NSL & CPL playoff predictions: Who will win it all?

Hi everyone and welcome to another episode of Soccer North, the show where you get all of your latest news and updates in Canadian soccer. My name is Mackenzie Barwell, your host, and this is absolutely my favorite time of the year. This past weekend we were spoiled with some really entertaining funny, and it only gets better from here. So naturally this episode will be a playoff preview for both our domestic leagues. We're going to start with the Northern Super League, talk about the Supporter Shield winners, and some playoff predictions. Afterwards, we'll get into the Canadian Premier League, discuss a historic season for Cavalry FC, and, of course, the postseason picture. And then finally, we've got to hear from Forge FC's Tristan Borges on making history as the first CPL team to win the Canadian Championship. Joining me now inside the digital studio, one soccer analyst, Jordan Wilson. Jordan, we've got a lot to debrief here. A lot. Can't wait. And I love that it's happening right here at home. So good. Okay, CPL. First and foremost, Montreal Roses get the job done. They are the final team standing at the end of the regular season to lift the supporter shield absolute jubilation from the roses Let's have a look at their reaction Were you at all surprised by this it's so fun to see their reaction again, but pretty deserving Yeah, for sure. I'm not surprised but obviously it could have went to Ottawa Rapid as well There's a point AFC Toronto were making a push and it was kind of like that that three horse race But when I think about Montreal Roses in their season, that they only lost four games, it goes to a deserving team. Out of 25 games, only to lose four, right? Yeah, and have 45 points. They had a lot of draws, I believe nine. But it's one of those situations where when you can be that formidable and teams don't get the better of you, and you're the last team standing. No, and I think the closest thing is AFC with six losses. So the fact that you can hold teams off and you can always get a point, You deserve to be top of the table and to win the Supporter Shield. Great. First couple months for Mimi Aladou in the Northern Super League. Oh my gosh. Quality. So exciting. Okay, let's have a look at the bigger picture sort of bracket situation. The four clubs who have advanced to the two-legged semifinals in the NSL. It'll be AFC Toronto taking on Ottawa Rapid, and then Vancouver Rise taking on the Montreal Roses. So let's start there. Obviously, again, Montreal just lifted the Supporter Shield. But Vancouver, I mean, they fought tooth and nail to get that final playoff spot. They're experienced winners, but they have not beaten Montreal this season. What is your prediction for this matchup? I think everyone believes, and it's fair to say, that the Roses should be in another final, or sorry, their first final, and potentially winning another trophy. But for Vancouver, it has to be about their best players performing and playing their best football, specifically when it's two legs. And I look at this matchup when you're going to play the Roses and if you're Vancouver Rise, like players who I'm looking out to step up. She didn't start the last match and I know she was healthy in just the physical When you look at a situation, those players, she scored 13 goals throughout the season. This is playoff football now. Whether you're setting up a goal or scoring it, you have to make sure that you're there for your team. But it's like Latifah Abdu, but I'm looking specifically at the Filipa, the fact that you are the Golden Boot winner. You gotta go and put the ball in the back of the net and set something up. So if she can do that and her team can support her and be robust defensively, you definitely have a chance of getting to another final. Exciting stuff. And also, I mean, she'll be competing against other players who are right in that gold boot race with her. We talked about it. Elyse Bennett, Kaylee Hunter, DB Pridham. Exciting stuff coming up. The other side of this table in the semifinals is AFC Toronto versus the Ottawa Rapid. Their last matchup, AFC beat them 3-0. What are your expectations this time around? i expect afc toronto to get back to another final you can't go and win the supporters shield early last year i believe like with two games left and and then go to another final and then not win a chip the next year like for me you have to make sure that you continue that legacy so they gotta go and get the better of Ottawa Rapid and be in Ottawa and play that final uh on the 14th you gotta do it they have a team that has depth i think they're peaking at the right time and they And they have a lot of players as well. When I look at their team, a player to watch for AFC Toronto, as much as Lauren Rohr has had a great year and Nikki Small is like a heartbeat in that midfield, there's a lot of players to like. But come on, it's about Kaylee Hunter. You see free kicks that she's scoring outside of the box. You see in the last match against the Tides as well, Nikki Small finds her and she puts the ball in the back of the net. That X factor, that difference maker, that goal-scoring threat that every team needs, she provides. So that's a player I'm looking out for. and I expect AFC Toronto to be back in another final. Okay. Let's put that in writing. Right now, are you saying Diana B. Matson cup champions? I think so. I expect that. I expect getting to a final, and then it's a final. Like, who's better on the day? But in terms of the talent within that club, what they already set in season one, the precedent of winning the Supporters Shield and getting to a final, you can't crash out in a semifinal and not win the Supporters Shield the next year. And you can say that this team is just as good, if not maybe marginally better than what they were last year. At least in my opinion, on paper, what they have, they're a top squad. Okay, let's move on to the CPL because there are some parallels that we can do here. Beginning with the regular season winners in Cavalry FC. I mean, a record-breaking year for them. Most points scored, secured in a single season. Most goals scored, secured in a single season. Congrats