# 2008 Canadian National Challenge Cup

The 2008 Challenge Trophy is a soccer competition for men's amateur teams in Canada. Each province determined their representative in different methods (league or cup). The final competition was held at King George V Park in St. John's, Newfoundland from 8th to 13 October 2008.

## Teams

The seeding based on last years performance are:
* AB - Calgary Callies
* BC - Gorge FC
* NL - St. Lawrence Laurentians
* NS - Halifax City Colwell Bankers
* MB - SC Hellas
* ON - Real Toronto
* QC - Corfinium de St-Leonard
* PE - Avondale Islanders
* SK - Yorkton United
* NL (host) - Feildians Ernst & Young Orenda

## Qualification

The following is a list of clubs, by province, that have entered their own provincial competition.

### British Columbia

Winners of the Senior A Cup will represent BC at the National Championships. The 2008 Cup will be hosted in the Fraser Valley May 9 and 10.
* Gorge FC
20 teams entered the competition so a 4-game preliminary round was required.
Preliminary Round: Indo vs Surrey U (0:2) Inter vs Vantreights (4:0)
Columbus v FVSL #5
Croatia v Firemen (3:2)
| Round 1 (12/13 April 2008) | Round 1 (12/13 April 2008) | Round 1 (12/13 April 2008) | Quarter-finals (19/20 April 2008) | Quarter-finals (19/20 April 2008) | Semi-finals (26/27 April 2008) | Semi-finals (26/27 April 2008) | Semi-finals (26/27 April 2008) | | Finals (10 May 2008 - Hosted by Fraser Valley Soccer League) | Finals (10 May 2008 - Hosted by Fraser Valley Soccer League) | Finals (10 May 2008 - Hosted by Fraser Valley Soccer League) |
| UBC | UBC | | | | | | | | | | |
| Chilliwack | Chilliwack | | | | | | | | | | |
| Chilliwack | Chilliwack | | UBC | UBC | | | | | | | |
| | | | Langley | Langley | | | | | | | |
| Langley | Langley | ? (adv on PKs) | Langley | Langley | | | | | | | |
| Surrey U | Surrey U | ? | | | | | | | | | |
| Surrey U | Surrey U | ? | | | Gorge FC | Gorge FC | 3 | | | | |
| | | | | | UBC | UBC | 0 | | | | |
| Gorge | Gorge | 4 | | | | | | UBC | UBC | 0 | | | | |
| Bays United | Bays United | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| Bays United | Bays United | 1 | Gorge | Gorge | | | | | | | |
| | | | Poco | Poco | | | | | | | |
| Poco | Poco | 2 (AET) | Poco | Poco | | | | | | | |
| Inter | Inter | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| Inter | Inter | 1 | | | | | | | Gorge FC | Gorge FC | 1 |
| | | | | | | | | | Sporting Club | Sporting Club | 0 |
| Sporting | Sporting | | | | | | | | | | | Sporting Club | Sporting Club | 0 |
| Gordon Head | Gordon Head | | | | | | | | | | |
| Gordon Head | Gordon Head | | Sporting | Sporting | | | | | | | |
| | | | West Van | West Van | | | | | | | |
| West Van | West Van | ? (adv on PKs) | West Van | West Van | | | | | | | |
| Columbus | Columbus | ? | | | | | | | | | |
| Columbus | Columbus | ? | | | Sporting Club | Sporting Club | 3 | | | | |
| | | | | | Peach Arch | Peach Arch | 1 | | | | |
| PAU | PAU | ? (adv. 5-4 PKs) | | | | | | Peach Arch | Peach Arch | 1 | | | | |
| Sooke Celtic | Sooke Celtic | ? | | | | | | | | | |
| Sooke Celtic | Sooke Celtic | ? | PAU | PAU | | | | | | | |
| | | | MetroFord | MetroFord | | | | | | | |
| MetroFord | MetroFord | 2 | MetroFord | MetroFord | | | | | | | |
| Croatia | Croatia | 1 | | | | | | | | | |

