Welcome to As It Stands. At the start of each week through the end of the season, we’ll bring you this easy-to-digest wrap-up of everything you need to know from the weekend that was in the Canadian Premier League, and keep tabs on how each team is progressing in its hunt for silverware.

One hundred and eight games down. Four to go.

With just one weekend left in the 2024 regular season, we still don’t know who the final playoff team will be, nor which side will finish second and play in the qualifying semi-final.

Matchweek 27 had its fair share of drama, as several teams pulled off huge results while one side — the Halifax Wanderers — became the first to be officially eliminated.

The action started on Thursday, when York United took the lead and Pacific were on the ropes with 10 minutes to go, seeing their playoff hopes slip away. However, Reon Moore scored a pair of season-saving goals within six minutes of each other to turn things around and give the Tridents their biggest win of the year.

Saturday afternoon began in Hamilton, where Forge lifted the CPL Shield as regular season title winners — but not before Atlético Ottawa handed them a rare home loss, keeping Atleti alive in the hunt for second. Later that day, Cavalry downed Halifax 2-1 in Calgary, eliminating the Wanderers and maintaining the advantage in that race with Ottawa.

On Sunday, the weekend closed with a 1-1 draw between Vancouver and Valour, who both still have hopes of taking that final playoff spot but will need some help from Forge in that final game against Pacific.

Here’s how the standings look with one week to go. Also, Happy Thanksgiving!

Although it wasn’t a great day for Forge FC on the pitch on Saturday, with a loss at home to Ottawa and a red card for Alessandro Hojabrpour, they still lifted some silverware. Forge celebrated with the CPL Shield in Hamilton, enjoying the reward for an incredible season so far. They’ll return to the Concacaf Champions Cup in 2025, and they’ll also host the qualifying semi-final in the playoffs with a chance to host a fourth CPL Final.

Next Saturday should be a lot of fun; three of the four matches have major implications for the playoff race, with that fifth-place spot still wide open (sorry, Halifax). All four games in The Outcome! presented by TonyBet will be played simultaneously at 4 p.m. ET, and each will be available to watch for free on OneSoccer’s YouTube channel.

Before that, though, we’ll turn our attention briefly to the Canadian men’s national team. They’re in action on Tuesday night at BMO Field for a friendly against Panama. We at the CPL will be keenly watching to see if Kwasi Poku makes his debut for Jesse Marsch’s team.

 Monday Reading

If the playoffs started today…

Only two teams are officially locked into their spots: Forge, obviously, and York United, who are now guaranteed to finish fourth and host the midweek play-in match on Wednesday, Oct. 23.

Three teams remain alive in the hunt for fifth, with Pacific, Vancouver and Valour all eyeing that trip to York. Meanwhile, Cavalry and Atlético Ottawa both still could finish second; the Cavs have pole position and would lock it up with a win this week, but Ottawa could pass them if they win and Cavalry don’t.

Awards Watch

We’re getting very close to awards season, with voting likely to begin shortly after the end of the regular season next weekend. So, players have one last chance to make their case for any trophies they’ve got their eye on.

Matchweek 28 will also wrap up the Golden Boot race, which is coming right down to the wire. Rubén del Campo still leads the way with 11 goals, but both Tobias Warschewski and Alejandro Díaz scored over the weekend to get to 10. Either player could make a serious push for the honour next weekend (with Del Campo and Díaz going head-to-head in the Atlético Ottawa-Vancouver FC matchup). Don’t forget, there’s no tiebreaker in the CPL’s Golden Boot; if two players are tied, they’ll share the award — just like Myer Bevan and Ollie Bassett did last year.

Voting for Players’ Player of the Year has begun as well, which is sure to provide a few interesting names. Who is likely to end up on the board for Player of the Year, though? Surely somebody from CPL Shield winners Forge, but who? Tristan Borges, Kyle Bekker, and Alessandro Hojabrpour all come to mind. York United’s Brian Wright has been quiet recently, but he remains high on stats leaderboards. Also, a dark horse could be Valour fullback Themi Antonoglou.

U-21 Minutes Update

One week to go, and four teams still need to pick up some U-21 minutes in the final game of the season. Halifax are still furthest away, needing 125 to get over the 2,000-minute line, but they did make serious progress in week 27 with both Jefferson Alphonse and Tiago Coimbra starting.

Valour, meanwhile, will most likely need to call on Juan Pablo Sánchez to get them the remaining 76 they need.

Finally, Forge need 51 and Atlético Ottawa need 48, both of which should be fairly easy to hit in the final matchweek.

Coming up next…

Saturday, Oct. 19

All matches kick off at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT

Pacific FC vs. Forge FC
Valour FC vs. Cavalry FC
Atlético Ottawa vs. Vancouver FC
Halifax Wanderers FC vs. York United FC

(Watch all games live on OneSoccer)

Photo of the Week

There’s a new piece of silverware in Hamilton.