October 7th Edition

It’s the business end of the season in domestic club footy and that means some massive matches coming up as Canadian clubs look to book playoff spots in both the CPL and MLS.

There were highs and lows this week, as Toronto FC’s 2024 season officially ended with the club missing the playoffs for a fourth consecutive season, while Forge won the CPL regular season — just the latest bit of silverware in an already impressive trophy cabinet. Meanwhile, CF Montréal fight for their playoff lives and the CPL playoff race heats up.

Plus, the Canadian men’s national team is back on home soil with some new faces, Jonathan David scored a big-time goal in the Champions League, Theo Bair is off the mark in France and plenty more in this week’s edition of The Northern Pitch.

In this week's edition:

• 🇨🇦 Canada names squad for Panama friendly

• 🏆 Forge FC win CPL Shield

• 🍁 MLS Canada roundup

• 🌍 Canucks Abroad

• 🏡 Canucks at Home

• 📰 Other News

• ✅ Northern Picks

CanMNT

🇨🇦 Canada names squad for Panama friendly, Camp in Montréal

For the first time in nearly a year, CanMNT are back on home soil as they prepare for an October 15 friendly at BMO Field against Panama — the first time they will have played in Canada since November of 2023.

But first, it’s off to Montréal where the team will take part in a special training camp, including an open practice at Stade Saputo on October 9 and players visiting youth clubs throughout the region to host training sessions.

With that in mind, Canada coach Jesse Marsch named an expanded 26-player squad which included some new faces, giving him an extended look at some of the depth options he has available to him and how they might project leading into 2026.

That includes 19-year-old Montréal native Jamie Knight-Lebel, a central defender who is currently on loan with Crewe Alexandra in League Two from Championship side Bristol City. He made a pair of appearances in the Championship last year, and, having also drawn interest from the Welsh national team, is clearly a player in demand.

Fellow 19-year-old Santiago López, meanwhile, is one of the most exciting up-and-coming players in the country, having balled out for the U-20 team over the past year. A striker who plays for Pumas in Liga MX, López is a dual national who has also represented Mexico at the youth level, and has immense technical skill.

Joining this group as well is 21-year-old Kwasi Poku, who becomes the latest CPL alumni to make the jump to the national team. Coming off a big move to RWD Molenbeek in Belgium, Poku has hit the ground running (and scoring) in Europe as his club currently sit top of the table in the Belgian second division.

The full roster can be seen here. Tickets are still available for October 15 at BMO Field, but fans who cannot make the match can watch all of the action on OneSoccer.

CPL

🏆 Forge FC’s dynasty rolls on with CPL Shield victory

Stop me if you’ve heard this before, Forge FC have won another trophy.

On Sunday, a 1-0 victory over Valour FC in Winnipeg clinched a Canadian Premier League Shield title for the Hamilton club, as the league’s regular season champions.

Aside from a shiny new trophy, winning the regular season means a spot in the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup. Forge joins CanChamp winners Vancouver Whitecaps, and the winner of the CPL Finals as Canada’s representatives in the competition.

Forge will now push for a fifth North Star Cup (in the league’s six years) as CPL Playoff champions. As the first-place finisher in the CPL, they will host a non-elimination game against the second-place team to open the playoffs. The winner hosts the 2024 CPL Final, while the losers get a second chance in the semifinal.

While the race for the shield may be over, the race for the playoffs has never been tighter in the league heading into the last two weeks of the season. Just a single point separates fifth-place Vancouver FC from eighth-place Halifax Wanderers with everything to play for.

Forge, Cavalry, Atlético Ottawa and York have already booked their spots in the playoffs, but where they finish, which is of significant importance in the CPL’s new playoff format, and who will join them in the postseason remains to be seen. The full standings can be found here. 

MLS

🍁 MLS Canada roundup

It’s been a turbulent week for Canadian clubs in the MLS. During a two-game week with action on Wednesday and Saturday, crucial matches were played in the MLS playoff race. And also, Messi played at BMO Field.

