The Gatorade Team of the Week for the 23rd week of Canadian Premier League action in 2024, brought to you by Kristian Jack and OneSoccer’s Oliver Platt.
Goalkeeper
Jonathan Viscosi (Valour FC)
Viscosi backstopped Valour to a huge point on the road at York Lions Stadium on Friday night, making three saves.
Jonathan Viscosi, what a stop 🤩
He picks up the @AllstateCanada Save of the Match 🧤 #CanPL pic.twitter.com/M4vOfnETGE
— Canadian Premier League (@CPLsoccer) September 14, 2024
Defenders
Clément Bayiha (Halifax Wanderers FC)
Bayiha put in a great effort on both sides of the ball in Saturday’s 3-0 domination of Forge FC, making six clearances, five tackles, and two interceptions. He also won 13 of his 15 duels on the afternoon and completed 27 of his 29 attempted passes.
Daan Klomp (Cavalry FC)
No stranger to the Team of the Week, Daan Klomp gets in again for matchweek 23 after scoring the tying goal in the second half to rescue a point for the Cavs, and picking up an assist on Ali Musse’s first-half wondergoal as well. Klomp also completed 75 of his 80 passes in another reliable performance, and led the Cavs with four clearances on the defensive side of things.
GOAL 🐎🐎@CPLCavalryFC find ANOTHER equalizer for 2-2 vs. @AtletiOttawa as Ali Musse finds Daan Klomp with the free-kick + header combo 👀
🔴 Watch our @tonybet_Canada #CanPL MOTW on OneSoccer pic.twitter.com/TCoPczol6R
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) September 15, 2024
Thomas Meilleur-Giguère (Pacific FC)
Meilleur-Giguère captained Pacific FC to a second-straight clean sheet on Saturday, making six clearances and two interceptions in another standout defensive effort.
Zachary Fernandez (Halifax Wanderers FC)
Fernandez assisted Giorgio Probo’s opening goal on Saturday against Forge FC as part of a great two-way performance. On the defensive side of things, Fernandez led the team by winning possession nine times in the match, had four successful tackles, and made three interceptions.
Midfielders
Manny Aparicio (Atlético Ottawa)
Aparicio scored the opening goal at ATCO Field on Sunday, heading home from a corner kick in the fifth minute and setting the tone for a back-and-forth match. He also put in a shift defensively, winning back possession of the ball eleven times, the most of anyone from either side in that game.
Elijah Adekugbe (York United FC)
Adekugbe bossed the Nine Stripes midfield again in Friday’s 1-1 draw with Valour. He completed 90 of his 96 attempted passes on the night, had a team-high 105 touches of the ball, and tied for the team lead with two successful tackles.
Andrei Tîrcoveanu (Pacific FC)
The Tridents have been in great attacking form the last two weeks, with Tîrcoveanu front and centre — scoring last week and assisting Moses Dyer’s goal this time around to double Pacific’s lead over Vancouver. While he wasn’t credited with a second assist officially, Tîrcoveanu also played a key role on Pacific’s third goal, as it was his dangerous free kick that forced the rebound that Dario Zanatta pounced on to put the game out of reach.
GOAL 🔱🔱
Moses Dyer doubles the lead for @Pacificfccpl with a powerful header against his former side! ⚽️
🔴 Watch the #CanPL LIVE on OneSoccer pic.twitter.com/GBPvWolz4D
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) September 14, 2024
Forwards
Ali Musse (Cavalry FC)
Musse provided a goal and an assist for Cavalry on Sunday as they drew 2-2 with Atlético Ottawa. His Musse Magic was on full display again in that match, including an incredible long distance goal in the first half that will no doubt be in contention for the best goal of the season.
GOAL 🐎@CPLCavalryFC tie it up at 1-1 vs. @AtletiOttawa as Ali Musse hits a SCREAMER 😱
🔴 Watch our @tonybet_Canada #CanPL MOTW on OneSoccer pic.twitter.com/QScqJGVZCN
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) September 15, 2024
Dario Zanatta (Pacific FC)
After scoring his first Pacific FC goal last weekend, Zanatta added two more on Saturday to make the Team of the Week for the second time in a row. Zanatta’s brace was part of a blowout win over local rivals Vancouver FC as the Tridents put themselves firmly back in the playoff hunt.
Giorgio Probo (Halifax Wanderers FC)
Probo scored the winning goal in Halifax’s crucial 3-0 victory over Forge on Saturday, and also set up Andre Rampersad’s goal to double the lead with a great cross into the box. Probo created four chances in the match, one of the best performances of his Wanderers career thus far.