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Imperial Cup 2019 Imperial Cup

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big gk

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I made the mistake of taking in the Hibs vs Fury game Sunday..... Fury 2-0... Hibs are a mess, coaching staff don't seem to give a F$%k and only a handful of players seem to care. They showed up with 12 players quickly down to 11 as one player left to the hospital after getting a boot to the head. Fury are not a good side, but made subs at half and went up 2-0 from a big lad up front. Curious as to why he didn't start. They are in it for the next round. Hibs need to look at themselves and decide what they are going to do next year. not a poem side or even a decent Div. 1 side.
Not sure who is on Richmond these days but they used to have a lot of pride and fight with salt brad the chivers brothers and Marcus. Real hard to find kids these days from Richmond I bet. The athletic talent ain’t what it used to be from there.
 

SmartCoach

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Not sure who is on Richmond these days but they used to have a lot of pride and fight with salt brad the chivers brothers and Marcus. Real hard to find kids these days from Richmond I bet. The athletic talent ain’t what it used to be from there.
None of them are on Richmond prem
Brad plays there on call up and still can score
Some of the players you Mentioned are playing
Over 35
 

Canucks4Ever

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Nothing like a March dusting of snow to mess everything up. Just when it looked like things were going to be smooth sailing from here on out too. As for the previous round (which I guess is technically still in progress) I figured there would be a Div. 1 upset, but picked the wrong one. Other than that, things a beginning to bubble to the top and we should have some cracking matches from here on out. Snow pending of course...

Preliminary Round: 5/7* (Incomplete)
Overall: 9/14

Completely Baseless Predictions - Quarter Finals

CCB LFC (Prem) v Club Inter EDC (Prem)
Things are reaching a critical mass in terms of booking Provincial Cup spots and as things stand it's Inter who sit in seventh on the outside looking in. That means they will need to be finalists in this competition in order to qualify, so not a great time to see the presumptive VMSL champions on the docket. CCB hit a hiccup in their league quest losing to Croatia but got back on the horse in their first Cup match seeing off NorVan's Prem side. Milad Mehrabi had a pair of goals in that one and rumours continue to fester of his namesake and VMSL persona non-grata Milad Rahmati coming into the CCB fold at some point. That may need to wait for Provincials given that he still is presumably suspended by the VMSL and certainly for the Imperial Cup given that's when the incident took place. Regardless, CCB continue to strengthen while Inter, as mentioned in the last round, have recently had some high profile outgoings. It was not an issue against lower league NorVan Storm in the last round but will likely be laid bare against the league's top side. Inter never ever go down easy, but this one just seems like a bridge too far.

Rovers Tigers (Prem) v Pegasus (Prem)
A Surrey derby to spice up the cup and two teams having opposite seasons. However, of late it would be tough to tell which is which. A rash of injuries have hit the defending Provincial champions and put their ability to even qualify for a chance to defend their title in doubt. The latest blow was a draw with local rivals Guildford who have nothing left to play for. After the season Peg have had, this would seem like a perfect chance to reach a semi final for Tigers and try to get some mojo back, however, on recent form Pegasus have turned things around. All of a sudden a potential shock qualification could be on the cards. Even more enticing would be the chance to get in at their local neighbours expense. It certainly won't be straightforward given that any side that boasts Nick Soolsma and Pavilion Dhillon among others in their ranks will always be a threat to score. That being said, Tigers look completely out of sorts at the minute, so make this one my Upset Special and book Peg a ticket to the next round.

West Van (Prem) v Rino's Tigers/Romania
Pending. (Expecting the MOTR...)

Coquitlam Metro Ford Wolves (Prem) v Rino's Fury (D1)
A tip of the hat to Rino's who knocked off a relegated Premier team in this competition for the second season running. They are all but certain to win the Division 1 Imperial Cup longevity award this year, barring something beyond shocking from Romania, but Metro Ford is also all but certain to be the end of their road. The Trial Cities boys look almost back to their best and a hat trick from talisman Carlo Basso in their Round of 16 win over Croatia has Coquitlam coming into this one with their big man in form. Rino's are always plucky, but reaching the final of this competition and alleviating any worries about Provincial Cup qualification for Metro is within their reach. Should be straightforward.
 

GoF

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CCB and Inter played out a cracking quarter-final on Friday night. Inter took the lead early, heading in a free kick, then that was how it stayed until Caleb Clarke tied things up in the second half. CCB then powered on and went 3-1 up after goals from Dzenan Bezdrob and Victory Shumbusho. Inter pulled one back at the death but was too late.

I was mostly filming the Rovers Tigers-Pegasus game (coming soon!), so only captured the first two goals in this one, along with the other three celebrations, and a couple of other highlights.

 

GoF

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Friday's other game saw the Surrey derby go to extra time before Rovers Tigers went through 2-1 over Pegasus, in a game of goalmouth scrambles! Peg went down to ten men early in the first half following a straight red. Only caught tail end of incident as was turned watching the CCB game at the time but seemed to stem from some pushing after a tackle.

