Mississauga Eagle FC News
Home opener generates a big 3 points for MEFC
Mississauga Eagles FC played off the energy off an enthusiastic opening-night crowd, as they cruised to a 5-1 victory over North York Astros in Canadian Soccer League (CSL) action under the lights at Hershey Field on May 11. The Eagles dominated from start to finish in securing their first win of the new season. Thomas McLean opened the scoring for MEFC. Matthew Macri and David James scored to make it 3-0 at the half. Antoine Paul and Joey Melo, on a penalty kick, rounded out the scoring and gave the Eagles a big opening-night 3 points. MEFC Head Coach Alex Szczotka commented after the game that his Club has much to work on, but it was good to start the season with a victory. “We are a very young team and we know mistakes will happen. But we are very focused in our training and I believe the results will be evident as the season goes along. We know there are much tougher games ahead and we will need to be ready, both mentally and physically.” A crowd of close to 300 was in attendance, with a strong sprinkling of youngsters in the stands taking in the action. |
MEFC prepares for the 2012 Canadian Soccer League season with renewed determination
By almost any measure, the inaugural season for the Mississauga Eagles Football Club (MEFC) in the Canadian Soccer League (CSL) in 2011 was a huge success. The MEFC First Team made the playoffs, despite seeing a number of their players signed to contracts to perform in Europe throughout the course of the CSL season. Also, MEFC’s Reserve side won the CSL Division II championship, a tremendous achievement for the first-year franchise. However, the expectations are even higher this season, according to the man who oversees the MEFC program, Josef Komlodi. Soccer veteran Komlodi, originally from Hungary, has been spearheading youth soccer initiatives in the Mississauga area for over twenty years. He is also the long-time Technical Director of the Erin Mills Soccer Club (EMSC) that is affiliated with MEFC, and this season he has moved from the sidelines to more of a management role, hiring long-time EMSC associate Alex Szczotka to handle the First Team. He has great faith that highly-respected Szczotka, who was Komlodi’s lead assistant a season ago, is the right man for the position. “Alex is an outstanding teacher and coach. He has developed many of the players from our program over the years that have gone on to play at higher levels, including professionally in Europe. He is the right person for the job”. For his part, Szczotka says the organization learned a lot in its first season in the CSL, and will build on that heading into the new season. “Last year, our Reserve team played good soccer, with possession, movement and smart passing. They had the right attitude as well. They had a great work ethic and played well together as a unit. Many of those players have now been promoted to our First Team, and I think this season we will see a better attitude and approach from our senior squad. The League is stronger this year, so the competition will be even tougher. We will be a young group that is more united, with more of a team orientation”. In 2011, MEFC finished the season with a record of 13 wins, 10 losses and 3 draws in the First Division, good for 7th place in the 14-team league. Importantly, the squad was comprised of primarily local talent, young men who had played in Erin Mills/Mississauga in their formative years. That won’t change this season, according to MEFC President and General Manager Susan Rossiter. “The majority of our players signed to professional contracts will be youngsters who have been groomed in our local player development system. We’re proud of our ability to train and develop elite players within EMSC, and now MEFC. Also, most of our players will give back to the community by coaching youth teams in our area. They have the opportunity to be a positive influence on a new generation of players, both boys and girls, who aspire to play at a high level in the game”. Both the First Team and Reserve squads have looked impressive in their pre-season matches this spring. The Reserve side opens its season May 6 against the York Region Shooters at Joan of Arc field, while the First Team kicks off its 2012 slate with a game on May 11, hosting the North York Astros. Says Komlodi, “We have two central objectives that we always focus on. The first is developing players. The second, of course, is building a successful, winning team that the City of Mississauga and our supporters can be proud of. Last year alone, we sent eight of our players on to professional contracts in Europe. Andrew Ornoch, Igor Pisanjuk, Michael Krzeminski, Patrick Majcher, Gil Hong, Sanjar Kairosh, Jaakko Crawford and Mykola Chachula were all players who were key parts of our organization that we helped to move on to higher-level professional opportunities. Very few people pay attention to or even know this, but that is a remarkable achievement. And that is our priority—player development and giving them the opportunity to achieve their dreams”. Added Komlodi, “We believe very strongly that this season, we will need all of our good player depth, because higher-level pro teams will be knocking on our doors for players again. We have a lot of young men with skill and determination here, and we will give them every opportunity to succeed.” Attendance at home games at the Hershey Center was strong last season, but Rossiter is hoping the team will draw even bigger crowds in 2012. “For those who have never seen a CSL game live, it is very, very good soccer. There are still some excellent former European professionals who bring a lot of class to the league, but more importantly, the number of talented Canadian youngsters pushing for bigger things ahead is really impressive. It is intense, highly competitive soccer. That is demonstrated by the fact that so many of our players have already gone on to even bigger opportunities. We feel strongly that if local soccer fans take in one of our games, they will fall in love with our team and continue to support it in a big way.” The CSL First Division will be comprised of 16 teams this season, with expansion franchises incoming from Kingston, Waterloo and Niagara Falls. Toronto FC Academy and the Montreal Impact Academy will both play in the CSL again this season, providing fans with a glimpse of even more future Major League Soccer (MLS) stars in action before they become household names. |
MEFC writes another new chapter in the history of the Erin Mills Soccer Club
The Mississauga Eagles FC continue to build on their successful first season in the Canadian Soccer League (CSL). The Eagles joined Canada’s longest-running professional league for the 2011 season and had a very successful first season, during which 7 of their players earned contracts to play professionally in Europe.
The Eagles are now part of the fledgling Canadian Premier Futsal League (CPFL). The new League boasts 7 franchises and features the highest brand of Futsal in the country. Along with MEFC, other squads will include: Real Toronto, London Futsal Club, Barrie Futsal Club, Brampton United, Toronto Boca Juniors and York Region Shooters.
MEFC, which earned a playoff position in its inaugural CSL season (and also saw its Reserve team capture the Second Division CSL championship), is using the CPFL as a springboard to help prepare its players for the rigors of the 2012 CSL season.
MEFC Head Coach Josef Komlodi is a proponent of Futsal as part of an effective “off-season” training regimen. “We are expanding our facilities at our Erin Mills headquarters in Mississauga to include a beautiful new Futsal floor, complete with bleachers. Futsal is all about speed, quick thinking, playmaking, creativity and skill. We always stress this with our players, especially so in our winter training. Futsal is a great sport on its own, and this experience for our players will also add yet another dimension for MEFC in terms of developing our players even further in their soccer careers.”
The CPFL schedule will see each team play 12 games this winter. Playoffs will follow the conclusion of the regular season, with a championship game scheduled for April 7.
Importantly, MEFC is also spearheading plans for the introduction of a new Futsal League on the women’s side. “Looking ahead, it will be important to provide this opportunity for the talented women players in our program. I am hopeful that we will also be able to launch an outdoor Women’s Professional Soccer League by 2013, and that MEFC and EMSC will be an important part of that. We need to provide future opportunities for the many young girls in our program, and across Canada, who deserve a future in our great game”, added Komlodi.
“Year One” in the CSL for MEFC: What a Ride!
