- Canadian Championship
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Nutrilite Canadian Championship 
Founded 2008 Region 
Canada (CONCACAF)Number of teams 4 Current champions Toronto FC Most successful club Toronto FC (3 titles) Television broadcasters Rogers Sportsnet (English)
RDS[1] (French)Website Official website 
2011 Canadian ChampionshipThe Canadian Championship—known as the Nutrilite Canadian Championship for sponsorship reasons—is an annual soccer tournament contested by premier Canadian professional teams. The winner is awarded the Voyageurs Cup and Canada's berth in the CONCACAF Champions League[2] As of 2011, it is contested by Major League Soccer sides Toronto FC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC, and North American Soccer League sides Montreal Impact and FC Edmonton.[3] It is currently sponsored by Nutrilite and organized by the Canadian Soccer Association.
Contents
History
The Nutrilite Canadian Championship is a seasonal club football competition organized by the Canadian Soccer Association. The tournament was organised following the entry of Toronto FC into Major League Soccer; prior to this, Canada's place in the CONCACAF Champions League had been awarded to the highest placed Canadian team in the USL First Division. With no promotion and relegation between MLS and USL, a new format was required. So, it was decided to organise a special round robin tournament between Toronto and the two Canadian USL teams.
The 2008 edition was contested between May 2008 and July 2008 and won by the Montreal Impact. The tournament consisted of a home and away series between the Montreal Impact, Toronto FC and the Vancouver Whitecaps. As the Canadian champions, Montréal qualified for CONCACAF Champions League 2008–09.[4][5][6]
The 2009 edition's format and participants were the same, contested by the three clubs in May and June 2009. It was closely contended by Toronto and Vancouver and won by the former via goal differential in the tournament's final game against the defending champions, Montreal, giving the Toronto franchise its first ever trophy and a spot in the qualifying round of the CONCACAF Champions League 2009–10.[7] Toronto repeated as champions in the 2010 competition, qualifying for the CONCACAF Champions League 2010–11.
Format
Until 2010, the tournament has consisted of the top three professional teams in Canada in a home and away series with the top team winning entry into the qualifying stage of the CONCACAF Champions League. These teams have comprised the only Canadian teams in the two top professional soccer leagues with operations in Canada, which for 2010 were Major League Soccer and the temporary USSF Division 2 Professional League. The North American Soccer League has since received provisional sanctioning as the new second-division league beginning in 2011.
When FC Edmonton joined the NASL in 2011, the tournament was expanded to include the four most important professional clubs in the country.
From the 2011 edition, the tournament consists of two two-legged semifinals and a two-legged final. In the first semifinal, Toronto, as reigning champions, was assigned the first-place seed and played Edmonton, which was assigned the fourth seed as newcomers to the tournament. The two remaining teams, Montreal and Vancouver, faced off in the other semifinal. This was to be followed by a one-game final to be hosted by the highest remaining seed;[8] the CSA eventually decided to go with a two-legged final instead.
Participants
Team Professional league Years participated FC Edmonton North American Soccer League 2011–present Montreal Impact North American Soccer League 2008–2011 Toronto FC Major League Soccer 2008–present Vancouver Whitecaps FC Major League Soccer 2011–present Vancouver Whitecaps (1986–2010) USL First Division, USSF Division 2 Professional League 2008–2010 Trophy
Main article: Voyageurs Cup
Voyageurs Cup
The winners of the Nutrilite Canadian Championship are awarded the Voyageurs Cup,[9] a trophy previously awarded to the Canadian USL First Division side with the best regular season record against other Canadian USL-1 teams. The USL was the highest level of Canadian soccer until Toronto FC became the first Canadian club in Major League Soccer.
The Voyageurs donated the cup to the Canadian Soccer Association to award to the winners of the Nutrilite Canadian Championship.
Results
By year
Year Winner Runner Up 2008 Montreal Impact Toronto FC 2009 Toronto FC Vancouver Whitecaps 2010 Toronto FC Vancouver Whitecaps 2011 Toronto FC Vancouver Whitecaps FC By club
Club Winner Runner Up Seasons Won Toronto FC 3 1 2009, 2010, 2011 Montreal Impact 1 0 2008 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 0 3 FC Edmonton 0 0 All time table
Rank Teams Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts 1 Toronto FC 16 9 5 2 22 9 +13 32 2 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 16 5 7 4 14 13 +1 22 3 Montreal Impact 14 2 4 8 9 19 -10 10 4 FC Edmonton 2 0 0 2 0 4 -4 0 - Statistics for Vancouver Whitecaps FC include the original Vancouver Whitecaps who took part in the tournament in the first 3 editions from 2008 through 2010. This team ceased operations in 2011 and was replaced by a new MLS franchise of the same name and ownership.
- In 2012 the current Montreal Impact will be replaced by a new MLS franchise Montreal Impact, who will take part in Canadian Championship from 2012 onwards.
