There's just two weeks remaining in the Spring portion of the 2019 CPL season, and each result has made the final picture of the opening stanza clearer and clearer as teams find themselves mathematically eliminated from contention. There was plenty on offer over the last week, as Forge turned around a result against Valour, Cavalry got the better of FC Edmonton in Al Classico action, York9 finally celebrated a home win in league action, and both the Canadian men's and the women's national teams picked up victories in tournament play. Up next on the docket? A Saturday meeting between Forge and Cavalry that could decide the Spring winner, as well as plenty of CPL and national team action. Here's what we learned in Week 7:
7. It's game over for some CPL outfits
The Spring portion of the CPL season is only 10 matches long – it's a real sprint, and as such, a few of those seven teams in the running will inevitably pull ahead of the crowd. Following this week's matches, York9 FC, FC Edmonton, Pacific FC, and Valour FC have been mathematically eliminated from contention for the Spring berth of the 2019 CPL Championship. HFX Wanderers FC remains in the hunt, but with only the slimmest of margins, needing a win over Cavalry FC on Wednesday, followed by the hope that Forge and Cavalry tie on Saturday, and then both lose out for the rest of the season, just to stay tied at the top with 19 points, the maximum the Wanderers can reach out of four remaining fixtures. Forge and Cavalry meet on Saturday, in a match that may very well define the Spring season. Here's how ...
6. How Cavalry, Forge, or HFX can win the Spring
Nearly a dozen matches are set to be played before the CPL Spring session closes on July 1, as we enter this two-week stretch still looking to crown a winner. Undefeated Cavalry FC is in pole position for the Spring title, sure, but their late-June run-in is particularly daunting — four matches in two weeks, three away and one at home to Forge FC. A win over Forge or five points from those final matches is all they need to take the crown. Forge has a light but important two weeks, playing only twice; away to both Cavalry and FC Edmonton, needing to win both to keep pressure on the Cavs at the top of the table HFX Wanderers are mathematically still in contention too. However, a loss to Cavalry on Wednesday or a win by either the Cavs or Forge on Saturday will seal HFX’s fate, joining FC Edmonton, Pacific FC, York9 FC and Valour FC as CPL teams eliminated. Our Charlie O'Connor-Clarke has a full explainer on all the scenarios here.
5. Forge secured CONCACAF League berth
Even if Forge can't turn around the point deficit and pip Cavalry for the Spring title, Bobby Smyrniotis' side still has a silver lining to celebrate out of the opening portion of the 2019 season, having qualified for the CONCACAF League by besting their two other opponents in this one-off in-season "group table"-style qualifier. Here's how the results look with just one match remaining between Forge, Edmonton, and Valour.
7. It's game over for some CPL outfits
The Spring portion of the CPL season is only 10 matches long – it's a real sprint, and as such, a few of those seven teams in the running will inevitably pull ahead of the crowd. Following this week's matches, York9 FC, FC Edmonton, Pacific FC, and Valour FC have been mathematically eliminated from contention for the Spring berth of the 2019 CPL Championship. HFX Wanderers FC remains in the hunt, but with only the slimmest of margins, needing a win over Cavalry FC on Wednesday, followed by the hope that Forge and Cavalry tie on Saturday, and then both lose out for the rest of the season, just to stay tied at the top with 19 points, the maximum the Wanderers can reach out of four remaining fixtures. Forge and Cavalry meet on Saturday, in a match that may very well define the Spring season. Here's how ...
6. How Cavalry, Forge, or HFX can win the Spring
Nearly a dozen matches are set to be played before the CPL Spring session closes on July 1, as we enter this two-week stretch still looking to crown a winner. Undefeated Cavalry FC is in pole position for the Spring title, sure, but their late-June run-in is particularly daunting — four matches in two weeks, three away and one at home to Forge FC. A win over Forge or five points from those final matches is all they need to take the crown. Forge has a light but important two weeks, playing only twice; away to both Cavalry and FC Edmonton, needing to win both to keep pressure on the Cavs at the top of the table HFX Wanderers are mathematically still in contention too. However, a loss to Cavalry on Wednesday or a win by either the Cavs or Forge on Saturday will seal HFX’s fate, joining FC Edmonton, Pacific FC, York9 FC and Valour FC as CPL teams eliminated. Our Charlie O'Connor-Clarke has a full explainer on all the scenarios here.
5. Forge secured CONCACAF League berth
Even if Forge can't turn around the point deficit and pip Cavalry for the Spring title, Bobby Smyrniotis' side still has a silver lining to celebrate out of the opening portion of the 2019 season, having qualified for the CONCACAF League by besting their two other opponents in this one-off in-season "group table"-style qualifier. Here's how the results look with just one match remaining between Forge, Edmonton, and Valour.
CPL CONCACAF League qualifying (as of June 15, 2019) |