When Susan Rossiter and Josef Komlodi sat down to discuss the possibility of the Erin Mills Soccer Club (EMSC) backing a professional team, they knew there would be resistance.
“We knew some people may wonder why we would do this”, says Rossiter, EMSC President. “But just as many of us were believers in Josef’s vision, that we are here to develop young players, and to give them realistic dreams to shoot for. Building a professional team meant that local players with talent and ambition had another option, another choice. They could go after a scholarship in Canada or the United States, and they could shoot for the MLS or a contract in Europe. But they could also play very competitively, locally, in the Canadian Soccer League.”
The CSL is the oldest professional soccer league in Canada. It has survived a host of issues, franchise shifts and other challenges, but it has endured and overcome the odds. And the caliber of play is better than ever before. It has now become a league primarily for talented players on their way up, as opposed to aging players with a background in Europe whose best years are well behind them.
The official announcement came in November of 2010. Erin Mills would indeed host a professional side. And in the process, they would become one of the first, if not the very first, local community soccer Club in Canada to offer programs from the youngest ages all the way through to the professional ranks.
“It just made sense”, says Komlodi, who has been the Technical Director at EMSC since 2002 and now doubles as Head Coach of the Mississauga Eagles FC. “We produce so many outstanding young players, and while some do get the chance, not everyone has the opportunity for a scholarship, or to play in Europe right away. This gives talented players an opportunity to play at a high level, still be close to home, and continue to shoot for more in soccer, if that is their dream”.
The first season in the CSL was a fascinating one. Before the season got underway, MEFC announced the signing of some outstanding players, many who had a previous history with the Mississauga-based Club. Andrew Ornoch and Igor Pisanjuk were just two examples of former Erin Mills “boys” who had then played professionally for a time in Europe. MEFC brought in players such as Ivan Juric, who played for four years at Francis Marion University, a strong Division II school in the United States, and defender Thierry Mangwa Batomen along with forward Dave Simpson, who both had played professionally in Europe and has also played for Canada’s national team.
Interestingly, it wasn’t too long before European Clubs were on the trail of MEFC players again. The 22 year-old Pisanjuk signed with Kecskemet of the Hungarian First Team league. The signing represented a tremendous opportunity for the young midfielder. Then Ornoch, 25, signed with Holland Division II side Telstar. Komlodi says while the Eagles missed the talented players when they left, he is very pleased that they had signed professional contracts. “That’s why we are here, to develop our players and to give them a springboard, an opportunity to pursue even better opportunities. I’m very happy for both Igor and Andrew.”
The player exodus didn’t stop there, however. MEFC went on its “Tour of Europe” to train and play friendlies against top European competition in Germany and Hungary. While there, a number of young MEFC players were “identified” by local Clubs. Sanjar Kairosh and Gil Hong (’94) were both offered contracts to play with Gyori Eto’s (a first Division team in Hungary) developmental Reserve squad. Both had played matches (and done very well) with the MEFC First Team before their Tour of Europe experience gave them additional exposure.
Forward Matt Macri had trials in Italy, and two other emerging players, Patrick Majcher (’93) and Mike Krzeminski (’93) both signed to play with the U23 Reserve Team of Polish Division I side Slask Wroclaw.
As all these announcements were made, MEFC still had important games to play as they worked through their first CSL season. The answer? The Club continued to utilize its organizational depth to deal with the above-mentioned player departures as well as a number of injuries to key performers.
“The CSL is a very good league, probably even more competitive than we thought. We knew it was going to be a challenge, and it has been exactly that”, says Rossiter, the team’s General Manager. “Through everything, we’ve relied on our veteran players, like keeper Melford James Jr., who has been a wonderful leader for us in goal, as well. Joey Melo was a real sparkplug and Shawn Brown joined our team and gave us a lot, too, with his speed and skill. Ivan Juric is our steady hand and Mohammed Habibzi anchored our back line.”
Komlodi adds that younger players also made a difference, including youngsters who started the season on the MEFC Reserve Team (CSL Division II) but earned their way into the MEFC First Team line-up. “Some young players really contributed. Sanjar (Kairosh) and Gil (Hong) played well before they went to Europe, as did Mike (Krzeminski) and Patrick (Majcher). But the contributions went even deeper than that. A number of our Reserve Team players moved seamlessly into the First Team throughout the season, including James Langlois, Omar Nakeeb, Darragh Roe, Jose DeSouza, Brandan Wellington and Andrew Samuels. They all had a significant impact on the First Team, a great sign for the future.”
Despite these challenges, and being a first-year team in the CSL, MEFC finished with a record of 13 wins, 10 losses and 3 draws in their inaugural CSL season. They finished in 7th place in the 14-team loop, before bowing to Toronto Croatia (the eventual League champions) in the first round of the Division I playoffs.
Remarkably, the Eagles Reserve team overcame similar obstacles and advanced all the way to the playoff finals, capturing the Division II title in penalty kicks against Brampton City United “B”. Reserve team head Coach Alex Szczotka points to his team’s success as a harbinger of great things to come for the entire organization. “We have many fine young players who will have opportunities in college, in Europe or with our First Team. The base is there. We will only get better.”
As Rossiter looks back at the team’s inaugural season, she stresses the value—and success—of the holistic approach team management put in place. “Our First Team players were involved with coaching our younger Erin Mills boys and girls teams and they took on that responsibility with a lot of dedication. They took on a true mentoring role with our young players at the Club and have become role-models.”
Looking forward, Rossiter says the organization will attract players from far and wide, because of the reputation the club has built, using the Erin Mills Soccer Club history of success as a springboard. “MEFC has a tremendous, highly-qualified coaching staff. Players want to come to an organization that is run in a professional way and in a professional environment. We train rigorously and often, following more of a European model. That’s appealing to serious players. Going forward, we will always be looking for top talent, but we also know we have that right in our own back yard, within EMSC and the city of Mississauga”.
Off the field, MEFC will continue to forge partnerships with sponsors and local businesses who recognize the value of associating themselves with a youth sports club that has proven it can also operate at the professional level. Says Rossiter, “We are just scratching the surface. Our home attendance was quite good. We have a lot to build on this coming winter. Our programs are available to everyone from the youngest ages up to the professional ranks and our sponsors can see that. We offer advertisers a very broad reach, and that’s important.”
As much as MEFC wants to do well in the CSL, Komlodi refuses to lose sight of the real objective. “We are here to develop players. Yes, we want to field a very competitive CSL team. But we must never lose sight of the fact that we are here to train and develop all of our players. Whether they want scholarships, a chance to play in Europe, the MLS or with the Eagles, our focus has always been—and will always be on—developing our young players and helping their reach their dreams.”
Mississauga Eagles FC and Erin Mills Soccer Club to run Coaching Symposium
EMSC's continued commitment to elevating soccer in Canada includes offering our coaches the very best in coaching education - it's our initiative toward elevating the game by holding the highest standards within our organization - we want our coaches to develop on an on-going basis and believe our players, from the very amateur level all the way to our pro team, will reap the benefits.
November 25-27, 2011, EMSC and MEFC will extend a warm welcome to a former German professional player, Frank Wormuth. Currently, Frank is Head of the Deutscher Fußball-Bund (also known as the DFB) academy, and of the DFB UEFA Pro License at the Hennes-Weisweiler-Academy in Hennef, Germany. Frank is also the Head Coach of the U20 Men's National Team of Germany.
