Real Toronto won the Ontario Cup senior men's final, thus earning the final spot for the 2009 BMO National Championships Challenge Trophy competition. Real Toronto won 2:1 over AEK London in the championship final, winning on a late goal by Matthew Rios in the 84th minute.

"We came out hard and we controlled the game," said coach Brian Bowes. "It then became a scrappy game, but we were able to control things after scoring the second goal."

The 2009 Ontario Cup final was a rematch of the 2008 final. Last year, Real Toronto won the final, but then lost the championship after it was uncovered the team had dressed an ineligible player. As a result, it was AEK London that advanced to the Challenge Trophy competition.

This year, it will be Real Toronto's turn to represent Ontario at the BMO National Championships.

In the 2009 Toronto-London final, Real Toronto's Kadian Lecky nearly opened the scoring in the 20th minute, but he was denied by the post. Just three minutes later, Real Toronto got on the board after Matthew Rios fired home a rebound.

AEK London's Ryan Avola equalised the score in the 56th minute, but then Rios scored his second of the match in the 84th minute.

In the final, Real Toronto's starting XI featured Pablo Alvarado in goal, Marcello Capozzola, Fitzroy Christey, Geron Duporte and Desmond Humphrey on defence, Courtney Dennis, Darryl Gomez, Alex Lopez and Denny Velastegui at midfield, and Kadian Lecky and Matthew Rios up front.

This will be Real Toronto's first trip to the BMO National Championships. While the team lacks Challenge Trophy experience, it does carry two players that once represented Canada at the international level. Josue Jaramillo represented Canada at the 2005 CONCACAF Under-17 Qualification Tournament while player-coach Humphrey represented Canada at the 1990 CONCACAF U-20 Tournament.

One Real Toronto former player not heading to the Challenge Trophy competition is coach Bowes. He retired earlier this year after suffering a brain aneurysm and will not be permitted to fly. Bowes is another former international youth player, having represented Canada at the 1998 CONCACAF U-19 Qualification Tournament.

All 18 teams have now qualified for the BMO National Championships Challenge Trophy and Jubilee Trophy competitions that run 7-12 October in Saskatoon, SK. On the men's side, Yukon Territories' Yukon Selects, British Columbia’s West Van FC, Alberta’s Calgary Callies, Saskatchewan’s Huskie Alumni, Manitoba’s Hellas SC, Ontario's Real Toronto, Québec’s Royal Beauport, Nova Scotia’s Halifax City, Prince Edward Island's Avondale Islanders and Newfoundland Labrador’s Holy Cross have qualified for the Challenge Trophy competition. On the women's side, British Columbia’s Surrey United, Alberta’s Edmonton Victoria, Saskatchewan’s Saskatoon NATA, Manitoba’s South End United, Nova Scotia’s Halifax City, Nova Scotia’s Halifax Dunbrack and Newfoundland Labrador’s EPR Kirby/The Dock have all qualified for the Jubilee Trophy competition.

BMO Financial Group is proud to support soccer at all levels across Canada, from grassroots to Canada’s national teams. Starting with sponsorship of more than 400 Canadian youth teams to the title support of elite youth players at the BMO National Championships, through to the professional-team support (Toronto FC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC) and sponsorship of the Canadian men’s and women’s national soccer teams, BMO Financial Group is serious about Canadian soccer. For more information on BMO’s support of soccer in Canada, visit bmosoccer.com.