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Imperial Cup 2019 Imperial Cup

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Canucks4Ever

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CCB vs Croatia final

Massive R16 fixture likely between Croatia and CMF. Coquitlam will really want to take a shot at the reaching the Imperial final given how close things are to qualify for the top six. Ditto in the top half where Inter will be hoping to survive a QF showdown with CCB, assuming no upsets. Rino's, the defending champions, are another side that will likely have an eye on reaching the final to ensure their place in Provincials, while Rovers, who have not traditionally performed well in the Cup, may want to take a run at it this season as they too are now flirting with ending up outside the top six.
 

Leblue

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Binger Army 1-3 Coq Lupi
Columbus 1-0 Burnaby Selects
Campo 0-2 Burnaby Metro
NorVan 3-2 Westside
InterChile 4-1 GN Sporting
Romania 0-1 Greencaps
InterChile "B" 0-3 MetroFord
 

Canucks4Ever

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The Imperial Cup is upon us once more and, with such an exciting VMSL Premier season already on the go, hopefully this competition can just add the drama over the final months of the campaign. Given just how tight things are among the top seven teams in the league, the Imperial Cup could take on even more significance because the VMSL has only six spots in the Provincial Cup again this season. The six spot will be allocated to the top four in the league along with the two Imperial Cup finalists; with the spots trickling down to the fifth and sixth placed teams in the league if the finalists already qualify as a top four side. This means that for whomever is the unlucky club to wind up outside the top six places, their only path to the post season tournament is via this competition. Of course cup season also brings on the possibility of a Cinderella outsider catching fire and blazing their way to cup glory. The chances are slim, but at the start of round one, every team always gets the opportunity to think "what if...?"

Completely Baseless Predictions - Preliminary Round

NorVan (Prem) v Westside (D1)
The first match out of the hat is a Premier versus Division 1 show down and a match up between sides that switched leagues at the end of last year. NorVan made it back to the top flight after two seasons away, while Westside yo-yoed back down after a couple of years at the top level. Westside seems to have been caught in a period of instability over the last decade or so, and it is set to continue into next season as they are trapped in Division 1, destined to finish mid-table. Prior to the 2012/2013 season, Westside had only been outside of the VMSL's top flight for a single season since first making their way to the summit in the 1980s, going on to become one of the most decorated clubs in the league. These past seven years have been quite a roller coaster though, with three relegations, two promotions and a trip to the Provincial Cup semi-final. This follows the path of similar top clubs from their era including Vancouver Firefighters (who merged with Surrey United and then returned to the FVSL in 2016), Columbus (who are looking to once more climb back to Premier) and NorVan. After some tumultuous years of their own, the North Shore outfit ran away with Division 1 last year and have secured their place in the top flight for another season. The will hope to have entered a new era of stability and will hope to return to being a perennial trophy contender in the coming years. For this match NorVan will be without top scorer Blake Burgon, who is suspended from last season's competition. Despite not challenging for promotion, Westside are not usually out of any match, whether they ultimately win or lose, so even though there is a gulf in standing between the sides, I have the feeling that this might be a tight match. NorVan's form has dipped since the adrenaline rush of promotion at the start of the campaign has worn off and not having their biggest offensive threat available is unlikely to help things. I still think they should have enough to get through here, though, if the match is as close as I think it could be, they might only be a single bounce away from an upset.