If you are interested in attending, please fill out our online registration form.
Price list is below:
Mississauga Eagles Reserves outlast Brampton for Second Division title
MAPLE – Saturday, October 22 - It was Second Division soccer – but a first class effort.
Two CSL reserve teams, Brampton City Utd B and Mississauga Eagles FC B, put on a fast-paced, exciting CSL Second Division Championship match that seemed to say let’s go for it, there’s no tomorrow – this is it.
In the end, after 90 minutes plus 30 minutes of extra time and penalty kicks, Mississauga hoisted the trophy following the 1-1 tie and a 5-3 count on penalties.
Brampton ended their regular season in second place in the east and Mississauga ended second in the west. Both have similar views on what reserve team soccer in a professional league is all about. They both create an environment within their clubs that while winning is an important ingredient, it’s developing the players that really counts.
Mike DiMatteo, Brampton’s reserve team manager and one of the principal owners of the club, says his club signs players to the reserve team that show promise - they have that bit extra. “But we then move them up to the first team as quickly as possible. In fact, we have probably played more second team players in our First Division side this season than any other club in the CSL,” he said.
Erin Mills Soccer Club, with its 5,000 young players, 1,000 volunteers and 7,000 voting members has been the pride of Mississauga for some years and president Susan Rossiter believes many of her young players can be developed into very good players by following a path that takes players from the youth level to the reserve team on to the club’s professional side in the CSL First Division and in some cases, beyond.
“It’s a step by step, cradle to grave routine that creates a environment for promising players to move up within the club and our reserve team is an important level at which they can play before moving on to the First Division,” she explained.
The game, played at the St. Joan of Arc ground at Maple, just north of Toronto, was mostly end-to-end soccer, playing the long ball and that brought numerous opportunities to score.
A combined effort at 33 minutes by Mississauga midfielders Jose Melo and Darragh Roe, with forward Omar Nakeeb, almost produced the desired result, but an unkind bounce went just wide at 33 minutes.
Brampton midfielder Jonathan Singh was one of several players to hit the woodwork, while Devon Boyer, Yousif Walied and Avian Singh all came close to scoring.
Both goalkeepers, Luca Leone for Brampton and Christopher Prouting for Mississauga played a big part in regular time arriving with the game scoreless and the extra 15 minutes each way brought even more of a game worth watching.
At 14 minutes of extra time, referee Benjamin Jacobs pointed to the penalty spot for a hand ball in the box by Brampton Utd and it was Mississauga’s Daniel Ochocinski who stepped up to score.
Brampton suffered another setback when David Ferreira was shown a second yellow card for dissent just before the penalty kick was taken and he was ordered off.
At 3 minutes of the second overtime period, Mississauga were judged also to have handled the ball inside the 18 yard line and Ardit Xhameni struck for Brampton to tie the score 1-1.
The 1-1 tie held until the end of extra time and a 5-3 score on penalty kicks gave Mississauga the victory and a championship trophy in its inaugural season in professional soccer.
Story Originally published at http://canadiansoccerleague.com/newsnet/templates/?a=424&z=5
Eagles earn playoff berth in their first CSL season
For the Mississauga Eagles FC, it was not easy, but it was well deserved.
The first-year entry in the Canadian Soccer League (CSL) First Division earned their way into the league playoffs by sweeping a home and home series with the North York Astros September 30 and October 2, by scores of 4-1 and 2-1.
On Friday night at Hershey field, the Eagles built up a 3-0 lead to take control of the contest. Tristan Watson converted an excellent cross from Shawn Brown to open the scoring. Shaun MacDonald made it 2-0 and Matt Macri found the back of the net with a nice ‘chip’ from in close to extend the lead before the Astros made it 3-1.
MacDonald then responded by putting home a rebound to close out the scoring and make the final 4-1 for the Eagles.
Sunday in North York, the Eagles scored two late goals to earn another three points. Midfielder Joey Melo notched the game’s first goal in the 81st minute, and MacDonald then followed with his third in two games to give the Eagles a lead they never gave up.
MEFC Head Coach Josef Komlodi was pleased that his side finished the regular-season strongly but is now preparing the team for upcoming playoff matches. “It has been a very good season overall. The players have developed very well as the season has gone on. We have some things to work on in preparation for our playoff series and the players know it will be a challenge against very good opposition.”
The Eagles finished the regular season with a record of 13 wins, 10 losses and 3 draws, good for 42 points. They scored 44 goals on the season while allowing 29. Currently they are tied for 7th place in the 14-team league, but their final position in the standings will depend on the outcome of a game later this week between York Region Shooters and Brampton City United.
The Eagles will open the playoffs in a two-game, home and away series against either first-place SC Toronto or second-place Toronto Croatia, depending on the final league standings.
Ontario Erin Mills Eagles dominate both U-16 Cups
Two Ontario teams headed into the finals at the 2011 National Championships in Lethbridge, AB; both concluded the tournament with a championship title on Monday 10 October. Erin Mills Eagles won 4:0 over Longueuil (Québec) in the boys final while the Erin Mills Mighty Eagles won 7:0 over St. John’s (Newfoundland Labrador) in the girls final.
Both Québec’s Longueuil and Ontario’s Erin Mills Eagles entered the final match as group winner, Longueuil even presenting a perfect record of four wins in four matches. The Ontario team, lead by three-goal scorer Mark Wadid, imposed their tempo and secured the title. Mark Wadid came grabbed the tournament’s Top Scorer award with a total of 10 goals in the tournament.
In the third position battle, British Columbia Coquitlam Metro-Ford Sparta faced Manitoba’s PTSC Timberwolves. Coquitlam Metro-Ford Sparta took the lead in the 27th minute to never look behind and capture the bronze medal with a 3:1 win over the Manitoba representative.
The Erin Mills Mighty Eagles of Ontario easily captured the U-14 Cup girls title with a 7:0 win over St. John’s (Newfoundland Labrador). Emily Pietrangelo scored three for the Eagles in what could be labeled as a one-way win. St. John’s had surprised group leader Québec’s Boisbriand to reach the final, but we’re no match for the offensive push of the Erin Mills Mightly Eagles. Ontario had also won the title in 2010 thanks to the strong performance of the Pickering Power Green.
In the bronze medal match, Boisbriand was overpowered by Alberta’s Blizzard Juventus 6:1. The Blizzard benefited from a very balanced contribution from the players, each of the goals being scored by a different girl. Overall, bronze medal winner Blizzard Juventus maintained the best scoring record of the tournament, including Tianna Lombardo who grabbed the Top Scorer title with a total of 11 goals for the tournament.
The 2011 Canadian Soccer Association National Championships is the umbrella tournament for Canada’s premier amateur competitions, from the senior level Challenge Trophy and Jubilee Trophy competitions down to the U-14 levels. The National Championships feature four Nutrilite All Stars competitions from in July and the eight club championships in October. Through its 12 competitions in six venues, the National Championships feature more than 3,000 players, staff and officials in July and October.
