The Gatorade Team of the Week for the eleventh week of Canadian Premier League action in 2023, brought to you by Kristian Jack and OneSoccer’s Oliver Platt.
Goalkeeper
Callum Irving (Vancouver FC)
Irving made four saves to keep a clean sheet on Tuesday as Vancouver FC picked up their first-ever home victory 2-0 against Forge FC. He followed up that performance by making four more saves in a narrow 1-0 loss to Valour on Sunday, including a stunning one on Diego Gutiérrez from close range.
The @AllstateCanada Save of the Match goes to @CallumIrving of @vanfootballclub after he denied Diego Gutierrez of a goal scoring opportunity in the first half 🧤 #CanPL | @onesoccer pic.twitter.com/o4us3UV5Y1
— Canadian Premier League (@CPLsoccer) June 25, 2023
Defenders
Amer Didić (Pacific FC)
Facing Valour FC’s high press on Wednesday night, Didić was calm and collected, completing 58 of his 66 passes, and winning all six of his duels contested, including five in the air. He also made four clearances during another outstanding performance for the Tridents.
Adbou Samaké (Valour FC)
Samaké has become a centrepiece of one of the league’s best backlines this season and demonstrated his quality again in both matches for Valour this week. The central defender was excellent against a very good Pacific attack, midweek showing good composure to complete 72 of his 76 attempted passes. He followed that up with a dominant performance against Vancouver on Sunday, winning all eight of his aerial battles as Valour kept a clean sheet.
Anthony White (Vancouver FC)
The first overall pick in the 2023 CPL-U SPORTS draft, White showed his immense potential this past week for Vancouver FC. The 19-year-old won possession back a stunning twelve times during a home clean sheet against Forge FC midweek, before a solid performance against Valour in Winnipeg on Sunday, making six clearances and winning four aerial duals.
Midfielders
Goteh Ntignee (Cavalry FC)
Ntignee scored his first Canadian Premier League goal on an excellent finish to open the scoring against York on Saturday. The dynamic wide midfielder also completed four dribbles and won possession back nine times as the Cavs continued their dominant home form.
Diego Gutiérrez (Valour FC)
The Valour skipper returned to the lineup this week with a pair of quality performances. First, he created five chances and made three tackles in a solid midfield showing against a very good Pacific side. Then he was tremendous against Vancouver on the weekend, scoring a penalty and dominating every facet of the midfield — winning possession back 14 times, completing six dribbles and taking four shots while making a match-leading 113 touches.
Juan Pablo Sánchez (Valour FC)
Sánchez is rounding into one of the most reliable young players in the Canadian Premier League this season with another excellent week in the middle of the park for Valour. Against Pacific midweek he completed three dribbles and an impressive 31 of 37 per cent of his passes. His versatility in midfield was displayed again on Sunday against Vancouver as the 20-year-old midfielder created four chances on 22 passes attempted in the final third.
Ayman Sellouf (Pacific FC)
Few players in the Canadian Premier League can take over a game like the Dutch attacker, and he did so again midweek against Valour. Coming off the bench in the 56th minute Sellouf set up the match-winning goal on one of four chances he created, while also firing in six crosses.
GOAL 🔱@PacificFCCPL finally get the scoring started vs. @ValourFootball as Easton Ongaro tucks home his finish off an Ayman Sellouf pass 😎
Shout-outs to Manny Aparicio the midfield enforcer, too 💪#CanPL | 🔴 Watch LIVE on OneSoccer pic.twitter.com/PT7Wr7CkgH
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) June 22, 2023
Forwards
Mo Babouli (York United)
Babouli was back to his best this week, scoring the opener in a 2-2 draw against the Halifax Wanderers on Wednesday before blasting home an absolute rocket against Cavalry. Babouli is now up to four goals on the season, tied for third-most in the league.
BANGERS ONLY 👀
Mo Babouli equalizes the game for @yorkutdfc shortly after @CPLCavalryFC gained the advantage. The score is now 1-1!#CanPL | 📺 @onesoccer
— Canadian Premier League (@CPLsoccer) June 24, 2023
Aidan Daniels (Halifax Wanderers)
An outstanding month for Daniels continued on Wednesday, as the Halifax attacker set up his side’s opener with a stunning cross to Tiago Coimbra before scoring a late equalizer himself. He also created five chances and is positioning himself as one of the league’s most dangerous attacking players of late.
Terran Campbell (Forge FC)
Given Forge FC’s struggles to score of late, Terran Campbell’s double from the CPL’s all-time leading goalscorer on Sunday night went a long way toward breaking the Hamilton side’s difficult scoreless and winless streak. He finished off an excellent cutback from Woobens Pacius in the 11th minute, before adding a second on a header in the 32nd minute.