Club Inter EDC A (Prem) v GN Sporting (D1)
Currently "Chinter" are the seventh place side in the Premier table, meaning that they, of all teams, could do with an extended cup run. Of course last year, before the merger, Inter reached the semi-finals of this competition in which they lost, leading to a well publicized post-match altercation. Whether those events had anything to do with the ultimate shake up of the club, with various players departing before the merger brought some new-old faces back into the club is unknown. What we do know is that much of Inter's ill-tempered, chip-on-the-shoulder attitude survived the regime change and is alive and well within the team today. Their current discipline list has seen them amass three red cards over their previous two matches, including one for leading scorer and talisman Mohammad Habib. Fortunately for the "Italian"-South Americans, league suspensions do not generally apply to cup play, meaning that Habib should be in the lineup for this match. Less clear, however, is the case of Marco Visintin who was filmed shoving the referee after he was sent off in a match. I understand that the case has been handed off to BC Soccer, though, apparently, not by the VMSL themselves. Rumour is that BC Soccer got wind of the video and stepped in, though I cannot officially confirm that. Regardless, the question would be, if BC Soccer has stepped in, does it rule him out of the cup competition as well as league play, pending a ruling from the governing body? I suppose we shall find out when he either takes to the field or does not, come Saturday night. Irrespective of the personnel that "Chinter" are or are not able to field, you would expect the Premier boys to be able to handle lower league opposition. GN had a hot start to the year and looked as though they would challenge for promotion until the bottom fell out in the build up to the Winter Break and now they are set to finish mid-table. Still, that is a far cry better than the Surrey/Delta boys' usual annual dog fight just to stay in Division 1, so, all in all, a successful season. GN had a rather dubious Imperial Cup run last season when, after knocking off White Eagles in their opening in what was a decent upset based on the Div. 1 table at the time, they then did not even bother making the trip to play Croatia in the next round. Presumably they will show up for this one, but expect Inter to be comfortable.

Columbus (D1) v Burnaby Selects White Eagles (D1)
This one is the MOTR as the top two sides in Division 1 take time out from their promotion battle to clash in the cup. While both teams would have likely preferred to draw a lower table Premier side in order to gauge their ability to play at the next level, now only one of them will get the chance to test themselves against top tier opposition. What a test that will be as well, with defending VMSL, Provincial and National champions Rovers Tigers on deck for the winner of this match. In an ironic twist, this exact fixture will be played in the league next week, with that contest being likely of much more value to these teams than this meeting. Even more ironically, this is the second season in a row that the cup draw has served up back to back meetings with the same team for White Eagles and, as mentioned previously, last year they were unable to do the double, losing to GN in the cup. This year though they come in as the first place side in Division 1 and look poised for a long awaited return to the top flight next season. White Eagles have not been in Premier for roughly a decade, since they were then known as Serbian White Eagles and their journey back has seen them fall as far as Division 2. For Columbus, they, as mentioned, like other clubs of their ilk, have been on somewhat of a roller coaster in recent years, but look once more as though a return to the top flight is within their reach. That being said, their form has been less than dominant since returning from holidays. A pair each of narrow one goal wins and tough one goal losses means that they are now at a tipping point. Any further dropped points would open the door for the hard charging Burnaby Metro Athletic and could cost them their promotion. White Eagles, however, are not showing any signs of slowing down as we barrel towards the finish line with their potent offense boasting three of Division 1's top five scorers in Vuk Erbez, Matlash Vladyslav and Mladen Ljumovic. Columbus did win their earlier head to head encounter 2-0, but White Eagles look to be unstoppable at the minute and are likely very keen to earn a date against Premier opposition.

Campo Atletico (Prem) v Burnaby Metro Athletic (D1)
A very intriguing match up here between a Campo side, whose loss to Richmond last week officially relegated them back to Division 1, and a Burnaby Metro team who are desperately trying to reel in a promotion place. Despite the grand rehiring of exalted coach Eduardo Azmitia, there was no saving Campo. The hole they had dug themselves was simply too deep and there was just no where near enough quality in the side. True a few morale raising performances in closer losses (both 2-0) to title contenders Croatia and West Van were encouraging as was earning their first, and potentially only, point of the season against a lethargic and bereft Pegasus side. However, their inability to perform at the top level was laid bare in further lopsided losses against Rino's, CCB and Inter. In a match that was suppose to provide further hope and a platform to build off of next season against fellow Premier stragglers Richmond last week, saw them instead once more embarrassed to the tune of 6-0 and simultaneously officially relegated. This match up against a top Division 1 side should provide further insight into where Campo stack up in the hierarchy at the next level down. Many have speculated as to their ability to even stay afloat at that level and a further lopsided loss would only give more credence to those questions. Burnaby Metro will certainly be keen to continue their winning ways and prove that they have what it take to at least not finish last at the next level up and they also possess something that Campo do not, a prolific scorer. Farivar Torabi leads Division 1 with 16 goals and his clinical finishing in front of goal has almost single-handedly dragged Burnaby back into a promotion race that they seemed to be falling out of after the opening months of the campaign. Now, though, Metro a breathing down the necks of Columbus and might just pip them to a spot in Premier next year. A spot in the next round of the Imperial Cup would given Burnaby a further chance to test themselves against mid-table top flight competition, as Pegasus await in the Round of 16 for the winner of this match. That is another potentially winnable game for Burnaby and they could reasonably find themselves lining up in an Imperial Cup quarter final, though Pegasus would surely have plenty to say themselves about that as they seek a back door into the Provincial Cup. True, a cup run might be a distraction from Metro's main focus of promotion, but there is something to be said about simply continuing to win games; that is never a bad habit to have!

