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2023 BC Mens Provincial A Cup - Draw, Predictions, Results & Banter

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It appears the unthinkable has happened and Micro Footie is off to Penticton this weekend as the FVSL #5 seed.

Langley has apparently forfeited the game 5-0 and based on FVSL rules, tiebreaker is head-to-head which Micro took over Slurrey.

So looks like no games being shuffled around until BC Soccer gets whiff of this and decides they need to fcuk around with everyone again to remind they can and will.

Note: I am just going by what's showing on the FVSL weekly schedule page.
 
Canucks4Ever

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Be honest... You thought they weren't coming...

Completely Baseless Predictions - Men's A Cup Round of 16

BB5 United CCB (VMSL) vs Bays United FC (VISL)
At the very top of the bracket we find the defending champions. It was an off season where the rich got richer or, to embrace the moniker used on the BB5 twitter handle, the "dark side" got "darker". Former BB5 stalwart and ex-Whitecaps residency man Caleb Clarke did move on after last season's exploits, but BB5 lined up a more than capable replacement when they prized Farivar Torabi away from Tigers and into the Surrey fold. Torabi repaid the confidence of BB5 management by winning the VMSL's Golden Boot award, helping the #darkside defending their VMSL Premier title and adding a first Imperial Cup title to their resume this season. True, no one has seen former Canadian international Marcel De Jong since the calendar pages have turned, but BB5 still have plenty in the tank with CanPL hopeful Matteo Polisi in their ranks alongside stalwarts Luke O'Shea and Elie Gindo. They also poached wingers Ivan Mejia and Connor MacMillan, as well as centre back Danylo Smychenko, from Tigers after last season and continue to trot out last years leading scorer Nic Morello. So, ya, they are pretty damn good. Hoping to trip them up at the first hurdle would be VISL fifth seed Bays United. Bays had a losing record on the year, going 6-4-8, and are only in this competition because, for the second straight season (and we will see a bit of a pattern here...) Victoria Highlanders opted out. Sure, Ethan Emile scored eight goals in 18 games to lead Bays in scoring, but, make no mistake, they are very much here just to make up the numbers. Travelling away to the mainland to play the VMSL's best is surely an insurmountable task and if Bays did pull it off it would be an upset remembered long in the memories of those that follow this tournament.

SFC Pegasus Royals (FVSL) vs Inter EDC A (VMSL)
Put the Match of the Round tag on this game because not only are these teams perhaps evenly matched, there is plenty to delve into in this one. Let's start on the FVSL side of the ledger where the league was promised a Douglas College B team among their ranks after the reserves played a series of games in the Valley's top flight last year. Instead, the league gets something akin to "Tigers lite" with former Tigers turner BB5 sharpshooter Farivar Torabi at the helm. It seems Torabi's Ares Academy is the entity who have control of this FVSL spot, through some type of back channel deal with the Pegasus boys. Fair play to Ares, they held their own in the FVSL's top flight and earned their chance to test themselves in this post season competition. They also provide refuge to a handful of FC Tigers castoffs from last season who were unlikely to crack the first team. Joel Badger, in particular, was dominant for Ares all season and they will likely need him to have any chance of setting up a potential second round match against their coach and BB5. On the other side of this equation lie the enigma that are Inter EDC. All signs would point to them no longer being "Inter EDC" when play begins in the VMSL next fall. Just quite how they get there, though, remains uncertain. Rumours abound of bad blood behind closed doors but, for now at least, the on field product has remained predominantly unaffected. That is, beyond the fact that Inter have been woefully inconsistent all season. An early season win against would be champions BB5 was tempered by a loss to relegated Pegasus. Down the stretch a scrappy 2-2 with title contenders Coquitlam, as well as a close run affair in a 3-2 loss to champs BB5 in their second meeting, were offset by dismal showings in losses to relegated Coastal and cup elevation by Division 1 side Norvan. It is tough to know what to expect from the club likely soon to be formerly known as "Chinter". This match cuts as a toss up, but if Inter have their full compliment, and are firing on all cylinders, then surely they should be narrow favourites.

