Following a gruelling 21-game season, everything is right in the world as the number 1 seeded Vaughan Azzurri will take on number 2 seeded Blue Devils FC.
Both teams are loaded with talent, and it can't be understated how intense this game is lining up to be. Blue Devils Head Coach Duncan Wilde has been allowed to experiment with his club's offensive weapons throughout the season since signing Taha Ilyass. While Vaughan head coach Patrice Gheisar has instilled a solid identity throughout his squad that has seen them score an eye-watering 76 goals in 21 games.
Goalkeepers
Gianluca Catalano vs. Luke Birnstingl
Both keepers are products of the Toronto FC Academy, with Birnstingl being a part of the original class alongside Doniel Henry and Ashton Morgan. Catalano played alongside several players who are now tearing it up, like Theo Corbeanau of Blackpool and Noble Okello at TFC.
Luke left TFC and went on to join Dundee in Scotland before shuffling around several other clubs in Britain before coming back to Canada and eventually signing with Blue Devils FC. Since joining Oakville, he has consistently been one of if not the top goalkeeper in the league. He brings a wealth of experience from having played professionally in Scotland.
GIgi Catalano on the other hand is looking to carve his path, having just featured in a loan spell earlier this season for a game with York United of the Canadian Premier League. York would lose the game 3-0, giving last-place Edmonton their second win of the season, but Catalano’s potential is through the roof and should be overlooked as a critical player in this match.
He’s played with the Canadian National U17 team, featured for the esteemed University of Connecticut before the COVID-19 pandemic and has been vital to this undefeated season Vaughan has put together in 2022.
Defenders
Blue Devils FC is bolstered by the sheer amount of experience shared between the veteran players on their back line, Shaq Lowe and Adam Czerkawski. They have created one of the most imposing Centre-back tandems in this league's recent memory.
These two twin towers are flanked by Mario McLennon and Luka Frankovich, playing at Toronto Metropolitan University and Waterloo, respectively. Mario set up Khody Ellis’ goal in the semi-finals, and Luka is currently the Captian at the University of Waterloo.
Vaughan will trot out their back-four of thoroughbreds, like Daniel Gogerty, who played with Vaughan when they won their first title in 2016 and featured for York9 (now known as York United) over 20 games in 2019. He recently featured twice for TFC II in the MLS Next Pro Development League.
Beside Gogerty will be Justyn Thomas, a standout playing at the University of Memphis and Wake Forest University in the NCAA. Riley Ferrazzo, a skillful former TFC Academy Grad, will be on Gogerty's left. Opposite him will be Alejandro Portal Oliva, who has featured seven times for the Cuban National Team.
Midfield
In the offseason, Blue Devils FC signed former Canadian National Team member Kyle Porter. He had been coaching in the Blue Devils Academy until signing in 2021 with FC Edmonton in the Canadian Premier League and taking a leave of absence from his coaching duties.
His veteran presence works well in tandem with the skill and work rate of former St. John’s University Captain Brandon Duarte and McMaster standout Gianluca Spadafora.
Porter’s many years playing across the various levels of the North American soccer pyramid give him a wealth of knowledge to draw upon in big games like this.
Vaughan features Dylan Carreiro, who spent two seasons in the youth setup at London’s Queens Park Rangers after leaving the TFC Academy. He was the League1 Ontario MVP in 2017 as he led his Woodbridge Strikers squad to the final, eventually losing out to Oakville in the championship.
Carreiro would win in the final with Vaughan over his former side the following year before joining the Canadian Premier League side.
He scored the equalizer in Vaughan’s semi-final match-up with Simcoe County Rovers. His strong veteran presence forces a high standard of quality from all his teammates.
Raheem Rose and Jason Mills will provide additional support in the middle of the pitch, while Andro Kagramanyan holds a defensive position just ahead of the back line.
Rose is always a threat to score with his six goals on the season, while you can expect Andro to play until every whistle and skirt the line of caution as he collected six yellow cards on the campaign.
Forwards
The Azzurri offensive machine is a sight to behold. Former Forge FC striker Kosi Nwafornso and Massimo Ferrin may make up the most dangerous strike tandem this league has ever seen.
Former Univesity of Syracuse standout Ferrin led the league in goals this year, bagging 23 in 15 matches, while Nwafornso scored 16 in 11. Massimo spent a lot of time collecting balls on the left wing in the semi-final against Simcoe County, with Kosi receiving service from Carreiro and Rose throughout most of the match. Orlendis Benitez Hernandez has been dangerous off the bench and scored the game-winner against Simcoe in the semi-final.
The Blue Devils have their monster up top in Taha Ilyass, who averaged a goal a game over 19 matches this season and the game-winner last weekend against Alliance United FC in the semi-final.
He’ll be supported by Mathew Santos and Khody Ellis, recognized as one of the best players in the league’s history, having been named to the All-Time Best XI in 2020. Khody’s first-half goal pulled the Blue Devils into the lead before half-time last weekend at Bronte.
Overall
Both teams will have to play at their absolute best today in Vaughan. One mistake could be the difference between lifting the trophy or watching their opponent do the same.
Expect fireworks, both of these squads are armed to the teeth with offensive power, and it could genuinely be anybody’s game.
When these two sides met in May, Taha Ilyass was able to bag a brace giving the Blue Devils a much-needed share of the points away to Vaughan. Carreiro and Benitez-Harnandez did the damage for Vaughan.
Kickoff will be at 1 p.m. from the Ontario Soccer Centre Stadium. If you can’t make it to the match, you can watch it live on the League1 Ontario YouTube channel.