Binger's Army (D1) v Coquitlam Metro Ford Lupi (D1)
Sadly this match marks the end of an era. Binger's will not be participating in the Imperial Cup next season as, after countless years of Division 1 football in the VMSL, they were officially relegated to Division 2 after last weekend's results. The Army have sprung some memorable cup upsets over the years, perhaps most notably defeating Croatia the season they were Provincial Cup champions. The Army are an institution in Division 1 and their absence will be noticeable moving forward. It is almost fitting then, that in what could potentially be their final Imperial Cup match they have draw a team making its debut in the competition. Coquitlam Metro Ford Lupi ran roughshod right over Division 2 last season, winning the league, the cup and agonizing losing the Provincial Cup final 1-0. They picked up where they left off at the beginning of this year, making their bow in Division 1 and quickly racing to the top of the table. That Provincial Cup loss would wind up being their only defeat for an entire calendar year, a remarkable acheivement. However, since then the gloss has come off of Lupi somewhat and they are currently mired in easily the worst form of their nascent existence as a team. They have only one win over their last ten matches dating back to October 31 when they beat none other than the Army. Their defense has also been bleeding goals, conceding 17 times over their previous five matches alone. In a fun twist, Bingers and Lupi were scheduled to play this week in the league before cup pay superseded that. In some sort of dark-arts dealings the Army appear to have negotiated the chance to play on their preferred Wednesday night, though they will head out to Coquitlam to do so, despite being the home side. In exchange it would appear that their rearranged league match, which has now been push out to the end of the season, will also be played on a Wednesday with the Coquitlam "hosting" at Memorial. Lupi certainly need a spark to get back into their rhythm and a chance to put up a win against last placed Binger's and earn a chance to test themselves against Premier league West Van might be the motivation the Tri-Cities side need to snap out of this funk. That being said, call me sentimental, but I think the Army have one last big win left in them and, with Coquitlam in woeful form, I will make this one my Upset Special of the round as it kicks off the competition on Wednesday night.

Romania (D1) v Greencaps (D1)
In a fun twist the first ever Imperial Cup match for Greencaps will come against the same side they played in their first ever Division 1 match this past September. The Irish lads will be hoping for a similar result, as they ran out 4-1 on that day and carried on in that vein as they are set for a comfortable mid-table finish in their inaugural Div. 1 campaign. Greencaps are in good form at the moment as well, unbeaten since returning from the holidays and they have scored seven goals in their previous two matches. For Romania, this could well be their last Imperial Cup match for awhile as they are clinging to the faintest hope of survival, but things are looking bleaker by the day. Knowing how hard it is to win promotion from Div. 2, and with a talented crops of teams already clamoring to get up from that league, it could be some time before we see the Europeans back at this level. Greencaps seem to have had Romania's number this season as, after winning that original match by a decent margin, they would be even more comfortable in the reverse fixture, posting a 5-1 win. The odds look rather good for them to make it three wins from three in this one.