Lakehill FC (VISL) vs West Van FC (VMSL)
The overriding question coming into this match is simple: Have Lakehill learned their lesson? Last season they were seen as the Island's great hope to emerge from a recent Provincial Cup record that would almost make obscurity seem a decent option. It has been a tough go for the Island of late, but in Lakehill they looked to have a genuine contender in the mold of the Gorge teams from the early 2000s that were the best in the Province. The greater Victoria boys had to wait a season when Covid-19 cancelled the tournament their first season as champions, but they roared back with another title last year and looked poised to do damage in the post season dance. Then they lost at home to an understaffed Abbotsford team in extra in the first round. So then, a chance at redemption for the side that again won the VISL going away and boast the league's top scorer amongst their ranks in Patrick Nelson. Lakehill pulled Nelson away from Bays United where he finished runner up in the Golden Boot race last season, and created a three-headed monster in attack alongside Blair Sturrock and Craig Gorman with the trio combining for 48 goals on the year. If they thought last season was a good draw, this year is just as good, as it is VMSL fifth seed West Van FC on their way to the island. West Van have had a middling year and while, arguably they should have been in the tournament all along given the VMSL was supposed to have six entries, they are technically only here because VUFC Hibernian, aka UBC, opted out once more. An 8-5-9 record combined with a negative goal difference was hardly anything to write home about for the Amblesiders, although Connor Robillard's 16 goals on the year was certainly a performance to cherish. Once known for their vaunted defending and stinginess, the North Shore boys only had two clean sheet on the year. While they are capable of beating anyone on their day, particularly if Robillard can get in the mood, the reality is it was fairly unremarkable for West Van this season. Could they head to the island and cause an upset? Sure. They are clear underdogs, though.

Vic West FC (VISL) vs Coquitlam Metro Ford Wolves (VMSL)
Another very compelling match-up, and it finds itself at the bottom of the top half of the bracket. This is perhaps the best example of a true "test" between the leagues with VMSL runners up Coquitlam meeting VISL runners up Vic West. This game has all the hallmarks of a marquee match, although it lacks the juicy off field shenanigans of the Ares versus Inter duel. Still, this would definitely be one worth watching. For Coquitlam, they were good all year. Indeed, they are surely ruing the fact that a wobble down the stretch of the VMSL season cost them a first title since 2017 when they held their fate in their own hands as recently as the middle of February. A draw with a Westside team battling for survival was the first indication of possible trouble and then the Tri-Cities boys stumbled to the finish line by draw Inter and losing to UBC. When you combine those results with their loss in the Imperial Cup semi-finals, Wolves actually have not won a game since the beginning of March. That said, their record speaks for itself, and once against talisman Carlo Basso led the way, scoring 19 goals and narrowly missing out on yet another Golden Boot award. Basso is far from a one man show these days however, with Jovan Blagojevic and Kyle Jones both being major contributors throughout the year. The issue for CMF seems to be getting everyone, everywhere, all at once. Vic West are, perhaps, the polar opposite. Salem Amardy did score 16 goals this season, but, in reality, it is their defending that won the day. Allowing only 15 goals against in 18 games is an absurd record at this level. To put that in perspective, VMSL champions BB5 coughed up 26 in 22 games, while FVSL winners FC Tigers allowed 28 in 21 games. Even VISL title winners Lakehill shipped 24 in their 18 league outings. So it is clear that Vic West very much embrace the idea that defense wins championships. In fact, it won them a championship this year as they claimed the Jackson Cup, beating league winners Lakehill in the final. Can they hold the fort in this competition? Here, maybe more than anywhere, the travel element looms large. Metro Ford have struggled to get all of their weapons on the field together this season. If a full strength squad lands on the shores of Vancouver Island, one would have to make the Tri-Cities boys the favourites. Anything less, though, and it is not hard to see Vic West suffocating their guests into submission.

