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VW Premier Performer Analysis: Y9 trio top weekly ranking

Each week of the Fall season, CanPL.ca will highlight the top five Volkswagen Premier Performers of the Week, while updating the overall standings as players from across the league compete to top the table and win a new Volkswagen Jetta GLI.


Here are the 5 VW Premier Performers of the Week:

1) Rodrigo Gattas (York9 FC) – 98.65 pts

York9 FC forward Rodrigo Gattas. (CPL).
York9 FC forward Rodrigo Gattas. (CPL).

Of course! What hasn’t been said about this performance? Three goals on three shots, scoring the first hat-trick in CPL history. Gattas’ 98-point performance likely comes down to the quality of finishes, though; a body-shifting volley, a 30-yarder and a well-placed header from the penalty spot.

Check out York9 kits here!
Check out York9 kits here!

2) Ryan Telfer (York9 FC) – 84.00 pts

York9 FC's Ryan Telfer. (CPL).
York9 FC’s Ryan Telfer. (CPL).

Yes, York9 FC again. Telfer had two goals of his own in that record-setting performance, both equally impressive finishes. His second, standing down a defender on the near side before slashing a shot in the near-top corner, was the last for four on-goal attempts in 76 minutes.

3) Diyaeddine Abzi (York9 FC) – 80.95 pts

York9 FC's Diyaeddine Abzi. (John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports for CPL)
York9 FC’s Diyaeddine Abzi. (John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports for CPL)

Hold on, one more York9 player. Diyaeddine Abzi had a field day on the left, and the stats show it; a match-leading 31 touches in the opposing half, 100 touches total, three crosses and a beautiful cross-field assist on Telfer’s aforementioned blast.

4) Amer Didic (FC Edmonton) – 80.66 pts

May 12, 2019; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Pacific FC midfielder Terran Campbell (14) defends a pass by FC Edmonton defender Amer Didic (55) during a Canadian Premier League soccer match at Clarke Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports for CPL
FC Edmonton’s Amer Didic. (Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports for CPL).

FC Edmonton’s towering centreback was in the middle of it all for the Eddies Saturday. Immense defensively, Didic managed to generate a few chances with several first-half headers and a beautifully-weighted, one-hit ball that found Easton Ongaro for the late equalizer. If not for a miscommunication that led to Forge’s lone goal, Didic could be even higher on this list.

5) Nikolas Giantsopoulos (Cavalry FC) – 77.92 pts

Jun 11, 2019; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Cavalry FC goalkeeper Mikolas Giantsopoulos (22) in the second half against the Forge FC during a Canadian Championship soccer match at Spruce Meadows. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports for CPL
Cavalry FC goalkeeper Mikolas Giantsopoulos (Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports for CPL).

Cavalry’s second-string goalkeeper put his backup title into question on Saturday in Winnipeg. Giantsopolous’ day started well, with an acrobatic stop robbing Valour of an early free-kick goal. Ending with five saves total, nearly getting a hand Marco Bustos’ injury-time penalty as well – Cavalry proved to be in good hands.


Top 5 Overall

RANK PLAYER CLUB POINTS (Avg./match)
1 Marco Carducci Cavalry FC 80.89
2 Nathan Ingham York9 FC 79.23
3 Emery Welshman Forge FC 76.524
4 Connor James FC Edmonton 76.520
5 Ryan Telfer York9 FC 75.36

ANALYSIS: Telfer joins the top five after his weekend brace with a five-point gap between him and leader Marco Carducci – who keeps his top spot after being idle on the weekend. Elsewhere, Emery Welshman has leapfrogged Eddies ‘keeper Connor James for third, if only by four-100ths of a point, to disrupt the goalkeeping union at the top half.

Download the Centre Circle app and submit your prediction for each week’s VW Premier Performer, and check out the full, position-by-position Volkswagen Premier Performer tables here.