Coquitlam Metro Ford Wolves (Prem) v Club Inter EDC B (D1)
Our final match of the opening round of fixtures is a fairly solid mismatch. Coquitlam are hot at the moment, unbeaten in the New Year, as they look ensure their participation in this season's Provincial Cup. After finishing seventh last year and missing the tournament for the first time in recent memory, they are looking to avoid relying on any help from the Imperial Cup to confirm their ticket back to the dance. That would mean needing to finish in the top four of the Premier standings, which might be possible given that they still have three of the bottom four teams to play. Club Inter EDC's B group took up the Division 1 spot that the EDC half of the merger brought to the table and have mostly ignored this group. A massive win over Wolves' little brothers, Lupi, in league play last week looks all but certain to have spared the club the embarrassment of potential back to back relegations, but that might be the only positive for "Chinter" in an otherwise rather unremarkable campaign. A win here would be a major upset and likely the biggest of the round, but with Coquitlam likely thinking they have a shot at some silverware at the end of this competition, I's say the odds of it happening are just about nil.
 

Leblue

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Campo's wretched season continued with a 3-0 loss to Div 1 promotion contenders Burnaby Metro Athletic. Comfortable win for the underdogs/favourites. Could easily have been more. Video below makes it sound like it was played in a hurricane but I noticed very little wind at the match!


defender #5 huge mistake by the first goal complete miscalculation....
 

lego3

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Campo will have a hard time staying up in Div.1 next year, based on their performance night in night our they are mid to low Div.2 caliber at very best.
 

Canucks4Ever

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Well the snow certainly seems to have ruined this week. That being said, the league seems to be waiting until the absolute last minute before cancelling matches in the hope that perhaps the rain does enough to clear one or two fields. The schedule is likely to be in the blender from here on out with mid-week matches as they try and keep things on track for Cup Finals day and BC Soccers Provincial Cup entrants deadline. On the off chance that games go ahead this week, let's take a look at the match-ups...

Preliminary Round: 4/7
Overall: 4/7

Completely Baseless Predictions - Round of 16

CCB LFC (Prem) v NorVan (Prem)
With so much still to play for, CCB will likely be one of the most annoyed by the snow messing with the schedule. A slew of suspensions arising from their 2-0 defeat to Croatia in their potential title clinching game has compounded the loss of marquee man Victor Blasco to Pacific FC of the CPL. True, the suspended players will be available for this cup match, whenever it gets played, but the fact remains that things seem to be teetering all of a sudden compared to how comfortable things looked after the Surrey boys beat West Van. That Croatia loss was CCB's first in twelve matches dating all the way back to October when they lost to, of all teams, NorVan. They did get their revenge in the reverse fixture, but only by a narrow 1-0 margin. This should give NorVan plenty of reasons for optimism heading into this one. It looked as though the North Shore boys had potentially shut up shop for the season after securing safety and falling out of the race for the top six. NorVan went on a rather uninspiring ten game winless run which saw them pick up just three draws and score only three goals. While their first match in Imperial Cup play saw them struggle to get by Division 1 Westside, as they needed extra time to pull that one out of the fire, that win looks to have perhaps cured wait ailed them. The rediscovered their goal scoring touch, finding the net three time to win 3-2, and followed that up by heading out to Newton and stunning Rovers Tigers 4-3 last time out. That was a match Rovers would have been desperate to win given their fight to ensure they earn a chance to try and defend their Provincial title, so fair play to NorVan for turning up in what was a meaningless game to them and delivering the goods. You still have to think CCB have the pedigree to advance in this one, but it sets up as more of a clash than it did a couple of weeks ago that is for sure.