FC Tigers Vancouver (FVSL) vs Nanaimo United FC (VISL)
So we find ourselves here again, as the Good Doctor and FC Tigers embark once more on their crusade for glory and a place on the BC Soccer A Cup trophy. Players have been seemingly arriving non-stop throughout the season as FC Tigers churn through all those willing to stake a claim for the promised payoff of a professional opportunity somewhere, someday. FC Tigers won it all once again in the FVSL, taking home the league title, the Soccer City Cup and the Pakenham Cup. That said, they did receive a bit more of a push this season, with Abbotsford refusing to accept their place as second fiddle and forcing Tigers to play meaningful games seemingly right until the eve of the Provincial Cup competition. Among the mercenaries recruited to play in a showcase against CanPL side Vancouver FC, and to pick up what are sure to be a few meaningful trophies along the way, there remain a few Tigers stalwart holdovers. In particular there are FVSL Golden Boot winner Erik Edwardson, as well as goalkeeper Lukas Strauts. They are joined by no fewer than six fresh new faces from far and wide, with International and Provincial Transfer Certificates all in tow, including the man who would play hero in the Pakenham Cup final, former League 1 Ontario sharpshooter Taha Ilyas. To be fair to Tigers, they needed the reinforcements after more than half of their starting lineup from last year's Provincial Cup final picked up stakes and headed for the VMSL. For all their marquee signings and firepower, though, Tigers do appear to be perhaps more vulnerable at the back this season. The centreback pairing of Danylo Smychenko and Joe Zuppo, now with BB5 and UBC respectively, has not really been meaningfully replaced. Can VISL Nanaimo exploit that on their trip to face Tigers for the second season running after falling to them at the quarter-final stage last year? Probably not. Nanaimo are, as ever, led by talisman Daragh Fitzgerald, but beyond him they are left somewhat wanting. Fresh faced Marcus Cramb has supplemented the attacked, but the options wane quickly after that with former VMSL Division 1 man Bryan Da Cruz and Cape Breton University alumnus Kule Kambere next in line. While Nanaimo will surely be out to avenge their loss from a year ago, in a tight game that Tigers struggled to wrestle away from the Islanders, it does seem like a bridge, or indeed a ferry, too far.

Gorge FC (VISL) vs Croatia SC (VMSL)
The lone VMSL side in the bottom half of the draw is Croatia. The Imperial Cup finalists and third place finishers in the league will no doubt be keen for a date with Tigers in the second round. However, if they are to make it there they will first need to navigate a tricky trip to the Island to face Gorge FC. Gorge themselves were third place on the Island and reached the semis of the Jackson Cup. A decent season by any measure to be sure, and a Provincial Cup run would be icing on the cake. James Cameron, not that James Cameron, and Hatim El Azhari lead the way for the Victoria based side offensively with Hayato Matsuba taking care of things at the back. For Croatia, some of their traditional big names, such as Barbados international Emile Saimovici, David Zaharija and Admir Salihovic were all upstaged by a breakout season from Nico Budisa, who banged in 13 goals. It was a good year for the Balkan based side, similar to their opponents Gorge. One big get, though, for Croatia was Edris Najm, whom they pried away from Inter an into their fold ahead of the transfer deadline. They will be hoping that his quality can form part of the difference when they head across the Strait of Georgia to begin their Provincial Cup campaign. This game might be the least flashy of all the match-ups, however it may well be the closest battle. There is not much on paper to chose between these two sides and generally that would suggest the balance should tilt towards the home team, given the travel element. That said, the VISL has been so woeful of late in Provincial competition that it seems foolish to bet against a Mainland team with all else being relatively equal.

Okanagan FC (PCSL) vs Micro Footie (FVSL)
Presumably Micro Footie will play this game? It is all slightly uncertain given the hasty way in which the FVSL season culminated. That said, what, exactly, Okanagan are doing here might well also be a fair question. For those not playing at home, the recent iterations this competition have featured the VMSL, FVSL and VISL with the VMSL having six entries and the other two leagues five each. These entries were based on registrations in the leagues. This year, despite no one knowing of it until February, apparently the PCSL wanted a seat at the Provinces' marquee soccer table. This is not without precedent, the PCSL has competed in this tournament previously, just not of late. That said, it seems that their intention to enter was possibly overlooked until the last minute, and the only solution that BC Soccer could come up with was to arbitrarily take the sixth entry away from the VMSL, irrespective of how berths were to be determined, and to hand it to the PCSL. Not only that, the PCSL also were given a seeded place and have secured a path featuring a pair of home matches to begin their campaign. Taking nothing away from the PCSL's right to enter this competition, this all wreaks a bit on the BC Soccer end. Regardless, though, Okanagan are here now a presumably boast the majority of the squad that intend to compete for UBC Okanagan this coming season. It is tough to say, however, as just what roster they will need to use is not certain. BC Soccer's handling of this tournament to date has been about as transparent as a brick wall. Fortunately for any would be prognosticators, Okanagan will face the FVSL's final entry, which should, according to the best math available, be Micro Footie. With one spot in the tournament still up for grabs in the FVSL, it seemed that almost no side wanted to claim it with both Surrey United and FC Faly almost falling over themselves to stumble their way out of qualification. When all was said and done Micro Footie somehow rose from what seemed certain relegation to have a spot at the dance. Their reward is a trip to the Interior and a date with the unknown. Micro Footie do have some talent in their ranks, notably Merlin Fisk and Tali Romero, but they really were the red-headed step child of the FVSL for the majority of the season. The idea of them journeying up to Kelowna and coming back with a win just seems unfathomable, irrespective of whatever state in which their find their PCSL opponents.

