Friday five

We kick off another L1O weekend with five games on Friday night – three in the Women’s Premier Division and two in the men’s.

NDC Ontario will be looking to bounce back from their dropped points last weekend against Blue Devils. The champions host Burlington who suffered a 3-0 defeat against Simcoe County Rovers in their last game.

It’s an important night on the Road to 2024 with Darby and North Mississauga looking to keep their top-ten places in the women’s aggregate table. Darby, who are teetering above the dotted line, travel to BVB IA Waterloo who need a victory to stay in the race, while North Mississauga have a small cushion ahead of the cut-off and visit a St Catharines Roma Wolves side who could overtake Darby with a tie.

In the Men’s Premier Division, Blue Devils are up against North Mississauga. The Panthers have struggled for form this season while the Blue Devils come into this one on the back of four straight wins, with defender-turned-striker Adam Czerkawski having netted six times in that run.

Our other game on Friday night is between Burlington and Sigma – two teams in the fight for an end-of-season playoff spot and separated by two points, with Sigma ahead.

Canada Day

Fans of L1O can enjoy Men’s Premier Division action on Canada Day as Scrosoppi host Guelph United. The teams sit first and third in the division respectively and are level on 27 points, and either side could end the weekend at the top of the standings.

This meeting is also our men’s Game of the Week meaning fans can watch along on the L1O YouTube channel as part of their Canada Day celebrations, and predict the winner in our Twitter poll.

An action-packed end to the weekend
 
With Saturday being a rest day for most teams, 26 sides take the field across the Premier Divisions on Sunday.

Women’s Premier Division pacesetters Vaughan Azzurri host Tecumseh as they look to maintain their four-point gap at the top of the table. Tecumseh have an outside chance of a playoff place; they sit in 11th, only four points behind North Mississauga in sixth.

Electric City welcome second-placed Alliance United. The home side got the better of their opponents last season, beating them 2-1 on the opening day, and Alliance United have already tasted defeat this week, losing to Blue Devils on Thursday.

Blue Devils will be looking to beat a team above them for the second time this week when they host Simcoe County Rovers. Three points would take them above Simcoe and firmly into the fight for a playoff spot.  

FC London will be hoping for a repeat of last season’s game when they face Unionville Milliken; this weekend’s hosts were 8-1 winners in this fixture in 2022. Guelph Union, meanwhile, will want to prove a point live on L1O's YouTube channel against Woodbridge Strikers who beat them with an 88th-minute winner in a close game last season.  It would also be a big three points for Guelph who are just under the Premier Division dotted line for 2024.

The table’s bottom two sides face each other this weekend with ProStars at home to Hamilton United. This game represents arguably the best chance for ProStars to get their first win of the campaign.

In the Men’s Premier Division Windsor City face the daunting task of travelling to Vaughan Azzurri, who scored eight goals last weekend in their win over BVB IA Waterloo. Looking to bounce back from that heavy defeat, Waterloo head to a Hamilton United side just one place off a top-division spot on the Road to 2024.

Woodbridge Strikers, who themselves are just holding on to one of those much-sought after Premier Division spots for next season, are up against Electric City – who are less than 4.75 points ahead in the aggregate standings. The Peterborough side also need victory if they are to stay in the playoff race.

Alliance United, North Toronto Nitros and Simcoe County Rovers are also in contention for the postseason. The Nitros currently occupy sixth place but Alliance and Simcoe can move above them on Sunday should results fall their way; Alliance are at home to mid-table ProStars, Simcoe host St Catharines and North Toronto travel to Master’s FA.

Elsewhere in the table, FC London are up against Darby – two teams who have struggled for points but have some game-winning players who could make all the difference for their sides on Sunday.