After taking Easter weekend off, five local soccer teams resume play in provincial championship competition this weekend
Vancouver Metro Soccer League (VMSL) rivals ICST Pegasus and the Punjab Hurricanes meet a Provincial Cup men’s quarterfinal game tonight (Friday) at 8 p.m. at Newton Athletic Park.
Pegasus, which finished seventh in the 14-team Premier Division, with an 11-5-10 (won-tied-lost) record, defeated Bays United 2-1 in Victoria April 17.
The Hurricanes struggled in VMSL league play, going 4-6-16 to place 12th, and will be relegated to Division One next season. But the Surrey side shines in cup play, qualifying for the provincials by reaching the semifinal round of the VMSL’s Imperial Cup. The Hurricanes ripped Athletic Club B.C. of the Fraser Valley Soccer League 4-1 in the Provincial Cup’s round-of-16.
Pegasus took four of a possible six points from the Hurricanes in league play this past season, winning 3-1 on Nov. 14, then playing to a scoreless tie March 23.
Delta United will also play in the quarterfinal round of the Provincial Cup, after a 2-1 win over Peace Arch United two weekends ago. Delta will host the Coquitlam Metro-Ford Wolves at 1 p.m. Sunday at John Oliver Park.
Coquitlam was the runner-up in VMSL Premier Division play with a 15-5-6 record, eight points ahead of Delta’s fifth-place record of 13-3-10. The Wolves swept Delta in league play, winning both head-to-head meetings by 3-1 scores.
Surrey United begins defence of their women’s Provincial Cup title Sunday at 10 a.m. at Cloverdale Athletic Park against the Coquitlam Metro-Ford Xtreme.
United had a bye through the first round of the 10-team competition, and will start play in the semifinal stage. Winners of the past seven Provincial Cup tournaments, Surrey topped the Metro Women’s Soccer League’s Premier Division standings with a 12-0 (won-lost) record, while Coquitlam was fifth at 6-6.
United won both head-to-head matches by scores of 5-3 and 2-1.
ICST Pegasus will visit the Victoria Highlanders in a Doug Day Cup (under-21 men) quarterfinal game Saturday afternoon. Pegasus blanked Surrey rival Akal FC 2-0 in their round-of-16 contest two weeks ago.