🔴 It was a particularly terrible week for Toronto FC. Their mid-week loss to New York Red Bull put the Reds in boiling water, with Federico Bernadeschi picking up a red card, their game against Miami would be challenging.

❌ On Saturday, 1-0 loss to Inter Miami confirmed they will not play in the post-season. Should one blame Herman or the players? Or perhaps both. Whatever the case, it is clear that the project needs time.

🤷 However, the Reds did not play badly. They took advantage of Messi, Suarez and Busquets being on the bench and slowly worked Miami’s defence. They had moments of effectiveness, but it was clear that Bernadeschi was the missing component. Alas, Miami found the net, and the lapse of concentration, leaving Leo Campana unmarked, summarized TFC’s defensive performance all season.

🌊 The Whitecaps’ form, meanwhile, has been dipping. Despite winning the Voyageurs Cup and already having a playoff spot locked up, the Caps have only collected two points in the last five games in MLS. They hosted the Sounders on Wednesday and were handed a 3-0 loss. They struggled to finish in front of the net. The Whitecaps feel the absences of Ryan Gauld and Ali Ahmed.

😬 They then hosted Minnesota United in a game where an unlucky penalty gave Minnesota the dub at BC Place. It’s scary times, and their next game is LAFC who they regularly struggle against. The Caps risk dropping into the play-in game if they can’t turn things around quick.

🔵 CF Montréal travelled to the ATL and have found their winning eleven. Josef Martinez started and scored twice against his former club. His goals led MTL to a 2-1 win over Atlanta United. Martinez has now scored five goals in three games, and MTL were on a six-game unbeaten streak.

🥲 The streak comes to an end. As CFM found their mojo, they travelled to Charlotte and made one major change: Josef Martinez was rested on the bench, and Sunusi Ibrahim started. Bleu-Blanc-Noir are fighting to clinch a play-off spot and, ideally, finish above the wildcard slot. However, the momentum ended as they were handed a 2-0 loss to Charlotte FC. 

9️⃣ Currently, MTL are in ninth place with only three points ahead of Philly and Atlanta, who have a better goal differential. Moreover, MTL are hosting NYCFC, a club they have not defeated since 2021, on the final week of the season. It’s all on the line.

Canucks Abroad

🌍 Canucks Abroad

🧊 Jonathan David breaks Real Madrid hearts. Move over los Galaticos — for the Iceman. Jo’s solid form ahead of October continued with more Champions League exploits. In Lille’s second league phase match, a goal from the spot would end a 36-match unbeaten streak for the Spanish giants, courtesy of the Canadian.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Alistair Johnston had a decent weekend. Decent: a goal and an assist for the CanMNT fullback. The Canadian is becoming a Glaswegian legend with Celtic. The Bhoys in Green were down 1-0 to Ross County and came back to win 2-1, with AJ at the heart of the comeback. Go on lad.

🇵🇹 Mimi Alidou can’t stop. The Montreal baller has scored in Benfica’s 2-0 win over Maritimo. It was a technical goal as she chipped it over the keeper in the box. Alidou now has three goals and two assists for this season.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Junior Hoilett scored for Hibernian. The CanMNT winger scored his first goal for the Edinburgh club in Hibs’ 2-1 defeat to Theo Bair’s former club, Motherwell. Hoilett’s goal came as an equalizer in the 59th minute. It was a calm bottom-corner goal for the lad.

🇫🇷 Theo Bair scored his first Ligue 1 goal. The Bair has scored. Auxerre travelled to Saint-Etienne and were handed a 3-1 L on the road. On the bright side, Theo Bair scored the only goal for FC Auxerre—a screamer in the box for the CanMNT striker.

🤕 Ismaël Koné picked up an ankle injury. It has not been an ideal start for the young midfielder in France. He had missed the first few games of the season due to injury and has picked up another injury from last week’s game against Strasbourg. Koné has suffered from a sore ankle and will be out for 3-4 weeks.