For all the results of the 2011 Canadian Soccer Association National Championships, visit www.canadasoccer.com/nationals
Pictured above, Boys 95A:
2011 Canadian National Champions - Gold
2011 Ontario Cup Champions
2011 Ontario Youth Soccer League (OYSL) Playoff Champions
2011 Ontario Youth Soccer League (OYSL) West Division Champions
Back Row: Left to Right: Rohan Sarna, Toni Li, Andrew Said, Joseph Kuta, Andoni Gallego, Justin Teelucksingh, Andrew Kim
Front Row: Left to Right: Darren Gertieshingh, Shakir Simpson, Mark Wadid, Ishan Rehal, Yuv Dhaliah, Zylfy Jusenovski, John Forde
Missing: Eric Wason, Michael Conley, Soniel Levanaj, Tashy Vukoje
Staff: Amal Chauhan, Gabriel Pop, Peter Kim, Susan Anderson
Tough luck plagues MEFC on weekend road swing
The Mississauga Eagles FC fought through extended travel, injuries and strong opposition while still playing some of their best soccer of the season, but could only manage one point on their September 24 weekend Eastern road swing.
Taking on the Montreal Impact Reserve side on Saturday afternoon at beautiful Saputo Stadium, the Eagles played evenly with the Impact throughout. After falling behind 1-0 in the first half, the Eagles evened the score in the second half on a nice marker by Reserve team stalwart Darragh Roe, who scored on a perfectly-placed chip shot soon after entering the contest.
But Montreal responded with a goal of its own, to send the visitors away with a 2-1 loss.
On Sunday in Ottawa, the visiting Eagles continued their hard-working ways but could not finish offensively, as they fought to a 0-0 draw with Capital City, one of the top teams in the Canadian Soccer League (CSL).
MEFC Head Coach Josef Komlodi appreciated the team’s effort against two very tough teams. “Right now, we are playing, overall, with a much younger line-up in recent weeks and the team is responding very well. Capital City and Montreal Reserves are both strong clubs, and we competed very, very well on the road against them. I thought we deserved better in both games, but we played well and that is the most important thing. Our focus now is earning a spot in the playoffs, and preparing to play even better once we get there.”
MEFC’s record on the season now stands at 11 wins, 10 losses and 3 draws, good for 36 points in their first season in the CSL. They are currently tied with Brampton City United for 7th place in the 14- team league. Brampton has one game in hand.
Eight teams make the playoffs and the Eagles are currently 6 points ahead of 9th place Brantford, the defending CSL champions.
The Eagles have two games remaining in their regular-season schedule, playing back-to-back encounters with North York Astros to finish the season. They host the Astros this Friday night, September 30, at 8pm at Hershey and finish on the road against the Astros October 2.MEFC wins key match-up to boost playoff chances
Making the playoffs in their first season in the Canadian Soccer League (CSL) would be a significant achievement for the Mississauga Eagles FC—and that goal is now clearly in sight after a big 2-1 win on September 18.
Playing before their home fans at Hershey field, the Eagles downed the previously high-flying Toronto Croatia squad by a score of 2-1. Joey Melo scored both goals for MEFC, the first as he converted a perfect cross from teammate Shawn Brown.
Melo’s second goal of the evening, the game-winner, came on a second-half penalty-kick that was awarded to the Eagles after Brown was hauled down in the 18-yard box.
Goaltender James Melford Jr. continued his strong play in goal, helping to preserve the victory for the Eagles, who earned a very valuable and hard-fought three points against the second-place Toronto Croatia side.
MEFC Head Coach Josef Komlodi saw more positive signs in his squad, as they continued their fight for a playoff berth. “The players stepped up tonight with a strong and disciplined performance against a very good team. We can continue to build on this effort in the final regular-season games and, hopefully, the playoffs.”
With the win, MEFC sees its record improve to 11 wins, 9 losses and 2 draws, good for 35 points and 7th place in the 14-team First Division.
The top 8 teams make the playoffs. MEFC has four games remaining on their schedule.
MEFC falls to first-place SC Toronto
It was a game that could have gone either way, but when the final whistle blew, MEFC was on the wrong end of a 2-0 game September 11 at Hershey field.
Hosting the top team in the Canadian Soccer League (CSL), SC Toronto, the Eagles played a strong game for the full 90 minutes. Unfortunately, a bad second-half bounce gave SC Toronto the game’s first goal. MEFC was not able to finish its own chances, and while the Eagles were looking to tie the score, SC Toronto added an insurance marker to make the final score 2-0.
MEFC Head coach Josef Komlodi complimented his players after the contest. “We played hard tonight against a very good side. If we can play like that the rest of the season, I believe we can earn a playoff spot.”
MEFC’s record is now 10 wins, 9 losses and 2 draws. They host Toronto Croatia September 18 at 7pm at Hershey.
MEFC takes three points at home
As the Canadian Soccer League (CSL) season enter the last month of the regular season, the Mississauga Eagles FC are fighting for a playoff berth.
They took a step in the right direction on September 4, when they downed the visiting St. Catharines Roma Wolves by a score of 5-1.
Captain Dave Simpson led the way, scoring the game’s opening goals. The first came off a feed from Joey Melo. Tristan Scott made it 3-0, also assisted by Melo.
In the second half, Martin Artale scored on a header off a cross from Kwesi Klass. After the Roma Wolves made it 4-1, Reserve team call-up Darragh Roe tallied to make the final 5-1 for MEFC.
Both teams had to deal with delays, as thunder and lightning made conditions unplayable at times.
MEFC Head coach Josef Komlodi saw the victory as a complete team effort. “This was a game where we received contributions from every player. Our young players, like Darragh Roe, again were a big help. We have some difficult games coming up, so it was important that we were able to take all three points tonight.”
MEFC sees its record improve on the season to 10 wins, 8 losses and two draws, good for 32 points. They host top-ranked SC Toronto at home at Hershey field on September 11 at 7pm.
MEFC comes from behind to earn tie at home
MEFC was hoping for a better result against a team near the bottom of the Canadian Soccer League standings, but in the end, had to settle for a 1-1 draw in their August 27 home encounter against the Windsor Stars. Another nice home crowd was on hand as Windsor struck early, scoring when a man was left un-marked near the six-year box off a corner kick. MEFC scored the tying marker in the second half, also off a corner, as the incoming ball bounded off Joevannie Peart to defender Mohammed Abibzi, who finished to equalize the game at 1. MEFC then had a chance to secure the win, but a penalty kick that was awarded because of a hand-ball was unsuccessful. MEFC went down to 10 men when midfielder Ivan Juric was handed a controversial second yellow. |
Eagles earn key road win in Windsor
It wasn’t easy, and there were some frantic late moments, but the Mississauga Eagles FC earned an important road win on August 20 in Windsor. The final score was 2-1.
After a game-day bus trip that included a detour, the team hit the natural grass pitch under the lights at Windsor Stadium to face the home town Windsor Stars on a soggy Saturday night. The Stars entered the game with only two wins on the season, but had been playing much better of late after some mid-season personnel adjustments.
Knowing they had to down the Eagles to have a realistic chance to climb up the Canadian Soccer League (CSL) Division I standings and also closer to a playoff berth, the Stars jumped on the Eagles early and took a 1-0 lead at the 11 minute mark.
