2020 Canadian Premier League season

The 2020 Canadian Premier League season was the second season of the Canadian Premier League, the top level of Canadian soccer.

Canadian Premier League
Season2020
DatesAugust 13 – September 6, 2020 (first stage)
September 9–15, 2020 (group stage)
September 19, 2020 (final)
ChampionsForge FC
2021 CONCACAF LeagueForge FC
Matches played35
Goals scored92 (2.63 per match)
Top goalscorerAkeem Garcia
(6 goals)
Best goalkeeperTriston Henry
(5 shutouts)
Biggest home winHFX Wanderers 0–5 Pacific FC
(September 15)
Highest scoring5 goals
York9 FC 3–2 Forge FC
(August 26)
HFX Wanderers 0–5 Pacific FC
(September 15)
Longest winning run3 matches
Cavalry FC
(August 16–23)
Forge FC
(September 12–19)
Longest unbeaten run6 matches
York9 FC
(August 15 – September 1)
HFX Wanderers FC
(August 26 – September 12)
Forge FC
(August 30 – September 19)
Longest winless run7 matches
FC Edmonton
(August 16 – September 6)
Longest losing run4 matches
FC Edmonton
(August 26 – September 6)
← 2019
2021 →

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the CPL announced a 14-day hold on all pre-season training on March 13, 2020.[1] On March 20, the league announced that it would be postponing the start of the season from the previously scheduled date of April 11.[2]

A shortened 2020 season tournament, branded as The Island Games, was played at the University of Prince Edward Island from August 13 to September 19. All matches were played behind closed doors (the venue did not have any grandstands to begin with), and all players were required to self-isolate for 14 days before travelling, self-isolate for five more days upon arrival, and receive two negative COVID-19 tests before being allowed to play. As of July 29, PEI had the lowest number of COVID-19 cases among provinces, at 36.[3][4][5]

Atlético Ottawa joined the league as its first expansion team, bringing the total number of teams to eight. Hamilton's Forge FC defended their inaugural CPL title, blanking HFX Wanderers FC 2–0 in the final.

Overview

Teams
Location of the 2020 Canadian Premier League season (green) and the homes of the eight teams (red)

The seven teams that participated in the inaugural 2019 Canadian Premier League season are set to compete in this season. They are joined by Atlético Ottawa, an expansion team who were created after USL Championship side Ottawa Fury FC suspended operations after being unable to secure approval from USSF and CONCACAF.[6][7][8]

Personnel and sponsorship
Team Head coach Captain(s) Shirt sponsor Kit manufacturer
Atlético Ottawa Mista Ben Fisk OneSoccer Macron
Cavalry Tommy Wheeldon Jr. Nik Ledgerwood WestJet
FC Edmonton Jeff Paulus Tomi Ameobi Swoop
Forge Bobby Smyrniotis Kyle Bekker Tim Hortons
HFX Wanderers Stephen Hart Andre Rampersad Volkswagen
Pacific Pa-Modou Kah Marcel de Jong Volkswagen
Valour Rob Gale Dylan Carreiro OneSoccer
York9 Jimmy Brennan Manny Aparicio Macron

Coaching changes
Team Outgoing coach Manner of
departure		 Date of
vacancy		 Position in table Incoming coach Date of
appointment
Pacific James Merriman end of interim period January 14, 2020 pre-season Pa-Modou Kah January 14, 2020
Atlético Ottawa N/A (inaugural season) January 29, 2020 Mista February 11, 2020

Original format

Before being postponed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the regular season was intended to be played from April 11 to October 4. The split-season format of the inaugural season was to be replaced by a single table and full double round-robin. The eight teams would have met their rivals twice at home and twice away for a total of 28 games, the same number as in 2019.[9] The top ranked team in the regular season would have qualified for a spot in the championship final and would have been joined by the winner of a playoff between the second and third ranked teams.[10]

First stage

The eight teams played against each other once each for a total of seven matches. The top four teams advanced to the group stage.

Table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Cavalry 7 4 1 2 10 7 +3 13 Advance to group stage
2 HFX Wanderers 7 3 3 1 12 7 +5 12[lower-alpha 1]
3 Forge 7 3 3 1 13 9 +4 12[lower-alpha 1]
4 Pacific 7 3 2 2 10 8 +2 11
5 York9 7 2 4 1 8 7 +1 10
6 Valour 7 2 2 3 8 9 −1 8[lower-alpha 2]
7 Atlético Ottawa 7 2 2 3 7 12 −5 8[lower-alpha 2]
8 FC Edmonton 7 0 1 6 5 14 −9 1
Source: CanPL.ca
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) goal differential; 4) goals for; 5) total wins; 6) U-21 minutes; 7) coin toss or drawing of lots.[11]
Notes:
  1. Head-to-head points: HFX Wanderers 1, Forge 1. Goal differential: HFX Wanderers +5, Forge +4
  2. Head-to-head points: Valour 3, Atlético Ottawa 0.

Group stage

The four group stage teams will meet their opponents once each. The top two teams advance to the final.