### Alberta

The ASA hosts a Senior Men's Challenge Trophy from Aug. 29 to Sept. 1 in Calgary. Winner goes to Nationals. The Alberta Major Soccer League teams are:
* Calgary Callies FC
* Calgary Dinos Major
* Calgary Villains Elite FC
* Lethbridge FC
* Red Deer Renegades
* Edmonton Drillers
* Edmonton Green and Gold
* Edmonton Scottish
* Edmonton Victoria
* Edmonton KC Trojans

### Manitoba

The MSA Cup 2008 determines the Manitoba representative to the National Challenge Trophy. The cup is an FA Cup styled tournament running from May 31 to August 23, 2008. Various teams enter at various levels and each round to drawn (not a static bracket). Round 5 is to be drawn on 13 July 2008. Teams to watch for include:
* Hellas
* Lucania SC
* Sons of Italy Lions SC
| Quarter-finals (5-August, 2008) | Quarter-finals (5-August, 2008) | Quarter-finals (5-August, 2008) | Semi-finals (20 August 2008) | Semi-finals (20 August 2008) | Semi-finals (20 August 2008) | Finals (23 August 2008) | Finals (23 August 2008) | Finals (23 August 2008) |
| Lucania | Lucania | 0 | | | | | | |
| Hellas S.C. | Hellas S.C. | 1 | | | | | | |
| | | | Hellas S.C. | Hellas S.C. | 2 | | | |
| | | | Sons of Italy | Sons of Italy | 1 | | | |
| Sons of Italy | Sons of Italy | 2 | | | | | | |
| Maples Juventus | Maples Juventus | 0 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Hellas S.C. | Hellas S.C. | 0* |
| | | | | | | Lusitania | Lusitania | 0 |
| Lusitania | Lusitania | 3 | | | | | | |
| Ragnarok | Ragnarok | 2 | | | | | | |
| | | | Lusitania | Lusitania | 3 | | | |
| | | | United Weston | United Weston | 0 | | | |
| United Weston | United Weston | 2 | | | | | | |
| Blue Blazers | Blue Blazers | 1 | | | | | | |
Hellas S.C. advance 3-0 on penalty kicks.

### Nova Scotia

The rep is determined through the Nova Scotia Soccer League. This league has teams from PEI and NB but the rep will be the top NS team.
* Halifax City
* Halifax Dunbrack
* Halifax County
* Cape Breton United
* Valley Kings Arms
* Dartmouth United
* Scotia
* Highland

