OCAA TEAMS FACE-OFF FOR ENTRANCE TO CCAA TITLE GAME
MONTREAL, QC: The Humber Hawks men's soccer team will see a familiar face in the Semi-Finals of the 2015 CCAA National Men's Soccer Championship on Thursday afternoon, as the Hawks and Algonquin Thunder play in a rematch of the 2015 OCAA title game. Humber defeated the Thunder by a score of 3-0 on a sunny Saturday afternoon two weeks ago at Centennial Park in Etobicoke.
Humber advanced by way of a convincing 6-0 win over host Champlain St. Lambert, while the Thunder knocked off the RSEQ (Quebec) champion Ahuntsic by a score of 3-1. In both games, the OCAA teams were in control from the start, right through to the final whistle.
Heading into the quarter-finals, Humber was the number one seed, while Algonquin checked in at number five.
As mentioned earlier, the national semi-final will pit the two teams that squared off in the OCAA Final, but that game was the only time that these teams played each other on the season. Although Humber went on to win, the game was tight and very physical and Thursday's game could provide much of the same.
The conditions may have a say in the upcoming game. The first round on Wednesday was played on cloudy, but precipitation free afternoon, but Thursday has a 90% chance of showers come early afternoon. With the game being played on a turf field, ball control and skill should still play the largest role, but should winds kick up play may change.
Humber's last trip to the CCAA finals resulted in a gold medal win in 2013, which was a repeat of their win in 2012. Algonquin's last podium finish at nationals was 2008, a silver, but that was part of a five-year consecutive medal win.
You can watch the game "LIVE":
http://www.sportscanada.tv/ccaa/soccer/2015msc/2
Official Tournament Website:
http://www.ccaa.ca/national-championship-s15061
