Iwaki FC (red and blue) versus Norbritz Hokkaido (bee costume) in the 97th Emperor's Cup. Source.
Iwaki FC was founded in 2012 as part of the reconstruction of Fukushima Prefecture following the 2011 tsunami. Their ground, Iwaki Green Field, is set among hills. Their goal is to make Iwaki the soccer capital of Tohoku, which could happen. Their main sponsor is Under Armour, the world's most aggressive underwear promoter.
Iwaki is a relatively new city formed in 1966 by the amalgamation of fourteen cities, towns and villages. It now has a population of about a third of a million. The name Iwaki is written in hiragana to give it a modern feeling.
The club has earned four promotions in four years. Next step, if they win the Tohoku League Div 1, is the Regional Champions League, and if they win that, the JFL.
Iwaki FC seasons:
GP W D L F A GD Pts
2013 10 5 3 2 30 13 +17 18 2nd, Fukushima Div. 3
2014 8 3 1 4 17 15 +2 10 3rd, Fukushima Div. 3
2015 10 10 0 0 41 9 +32 30 1st, Fukushima Div. 3
2016 10 10 0 0 93 1 +92 30 1st, Fukushima Div. 2
2017 10 10 0 0 93 0 +93 30 1st, Fukushima Div. 1
2018 18 18 0 0 139 12 +127 54 1st, Tohoku Div. 2 South
Iwaki FC in the All Japan Senior Football Championship:
2016 R1 Iwaki FC 5 - 0 Sapporo FC
R2 Iwaki FC 4 - 2 Vonds Ichihara
QF Iwaki FC 0 - 2 Vierteen Mie
2017 R1 Iwaki FC 4 - 0 Aries Tokyo
R2 Iwaki FC 1 - 1 Ocacias Kyoto (Ocacias won on PK.)
2018 R1 Iwaki FC 2 - 1 FC Tokushima
R2 Iwaki FC 1 - 1 Okinawa SV (Iwaki FC won on PK.)
QF Iwaki FC 2 - 0 Hankan University FC
SF Iwaki FC 0 - 2 Matsue City FC
3rd Iwaki FC 3 - 0 Ocacias Kyoto
Iwaki FC in the Pacific Rim Cup:
2018/2/8 Vancouver Whitecaps 1 - 0 Iwaki FC
2018/2/10 Columbus Crew 5 - 3 Iwaki FC
2019/2/8 Real Salt Lake 2 - 1 Iwaki FC
2019/2/10 Iwaki FC 1 - 0 Vancouver Whitecaps
Iwaki FC in the Emperor's Cup:
97回 R1 Iwaki FC 8 - 2 Norbritz Hokkaido
R2 Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo 2 - 5 Iwaki FC
R3 Iwaki FC 0 - 2 Shimizu S-Pulse
98回 R1 Iwaki FC 1 - 2 Sony Sendai
99回 R1 Iwaki FC 2 - 3 Sendai University
Tohoku Soccer League: FC Primeiro [0 - 6] Iwaki FC
Mortonalia: Jim McAlister has signed on for another year. Derek Gaston has signed with Arbroath. Morton have recruited midfielder Cameron Salkeld, previously of Carlisle United, Whitby Town, and Gateshead; and goalkeeper Sam Ramsbottom, formerly of Alfreton Town, Galway United, and Macclesfield Town. Tidser has been talking to Partick Thistle.
It's the 2019 Women's World Cup group stage. Let's follow Canada, Scotland and Japan.
Group D:
England [2 - 1] Scotland (today)
Argentina [0 - 0] Japan (tomorrow)
Group E:
Canada [1 - 0] Cameroon (tomorrow)
2019 Canadian Championship, Round Two, first leg:
HFX Wanderers 2 - 1 Valour FC (June 5) -- HFX goals by Skublak and Kourouma.
York 9 (3 - 1) FC Edmonton (June 5) -- Gasparotto scores! York scored all three goals from corners.
Forge FC 1 - 1 Cavalry FC (June 4)
CPL clubs, number of clean sheets (league + cup):
4 (4 + 0) Forge
4 (3 + 1) Cavalry
2 (2 + 0) Valour
2 (2 + 0) Pacific
2 (0 + 2) York9
1 (1 + 0) Edmonton
0 (0 + 0) HFX Wanderers
CPL expansion: By this time last year all seven CPL teams had been announced. So you would think that if there are any more clubs joining for 2020, we'll hear about it soon. See here for a list of soccer pitches in Montreal.
The dates for the 2019 CONCACAF League are out. The Canadian Premier League representative will begin in the preliminary round July 31 against the Guatemalan club Antiqua GFC.
It looks like Forge FC will be the Canadian team. For them not to be, they must lose to both Edmonton and Valour in June and surrender a 6-goal advantage.
To play the first leg against Antiqua GFC on July 30th Forge will have to reschedule their league game against Cavalry. If Forge reach the Canadian Championship semi-finals that will cause a conflict with the second leg, scheduled for August 6th to 8th.
If Forge advance to the CONCACAF League Round of 16 it'll set up a conflict with their August 21st visit to Halifax and their August 28th match against York 9.
If they advance to the quarter-finals it'll cause a conflict with their October 2nd game against Edmonton.
The CONCACAF League semi-finals and finals take place after the end of the CPL schedule, which could present contract difficulties depending on when the players are to be released, if Forge are still in it at that point.
When do the leagues in the 2019 CONCACAF League play?
Belize: July to December, January to May
Canada: April to October, plus the championship game(s)
Costa Rica: July to December, January to April
El Salvador: August to December, February to May
Guatemala: July to December, January to May
Haiti: March to June, September to December
Honduras: July to December, January to June
Jamaica: September to April
Nicaragua: July to December, January to June
Panama: July to December, January to May
Suriname: November to June
Canada's league schedule is unlike those of the other countries in the CONCACAF League. A closer fit would be the North Atlantic countries with summer leagues, like Iceland (May to September), the Faroes (March to October), and Ireland (February to October).
There was a serious fire at East of Scotland League club Bo'ness United Tuesday. Source.
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