The Eagles were able to rebound, however, after some strong passing sprung Tristan Watson free. Watson made no mistake in notching the equalizer.
Mississauga made some significant adjustments at half time and that paid immediate dividends, as another sequence of effective ball movement culminated in Shawn Brown feeding Joey Melo for an outstanding header that found the back of the Windsor net.
The teams traded chances the rest of the way and Melford James Jr. continued his fine play in the Eagles net to help secure the victory.
MEFC Head coach Josef Komlodi said the team tried a new formation for the start of the match, but it simply did not work. “After we fell behind early, we adjusted our team shape and we also began to play with more intensity. We made further adjustments at half time and played a bit better and were able to take the lead. Both teams had chances, but given the conditions and the fact that it was a long day on the road, we were pleased to earn the three points.”
The Eagles saw their record improve to 9 wins, 8 losses and 1 draw. They host the Stars in a return match on Saturday, August 27 at Hershey field at 8pm.
Reserves take three points at home, then drop a heartbreaker
On a rainy night at Hershey field August 7, the MEFC Reserves took away three points with a 4-2 victory over visiting London City “B”.
MEFC conceded an early goal off a London corner kick, but were able to get back on even terms when Jose DeSousa’s well-placed strike from distance from the mark.
MEFC then scored to make it 2-1, a lead they never relinquished, on a goal by Omar Nakeeb.
In the second half, the Eagles added two more goals, from Nakeeb and Ivan Juric, before a late marker from City made the final score 4-2 for Mississauga.
Eagles ‘keeper Chris Prouting had a strong game in goal.
MEFC Head Coach said the team has had to overcome some roster changes with several players on trial in other countries, but the core group has stayed strong. “We want to finish the season as strong as possible. We have a good young team, but we need to focus on details. Sometimes we have lapses in concentration and it costs us. But the team did enough good things tonight to earn a victory.”
On August 14, the Reserves hosted York Region Shooters. The game was tied 1-1 well into added time when the Shooters struck for the late winning marker.
Mark Wadid scored for the Eagles, who saw their record move to 8 wins, 3 losses and 1 draw in CSL Division II play this season.
Eagles bounce back from a road loss with a 2-0 victory against York Region Shooters
The 48 hours can indeed make a difference.
On Friday August 12 at Centennial Stadium, the Mississauga Eagles came out flat against a strong Toronto Croatia side, and eventually succumbed by a final score of 3-0.
The Eagles were missing captain Dave Simpson and talented offensive threat Joey Melo, along with midfielder Ivan Juric, who was serving a suspension along with Melo. The Eagles seemed to lack focus and did not have the required attention to detail in absorbing their 8th loss of the season.
But two nights later at home against another highly-ranked Canadian Soccer League (CSL) squad, the North York Shooters, the Eagles came out with more determination in what turned out to be a fast-paced and very physical game. They created several good scoring chances, and eventually connected when midfielder James Langlois volleyed home a rebound off a tremendous run by Shawn Brown in the 21st minute to give the home side a lead they never gave up.
It wasn’t easy, however. ‘Keeper Melford James Jr. was brilliant when needed, especially in the second half. His finest save of the night was off a quick “bicycle kick” strike that was labeled for the corner of the Eagles net. James Jr. dove suddenly to his left to make the save inches from the goal line, maintaining Mississauga’s slim one-goal margin.
Chances went back and forth throughout the rest of the second half, but Melo connected on an outstanding low shot, a rocket to the corner of the Shooters’ net in the 88th minutes from just outside the 18-yard box. Melo’s marker, also set up by Shawn Brown, brought the relieved Eagles fans in attendance back up on their feet—and provided an important late-game cushion for the Eagles, making the final score 2-0.
MEFC was still playing without Simpson and Juric (experienced defender Thierry Mangwa Batomen is also on the injured list) but the return of Melo to the line-up was significant, according to MEFC Head Coach Josef Komlodi. Komlodi was not pleased with Friday night’s effort against Toronto Croatia, but felt the team rebounded well against another top CSL side on Sunday. “York Region Shooters are one of the fastest teams in the league. But we were able to match their speed tonight. Dante Monti (up from the Eagles’ Reserve club, playing his second game with the First Team) played a fine game at left back. Our veteran players played a much stronger, smarter game tonight. And I thought our young players, like Dante and James Langlois, stood out again. They played with a great deal of determination and confidence. We’re fighting to move up in the standings and we have many difficult games ahead of us.”
Attendance on a drizzly night at Hershey field was just over 250. The Club has been averaging more than 300 fans per game in their inaugural CSL Division I season as they continue to build a strong fan base.
The Eagles now have a record of 8 wins, 8 losses and 1 draw so far this season in the CSL’s First Division.
MEFC Announces More European Signings
The Mississauga, Ontario – August 15, 2011—
Mississauga Eagles Football Club (MEFC) formally announced today the signing of two young CSL Division II Reserve team players to play professionally in Poland.
Patrick Majcher (’93) and Mike Krzeminski (’93) have both signed to play with the U23 Reserve Team of Polish Division I side Slask Wroclaw.
Slask Wroclaw is currently competing in the UEFA Europa League (fourth qualifying round). The team’s web site is located at www.slaskwroclaw.pl
Malcher and Krzeminski signed after spending a week on trial in Poland, and undergoing a series of medical tests.
MEFC Head Coach Josef Komlodi was pleased that the players earned their contracts after years in the Erin Mills youth system, the feeder program for the Mississauga Eagles professional team in the Canadian Soccer League (CSL). “Both of these young men showed great skills, but more importantly tremendous dedication to our ADP development program for many years. Our coaches Alex Szczotka and Joe Majcher deserve much credit for their role in getting these young men to this level, where they caught the eye of a top Division I team in Poland. This is a great opportunity for both Patrick and Michael”.
Last week, the Eagles announced that MEFC midfielder Andrew Ornoch had signed to play with Holland Division II side Telstar. Previously, the club announced the signing of Igor Pisanjuk of MEFC to a contract with Hungarian Division I club Kecskemet.
MEFC midfielder Matt Macri is currently on trial in Italy. The club also announced last week that two of its MEFC Reserve Team players, Sanjar Kairosh and Gil Hong, both born in 1994, have been offered contracts to play with Hungarian First Division Gyori Eto FC’s Academy program.
The Eagles are in their first season in Canada’s oldest professional soccer league, the Canadian Soccer League (CSL). Their record so far this season is 8 wins, 8 losses and 1 draw.
About the Mississauga Eagles FC and the Erin Mills Soccer Club
The Mississauga Eagles FC was launched in the fall of 2010 to participate starting in 2011 in Canada’s oldest professional soccer league, the Canadian Soccer League (CSL). The inclusion of a major professional team under the umbrella of the Erin Mills Soccer Club makes EMSC the first local community Club in Canada to offer to its local players opportunities throughout the complete “pyramid of play”.