to them. I was there this past weekend. I've pretty much been living in Calgary the past little while. Their ambition now moves to the playoffs And they, in theory, could be the first team To win two trophies in one season Along with Forge FC Do you think the Cavs can accomplish that? Man, you look at the Cavalry side Credit to Tommy Wilson Jr., Trevor Fancula Like everyone a part of that club that recruited well But also having 46 points last year Finishing third and then losing in a final So go out and get a 60 piece You get 60 points for the year And secure that in CONCACAF Champions Cup credit to them now it's about if you have that mental fortitude to do something that no one's ever done you can say the same for Forge you can say the same for Cavalry to go to a place that you've never been before and win the double that cements your legacy you can already argue that Cavalry and Forge have done that but this is like pat myself on the chest remember when if either one of those clubs can do it i think Cavalry on paper has a squad that can do that absolutely Wachewski is a player to watch. Bad, bad man. 11 goals and 10 assists. And looks like he doesn't miss from the spot. And we've never seen that in the Canadian Premier League. And even when I played in the league four or five years ago, I didn't think a player would ever do that. It's very difficult to be that consistent and to be that talisman all the time. And Toby Wachewski is that guy for Cavalry. So if there's a team that's favored, or if there's a team that's trending in the right direction to do that, it is Cavalry. And we talked about it a second ago, but by no means is their sort of approach to this, well, it's all a bonus. Because we heard Tommy Wilming Jr. say that a couple years ago, but it's very clear they're full steam ahead for another trophy. I think he was being coy at the time anyways. I don't buy that. You know, he probably was being coy, but I think it's different now because now it's one apiece for Forge and Cavalry. At the time, it was like, oh, you have one, so another one would be a bonus because you can share one. But no, if Calvary or Forge do this, they're doing something unprecedented, and then that team will be bragging. 100%. This goes back to 2019 with Bobby and Tommy. Come on. I'm not buying that. There's no bonus energy. Yeah, it's the race to get to back-to-back. Speaking of doing things for the first time, FC Super du Québec, they have come out of the woodwork these past four to five weeks. Oh my gosh. Kitsiladopoulos steps in as head coach and they are just on an absolute tear. They managed to secure that fourth and final playoff spot bumping out Vancouver FC and Loïc Kwame, 15 goals on the season. They seem to have everything going for them right now. Everything's trending in the right direction. The vibes are right. Let's put it into context of what has happened recently. You said Kitsiladopoulos. 36 points they got all year. And they had moments where they looked good, but also lost some points in the deck. In the last five games, they've had four wins and a draw. 13 points. They've gotten a third of their points in this last bit with Kitsiladopoulos. Dehdeen Abzi, a former teammate of mine, looks like his old self. Sean Ray is chipping in and scoring match-winning goals. Loïc Kwame has 15 and is Golden Boot winner. There's a lot to like about Super de Quebec. And in their first year, they're going to be playing playoff football. I will say Calgary is favored, but watch out. Because there's this Quebec belief with the Super de Quebec side that I just wouldn't want to play them. In the last game, in the last match of the Canadian Premier League, to pull off a win in the fashion that they did away from home, they're vibing right now. So I could see that team maybe making a push right now. Okay, we'll get to that in a second, but you're right, this group is galvanized. And mind you, that one draw you referenced was because of a free kick taken by Vancouver's goalkeeper, Callum Irving, to get a header to Matteo Campagna in the, what, stoppage time? So they were right there to finishing with all wins, essentially. I totally agree, and if I had to pick a player to watch, I'm picking Sean Rea, and the fact that he scored that last goal. Everyone under Saladopoulos has kind of raised their game, and he has raised his game, but not in terms of goals. That big goal that he scored, the 4-3 against Halifax to secure the three points, that for me, if he can do that in a big match, they have a chance against anybody. Okay, so as you said, they will face Calvary in the semifinals, and then on the other side, it's Atletico, Ottawa, and Forge. Do you think Supra have the toughest road to the final? Yeah, for sure. Being fourth, but also playing Calvary, then you've got to go to Spruce Meadows and play there and do well. it's tough but it's also manageable keep in mind they got a six piece against calvary the last time they were there was six nil that was at the end of september super got and subsequently after that they didn't lose right they played five matches and i said four wins and tie so yeah Saladopolis okay cool but like you got six at Spruce Meadows so maybe those ghosts and those those bad vibes maybe leaked on them a little bit from the last time they were there yeah and i imagine this atletico Forge match would be a good one considering they're the defending champs obviously snow globe final and then Forge riding the high of the canadian championship as a former pro i mean this is a debate we could have for a long time but just to quickly get your thoughts before we wrap up regular season winners you know you lift the shield on both the nsl and CPL side after what 28 weeks it's truly a marathon versus the championship at the end of the playoffs how do you weigh the importance are we gonna argue on it no maybe i don't know what's your opinion i wonder if your opinion is the right one so i don't know if we're gonna argue depending on what you're gonna say i'll say playoffs is such a north american thing in terms of like last team standing and how how you peak in the last couple weeks last month in this case for MLS and CPL so last two three weeks i will always think that