👏 Tajon Buchanan is set to return in October. Inter Milan expects the CanMNT winger to return to the matchday squad this month after sustaining a training injury with the CanMNT during Copa America. It has been reported that TJ is expected to be featured on the bench in Inter Milan’s match against Roma on October 20th.

🇮🇹 Lysianne Proulx kept a clean sheet. The CanWNT goalkeeper held a clean sheet for Juventus in their 2-0 win over Sampdoria. This is her first clean sheet with the club, six games into the Serie A season.

🇧🇷 CanMNT U-20 captain joins Corinthians. Jesse Costa has left the German club Wolfsburg for the Brazilian club Corinthians. The young CanMNT midfielder had little game time with the Wolfsburg senior team. A move to Brazil will be ideal for the development of the GTA-born baller.

🇺🇸 Sophie Schmidt staying in Texas. The CanWNT has signed a two-year extension with the Houston Dash, effectively ending the NSL rumours. Schmidt’s contract starts at the beginning of 2025 with a mutual option for the 2027 regular season.

Follow Canucks Abroad on Twitter and Instagram.

Canucks at Home

🏡 Canucks at Home

⚓️ Red cards aplenty in Halifax. Two things seemed to be constants this week for every game that didn’t involve a team named Forge and/or Valour: red cards, and stepping on rakes in must-win (or definitely-prefer-to-win) games. The trend started in the HRM with the first game of the weekend where Elage Bah and Zachary Fernandez traded expulsions. Alejandro Diaz would score from the spot, but Vitor Dias’ 98th-minute equaliser would give the Haligonians the last laugh — at least, until both teams realised the 1-1 draw put everyone back on square one, separated by a single point.

🐎 Sendings off déjà vu in Langford. The red card memo arrived early at Starlight Stadium as Pacific and Cavalry kicked off the back half of Saturday’s doubleheader. Emil Gazdov was booked for a DOGSO handling (or well, punching) of the ball outside his box just three minutes in. Kevin Ceceri would be shown a second yellow in the 84th. In between all of that, Jay Herdman, Tobias Warschewski (x2) and Lowell Wright would combine for four goals in a 4-1 trouncing of the hosts. Dario Zanatta scored Pacific’s only goal from the spot.

🦝 Post-match spats and one more red for good measure in North York. After Forge lifted the CPL Shield in the first match of Sunday (recapped in our lead-off), it was the turn of the other two Ontario clubs, York United and Atlético Ottawa. In a fifth showing of the red card this week, Ottawa’s Liberman Torres was dismissed inside the half-hour for head-on-head contact (literally) with York’s Josué Martínez. That, would give way to another incredible individual moment for 16-year-old starlet Shola Jimoh. Oh, and of course this post-match presser would feature have enough fighting words, talk of nurturing babies and comparisons to Disney movies to last us into the start of next season.

Follow Canucks At Home on Twitter and Instagram.

Other News

📰 In other news this week

🥹 Giovinco is back at TFC. He is back as a club ambassador. Sorry for the clickbait, but you can’t have Bernadeschi, Insigne and Giovinco on one team. That’s unfair—too much sauce. The former TFC legend returns to the club as club ambassador.

🐐 Sinc joining the Rise (in a non-playing role)? Sneaking in just under the wire, NSL founding club Vancouver Rise have teased a club announcement for this upcoming Monday. Set to appear at the announcement? Club president Sinead King, sporting director Stephanie Labbé and a certain GOAT, aka Christine Sinclair.

✅ Northern Picks

This week’s picks come from The Northern Pitch team. Get em’ while they’re hot!

✅ Who to follow

@SLN_Montreal are a must follow as they’ve been making some exciting announcements of late and will be the final NSL team to launch their name and brand tomorrow. We can’t wait.

🎫 What to buy

NSL inaugural season tickets. Secure your spot to witness history as the Northern Super League kicks off next spring! Deposits are only $50 and can be purchased here.

🫂 What to do

This Thanksgiving weekend, make sure to spend some quality time with the ones you love and let them know how much they mean to you.

We’re grateful that you’re a part of The Northern Pitch family!