Table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Forge 3 2 1 0 4 1 +3 7 Advance to final
2 HFX Wanderers 3 1 1 1 3 7 −4 4
3 Cavalry 3 1 0 2 4 4 0 3
4 Pacific 3 1 0 2 6 5 +1 3
Source: CanPL.ca
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) goal differential; 4) goals for; 5) total wins; 6) U-21 minutes; 7) coin toss or drawing of lots.[12]

Final
Main article: 2020 Canadian Premier League Final
Forge FC2–0HFX Wanderers FC
 Report
Referee: Juan Márquez

Statistical leaders
See also: Canadian Premier League records and statistics § Player records — career

Shutouts

Rank Player Club Shutouts
1 Triston Henry Forge FC 5
2 Marco Carducci Cavalry FC 3
3 Nathan Ingham York9 2
Christian Oxner HFX Wanderers
James Pantemis Valour FC
Nacho Zabal Atlético Ottawa
7 Callum Irving Pacific FC 1
Nolan Wirth Pacific FC

Source:[13]

Player transfers

Main article: Canadian Premier League transfers 2020

U Sports Draft

Further information: 2019 CPL–U Sports Draft

The 2019 CPL–U Sports Draft was held on November 11 in Montreal, Quebec. Draftees will be invited to team preseason camps, with an opportunity to earn a developmental contract and retain their U Sports men's soccer eligibility. HFX Wanderers selected Cory Bent with the first overall pick. Two players were selected by each returning CPL team, with a total of 14 players being drafted including 10 Canadians.[14] Ottawa had not yet joined the league and did not participate in the draft.

Foreign players

Canadian Premier League teams may sign a maximum of seven international players, out of which only five can be in the starting line-up for each match. The following players are considered foreign players for the 2020 season. This list does not include Canadian citizens who represent other countries at the international level.[15]

Club Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 Player 4 Player 5 Player 6 Player 7
Atlético Ottawa Vashon Neufville Tevin Shaw Francisco Acuña Bernardinho Nacho Zabal Viti Martínez
Cavalry Jordan Brown José Escalante Nathan Mavila Oliver Jair Córdova Richard Luca
FC Edmonton Jeannot Esua Kareem Moses Ramón Soria Son Yong-chan Erik Zetterberg
Forge Alexander Achinioti-Jönsson Elimane Cissé Daniel Krutzen Paolo Sabak
HFX Wanderers Akeem Garcia Andre Rampersad Peter Schaale Alex Marshall João Morelli Eriks Santos Cory Bent
Pacific Alejandro Díaz
Valour José Galán Solomon Kojo Antwi Andrew Jean-Baptiste Moses Dyer Arnold Bouka Moutou
York9 Wataru Murofushi Gabriel Vasconcelos Fugo Segawa Álvaro Rivero

Players in italic denote players new to their respective clubs for the 2020 season, sorted chronologically by their announcement.

Awards

Canadian Premier League Awards

The nominees for the four CPL awards were announced on September 18, one day before the league final.[16] The awards take into account all matches from The Island Games and are voted on by reporters across Canada. The winners were announced at a ceremony on November 26, 2020.[17]

2020 Canadian Premier League Awards
AwardRecipientFinalists
Golden Boot Akeem Garcia (HFX Wanderers)N/A
Golden Glove Triston Henry (Forge) Christian Oxner (HFX Wanderers)
Callum Irving (Pacific)
Coach of the Year Stephen Hart (HFX Wanderers) Bobby Smyrniotis (Forge)
Mista (Atlético Ottawa)
Player of the Year Kyle Bekker (Forge) Marco Bustos (Pacific)
Akeem Garcia (HFX Wanderers)
Best Under 21 Canadian Player of the Year Mohamed Farsi (Cavalry) Chrisnovic N'sa (HFX Wanderers)
Julian Dunn (Valour)

Team of the Week

The Gatorade Team of the Week is selected by OneSoccer staff.[18]

Dates Goalkeeper Defenders Midfielders Forwards Ref
August
13–16		 Henry (Forge) Awuah (Forge)
Krutzen (Forge)
Zator (Cavalry)
Northover (Cavalry)		 Acuña (Ottawa)
Achinioti-Jönsson (Forge)
Bekker (Forge)		 Bustos (Pacific)
Haber (Cavalry)
Farsi (Cavalry)		 [18]
August
18–23		 Pantemis (Valour) Mavila (Cavalry)
Boskovic (Cavalry)
Dunn (Valour)
Chung (Pacific)		 Sissoko (HFX)
Acuña (Ottawa)
Bekker (Forge)		 Boakai (Edmonton)
Brown (Cavalry)
Garcia (HFX)		 [19]
August
25–30		 Oxner (HFX) Haynes (Pacific)
Krutzen (Forge)
Schaale (HFX)
Chung (Pacific)		 Di Chiara (York)
Rampersad (HFX)
Dixon (Pacific)		 Blasco (Pacific)
Díaz (Pacific)
Bustos (Pacific)		 [20]
September
1–6		 Oxner (HFX) Levis (Valour)
Geffrard (HFX)
Zator (Cavalry)
Chung (Pacific)		 Aparicio (York)
Dyer (Valour)
Acuña (Ottawa)		 Riggi (HFX)
Garcia (HFX)
Bustos (Pacific)		 [21]
September
7–13		 Henry (Forge) N'sa (HFX)
Krutzen (Forge)
Zator (Cavalry)
Restrepo (HFX)		 Achinioti-Jönsson (Forge)
Sabak (Forge)
Simmons (Cavalry)		 Morelli (HFX)
Garcia (HFX)
Farsi (Cavalry)		 [22]
September
14–20		 Henry (Forge) Awuah (Forge)
Krutzen (Forge)
Meilleur-Giguère (Pacific)
Samuel (Forge)		 Baldisimo (Pacific)
Bekker (Forge)
Achinioti-Jönsson (Forge)		 Riggi (HFX)
Babouli (Forge)
Bustos (Pacific)		 [23]