Club Inter EDC A (Prem) v NorVan Storm (D1)
Well it would seem to have perhaps just about gone pear-shaped for "Chinter". They sit seventh, meaning, unless they make up some ground, their only path to the Provincial Cup is via reaching the final of the Imperial Cup. The chance to make up said ground was presented to them on a platter when NorVan's premier group knocked off Rovers last time out. Unfortunately for the "Italian"-South Americans, they were on the adjoining field having the boots taken to them by Pegasus. The match finished 4-1 and now Inter must keenly await another slip up from the teams ahead of them in order to change their fate. Not adding to the good news is the recent update from the club's social media that longtime stalwart defender Brian Fong, along with talisman and leading scorer Mohammed Habib have left the club to pursue opportunities abroad. This leave Inter even more shorthanded at both ends of the pitch. Plus it would be hard to derive much inspiration from a late win over lower league GN Sporting in their Imperial Cup opener. Indeed, the odds are beginning to look stacked against EDC, though that has traditionally been how they like it. A chance to dig into an "us against the world" mentality has always seen the now Burnaby based side produce their best work. Despite perhaps being ripe for an upset, NorVan Storm are unlikely to be the team for it. Yes, after struggling for most of the start of the campaign the Storm have sorted themselves out and, by being one of the hottest teams in Division 1 over the second have, have vaulted themselves to safety. That being said though, while their results have improved, they continue to bleed goals even while they are winning matches. Scoring their way out of trouble against a Prem side is not likely to be a recipe for success, even if Inter seem to be reeling at the minute. In fact, going up against lower league side that have a penchant for conceding goals might be the perfect tonic for an Inter side that need to find some new heroes in a hurry.

Rovers Tigers (Prem) v Columbus (D1)
There are some similarities here between these two sides at the minute, and it hardly makes for an inspiring analysis. Indeed, both these teams may well be witnessing the specter of their New Year form coming home to roost. Columbus looked all set to push on for promotion from Division 1 heading into the break, but immediately after upon their return to play things began to seem a little off. They lost a monumental clash with Burnaby Metro in the last minute of injury time and then eeked out one goal wins over Greencaps and Westside. That kept the ship afloat, but then a shock 2-1 loss to GN Sporting sent their world tumbling. Next they met their fellow promotion hopefuls, Burnaby Selects White Eagles, for back to back matches. When a winner was needed in the Imperial Cup, the Italians prevailed on penalties to earn them this fixture, but the following week, when a winner was not deemed a necessity by the league, they settled for another draw after 90 minutes. That means further points dropped and fate slipping out of their own hands as they now cling to the fact that Metro and White Eagles still have to meet head to head meaning at least one of them will be dropping further points as well. It all seems to indicate a team that is trying to just get this one over the line; almost a side that is playing scared of letting things slip away as they get closer to their goal of promotion and, as a result, is squeezing the proverbial stick too hard. While they likely would have initially embraced a chance to advance and take on a Premier side in the Imperial Cup, it is likely now an unneeded distraction as they would prefer to simply wrap up this promotion and schedule an entire year of playing Premier sides. Meanwhile, Rovers a quickly falling down the pecking order of elite teams in the VMSL. The defending Premier champions have already seen that title slip away and now will be made to work just to have the chance to defend their Provincial cup crown. They were given a massive let off when a 2019 that has seen them pick up only four of a possible 18 points, and currently sees them on an five match winless run, was not made worse thanks to neighbours Pegasus shaking off the indifference of their season to beat Inter. That win was crucial for Rovers because they were simultaneously throwing away the points in a 4-3 loss to NorVan, who have nothing left to play for in the league. No idea what it ailing Rovers, but if they do not get it shorted right quick then they will be sitting on the sidelines watching while the rest of the teams in the Province compete for their title. Columbus will not be an easy task as they have proven they a decent side throughout their campaign in Division 1. They keep matches close but, as mention previously, seem to be short on confidence at the minute. To manage an upset like this, a side need that sort of free flowing confidence that allows them to take risks and stun their opponent onto the back foot. That does not seem to be the way the Italians are playing at the minute, so expect them to let Rovers have this one, assuming that they are willing to take it, and get back to their priority of ensuring promotion.