Pegasus still took the game to Tigers after that but Tigers were having the better chances and eventually put one away in the second half. That seemed it, but then with the last kick of the game Peg poked home an equaliser to take the game to extra time. Then with penalties looming, Tigers poked home the winner with about two minutes left. Hard on Peg who had done so well for so long with the man down.

 

Canucks4Ever

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West Van (Prem) v Rino's Tigers (Prem)
After finally getting the fixture arranged, Rino's dispatched with Romania in predictable style, cruising to an 11-2 win. This sets up the MOTR with West Van on Monday night at Ambleside. The North Shore boys have pressed their home field advantage in this one, scheduling the ungodly kickoff time of 7:30 in the shadow of the Lions Gate bridge on a week night. Both of these sides are still in the title conversation in league play, sitting three points back with two games left to play. However, they still have to meet in once more in the league so, just like as in the cup, for one team this fixture will be where the dream ends. The one match they played earlier in the year ended in a stalemate 1-1 draw with West Van's league best defensive record getting managing to smother Rino's league best offense. The strategy will no doubt be something similar for both sides this time around, especially with the Tigers coming in on the back of their confidence boosting goal-fest. West Van on the other hand were almost ousted from the competition when Div. 1 CMF Lupi but a hell of a shock into them, leading 1-0 into injury time. The former Trollers managed to rescue it at the death and then go on and win it in extra time, but will certainly need a sharper performance against Rino's if they are to oust the current holders of this trophy. Declan Rodriguez had a hat trick for Tigers in that rout and his 17 goals on the season are nearly half of West Van's entire total as a team. The home side certainly cannot afford to be trading chances with Rino's as they simply do not have the fire power for it. They say defense wins championships and this would definitely seem to be the type of match to test that theory. If West Van can smother Rino's once more then they are likely to have shot at advancing here. Add in the brutal Monday night match time and the chance that Rino's might not be able to field their first choice 11 and I think the balance tips ever so slightly towards West Van. Should be a top contest though, sad that the time/place is not conducive to a big crowd!
 

dezza

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Friday's other game saw the Surrey derby go to extra time before Rovers Tigers went through 2-1 over Pegasus, in a game of goalmouth scrambles! Peg went down to ten men early in the first half following a straight red. Only caught tail end of incident as was turned watching the CCB game at the time but seemed to stem from some pushing after a tackle.

Pegasus still took the game to Tigers after that but Tigers were having the better chances and eventually put one away in the second half. That seemed it, but then with the last kick of the game Peg poked home an equaliser to take the game to extra time. Then with penalties looming, Tigers poked home the winner with about two minutes left. Hard on Peg who had done so well for so long with the man down.



Looks like they are playing on straight concrete. Is NAP #2 actually that bad or was it just because it was frozen?
 

GoF

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Had enough of watching the first half of the Whitecaps on Saturday that I decided to head to the third quarter final instead. Rino's Fury had their chances but Metro Ford got the only goal in a 1-0 win. They didn't look anywhere near as good as they did against Croatia the week before.

 

Canucks4Ever

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Onto the final four after the snow finally accommodated the playing of all the early round matches. For two of the four remaining teams, despite the league results looking at though they will shade their way in the end, a win on semi final Saturday would alleviate any lingering worry surrounding their Provincial Cup qualification. Of course, the ultimate list of participant for the post-season tournament begins to take shape, there is also the added bonus of the eventual Imperial Cup champions earning a seed for the draw that should help them avoid a fellow heavyweight in the opening round. Last season's winners, Rino's, will not be defending their crown. Who will take their place on the throne? Let's find out!

Quarter Finals: 3/4
Overall: 13/19

Completely Baseless Predictions - Semi Finals

CCB LFC (Prem) v Rovers Tigers (Prem)
This has been something of a coming of age campaign for CCB after years of being "that other team" out in Surrey. First they were trapped in the shadow of Surrey United, before they left to rejoin the FVSL, as well as Pegasus. In recent seasons, though, it was this week's opponent Rovers who have been playing first chair out at Newton. It must have really got CCB's blood boiling to see Rovers rise from ostensibly nowhere and win the VMSL title along with the Provincial Cup and National Championship within just two seasons. This year, however, after a well publicized summer recruitment bonanza, CCB have surged to the top. Surrey United are long gone and Peg have surprisingly struggled this season. That left just Rovers to contend with for the spotlight and early in the season, when CCB went through a brief dip in form and Tigers were at Nationals, it looked likely that Rovers would remain top dogs. Fast forward a few months though and it is CCB who are in pole position to steal away Rovers VMSL crown while the current champs are not even able to say with certainty they will even qualify for a chance to try and defend their Provincial Cup title. CCB have also made a point of saving their best for their encounters with their local rivals, winning both league meetings. An early season 1-0 win was followed up with a spectacular 4-2 victory, courtesy of a pair of late Milad Mehrabi goals, in a match that had plenty of feeling and passion to go along with lots of all-star talent between the two teams. Expect something similar in this match as CCB look to prevent Rovers from winning the one piece of silverware they failed to get their hands on last season. Given their record head to head and their league placings, you would have to consider CCB slight favourites going into this one. When you then add in the aspect that CCB clearly want to assert their dominance over their rival and the fact that Rovers current injury crisis has their form in the trash can, the mercenaries from "the dark side" have to be betting favourites here.

