Two of Calgary’s top soccer clubs received an icy reception from their Ontario hosts during recent championship losses on the same day.
The Cavalry Football Club – Calgary’s representative in the Canadian Premier League (CPL) – got the cold shoulder from the host Atletico Ottawa squad during the North Star Cup final at TD Place on Sunday, Nov. 9th.
Heavy snow delayed the start of the kickoff for the championship matchup while stadium staff worked to clear the field with plows, shovels and leaf blowers. The field crews were busy all night clearing lines as the snow continued to fall. Both goalkeepers kept shovels nearby to clear their boxes throughout the match.
The defending champion Cavalry got on the scoreboard first with a penalty kick goal from Fraser Aird in the 33rd minute. He was greeted with snowballs from the Ottawa crowd as he celebrated the strike, but the lead didn’t last long. Mexican midfielder David Rodriguez answered with what was dubbed an “icicle kick” equalizer in the 39th minute. The incredible shot smashed off the crossbar before finding the back of the net.
Rodriguez put the Cavalry’s championship hopes on ice with a second goal in the 107th minute, during extra time, to secure a 2-1 victory and deliver Atletico their first CPL title triumph.
The scene played out more like a Canadian Football League (CFL) Grey Cup game than a soccer match, but the conditions did not dampen the entertainment value.
“I still think it’s entertaining. It’s not the football match that we’ve planned out. But it’s the ability to adapt to these conditions in Canada. It still created some excitement and some controversy. The fans are throwing snowballs. Only in Canada, right?” said Cavalry Head Coach & GM Tommy Wheeldon Jr. during a half-time interview with OneSoccer.
“It’s no game of football, is it? … It’s more like beach football. It’s about positions and areas. I’m not sure it brings out the best in a final. But it’s a final and it’s a Canadian one.”
U SPORTS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
The Canadian university men’s soccer championship between the York University Lions and Mount Royal University (MRU) Cougars also offered up a frosty brand of football.
The pitch at Varsity Stadium in Toronto was blanketed with snow and the conditions suppressed offensive opportunities for both sides. Neither team scored during regulation time or in the first 15-minute overtime period.
Championship MVP Christian Zeppieri delivered the knockout blow on a penalty kick in the 115th minute.
The snowy silver-medal finish for MRU is the best result for the men’s soccer squad in program history.
“It was a tough scenario for both teams, and not what either wanted. But that’s what happens in Canada sometimes,” Cougars Head Coach Ryan Gyaki told LiveWire Calgary after the loss.
“It’s hard to really appreciate the success of the bigger picture right now, but yeah, it’s an amazing feeling, absolutely, representing our university and our city and the work. This level of success is incredible.”