Burnaby Metro Athletic (D1) v Pegasus (Prem)
This prediction would be a whole lot simpler if Pegasus had not trounced Inter 4-1 in their last match. The Surrey boys looked to have nothing left to play for after steering their tire fire of a season clear of a shock relegation. Evidently, though, they still can play and showed that by denying Inter a chance to move into the top six. Peg themselves cannot reach the top half of the table, meaning the only way they are going back to the Provincial Cup is by reaching the final of this competition. A few weeks ago that would have seemed rather unlikely, but now perhaps they might just see a chance that has piqued their interest. Burnaby Metro are on the war path after just barely clinging on to promotion hopes mid-season. Since then they have shot up to the top three and, after recent results, now hold their fate in their own hands. They are playing some sumptuous football at the minute, having won eight straight matches, including rather routinely upsetting already relegated Campo 3-0 in their Imperial Cup opener. This one will be less routine, and likely even more so following Peg's confidence boost win over Inter. Still, Metro are flying at the minute and displaying all the traits of a side that could well pull off a shock. They are full of confidence and Division 1 leading score Farivar Torabi, who has 16 goals in the league and another in the cup, seems sure of scoring every time he steps on the pitch. This one looks likely to come down to which side can score first. If Metro get one or two early, Peg could well self-destruct, but if the Surrey boys can get on top, it is likely that they should have the pedigree to see this one out. It should be a fascinating match up and Peg should probably be favourites after finding some form in the league. However, I have got to find my Upset Special somewhere and I will say this one has the best chance of any.

West Van (Prem) v Coquitlam Metro Ford Lupi (D1)
Lupi finally earned a win, knocking already relegated Binger's out of the Imperial Cup for potential the last time for awhile. Now the precocious youngsters will have their first ever chance to take on a Premier side. After shooting from Division 3 straight to the top of Division 1 over just two and a half years, someone let the air out of Lupi's bubble as they have been served up a solid dose of reality. The rigours of Div. 1 have taken their tole and Coquitlam will be finishing mid-table. No word on whether the team have considered disassociating from CMF to try and earn their way to Premier, but perhaps realizing that to stay at the top of Division 1 will take more effort than they perhaps thought has tempered expectations in their camp. That win over the Army was Lupi's first in six matches, which seems bizarre for a team that has been much more accustomed to prolonged winning streak than winless streaks over recent years. They are now set to get a further learning experience as they travel to one of the VMSL's most storied franchises to take on West Van. The former Trollers have retooled on the fly over the past couple of seasons and are once more challenging at the top of the Premier table. A loss to CCB a couple of weeks back looked to perhaps bring down the curtain on their title hopes, but Croatia delivering the goods with a win over CCB last time out means that it is still all to play for at the top. The Imperial Cup is a realistic target for the North Shore boys after falling at the semi-final stage last year; Lupi would do well to soak in the experience of what it takes to be one of the best.

Romania (D1) v Rino's Tigers (Prem)
Look out in this one. Romania delivered a surprise result in beating Greencaps 3-1 in the opening round but returned to league action to be thumped 6-1 by Westside and officially relegated to Division 2. Rino's are the reigning Imperial Cup champions and as they play their first match in the tournament this season they will have every intention of defending that title. They are also still in with a shout for the Premier tile. Not much to analyze here; set the over/under at 10.

Croatia (Prem) v Coquitlam Metro Ford Wolves (Prem)
No question that this one is the MOTR. Coquitlam have found another gear in 2019 and look set to pull away to a fifth place finish with matches still to come against three bottom half sides as well as what could prove to be a crunch encounter with Rovers. Still, fifth place is only enough to earn a Provincial berth if at least one cup finalist comes from the top four. While that may be very likely, surely Coquitlam would much prefer to simply reach the Imperial Cup final themselves, thus guaranteeing a spot. It would also signal a return to form to a side who were perennial silverware contenders prior to going over the edge of the map last season. Not to mention lifting the Imperial Cup would see them seeded for the Provincials. Metro Ford are unbeaten since the turn of the calendar and will certainly be looking to keep that going. One of their wins in that unbeaten streak came in their last league outing when they beat Croatia 3-1, denting the European's title hopes. Credit to Croatia, however, as they bounced back by beating leaders CCB 2-0 and keeping the title race alive for themselves and a clutch of other sides. It has been an up and down season for Croatia, and while it has been decidedly more up given that they sit second with two games left, their sixes losses have in some ways precluded them from ever really getting on a sustained run of form. In fact, they were in the middle of a season high five match winning streak before their loss to Metro Ford, though four of those five wins came against the bottom four in the league at the time. While Croatia have proven that they can deliver big results, none bigger than there latest win over CCB, but also impressive victories over West Van and Rino's, there just seems to be something missing. Case in point, CCB had a bit of a meltdown in that match, and while it was already 2-0, it does serve to take a bit of the gloss off the win. Coquitlam also appear to have Croatia number this season, doing the double over them as two of those six losses. This one should be a cracker though, whenever it is that the weather lets us get around to it. Could definitely go either way, but, after reaching the final last season, I think Croatia are going out at the first hurdle this year.

