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FC Manitoba

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FC Manitoba
Full nameFootball Club Manitoba
Founded2010 (as WSA Winnipeg)
2020 (as FC Manitoba)
StadiumRalph Cantafio Soccer Complex
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Capacity2,000
OwnersFC Manitoba Inc. (Garcea Group of Companies)
Head coachWalter Obregón
LeagueUSL League Two
20233rd, Deep North Division
Playoffs: DNQ
Websitehttps://www.footballclubmanitoba.ca/

FC Manitoba is a Canadian soccer team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada that plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the United States soccer league system. The club was founded in 2010 as WSA Winnipeg. In 2020, the club was acquired by a new ownership group and re-organized and branded as FC Manitoba.

The team plays its home games at the Ralph Cantafio Soccer Complex on the FIFA-approved synthetic grass of the complex's John Scouras Field. The team's colours are navy, gold, and white.

History

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WSA Winnipeg

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Crest of WSA Winnipeg (2010–2019)

The World Soccer Academy was founded in 2001 in Winnipeg as a youth soccer academy by Eduardo Badescu.[1][2][3]

In December 2010, WSA Winnipeg created a semi-professional team to participate in the US-based Premier Development League to begin play in the 2011 season.[4][5][6][7] This marked the return of high level soccer to the city of Winnipeg since the Winnipeg Fury of the original Canadian Soccer League ceased operations in 1993.[8] The club was supported by Mondetta, a well-recognized brand in Canadian professional sports, as one of its primary sponsors.[9] The team primarily fielded rosters built around local talent.[10][11]

They played their debut match on May 28, 2011, against the Thunder Bay Chill, losing 1-0.[12] They got their first win the next day in a rematch versus the Chill, winning 3-0.[13] The first goal in franchise history was scored by Kenny Sacramento.[14] In their first season, they played an exhibition match against Italian Serie A club AS Roma.[15]

FC Manitoba

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In January 2020, the team was purchased by the Garcea Group of Companies and renamed FC Manitoba, while revamping the entire development system of the club, separating from the World Soccer Academy.[16] The team also received new colours and a new logo.[17][18] The new team's debut season in 2020 was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[19] In September 2020, they signed former Serie A player Michele Paolucci to a contract.[20] Due to the travel restrictions as a result of the continuing pandemic, the team opted out of the 2021 USL League Two season as well.[21] Instead, in 2021, they participated in the 2021 Summer Series with other Canadian semi-professional and amateur clubs.[22] FC Manitoba would return to USL2 for the 2022 season.[23]

Year-by-year

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Year League Record Regular season Playoffs Reference
WSA Winnipeg
2011 PDL 3–1–12 6th, Heartland did not qualify [24]
2012 3–5–8 6th, Heartland did not qualify
2013 3–2–9 7th, Heartland did not qualify
2014 2–2–10 5th, Heartland did not qualify
2015 0–2–12 6th, Heartland did not qualify
2016 1–2–11 6th, Heartland did not qualify
2017 2–1–11 6th, Heartland did not qualify
2018 0–0–14 6th, Heartland did not qualify
2019 USL League Two 0–1–13 6th, Heartland did not qualify
FC Manitoba
2020 USL League Two season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic [25]
2021 did not play due to COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions
2022 4–2–6 4th, Deep North did not qualify
2023 5–4–3 3rd, Deep North did not qualify

Head coaches

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  • Eduardo Badescu (2011–2019)
  • Tony Mazza (2020)
  • Jose Borg (2021–2022)
  • Walter Obregón (2023–present)

Notable former players

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The following players have either played at the professional or international level, either before or after playing for the PDL/USL2 team:

Affiliate team

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FC Manitoba also operates an affiliate team, Ital-Inter SC, in Premier Division of the Manitoba Major Soccer League.[16]

Women's team

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In 2021, they announced that they would be creating a women's team.[26] They were set to join the semi-professional US-based Women's Premier Soccer League.[27]

References

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  1. ^ "About WSA Winnipeg". WSA Winnipeg.
  2. ^ Clarke, Ian (December 13, 2010). "WSA Winnipeg Looks to Build on Growth and Development in Canada". Red Nation Online. Archived from the original on February 5, 2011.
  3. ^ Bender, Jim (March 7, 2011). "WSA Winnipeg Soccer Coach Named". Winnipeg Sun. Archived from the original on October 11, 2012.
  4. ^ "Elite-level soccer team announced for Winnipeg". CBC. December 13, 2010.
  5. ^ Prest, Ashley (May 26, 2011). "New soccer squad in town". Winnipeg Free Press.
  6. ^ "United Soccer League coming to Winnipeg". Winnipeg Free Press. December 13, 2010.
  7. ^ "WSA Winnipeg Joins PDL". Premier Development League. December 13, 2010. Archived from the original on December 16, 2010. Retrieved January 25, 2013.
  8. ^ Massey, Benjamin (January 5, 2011). "Can WSA Winnipeg Bring High-Level Soccer to Manitoba at last?". Eighty-Six Forever.
  9. ^ Massey, Benjamin (March 15, 2012). "Have you seen second-year USL PDL team WSA Winnipeg's new jerseys for 2012? No, really, have you..." Eighty-Six Forever. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
  10. ^ Rowaan, Dave (July 29, 2013). "Canadian clubs turning heads with PDL success". Waking the Red.
  11. ^ Wiebe, Ken (December 13, 2010). "WSA Winnipeg soccer team ready for 2011". Winnipeg Sun. Archived from the original on March 13, 2017.
  12. ^ Murray, James (May 29, 2011). "Thunder Bay Chill Start off Season with Win!". Net News Ledger. Archived from the original on April 25, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  13. ^ Dunick, Leith (May 30, 2011). "WSA Winnipeg blanks Chill". TB News Watch.
  14. ^ Massey, Benjamin (May 31, 2011). "Western Canadian Round-Up: The Season Begins in Earnest". Eighty-Six Forever.
  15. ^ ""We Know Eduardo Quite Well", said AS Roma Manage Vincenzo Montella". WSA Winnipeg.
  16. ^ a b Gamage, Mahith. "Everything you need to know about FC Manitoba – Winnipeg's new development pathway". Northern Starting XI. Archived from the original on April 25, 2021.
  17. ^ Hobson, Russ. "Winnipeg's USL League Two franchise sold to FC Manitoba". Global News.
  18. ^ "FC Manitoba". USL League Two. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
  19. ^ Allen, Taylor (April 2, 2021). "Man from Malta joins FC Manitoba". Winnipeg Free Press.
  20. ^ Jacques, John (September 23, 2020). "Michele Paolucci Discusses Big Plans With FC Manitoba". Northern Tribune.
  21. ^ Ebbeling, Mike (February 3, 2021). "Thunder Bay/Winnipeg Opt Out Of 2021 USL Season". CKDR-FM.
  22. ^ Lia, Gianluca (July 31, 2021). "FC Manitoba hand Jose Borg winning debut in Canada". Sports Desk.
  23. ^ Lia, Gianluca (January 27, 2022). "FOOTBALLJose Borg's FC Manitoba to launch USL League 2 campaign in May". Sports Desk.
  24. ^ "WSA Winnipeg Statistics". Canadian Soccer History Archives.
  25. ^ "FC Manitoba Statistics". Canadian Soccer History Archives.
  26. ^ Jacques, John (April 9, 2021). "FC Manitoba Announces Women's Team". Northern Tribune.
  27. ^ Allen, Taylor (December 23, 2021). "Winnipeg women's soccer team joining semi-pro league". Winnipeg Free Press.
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