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Photo Courtesy: Valour FC
Youth Movement: Six standout U-21 Canadian players in the CPL this season
2023-06-29
by
Mitchell Tierney, Digital Content Producer (@mitchelltierney)
News

As the Canadian Premier League reaches the summer months of the season, the league has once again seen several young Canadian players emerge as key members of their respective sides.

In total so far through eleven matchweeks in the league’s regular season, Canadian under-21 players in the league have combined for 8,569 minutes — extended to 9,487 if including minutes played in the Canadian Championship.

CPL U-21 minutes leaderboard for 2023 (after Matchweek 11)

Each Canadian Premier League side is required to reach a threshold of 2,000 minutes played by Canadian under-21 players in regular season matches in order to be eligible for the playoffs. In their meeting this past Sunday, both Vancouver FC and Valour became the first two CPL sides to surpass that total this season, have done so with just 12 of 28 matches played.

The top under-21 Canadian is also recognized with an award at the conclusion of the season. Past winners of the award have included current CF Montréal midfielder Sean Rea and Columbus Crew fullback Mo Farsi, while Canadian international Victor Loturi and Ligue 2 fullback Diyaeddine Abzi have been among the nominees.

Here is a look at some of the Canadian Premier League’s standout U-21 players this season:

Matteo de Brienne — Valour FC

Before a recent injury that has sidelined him for the past three games, de Brienne was a fixture in the Valour lineup. During that time he has adapted to a new position as a left fullback in an impressive fashion.

One of de Brienne’s most exciting characteristics as a player is his flair for the dramatic. He scored one of the goals of the season last year from an overhead kick and has already added an entry into this year’s conversation with a stunning strike against York. Be it little flicks, creative dribbles, or long-range screamers, there is an inventiveness about de Brienne’s game that makes him special.

In attack, de Brienne has consistently been able to get forward and provide quality service. He currently sits third in the league in successful crosses and corners and picked up an assist on a clever pass to Abdou Samaké in a match against Forge earlier this year.

Putting in more defensive work this season, he has struggled at times when isolated in one-on-one situations. But his speed and awareness of the game often allow de Brienne to cut out opposition chances before they get into dangerous areas. as he has a league-leading (tied with Valour teammate Dante Campbell) 20 interceptions.

If de Brienne can maintain this form once he returns from injury — something that could happen this weekend — there is a solid chance that the U-21 Canadian of the Year award will be returning to Winnipeg.

T.J. Tahid — Vancouver FC

Atlético Ottawa’s Jean-Aniel Assi goes up against Vancouver’s T.J. Tahid. PHOTO: Matt Zambonin/Freestyle Photography

Tahid has already made multiple entries into the Canadian Premier League’s record books as the league’s youngest-ever signing, then player to make an appearance, and now scorer — having turned 16 in late April. He has since added a second goal — the match-winner against Forge FC in Vancouver FC’s first-ever home victory.

What has impressed those in Vancouver most, however, is the young attacking midfielder’s attitude and willingness to learn from the older and more experienced players on his side. His work rate off the ball has also impressed since his debut, as the youngster has also looked physically ready for the professional game.

All of this combines to make him one of the most exciting prospects in the league’s history. In fact, his Vancouver manager Afshin Ghotbi has suggested he could be one of the top young players on the continent.

If Tahid can continue to play at his current level, international opportunities should soon follow. Notably, Canada’s under-17 side plays in the World Cup in Indonesia in November, and at the moment Tahid looks like a lock to make the squad.

Goteh Ntignee — Cavalry FC

The 21-year-old has brought something new to the Cavalry attack this season with his speed and directness down the left flank. Now he is starting to turn those attributes into goal contributions, picking up his first professional goal this past weekend on a lovely finish against York United.

Later in the match, he won a free kick that led to Ali Musse’s 83rd-minute winner on a great counter-attacking run. He sits seventh in the league in successful dribbles per 90 with 2.95.

While other Cavalry attackers tend to drift inside looking for space, Ntignee has been key to providing consistent width down the left flank. His quickness allows him to get up and down the pitch, contributing both to the attack and defensive coverage. Ntignee has contested 18.86 duels per 90 this season showing just how involved he is on both sides of the ball.

Ntignee has now started the last three matches for Cavalry, and it appears as though he has won the left-wing spot for himself. He has also been included in the CPL Team of the Week in two of the past three editions.

Juan Pablo Sánchez — Valour FC

Valour FC head coach Phillip Dos Santos is not usually one to hype up his players, preferring to praise team effort over individuals. But in recent weeks he has on multiple occasions mentioned how impressed he has been this season with Sánchez.

The 20-year-old midfielder, whom Dos Santos has labelled as ‘underrated’, has fought his way back into the Valour starting eleven in recent weeks and has been a key contributor to their two wins in the last three matches.

