Legends bring home prestigious soccer championship

August 2, 2018 · 0 Comments

Written By JAKE COURTEPATTE

The Caledon Legends lived up to their namesake when they took home gold in a prestigious New York international tournament in mid-July.

The three-day tournament in New York City had the Caledon club face off against the best of the best in Under-15 from clubs across North America and Europe, earning the title in the diamond division while not allowing a goal all tournament.

An invitation-only tournament, team manager Alcina Marques said the team was looking to “showcase themselves at the highest level,” after competing in the elite division of the Golden Horseshoe Soccer League this season, the top ranks in the district.

Showcasing their talents in front of hundreds of college coaches on one of the biggest stages of youth soccer in the continent, the Legends opened the tournament with a confidence-building 2 – 0 win over XPDA Select of New York, before besting FC Deportivo Pro Alliance of California by a similar score to take the lead in the round robin.

A 3 – 0 win in the final round robin game over NYC Chelsea set up a championship meeting with FC Durham Academy in an all-Ontario final.

A 1 – 0 score was enough to take the title.

The addition to the trophy case comes despite rolling with a roster of two available substitutions throughout the entire tournament, with additional substitutions mostly a luxury of the closer-situated squads.

Marques said the team’s chemistry comes from “the passion and the love of the game, and the hard work and time the team puts in to succeed everyday on the field,” adding that most of the team have been together for over five years and live together in the communities of Caledon, Bolton, and Brampton.

Marques would like to thank coach Vince Amaral for his time, as well as sponsor ADT and the parents for making it a “great and successful tournament for all.”

The NYC Cup is the second trophy earned by the Legends this season, after winning the Scarborough West Rouge Challenge in May.