Langley United (FVSL) vs Abbotsford United (FVSL)
If one looked up "Grudge Match" in the dictionary one might well find a definition of "Abbotsford versus Langley". Thanks to BC Soccer's new rules surrounding the draw, for the most part there are no "domestic" match-ups between teams from the same leagues. However, some could not be practically avoided, so we are left with a fifth meeting of the season between Langley and Abby. The season began with Abbotsford shellacking Langley 6-1 in SC Cup group play. It was then all Abby in league play, as after a 0-0 in their opening encounter, they saw off Langley to the tune of 3-0 and 5-2. That said, it was Langley who go the last laugh in the Pakenham semis, repaying some of the abuse they had suffered with a 6-1 win of their own en route to heading off to play Tigers in the final. Everyone can erase what has come before, though, because a win in the Provincial Cup would result in the ultimate bragging rights. Last season Abbotsford seemed to be undergoing a rebuild of sorts. Yes, they finished runners up, but they were nowhere near FC Tigers and they looked like a side who knew they missed their best chance at glory when Covid ended the 2019-20 season, where they were top dogs in the Valley, without a Provincial tournament. This season, though, a certain joie de vivre appears to have returned to the eastern Valley group and they pushed Tigers right until the end when it came to the league crown. Their connection to the University of the Fraser Valley remains strong, however, players returning to the Valley after time in Vancouver have certainly helped to bolster their ranks. Former Croatia SC goalkeeper Ty Venhola claimed the FVSL Golden Glove this season, while former UBC frontman Victory Shumbusho returned home to join Daniel Davidson and Connor Hildebrant in one of the scariest offenses this competition has to offer. Langley themselves have undergone somewhat of a rebuild under the stewardship of former Pegasus man Azad Palani. While Langley were a distant fourth in the table, their trip to the Pakenham final has shown their credentials. There are rumours drifting aimlessly in the abyss that perhaps Langley, alongside Surrey United, may well be looking for a way into the VMSL. Perhaps it is all merely noise, but this team has proved it can hang at the top level. Brody Thomas is a genuine goal scorer, Brennan Slawter is a still up-and-coming young talent, while veterans like Scott Barling and John Craig offer invaluable experience. Ultimately, Langley will need to beat the odds to get past the likes of Abbotsford in this one, the balance of this season's results show just that. However, lightning did strike in the Pakenham semis and there is a chance that the upset could be on once again.
 
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Regs

Regs

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TBF, each of the Big 3 had a team in it's top division opt out. If I were in charge, that wouldn't happen.

Thank God I'm not in charge.
 
dezza

dezza

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Regs said:
Anyone have any info on result of Royals vs Chinter last night?
Click to expand...

3-0 for Chinter.

AFA keeper went off injured after 15 mins. Then the backup keeper flew out and took a red card 5 mins later. Chinter goals all came in the 2nd half.
 
Regs

Regs

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FFS, just got here and BB5 up 3 buzz already.

Men vs boys out there so far
 
Regs

Regs

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Canucks4Ever said:
Could have headed over to Hjorth to see if the Tigers game was any closer?
Click to expand...
Did you miss the part where I said I'm soft?

Kobe Bryant GIF
 
Regs

Regs

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Seeing reports on twatter it's up to 10-0 now.

At least the ferry has good food for the trip home for Bays, eh?
 
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