Senior soccer season kicks off across the region

After a false start due to excessive smoke in the air June 6, the Manitoba Major Soccer League season is officially underway in southeast Manitoba.

The region’s top team, the Niverville Force, opened their home schedule with a 5-3 loss to Grant Park Sporting Club June 12. The team also lost to Bonivital 3-1 June 16 and sit in seventh in the MMSL’s Division One standings. The top two teams in that division will move up to the Premier Division, the highest level of amateur soccer in the province.

The Force are next in action at home taking on Union Deportiva Manitoba June 24 at 7:30 p.m.

It took the Hanover Kickers three months to get a result last year in Division One, as they were relegated to Division Two, but the Hanover Soccer Club’s top team is on the board early, laying a 9-0 beatdown on FC Northwest’s NextGen team June 12 in their own home opener.

The Kickers are in the middle of a stretch of 10 consecutive home matches, and will be taking on MGM Sher-E-Punjab SC June 19 at 7:30 p.m.

The MMSL’s third division is split in two, with the Hanover Sting and Strikers both playing at that level. The Sting will be taking on the Richmond Kings June 24, with the Strikers set to play a stretch of away matches until July 2. The Strikers are/were undefeated this season, with their only blemish an opening season draw.

Division Five’s Landmark FC is in action against historic club United Weston June 22 in Landmark 5:30 p.m.