George Gross Memorial Trophy
Main article: George Gross Memorial TrophyThe George Gross Memorial Trophy was created by the Canadian Soccer Association in 2008 to recognize each tournament's most valuable player. The Trophy is named after the late George Gross, a respected journalist and soccer lover.
Year Player Position Nationality Team 2011 Joao Plata Forward 
EcuadorToronto FC 2010 Dwayne De Rosario Attacking Midfielder CanadaToronto FC 2009 Dwayne De Rosario Attacking Midfielder CanadaToronto FC 2008 Matt Jordan Goalkeeper 
United StatesMontreal Impact Goalscorers
All time top goalscorers
Pos Name Club Goals 1 Dwayne De RosarioToronto FC 4 2 Chad BarrettToronto FC 3 
Maicon SantosToronto FC 
Ansu ToureVancouver Whitecaps FC 5 
Roberto BrownMontreal Impact 2 Alan GordonToronto FC 
Amado GuevaraToronto FC Marcus HaberVancouver Whitecaps FC 
Eduardo SebrangoVancouver Whitecaps FC 
Rohan RickettsToronto FC Goalscorers by season
Season Player Club Goals 2008 Roberto BrownMontreal Impact 2 2008 Rohan RickettsToronto FC 2 2008 Eduardo SebrangoVancouver Whitecaps 2 2009 Dwayne De RosarioToronto FC 3 2010 Chad BarrettToronto FC 1 2010 
Philippe BillyMontreal Impact 1 2010 
Peter ByersMontreal Impact 1 2010 Dwayne De RosarioToronto FC 1 2010 Marcus HaberVancouver Whitecaps 1 2010 Ty HardenToronto FC 1 2010 Ansu ToureVancouver Whitecaps 1 2011 Maicon SantosToronto FC 3 See also
List of American and Canadian soccer champions
References
- ^ "Nutrilite Canadian Championship kicks off on Wednesday". Canadian Soccer Association. 2010-04-26. http://www.canadasoccer.com/championship/viewArtical.asp?Press_ID=4199. Retrieved 2010-10-01.
- ^ "Canadian teams set to do battle". Globe and Mail. 2008-03-27. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080327.TORFC27/TPStory/Sports. Retrieved 2008-03-28.
- ^ http://www.canadasoccer.com/championship/teams/
- ^ "Canada to create new club championship". Canadian Soccer Association. 2008-01-31. Archived from the original on 2008-02-29. http://web.archive.org/web/20080229013205/http://www.canadasoccer.com/eng/media/viewArtical.asp?Press_ID=3026. Retrieved 2008-02-11.
- ^ "Canadian soccer on its way to qualifying for FIFA". Vancouver Sun. 2008-01-28. http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=4dd88dfc-04b3-4aba-af61-0fb5dad9c113&k=99763. Retrieved 2008-02-11.
- ^ "Canada's soccer teams unveil details for CONCACAF Champions League". Toronto FC Media Relations. 2008-03-26. http://www.mlsnet.com//news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20080326&content_id=145420&vkey=news_t280&fext=.jsp&team=t280. Retrieved 2008-03-26.
- ^ "2009 Nutrilite Canadian Championship Schedule and Results". Canadian Soccer Association. http://www.canadasoccer.com/tourney/FIFA_Clubs/2009_Nutrilite_Can_Championship.asp. Retrieved 2009-06-19.[dead link]
- ^ Rollins, Duane (2010-12-12). "Format of Canadian Championship may change". MLSsoccer.com. http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/format-nutrilite-canadian-championship-may-change. Retrieved 2010-12-13.
- ^ "Association announces partners for new Nutrilite Canadian Champions League". CanadaSoccer.com. 2008-05-23. http://www.canadasoccer.com/eng/media/viewArtical.asp?Press_ID=3190. Retrieved 2008-05-25.[dead link]
Canadian Championship Teams Seasons Miscellaneous Voyageurs Cup · MLS · USL-1 · CSA · CONCACAF Champions League · George Gross Memorial Trophy · Golden BootSoccer in Canada Overview Canada Soccer Association · League system · History · Hall of Fame · Clubs · Champions · Coaches · Venues (SSS)National teams Leagues Major League Soccer · NASL · Canadian Soccer League · PDL · Super-20 · PCSL · CMISL · W-League · Y-League · VMSLCIS CCAA Atlantic Colleges Athletic Association · Quebec Student Sports Federation · Ontario Colleges Athletic Association · Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference · British Columbia Colleges Athletic AssociationCup Competitions Open Cup · Challenge Cup · C-NA ST · Canadian Championship · Givova Cup · Victoria Challenge Cup · Canada GamesMen's college soccer CIS Men's Soccer Championship · CCAA ChampionshipDefunct Leagues USSF Division 2 · USL First DivisionCategories:- Canadian Soccer Championship
- CONCACAF Champions League
- Soccer leagues in Canada
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