| Season | 2021 |
|---|---|
| Dates | July 29 – November 7, 2021 |
| Champions | Guelph United F.C. |
| Regular Season Champions | Vaughan Azzurri |
| Matches played | 90 |
| Goals scored | 374 (4.16 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Jace Kotsopoulos (15) |
| Best goalkeeper | Christian Calabro (1.03 GAA) |
← 2022 → | |
The 2021 Men's League1 Ontario season was the seventh season of play (the 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic) for League1 Ontario, a Division 3 men's soccer league in the Canadian soccer pyramid and the highest level of soccer based in the Canadian province of Ontario.
Impact of COVID-19
After the 2020 League1 Ontario season was cancelled, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the league was optimistic that the 2021 season would be able to proceed. The league initially announced a projected start date of July 2, 2021, also announcing a 'drop-dead date' of June 7, 2021 that will confirm the start of the season on that date depending on restrictions in the province, otherwise the season would be cancelled.[1][2] In mid-June, the league start date was later revised to July 29, 2021, in accordance with the local re-opening plans.[3]
Format
The league was divided into two divisions with the East Division having seven teams and the West division having eight teams. Each team played 12 games against teams in their own divisions (East played each opponent home and away, while West played five of the teams twice, and the remaining two teams once). The top two teams from each division advanced to the playoff semi-finals, with the winner of the championship final in November qualifying for the 2022 Canadian Championship.[4]
Because the season began three months later than normal and with very short notice, some clubs have opted to delay their return to Premier Division competition until the 2022 season. As a large portion of the L1O player pool consisted of university and college student athletes, some sides would have limited squads after Labour Day. To combat these challenges, the league created a short-season ‘Summer Championship Series’ for 2021, which will conclude by Labour Day.[4]
In addition, the Reserve Division will return, following a similar format to the Premier Division, featuring 21 teams in three division playing 12 matches, with the top teams advancing to the playoffs and featuring Championship Finals weekend on November 6-7.[4]
Clubs
The men's division consists of 21 teams, an increase from 17 teams in 2020. 1812 FC Barrie, Guelph United F.C., Scrosoppi FC, St. Catharines Roma Wolves, and Waterloo United are new entries, while Aurora FC will not be returning. Hamilton United, who joined in 2020, will also be debuting after their inaugural season was cancelled due to the pandemic.[5] However, some teams opted out of the main division due to the delayed start, resulting in only 15 teams participating. Some of these clubs will still operate teams in the short-season Summer Championship or full length Reserve Division.
The following clubs are set to participate in the league.
| Team | City | Principal stadium | Main Division | Summer Championship | Reserve Division |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1812 FC Barrie | Barrie | Terry Fox Stadium (Brampton) | Participating | Did not enter | Withdrew |
| Alliance United FC | Toronto | Mount Joy | Withdrew | Participating | Participating |
| Blue Devils FC | Oakville | Bronte Park | Participating | Participating | Participating |
| Darby FC | Whitby | Whitby Soccer Centre | Participating | Did not enter | Participating |
| Guelph United F.C. | Guelph | Alumni Stadium | Participating | Did not enter | Participating |
| Hamilton United | Hamilton | Redeemer Sports Complex | Withdrew | Did not enter | Participating |
| FC London | London | Hellenic Community Centre | Participating | Did not enter | Participating |
| Master's Futbol | Toronto | L'Amoreaux Park | Participating | Did not enter | Participating (2 teams) |
| North Mississauga SC | Mississauga | Paramount Fine Foods Centre | Participating | Did not enter | Participating |
| North Toronto Nitros | Toronto | Downsview Turf 1 | Participating | Did not enter | Withdrew |
| Pickering FC | Pickering | Kinsmen Park | Withdrew | Did not enter | Withdrew |
| ProStars FC | Brampton | Victoria Park Stadium | Participating | Participating | Participating |
| Scrosoppi FC | Milton | Bishop Reding Catholic Secondary School | Participating | Did not enter | Withdrew |
| Sigma FC | Mississauga | Paramount Fine Foods Centre | Participating | Did not enter | Participating |
| St. Catharines Roma Wolves | St. Catharines | Club Roma Stadium | Withdrew | Participating | Participating |
| Toronto Skillz FC | Toronto | Birchmount Stadium | Withdrew | Participating | Withdrew |