A recognized leader within the Mississauga and Ontario sports communities; EMSC is rated as the #1 community soccer club and the #1 competitive soccer club in Ontario. EMSC provides a lifelong quality soccer and team-building experience for youth of all ages and diverse backgrounds. We are committed to the future of recreational and high-performance youth soccer. EMSC operates under the Ontario Soccer Association and the Peel-Halton Soccer Association with competitive teams playing in the CSL(Canadian Soccer League), HSZIL (Hershey Sportszone Indoor Youth League), OSL (Ontario Soccer League), OWSL (Sr. Women - Ontario Womens Soccer League), OYSL (Ontario Youth Soccer League), PHSSL (Peel-Halton Select Soccer League) and the SRSL (South Region Soccer League) soccer leagues.
MEFC Announces new European Pro Contract Signing
The Mississauga, Ontario – August 8, 2011—When the Mississauga Eagles announced in November of 2010 that they would become the first youth community-based youth soccer Club (Erin Mills Soccer Club) in Canada to launch a professional team, they had two central objectives. One was to give local players with talent and desire a place to aspire to play at a high level in their own backyard.
The other was to offer professional training and a competitive environment that would be, in some instances, a springboard to a pro career in Europe.
A number of Mississauga-born and developed players are already performing for the Eagles in the Canadian Soccer League (CSL). And earlier this summer, MEFC announced that their midfielder, Igor Pisanjuk, 21, had signed a two-year contract to play with Hungarian First Division side Kecskemet.
Now, the club is announcing the signing of another of its players, Andrew Ornoch, 25, who has inked a deal with Dutch Second Division squad Telstar FC.
Also, the team announced that MEFC First Team midfielder Matt Macri is currently on trial in Italy.
The team, just back from its two-week “Tour of Europe”, also announced that two of its MEFC Reserve Team talents, Sanjar Kairosh and Gil Hong, both born in 1994, have signed contracts to play with Hungarian First Division Gyori Eto FC’s Academy program.
In addition, Dante Brown (’97) and goalkeeper Daniel Mingorance (’96), both of the Erin Mills Soccer Club program, have been identified by the Gyori Eto club and asked to stay on for further evaluation for the rest of the summer.
The Club also announced today that Ive Beram (’96) is on try-out with Zadar Academy, the development program for the First Division Club in Croatia. Reports on his progress have been excellent.
MEFC Head Coach and Technical Director Josef Komlodi was very pleased with the developments, and said that MEFC has many other young players with the potential to play at very high levels. “These announcements very much reflect what our program is all about. It is for talented young players who want the opportunity to either play professionally close to home, with our First team in the CSL, or earn a chance to sign and play at an even higher level in Europe. We are delighted that Igor and Andrew have earned another opportunity to pursue their careers in Europe after their time with MEFC. And we are equally thrilled that many of our younger players are getting these wonderful opportunities in Hungary.”
Added MEFC President Susan Rossiter, “This trip was a real eye-opener for our players. The level of skill and commitment required to play in Europe, as we all recognize, is very high. But our young men showed extremely well—and not only those who have signed to play there. Many of our players have caught the eye of European coaches and we are very excited about the connections we have made throughout Europe on behalf of our players. We believe that more and more of our players will have opportunities in Europe in the foreseeable future.”
Eagles Reserves jump back into the win column
The The Mississauga Eagles Reserve team needed a win, and they delivered at home in a big way on August 3.
A depleted MEFC Reserve squad had been hammered 4-0 on the road by a determined Niagara Falls side on July 30. MEFC was missing several regulars, including a number of players currently on trial in Europe.
But with a full complement on hand against Kitchener-Waterloo United FC, the Eagles jumped out to an early lead on a rainy night at Hershey field and never looked back.
Forward Shawn Brown opened the scoring for Mississauga, putting home a rebound off a Joey Melo strike. Midfielder James Langlois finished a nice goalmouth set-up from Melo to make the score 2-0.
Darragh Roe added to the lead off a cross from Melo and Jose DeSousa made it 4-0 for the home side seconds before halftime.
The Eagles played a strong possession style in the second half, but still managed to increase their lead with two goals from striker Omar Nakeeb to make the final 6-0.
Chris Prouting earned the clean sheet in goal for the Eagles.
MEFC Head Coach Alex Szczotka said it was important for the team to pick up three points, especially on the heels of the disheartening loss against Western division foe Niagara Falls. “Credit to Niagara Falls, but that game was not an indication of what the team is capable of. Against Kitchener-Waterloo, we were able to move the ball well and finish some of our chances. I was pleased that we were better defensively, too, because we have been conceding far too many goals over the past several games.”
MEFC sees its record improve to 7 wins, 2 losses and 1 draw in CSL Division II play. Next, the Eagles host London City B on Sunday night, August 7 at 9pm.
MEFC splits pair on the weekend to remain at .500
The It was close to being a very good weekend for the Mississauga Eagles, but some lapses in concentration cost them and they ended up splitting a pair of games.
On August 5, the Eagles visited the high-flying SC Toronto side that has been a dominant club throughout the 2011 Canadian Soccer League season. The Eagles and Toronto were tied at 1 in the second half, until a goal off a corner kick gave SC Toronto the lead at 2-1.
MEFC built some chances, but couldn’t finish and SC Toronto continued on their march to a near undefeated season, having lost but one out of 14 games so far this season.
The Eagles’ game at Lamport was their first CSL action in over two weeks, after returning from their successful “Tour of Europe”. The squad has some players currently nursing injuries while others remain overseas on trial.
Back home at Hershey on Sunday night, August 7, the Eagles had to overcome an early red card in the first five minutes to midfielder Ivan Juric (on a very harsh call) to defeat London City 1-0.
After a scoreless first half, substitute David Guzman made a nice play to get the ball to striker Dave Simpson. The veteran MEFC captain turned and drove home the game’s first—and what turned out to be the only—goal.
Keeper Melford James Jr. was outstanding in the Eagles net, earning a clean sheet.
MEFC Head Coach Josef Komlodi was disappointed that the team did not play with the required focus on Friday night, but pleased that the club was able to rebound at home against London City, despite playing almost the entire game down a man.
“SC Toronto is a very strong side. With better focus we could have earned a point on the road. Unfortunately we didn’t. We are missing some players, but our Reserve team call-ups helped us on the weekend. James Langlois had a good performance against SC Toronto in the midfield and on Sunday he, Jose DeSousa and Dante Monti all played good games, along with our regular players. Against London, we had to make some adjustments after the red card, but were able to do enough to earn the victory. We played with more discipline against London. As a first-year squad we are still developing our overall chemistry. We will keep fighting to try and make the CSL playoffs but our focus will always be on developing our players to play at even higher levels.”
The weekend results saw MEFC’s record move to 7 wins, 7 losses and 1 draw. Their next game is Friday, August 12 at Centennial Stadium against Toronto Croatia. Their next home game is Sunday night, August 14 at 7pm against York Region Shooters.
Eagles Fly Through Europe
When MEFC Head Coach Josef Komlodi planed the 2011 summertime “Tour of Europe”, he had a couple of objectives. One was to give his CSL Division 1 expansion team experience playing against strong European competition; the other was to provide a platform to showcase some of the organization’s fine young talent to professional teams across Europe.
On both counts, the trip has met its objectives.