### Ontario

The rep is determined through the Ontario Cup. About 60 teams are entered in 2008. The final 16 teams are detailed below. Real Toronto wins the title however the result was reversed when a player eligibility infraction occurred.
| Third Round (6-Jul-2008) | Third Round (6-Jul-2008) | Third Round (6-Jul-2008) | Quarter-finals (10-Aug-2008) | Quarter-finals (10-Aug-2008) | Final (14-Sep-2008, The Soccer Centre) | Final (14-Sep-2008, The Soccer Centre) | Final (14-Sep-2008, The Soccer Centre) |
| Ottawa St. Anthony Premier | Ottawa St. Anthony Premier | 5 | | | | | |
| Etobicoke Canadiens | Etobicoke Canadiens | 1 | | | | | |
| Etobicoke Canadiens | Etobicoke Canadiens | 1 | Ottawa St. Anthony Premier | Ottawa St. Anthony Premier | | | |
| | | | Scarborough Ulster Thistle | Scarborough Ulster Thistle | | | |
| Scarborough Ulster Thistle | Scarborough Ulster Thistle | 3 | Scarborough Ulster Thistle | Scarborough Ulster Thistle | | | |
| Cambridge PCC Supersonics | Cambridge PCC Supersonics | 2 | | | | | |
| Oakville Wisla United | Oakville Wisla United | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| London AEK | London AEK | 4 | | | | | |
| London AEK | London AEK | 4 | London AEK | London AEK | | | |
| | | | Croatia Hamilton | Croatia Hamilton | | | |
| Croatia Hamilton | Croatia Hamilton | 4 | Croatia Hamilton | Croatia Hamilton | | | |
| Peniche CC Toronto | Peniche CC Toronto | 0 | | | | | |
| Peniche CC Toronto | Peniche CC Toronto | 0 | | | London AEK | London AEK | 1 |
| | | | | | Real Toronto | Real Toronto | 2 |
| London Portuguese Club | London Portuguese Club | 0 | | | | | | Real Toronto | Real Toronto | 2 |
| Niagara Club Italia Juventus | Niagara Club Italia Juventus | 1 | | | | | |
| Niagara Club Italia Juventus | Niagara Club Italia Juventus | 1 | Niagara Club Italia Juventus | Niagara Club Italia Juventus | | | |
| | | | Hamilton Serbians | Hamilton Serbians | | | |
| Oakville Italia | Oakville Italia | 0 | Hamilton Serbians | Hamilton Serbians | | | |
| Hamilton Serbians | Hamilton Serbians | 3 | | | | | |
| Thunder Bay Italia Juventus | Thunder Bay Italia Juventus | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| Real Toronto | Real Toronto | 5 | | | | | |
| Real Toronto | Real Toronto | 5 | Real Toronto | Real Toronto | | | |
| | | | Windsor Hellenic | Windsor Hellenic | | | |
| Woodbridge Italia | Woodbridge Italia | 1 | Windsor Hellenic | Windsor Hellenic | | | |
| Windsor Hellenic | Windsor Hellenic | 2 | | | | | |

### Newfoundland

The rep will be determined from a final cup competition after a league season. The final weekend will be held Labour Day weekend at the King George V Park in St. John's. The Molson Challenge Cup 2008 will be contested by the following teams:
* St. Lawrence Laurentians (defending champion)
* Mount Pearl
* Holy Cross FC
* Feildians
* St. John's U18s (exhibition team)
The St. Lawrence Laurentians defeated Feildians on the final weekend. Approximately 2500 fans were in attendance.

## Final competition

* Official Site
* Host Site

### Round robin

The teams will be split into 2 groups of 5 teams each. After round robin, seeding matches will take place (A1vB1, A2vB2, etc.) New Brunswick dropped out so a second team from the host Newfoundland was entered.
Group A :
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | T | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Calgary Callies | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 5 | +6 | 12 |
| 2 | Halifax City Coldwell Banker | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 6 | +2 | 7 |
| 3 | Avondale Islanders | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 6 | +2 | 7 |
| 4 | SC Hellas | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 9 | −5 | 1 |
| 5 | Yorkton United | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 8 | −5 | 1 |
Group B :
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | T | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Corfinium de St-Leonard | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | +4 | 10 |
| 2 | Gorge FC | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 5 |
| 3 | AEK London | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 5 |
| 4 | St. Lawrence Laurentians | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | −3 | 5 |
| 5 | Feildians | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 5 | −3 | 3 |

### Top goal scorers

| Goals | Games | Team | Player |
| 6 | 5 | Avondale Islanders | Paul Craig |
| 4 | 5 | Halifax City | Kristin Kirincich |
| 4 | 5 | Yorkton United | Waelical Sven |

## Sources

* ↑ "Provincial Cup Men Open 2008 Big Change!". Archived from the original on 2008-07-23. Retrieved 2008-07-07.
* ↑ "Alberta Soccer Association - Competitions". Archived from the original on 4 August 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-07.
* ↑ "MSA Cup". Manitoba Soccer Association. Archived from the original on August 20, 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-14.
* ↑ Ferrari, Rob (2008-10-14). "2008 Men Ontario Cup Champions -- Real Toronto". Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2009-10-13.
* ↑ "NL Soccer Association Challenge Cup". Archived from the original on October 6, 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-07.