| Unionville Milliken SC | Markham | Bill Crothers Turf | Participating | Did not enter | Participating (2 teams) |
| Vaughan Azzurri | Vaughan | North Maple Regional Park | Participating | Participating | Participating |
| Waterloo United | Waterloo | RIM Park | Withdrew | Participating | Withdrew |
| Windsor TFC | Windsor | Libro Centre | Participating | Did not enter | Withdrew |
| Woodbridge Strikers | Vaughan | Vaughan Grove | Participating | Did not enter | Participating |
The following clubs, while not formally part of League1 Ontario are operating teams in the Summer Championship or Reserve Divisions:
| Team | City | Principal stadium | Main Division | Summer Championship | Reserve Division |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tecumseh SC | Tecumseh | University of Windsor Stadium | — | Participating | Participating |
| Athlete Institute | Orangeville | The Hill Academy | — | — | Participating |
| Toronto FC III (U19) | Toronto | BMO Training Ground | — | Participating | — |
| Toronto FC IV (U17) | Toronto | BMO Training Ground | — | Participating | — |
| Whitecaps London | London | North London Stadium | — | Participating | — |
| FC Durham Academy | Oshawa | Vaso Field | — | — | Participating |
| Richmond Hill SC | Richmond Hill | Richmond Green | — | — | Participating |
| Rush Canada Academy | Oakville | Bronte Athletic Park | — | — | Participating |
Premier Division
East Division
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vaughan Azzurri | 12 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 41 | 11 | +30 | 34 | Advance to playoffs |
| 2 | Master's Futbol | 12 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 28 | 22 | +6 | 21 | |
| 3 | Woodbridge Strikers | 12 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 27 | 23 | +4 | 19 | |
| 4 | Unionville Milliken SC | 12 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 19 | 22 | −3 | 17 | |
| 5 | 1812 FC Barrie | 12 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 25 | 32 | −7 | 13 | |
| 6 | Darby FC | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 19 | 26 | −7 | 12 | |
| 7 | North Toronto Nitros | 12 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 16 | 39 | −23 | 4 |
West Division
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Guelph United FC (O) | 12 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 42 | 15 | +27 | 30 | Advance to playoffs |
| 2 | Blue Devils FC | 12 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 29 | 13 | +16 | 29 | |
| 3 | FC London | 12 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 30 | 20 | +10 | 24 | |
| 4 | Scrosoppi FC | 12 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 34 | 22 | +12 | 19 | |
| 5 | Sigma FC | 12 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 24 | 32 | −8 | 15 | |
| 6 | ProStars FC | 12 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 22 | 31 | −9 | 14 | |
| 7 | North Mississauga SC | 12 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 10 | 32 | −22 | 5 | |
| 8 | Windsor TFC | 12 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 8 | 34 | −26 | 2 |
Playoffs
| Semifinals | Championship Game | ||||||||
| W1 | Guelph United FC | 2 (9) | |||||||
| E2 | Master's Futbol | 2 (8) | |||||||
| W1 | Guelph United FC | 3 | |||||||
| W2 | Blue Devils FC | 1 | |||||||
| E1 | Vaughan Azzurri | 1 | |||||||
| W2 | Blue Devils FC | 2 | |||||||
Semifinals
| October 30, 2021 | Guelph United FC | 2–2 (9–8 p) | Master's FA | Guelph, Ontario |
| 5:00 PM | Doros  25'Kotsopoulos 70' |
Report | Phillip 43', 45' |
Stadium: Alumni Stadium Referee: Filip Dujic |
| Penalties | ||||
|
||||
| October 31, 2021 | Vaughan Azzurri | 1–2 | Blue Devils FC | Vaughan, Ontario |
| 2:00 PM | Carreiro 73' |
Report | Allen 14', 26' |
Stadium: North Maple Regional Park Referee: Hassane Rifai |
Final
| November 7, 2021 | Guelph United FC | 3–1 | Blue Devils FC | Vaughan, Ontario |
| 4:00 PM | Kotsopoulous 19', 80' (pen.) Skublak 26' |
Report | Allen 90+4' |
Stadium: Ontario Soccer Centre Referee: Scott Bowman |
Statistics
Top goalscorers
|
Top goalkeepers
Updated to matches played on October 28, 2021. Minimum 450 minutes played. Source: |
Honours
The following awards and nominations were awarded for the 2021 season.[6]
Awards
|
East Division
|
West Division
|
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League All-Stars
|
East Division
|
West Division
|
Summer Championship Division
Due to the delayed start to the season, some teams were unable to commit to the full season for the Premier Division. For 2021, a short season "Summer Championship" (also called the 'University' Division) was created which will conclude by Labour Day and will include some of the teams that could not participate in the full season.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toronto FC III (U19) | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 7 | +6 | 14 |