Media

OneSoccer broadcast all matches of the tournament. CBC Television televised nine matches on Saturdays, and CHCH-TV in Hamilton broadcast Sunday matches.[24] To visually enhance the venue for broadcast as it is only a pitch, an augmented reality "virtual stadium" was employed by host broadcaster Mediapro, rendering CGI grandstands with virtual sponsor placements. An AI-based automated camera system was used for 19 matches, using similar technology to what was used for the CEBL Summer Series.[25]

See also

References

  1. "Canadian Premier League Statement: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Protocol for Pre-Season Training". Canadian Premier League. March 13, 2020. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
  2. "Canadian Premier League Commissioner Statement: Start of season postponed". Canadian Premier League. March 20, 2020. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
  3. "Canadian Premier League's Island Games: Everything you need to know". Sportsnet.ca. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  4. "CPL players, coaches, staff in P.E.I. bubble all test negative for COVID-19". CBC News. August 11, 2020. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  5. "P.E.I. to host Canadian pro soccer league season starting Aug. 13". CBC News. July 29, 2020.
  6. "Canadian Premier League awards 1st Expansion Team to Ottawa". Canadian Premier League. January 29, 2020. Retrieved January 29, 2020.
  7. "Ottawa's Soccer Team Was Just Cancelled But Fans Want Them To Switch Leagues". www.narcity.com. Retrieved December 9, 2019.
  8. Jacques, John (January 15, 2020). "Rumour: Ottawa On Fast-Track To CPL Expansion". Northern Tribune. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
  9. "Canadian Premier League announces 2020 home dates; Ottawa's home opener set for May 16". Global News. February 20, 2020. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
  10. Bedakian, Armen (February 21, 2020). "CPL announces balanced schedule, new league and playoff format for 2020". Canadian Premier League. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
  11. Thompson, Marty [@martythompson_] (August 12, 2020). "Confirmed: #CanPL tiebreakers for The Island Games... 1. Head-to-head 2. Goal diff. 3. Goals for 4. Total # of wins 5. *Most U-21 minutes* in round 6. Coin toss or drawing of lots" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  12. Thompson, Marty [@martythompson_] (August 12, 2020). "Confirmed: #CanPL tiebreakers for The Island Games... 1. Head-to-head 2. Goal diff. 3. Goals for 4. Total # of wins 5. *Most U-21 minutes* in round 6. Coin toss or drawing of lots" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  13. "2020 CPL statistics". Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  14. "TRACKER: All 14 picks from the 2019 CPL-U SPORTS Draft". Canadian Premier League. November 11, 2019. Retrieved December 9, 2019.
  15. "CPL 2020 roster tracker: How all eight teams are shaping up". Canadian Premier League. March 11, 2020. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  16. Molinaro, John (September 18, 2020). "Bustos, Bekker and Garcia finalists for CPL Player of the Year award". Canadian Premier League. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  17. Jaques, John (November 26, 2020). "2020 Canadian Premier League Awards Roundup". Northern Tribune. Retrieved November 26, 2020.
  18. "Gatorade Team of the Week: Forge, Cavalry dominate Week 1". Canadian Premier League. August 17, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  19. "Gatorade Team of the Week: Bekker and Acuña return in Week 2". Canadian Premier League. August 25, 2020. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
  20. "Gatorade Team of the Week: Pacific FC dominates CPL's top selections". Canadian Premier League. September 1, 2020. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
  21. "Gatorade Team of the Week: HFX Wanderers take over CPL best XI". Canadian Premier League. September 8, 2020. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  22. "Gatorade Team of the Week: Wanderers, Forge dominate Week 5". Canadian Premier League. September 15, 2020. Retrieved September 15, 2020.
  23. @CPLsoccer (September 22, 2020). "Presenting...our final @GatoradeCanada Team of the Week for the 2020 CPL Season" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  24. "CPL/Island Games Sunday matches to be broadcast on CHCH TV". Canadian Premier League. August 13, 2020. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  25. Kerschbaumer, Ken. "Canadian Premier League Returns: Mediapro Canada Odyssey 4K Truck Onsite; WT Vision Builds Virtual Stadium". Sports Video Group. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
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