Rino's Fury (D1) v Richmond Hibernian (Prem)
The final match of the round presents a bit of a toss up. Richmond appear to have been docked three points for a yet unknown offense (sources are searching for answers...) which made their seemingly likely relegation to Division 1 a certainty. Things looked decently optimistic for the boys from below sea level just a few weeks ago, but a crucial late goal conceded to Guildford flipped that script and, following Guildford's win over Campo and Richmond's penalty, it is now a fait accompli. Hibs will be playing the Fury in Division 1 next season, but have a chance to throw down a marker with a win this year in the cup. An immediate return to the top flight has proven a difficult task in recent seasons, but Richmond will be keen to show that they have every intention of given it a go next season by knocking off a Div. 1 side at the first time of asking. The Fury represent an interesting proposition, though. They took advantage of a Westside team with similar relegation issues last season and, of any club, Rino's certainly always put their best foot forward in the cup. Known for their unpredictable form, a full strength Fury squad will certainly be capable of giving Hibs a run for their money. Will they have that for this one? Who knows; hence the unpredictable tag. Likely decent odds on an upset here, but I also have to think that this game will mean something to Richmond. Probably a coin flip here, but I'll say the still Premier for now side have enough to get it across the line.
 

Canucks4Ever

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Rovers 3-0 Columbus FT

One way traffic in the first half as Columbus rarely crossed centre. That being said, the Div. 1 side could have had an early lead when a rare foray into the Tigers end saw them slam an effort off the crossbar. It was pretty much all Rovers other than that in the first period as they had more than the lion's share of possession and kept Columbus pinned. So solid last ditch defending kept things scoreless though, include one late chance cleared off the line following what seemed like the Surrey side's 20th corner.

Second half began in the same vein with Columbus fending off Rovers as best they could. It took ten more minutes but Soolsma finally broke them, slotting a one-touch finish clinically from close range. Once they fell behind you felt the game was up for Columbus, but credit to the Italians as they did try a push forward. It did not amount to much and the Premier side would double their lead before Soolsma scored a gem with a thunderbolt from a tight angle to round out the evening.

Interesting note that it was an FVSL crew officiating, with the oft maligned Kyle Williams taking charge of this fixture. My refereeing sources tell me that this is part of an integration initiative by BC Soccer, presumably to try and get their officials exposed to various teams ahead of Provincials.
 

GoF

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Took in Croatia-Metro Ford after the Whitecaps match on Saturday. Far more enjoyable. Really entertaining game. Metro Ford went three up, Croatia brought it back to 3-2, then teams exchanged goals in stoppage time for a 4-3 final. Here's six of the goals (hands were fcuking frozen and missed Croatia's first as couldn't get them to work in time!) and some other highlights.

 

Sunday League Gaffer

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I made the mistake of taking in the Hibs vs Fury game Sunday..... Fury 2-0... Hibs are a mess, coaching staff don't seem to give a F$%k and only a handful of players seem to care. They showed up with 12 players quickly down to 11 as one player left to the hospital after getting a boot to the head. Fury are not a good side, but made subs at half and went up 2-0 from a big lad up front. Curious as to why he didn't start. They are in it for the next round. Hibs need to look at themselves and decide what they are going to do next year. not a poem side or even a decent Div. 1 side.
 
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