how you do throughout a season 28 games to be consistent to be like a team like Calgary that were top of the table for four and a half months that is very difficult to do to be that consistent week in and week out and not have any dips so I always favor that a little bit more but look we don't really care you have Atlético Ottawa this whole season saying we're the champs because they're technically they're the last team to lift a trophy in the Canadian Premier League so I get both sides but again a consistent team over 28 games for me is just a feat that is is unmatched and I feel like you think the opposite No, I agree. I agree. It's just hard to argue with the fact that when it matters the most, if your team clutches up and are the last standing, like, I don't know. You know, if you're at home and you're watching this, like, send in your comments. I don't know. Because we rarely disagree, but we disagree. Yeah. Fair. And I see what you're saying. Because playoffs is like you've bucked up, you got ready at the right time. You made sure that you scored that goal, you ran the extra meters when things are getting cold. Right. And you won a trophy. So I get it. Exactly. David Rodriguez, icicle kick. Talk about clutching up. Who do you think is in the final this year, CPL? I think because I'm doing something a bit wild because everyone's talking about who's going to win the double and kind of discrediting the fact that Supra or Atlético Ottawa can do it. I see a world where Cavalry lose to CF Montréal de Québec. I see Forge losing to Atlético Ottawa. Atlético Ottawa hosting the final at TD Place. Hopefully it's not a snow globe, snowmageddon again. but they host Super de Quebec and at that point anyone who wins it would be a great story because then you get three Canadian Premier League teams that have won different trophies and that all get to go to CONCACAF Champions Cup I think that would be an unprecedented year and I'm kind of rooting for that story I think it would be great for the league I agree three different teams three different trophies but the other side of me would love to see a Bobby Smyrniotis kit Solidopolis final look at that imagine that former assistant coach head coach For six years, Kit. Yeah, so... Literally under Bobby, like, knows all the secrets, knows where the bodies are buried. That's so true. That's what you're about. That's so true. I love that stuff. He knows it all. Oh, my gosh. Okay, we will soon see. Jordan, really appreciate your insight. Yeah, we'll circle back on these predictions. Thanks for having me, Matt. And lastly, as we mentioned earlier, it was more history made in Hamilton with Forge FC becoming the first ever Canadian Premier League team to win the Canadian Championship. They edged out CF Montreal in penalties to lift the Voyageurs Cup, and we got a chance to catch up with Tristan Borges. Here was his reaction. I said it directly after the game. It's obviously been something that we've been wanting for a little while. Obviously, we've been close, but, I mean, the club always has, you know, a lot of aspirations to just be winning, winning trophies. Ultimately, that's the goal, and it's a little bit unfortunate, obviously, just not even having a lot of time to really celebrate it. Obviously, you know, the way that we have that mentality, we're already focusing on the next one so you know right now just about focusing on what uh what the playoffs have to have to offer right now but for sure that was a special one that everybody everybody will remember for the rest of their lives you're saying be present be in the moment but the elephant in the room is i'm sure you guys want to do it for him right send this guy off you already got him that canadian championship i'm sure that was very electric for him to experience But how much would that mean for you guys to, you know, send off El Capitan off into the sunset with just a historic way to end his career? Yeah, I mean, you know, we've been saying it already for a while now. And I know Becks, he hates it when a lot of the attention is on him. And I know that ultimately the number one thing for him is for everybody to understand what the goal is and is obviously to just push for greatness. um yeah Becks you know since since I've been playing with him once since uh 2019 it's it's it's been something special to understand how it actually is to be a pro and and for sure from learning from somebody that has probably experienced everything that you can kind of experience about being a professional I think seeing how he's been able to to adapt and to being honestly one of the best captains I for sure the best captain I know but for sure you know just looking at what everybody always says about him one of the best captains out there and And I think him leaving that group and getting everybody to understand what the ultimate goal is, I think is special in itself. And obviously, you know, we sit here and we want to say we want to win the trophy for him and all that. But knowing Becks, it's about enjoying the moment and being together as a team. And ultimately, that's honestly the best thing that you can strive for. And one thing, you know, you can for sure do is just as long as you put the work in every single day, at the end of the year you you you obviously work your butt off you try to win something but you know it's it's it's not just something that happens it's something that you know you work for the whole year it's a long season and the only way that you're able to achieve anything is if is if you're putting the work in every single day and that's one thing he's taught us being the leader of the group and and and having that day-to-day mentality all right so lots to look forward to as we have talked about all episode long playoffs are right around the corner Make sure you're locked in, as I know I will be. CBC and CBC Gem will feature NSL matchup AFC Toronto versus the Ottawa Rapid on Saturday, October 31st at 2 p.m. Eastern time. Then for the CPL, it's the defending CPL champions Atletico Ottawa versus this year's Canadian champions Forge FC on Sunday, November 1st at 2 p.m. Eastern time. Thanks so much for watching this episode of Soccer North, and we'll see you next time.