West Van (Prem) v Coquitlam Metro Ford (Prem)
This one is the MOTR, though at this stage you expect a pair of quality games. That being said, this one should have a little something extra as two old rivals looking to restore their former status as VMSL titans lock horns once more. Both sides come into this one in good form with West Van still clinging to fading title hopes while Metro Ford are one of the hottest teams in the league since the winter break. The Tri-Cities side have overcome an ambivalent start to the campaign and now look all but certain to return to the Provincial Cup following a surprise one season absence. Of course their participation is not yet mathematically guaranteed, so a win here would be a nice way to take any pressure they may be feeling off, especially as fixture congestion becomes somewhat of a concern down the stretch. Main talisman Carlo Basso has also entered somewhat of a renascence as he roles back the clock, though the club has rebuilt much of the supporting cast surrounding him and those foundation seem to finally be taking hold. He will be charged with the task of unlocking a the VMSL top flight's stingiest defense, one that shut down the league's most potent offense in a 1-0 quarterfinal win over Rino's Tigers. After a sumptuous performance against Croatia, Coquitlam looked to perhaps be void of motivation in their quarterfinal, as they struggled to finish of Division 1 Rino's Fury, ultimately coming away with a narrow 1-0 victory. Which Metro Ford side will be showing up for this match is the question that now must be asked. For West Van you would expect a little bit of extra motivation after their cup quest ended at this hurdle last season in an extra time loss to Croatia. Both league meetings between the teams this season have been close run affairs. West Van potted the lone goal in a 1-0 win at Ambleside, but the former Trollers needed an injury time equalizer to earn a share of the points in a 2-2 tie out in the Tri-Cities at the beginning of the New Year. This one is a pure toss up and should hopefully produce a match worth watching. Also, with how close these two teams play each other, do not be at all surprised if this one take more than just 90 minutes to determine a winner. Coquitlam just seem to have found an extra gear somewhere along the way down the stretch, so I will tip them just by a nose in this one, although they will certainly need a better effort than they put forth against Rino's Div. 1!
 

Canucks4Ever

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Around the Grounds at the Imperial Cup Semi-Finals

CCB 1-4 Rovers
This one laboured into things as there was not much to get the fans out of there seats through half an hour. Rovers began to find joy down the right wing though and CCB made no adjustments. Pavi Dhillon and Nick Soolsma took turns ranging out into space and the CCB goal was soon living a charmed life. Rovers hit the woodwork on multiple occasions including one incredible sequence where the ball rattled the frame three times in short succession. The men in orange would find their deserved opener soon after with Pavi finally finishing off a cross. CCB keeper Luke O'Shea then made an incredible goal line stop to keep the deficit to just a lone goal, but Pavi would soon have his second to give Rovers a 2-0 lead at the break. CCB made some adjustments and came out guns blazing to begin the second period. They were rewarded for there efforts when Bobby Jhutty scored off a classy finish within six minutes. The VMSL title favourites considered to push, but it was the defending champions who would find the next goal to make it 3-1 just past the hour mark. CCB knew they would have to chase it and that allowed Rovers to hit on the counter. Ryan Dhillon, who had arrived late and was fresh for the second half broke away and found Soolsma to salt things away. CCB would continue to look for a way back into things but there would be no further goals. Rovers will now have a chance to play for the one trophy they failed to lift last season.

West Van 2-1 CMF
As expected this one was nip and tuck to begin. Metro Ford looked to be perhaps shading things territorial. In truth it was a midfield battle through the early exchanges until West Van opened the scoring out of nothing. A bouncing ball that Coquitlam failed to clear after having a couple of chances was struck sweetly on the half volley and arrowed into the net to break the deadlock. After taking the lead West Van began to sit deep and the Tri-Cities boys had the balance of the attacking play. However some desperate defending and top class goalkeeping kept them at bay. Second half was more of the same with WV sitting deep and Coquitlam making most of the running. It felt like only a matter of time until Metro Ford would equalize, but instead it was the North Shore boys who doubled their lead. A free kick into the area wasn't dealt with by the defenders and West Van were first to find it to take a stranglehold on the match. That seemed to kill off any real belief that Metro Ford might have had and the game meandered towards an inevitable conclusion. Coquitlam continued to have the ball though and were rewarded with a free kick from 20-25 yards. Their number night stepped up a smashed a cracking finish past a helpless WV keeper to set up a grandstand finish. Alas, there was to be no storybook ending for Metro Ford and West Van will play for the hardware.
 

GoF

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Here's the two second half goals from West Van v Metro Ford. Didn't see first half was watching Tigers v CCB (video of that to follow)

 

GoF

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Not Imperial Cup but since there isn't a U21 thread, and seems pointless starting one, I thought I'd ask here.

Someone mentioned to me that there was a mass supporter brawl at the West Van v Tigers U21 semi 2nd leg. Anyone got any more details on if that was the case? Police were called apparently.
 
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