| 2 | Toronto FC IV (U17) | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 9 | +6 | 13 |
| 3 | Alliance United FC | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 8 | +5 | 11 |
| 4 | ProStars FC B | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 19 | 15 | +4 | 11 |
| 5 | Waterloo United | 7 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 5 | +4 | 11 |
| 6 | St. Catharines Roma Wolves | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 15 | 10 | +5 | 10 |
| 7 | Tecumseh SC | 7 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 11 | −1 | 10 |
| 8 | Vaughan Azzurri B | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 11 | −2 | 7 |
| 9 | Whitecaps London | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 16 | −8 | 7 |
| 10 | Toronto Skillz FC | 7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 16 | −8 | 5 |
| 11 | Blue Devils FC B | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 17 | −11 | 4 |
Reserve Division
East Division
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Woodbridge Strikers B | 12 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 25 | 5 | +20 | 30 | Advance to playoffs |
| 2 | Vaughan Azzurri C (O) | 12 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 45 | 12 | +33 | 29 | |
| 3 | Unionville Milliken SC B | 12 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 39 | 22 | +17 | 19 | |
| 4 | Richmond Hill SC | 12 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 17 | 19 | −2 | 13 | |
| 5 | FC Durham | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 39 | −26 | 12 | |
| 6 | Master's Futbol B | 12 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 15 | 32 | −17 | 9 | |
| 7 | Alliance United FC B | 12 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 34 | −25 | 4 |
Central Division
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Athlete Institute | 12 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 42 | 12 | +30 | 30 | Advance to playoffs |
| 2 | Sigma FC B | 12 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 38 | 17 | +21 | 27 | |
| 3 | Unionville Milliken SC C | 12 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 26 | 31 | −5 | 17 | |
| 4 | Darby FC B | 12 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 21 | 29 | −8 | 14 | |
| 5 | Master's Futbol C | 12 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 21 | 33 | −12 | 14 | |
| 6 | Blue Devils FC C | 12 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 18 | 31 | −13 | 9 | |
| 7 | North Mississauga SC B | 12 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 17 | 30 | −13 | 8 |
West Division
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FC London B | 12 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 25 | 15 | +10 | 26 | Advance to playoffs |
| 2 | Guelph United FC B | 12 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 32 | 8 | +24 | 25 | |
| 3 | Hamilton United | 12 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 20 | |
| 4 | Rush Canada Academy | 12 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 22 | 20 | +2 | 17 | |
| 5 | St. Catharines Roma Wolves B | 12 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 15 | 16 | −1 | 14 | |
| 6 | ProStars FC C | 12 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 14 | 31 | −17 | 8 | |
| 7 | Tecumseh SC B | 12 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 14 | 32 | −18 | 6 |
Playoffs
| Semifinals | Championship Game | ||||||||
| E1 | Woodbridge Strikers B | 0 | |||||||
| W1 | FC London B | 2 | |||||||
| W1 | FC London B | 0 | |||||||
| WC | Vaughan Azzurri C | 3 | |||||||
| C1 | Athlete Institute | 1 | |||||||
| WC | Vaughan Azzurri C | 4 | |||||||
Semi-finals
| November 6, 2021 | Woodbridge Strikers B | 0–2 | FC London B | Vaughan, Ontario |
| 7:00 PM | Report | Rycobel 12' Barrowcliffe 53' |
Stadium: Vaughan Grove Sports Park |
| November 7, 2021 | Athlete Institute | 1–4 | Vaughan Azzurri C | Caledon, Ontario |
| 7:00 PM | 9' |
Report | Spittle 14', 49' Sciortino 18'Martin 71' |
Stadium: The Hill Academy |
Final
| November 14, 2021 | FC London B | 0–3 | Vaughan Azzurri C | Vaughan, Ontario |
| 4:00 PM | Report | Martin 44', 80' Spittle 68' |
Stadium: Ontario Soccer Centre Referee: Melvin Christopher |
References
- ↑ "League1 Ontario shifts potential 2021 start date to July 2nd". League1 Ontario. May 7, 2021.
- ↑ Jacques, John (May 7, 2021). "League1 Ontario Reveals 2021 Season Start Date". Northern Tribune.
- ↑ "League1 Ontario sets new 2021 start date for July 29th". League1 Ontario. June 15, 2021.
- 1 2 3 "League1 Ontario Set To Kick Off Seventh Season With Late July Fixtures". League1 Ontario. July 22, 2021.
- ↑ "League1 Ontario adds four men's teams for 2021". League1 Ontario. January 28, 2021.
- ↑ Thompson, Marty (December 22, 2021). "2021 L1O Men's Premier Division Awards: Guelph sweeps West; Phillip & Kotsopoulos take MVP". League1 Ontario.