For a young midfielder, Sánchez’s composure and versatility are impressive. He can play as more of an attacking midfielder, like he did against Vancouver at the weekend, or as part of a double pivot, like he did to great effect as Valour earned a clean sheet against Forge at home earlier this month.

Wherever he is deployed on the pitch, Sánchez is very tidy on the ball with 84.81 per cent of his passes and completing 13 of his 17 dribbles attempted so far this season.

Kwasi Poku — Forge FC

Forge FC’s Kwasi Poku Photo Credit: David Chant / York United

In his second season as a professional, 20-year-old Kwasi Poku is perhaps still finding his best position.  He has shown well in multiple positions down the left flank during his time with Forge, as well as a rare appearance as a number 10.

His best performances, however, have generally come as a wide attacker in the Forge setup where he can use his excellent positioning to stretch opposing backlines and dribble at defenders.

From out wide, he also possesses good awareness when drifting into the box and losing his defender in front of goal. Poku’s finishing still certainly needs work, but standing 6-foot-3, he is starting to become more of a threat in the air, scoring on a header against Valour earlier this season and winning 21 of his 28 aerial duels so far this season.

After spending time in preseason with Swedish champion BK Hacken, there is certainly interest from abroad in Poku’s potential. Providing moments like his cross against Ottawa for Woobens Pacius’ winning goal with more consistency will go a long way toward increasing that interest.

Jean-Aniel Assi — Atlético Ottawa

In his second season on loan in the Canadian Premier League from CF Montréal, 18-year-old Jean-Aniel Assi has shown signs of progress.

He has consistently been able to get into good positions out wide on the right and his speed and positioning make him incredibly dangerous on the counter-attack in particular — ideal for Ottawa’s system. The next step for Assi, however, is to deliver the final product once he gets into those quality positions. Through 11 matches this season, Assi has recorded two assists.

His chance creation numbers, however, have been impressive this year as he sits eighth in the league in chances created with 17, has put up 0.74 expected goals, and leads all Ottawa players (marginally above 2022 league Player of the Year Ollie Bassett) in terms of expected assists with 1.42. He is also sixth in the league in dribbles completed per 90 with 3.05.

Veteran Carl Haworth has been the preferred option of late on the right flank for Ottawa, a player who perhaps is a little bit more consistent on both sides of the ball. However, Assi remains a dangerous weapon, whether he starts matches or comes off the bench.

Others to keep an eye on:

Tyler Crawford — Vancouver FC

Playing as a 19-year-old defender on an expansion team is never an easy proposition, but Crawford has shown some bright moments in his league-leading 10 starts and 869 minutes among U-21 players so far this season. Up next is finding more consistency, but Afshin Ghotbi appears to be committed to giving Crawford the runway to learn on the job.

Anthony White — Vancouver FC

Vancouver FC defender Anthony White — Photo: Beau Chevalier / Vancouver FC

The first-overall pick in the 2023 CPL-U SPORTS Draft, White is starting to come into his own as a 19-year-old centre-back in his first professional season. An emerging leader at the back, White’s profile as a left-footed central defender makes him a clear one to watch as this season progresses.

Jared Ulloa – Valour FC

The young winger has taken full advantage of a recent opportunity to get into the lineup as Valour were shorthanded due to injury and international duty. He has now started three straight matches, and picked up an assist with a lovely cross to Walter Ponce in his side’s recent 2-0 victory over Forge FC.

Markiyan Voytsekhovskyy — York United

After scoring his first professional goal in the second match of the season against Vancouver FC, Voytsekhovskyy has struggled to get consistent minutes on a York team with a number of good attacking options. There is a lot to like in terms of his ability on the ball, but he maybe hasn’t adjusted to the professional game as quickly as the Nine Stripes were hoping he would.

Gabriel Antinoro — Atlético Ottawa

Antinoro scored his first professional goal this past weekend — among the fastest in the league’s history — to open the scoring against Forge FC just 22 seconds in. The technically gifted 19-year-old has shown flashes of being the sort of chance-creating midfielder in which Ottawa has lacked depth.

Tiago Coimbra — Halifax Wanderers

After appearing sparingly through the first part of the season, Coimbra has broken into the Halifax squad in recent matches and has now scored in back-to-back games. The 19-year-old striker could easily work his way into the U-21 Player of the Year conversation if he can build on this form and become the go-to number nine for the Wanderers.

Emil Gazdov – Pacific FC

It hasn’t quite gone to plan for Gazdov this year, as the 19-year-old recently lost the Pacific net to Kieran Baskett after a shaky start to the season. There have been real glimpses of his quality, however, particularly in a Canadian Championship penalty shootout win against Cavalry FC.

Eric Lajeunesse – Pacific FC

Lajeunesse has the difficult task of trying to find minutes in what has been the best backline in the Canadian Premier League so far this season. In the four starts he has made this season, however, Lajeunesse has looked incredibly solid both as a central defender, or even as a left fullback in recent weeks.

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