After starting off in Germany and moving on to Hungary, MEFC has taken part in “friendlies” against European clubs and some of the squad’s younger players have also had the opportunity to suit up in game competition with local teams as well. EMSC BU14 Dante Brown scored a goal for Hungarian side Gyori Eto BU14. MEFC Reserve team players Sanjar Kairosh and Gil Hong performed very well for the Gyori Eto U17 side, showing their speed and excellent ball moving skills. MEFC First Team’s Tristan Scott played with the Gyori Eto FC 2nd Team in an exhibition game and gave a very strong performance as well, demonstrating his pace and outstanding passing ability.
The team has been training daily under the supervision of top professional coaches but has also had a bit of time for leisure. Everyone in the MEFC contingent was a guest in the VIP Box at Eto Park and watched Gyori Eto FC 1st Team beat Ujpest FC 1-0, a good fast paced game with lots of ball skills displayed along with precision shooting.
MEFC President and General Manager Susan Rossiter has been developing sponsorship and marketing opportunities during the European tour and says the experience has been just what the organization was hoping for. “It’s always important to test yourself against good competition, and the trip has provided that opportunity. When the team gets back to CSL regular season play, we should be in a good place mentally to make a push for the playoffs, which would be a great showing in our first season. Especially for our younger players, this trip has offered them a chance to be seen by some top clubs here in Europe, and they may well receive opportunities to pursue their soccer dreams not too far down the road as a result.”
The team landed back in Germany on Sunday, July 24.
We will provide a full trip recap upon their return!
MEFC win their last CSL encounter before they embark on the upcoming “Tour of Europe”
The Mississauga Eagles are leaving for their “Tour of Europe” with a lot of momentum, coming off a 4-0 victory against the Roma Wolves in St. Catharines on July 13 in CSL Division I action.
The Eagles came out strong on the road, jumping to a 1-0 first-half lead when Joey Melo scored off a free kick only two minutes into the contest. Tristan Scott then scored from 20 yards out at the 19 minute mark to provide a two-goal cushion for the visitors.
Midfielder Ivan Juric made it 3-0, converting a Jose De Sousa feed. Juric then capped off the evening’s scoring on a breakaway to make the final score 4-0 in favor of the Eagles.
Melford James Jr. earned the clean sheet for Mississauga.
MEFC Head coach Josef Komlodi has seen an improved work ethic and intensity in recent games, and was pleased that his squad is leaving on its upcoming European trip on a winning note. “There are always ups and downs in a long season. But we are re-shaping the roster as the season goes along, and I’m seeing our young players providing a lot of determination, which we needed They are proving they can play at this level. Playing games in Europe will be a positive and important experience for the team. We should come home ready to compete well the rest of the way in the CSL.”
With the win, MEFC sees its record improve to 6 wins, 6 losses and a draw so far in 2011. Their next CSL game is against SC Toronto on August 5 at Lamport Stadium in Toronto.
MEFC Reserves beat the heat, win on the road in St. Catharines
On a sweltering day in St. Catharines, the MEFC Reserves jumped to an early lead and never looked back in defeating Club Roma “B” 7-2 in CSL Division II league action on July 17. Darragh Roe opened the scoring for MEFC, finishing a cross from teammate Gil Hong. Midfielder James Stamopoulos scored the first of his pair to extend the lead, with Nicholas Chiarot and Alex Zwierzynski giving the Eagles a 4-0 lead by the half. Joe DeSousa scored on a brilliant individual effort in the opening moments of the second half, before St. Catharines responded, converting a penalty kick to make it 5-1. The two teams exchanged goals the rest of the way, with Stamopoulos scoring his second of the day on a penalty kick and Patrick Majcher adding one, sandwiched around another penalty kick goal by the home side, to make the final 7-2. Tiano Allen earned the win in goal for the Eagles. MEFC Head Coach Alex Szczotka was pleased with his team’s effort, particularly in light of the steamy conditions. “The team completed more than 400 passes, so we showed good ball movement through most of the game. Our fitness levels were very important on a day like today, when it is easy to feel fatigued. It was a important to earn the three points on the road.” |
Eagles fly high in final home game before “Tour of Europe”
The Mississauga Eagles FC was full measure for their victory July 10 at home against their Canadian Soccer League rivals from Peel, Brampton City United, as the Eagles came out on top by a score of 3-1.
Another good crowd of close to 300 saw the home side come out with a lot of intensity. A fine individual effort from Shawn Brown from in close gave the Eagles a 1-0 lead. Brampton went down a man later in the first half, when Brown was fouled by the United City ‘keeper on a breakaway. As the goalie was the last man back, the result was an automatic red card.
The Eagles failed to convert on the opportunity and seemed to lose focus for a time. Brampton applied pressure and early in the second half scored the equalizer to make it 1-1.
At the 60 minute mark, MEFC brought some fresh legs on to the field and saw some immediate results. Captain Dave Simpson scored on a deflection of a Jose De Sousa shot, and Brown later scored his second of the night, converting a Gabe Gala pass, to give MEFC a 3-1 lead that they never relinquished.
MEFC Head Coach Josef Komlodi was generally pleased with the team’s effort, and was particularly enthused about how some of the organization’s young Reserve Team call-ups performed. “Overall we played one of our better games. We seemed to lose our focus for a while, but played strongly in the final thirty minutes. Our young call-ups— Jose DeSousa, Gil Hong, Sanjar Kairosh and Michael Kryzemenski—all performed well and showed a great deal of energy and heart. Our youth showed that we have a promising future.”
MEFC’s record is now 6 wins, 7 losses and one draw in their inaugural CSL Division I season. The Eagles have one road game remaining on July 13 before they embark on their “Tour of Europe” during the week of July 18. They return to CSL action August 5 against SC Toronto at Lamport Stadium.
MEFC Reserves jump back into the win column
After a disappointing 5-2 home loss to the Serbian White Eagles B squad, the Mississauga Eagles Reserves stepped up their game in a big way on Saturday, July 9 in Brantford. The Eagles came away with a 6-2 victory against the Galaxy Reserves, and perhaps as importantly, built some momentum as they continue to wind their way through their first season of Canadian Soccer League Division II competition. In Brantford, a see-saw contest saw the visitors escape the first half with a 3-2 lead. Midfielder Gil Hong scored off a free kick to open the MEFC scoring. James Stamopoulos scored twice before the end of the first half, both goals set up by Hong. In the second half, the Eagles took advantage of two red cards against the Galaxy and managed three more goals. Forward Darragh Roe made it 4-2 before Stamopoulos scored his third of the day and Gabriel Sosa converted a penalty kick to make the final 6-2. |
MEFC lose 0 - 1 to Serbian White Eagles at home
After The Mississauga Eagles FC came close again, but it wasn’t enough as they dropped a 1-0 encounter against the Serbian White Eagles in CSL First Division play on July 3 at Hershey field.
The White Eagles scored in the 17th minute and Mississauga was never able to finish against a side that has been very difficult to score against this season, allowing but four goals in eight league contests so far this season.
MEFC Head Coach Josef Komlodi was looking for a better result, and says his team is making progress but needs to capitalize offensively when they have the chance. “That was a very solid, experienced team we played against tonight. We have to be a bit better to match them. I’d like to see us with more wins, but as importantly, I have to see progress in our work ethic and overall play. I think our upcoming break in our schedule, along with the recent signings of former Erin Mills players Damion Scott and Tristan Watson, will really help our squad reach the levels they need to and can, to be successful in the CSL”.
Mississauga’s record now stands at 4 wins, 6 losses and a draw in their first CSL season. The Eagles are at home to Brampton City United Sunday, July 10 at 8pm at Hershey.
MEFC not sharp enough in their re-match with the Galaxy; drop a 2-1 contest on the road
After a string of games where the Mississauga Eagles FC played closer to their potential, they slipped back into some poor habits and dropped a road encounter to the Brantford Galaxy 2-1 in a game played Sunday, June 26.
MEFC lacked focus in the early going, and when they were able to generate some offense, they were not able to finish.
A series of errors led to a hand ball in the box and a converted penalty kick for the Galaxy just seconds before half time to give the home side the momentum—and a 1-0 lead.
MEFC captain Dave Simpson suffered a serious injury early in the second stanza. The game was delayed for about 20 minutes while an ambulance arrived to take to a nearby hospital. When play resumed, Brantford played with a strong defensive focus. The Eagles tried to pick up the offensive tempo but were thwarted by the Galaxy defense.
Late in the contest, with Mississauga pressing, the Galaxy took advantage of an MEFC mistake and increased their lead to 2-0.
In extra time, Gregoire Akcelrod scored off a rebound from a free kick by David Guzman. Guzman hit the crossbar from 22 yards out and Akcelrod was well positioned to convert.
Unfortunately for the Eagles, there wasn’t enough time to sustain pressure in an effort to score a tying goal.
MEFC Josef Komlodi saw some good things in the Eagles’ effort, but acknowledged the team was not at its best. “We lacked the necessary focus in the early going. When we did create chances we were not able to finish. We make some mistakes that cost us. Brantford is an experienced side and we have to be at our best every night if we want to earn points. We lacked the tactical discipline required to win at this level.”
MEFC will be back to training this week in preparation for its next CSL contest, a home game against the Serbian White Eagles on July 3. Game time is 8pm at Hershey field.
MEFC midfielder Igor Pisanjuk signs pro contract with First Division squad in Hungary
Mississauga, Ontario, June 20, 2011 - The Mississauga Eagles FC, a proud member of the Canadian Soccer League (CSL), are pleased to announce that MEFC midfielder Igor Pisanjuk has signed to play professionally with Kecskemet FC in the Hungarian First Division.
Pisanjuk, 21, has inked a two-year contract.
Kecskemet is the defending Hungarian First Division Cup-winning team. They have qualified to participate in the UEFA League qualifying tournament.
Pisanjuk played his youth soccer in Islington and also with the Erin Mills Soccer Club (EMSC). EMSC is affiliated with the Mississauga Eagles FC.
The native of the former Yugoslavia has also played for the Canadian U23 National Team.
MEFC Head Coach Josef Komlodi has seen Pisanjuk develop and mature as a player over the past several years and says this is a tremendous opportunity to for Pisanjuk to take the next step in his soccer career. “Igor has played in Europe before, but this contract offers him the chance to play for a top European team. He is still very young and has tremendous skills. We at MEFC are sorry to lose him but an important part of our job is to help young players with determination and talent see their dreams realized at the highest level they can play at. We will follow Igor’s progress with great interest”.
Komlodi added that the MEFC roster has other players who he believes will have excellent opportunities with European or North American professional sides in the near future.
MEFC is in its first season in the long-established Canadian Soccer League, the oldest professional soccer league in Canada. The team’s record is 4 wins, 4 losses and one draw.
About the Mississauga Eagles FC and the Erin Mills Soccer Club
The Mississauga Eagles FC was launched in the fall of 2010 to participate starting in 2011 in Canada’s oldest professional soccer league, the Canadian Soccer League (CSL). The inclusion of a major professional team under the umbrella of the Erin Mills Soccer Club makes EMSC the first local community Club in Canada to offer to its local players opportunities throughout the complete “pyramid of play”.
A recognized leader within the Mississauga and Ontario sports communities, EMSC is rated as the #1 community soccer club and the #1 competitive soccer club in Ontario. EMSC provides a lifelong quality soccer and team-building experience for youth of all ages and diverse backgrounds. We are committed to the future of recreational and high-performance youth soccer. EMSC operates under the Ontario Soccer Association and the Peel-Halton Soccer Association with competitive teams playing in the CSL (Canadian Soccer League), HSZIL (Hershey Sportszone Indoor Youth League), OSL (Ontario Soccer League), OWSL (Sr. Women - Ontario Womens Soccer League), OYSL (Ontario Youth Soccer League), PHSSL (Peel-Halton Select Soccer League) and the SRSL (South Region Soccer League) soccer leagues.
Second half breakdowns cost Reserve squad a win on the road
For a while, it looked as though the MEFC Reserve squad was poised for a victory when they visited North York Astros in Division II action last Saturday.
But a first-half lead wasn’t enough when a series of communication breakdowns allowed the Astros to fight their way back into the contest.
MEFC started well, with Jose DeSousa and Patryk Majcher scoring to give the Eagles that early lead.
Astros responded with a late first-half marker, when the Eagles couldn’t quite clear a loose ball in the 18-yard box.
After another defensive lapse allowed the Astros to tie the game at 2 in the early stages of the second half, left back Dante Monti hammered home a shot from distance after a nice pass from Kyle Brooks to restore a short-lived lead for the Eagles at 3-2.
That advantage was relinquished when some defensive zone miscommunication allowed a North York forward to chip in the tying goal into an unguarded net.
MEFC Head Coach Alex Szczotka commented afterward that the game should prove to be a learning experience for his young squad. “At this level, no lead is safe. We did many good things in the game and often controlled the play, but we made just enough mistakes that we didn’t earn the three points. Our team is still learning to play smart, disciplined soccer for a full 90 minutes”.
With the draw, the Eagles now have a record of 3 wins and a tie so far this season. MEFC travels to London for an encounter with London City in CSL Division II action on June 25.
MEFC falls in extra time versus CSL’s top team
In perhaps their best game of the 2011 season, the Mississauga Eagles FC played with a determination sometimes missing earlier in the season, but came away on the losing end of a 1-0 game against the York Region Shooters Sunday night in Maple.
The Eagles kept the pressure on through much of the game, but were not able to finish—hitting crossbars and just missing on several other close calls.
When needed, goalie Melford James Jr. made some outstanding saves, including off a dangerous corner kick in the first half.
The game remained goal-less until the third minute of added time, when the Shooters scored off a free kick from just outside the 18-yard box to walk away with the 1-0 victory.
MEFC Head Coach Josef Komlodi saw something in his team that he feels will make a difference the rest of the season. “I am actually more satisfied with our effort in this game than I have been at times when we have won or tied games. We finally played with the kind of intensity and confidence for the full 90 minutes that we need to, to be successful at this level. We lost, yes, but we played a very well in all facets of the game against perhaps the best team this year in the CSL. I believe we will carry this approach forward from now on.”
The Eagles now have a record of 2 wins, 4 losses and a draw this season.
MEFC has two games upcoming this week. On Friday night, they travel to play London City and on Sunday, June 19, they host Brantford Galaxy at 7pm at Hershey field.
Home Page