Freezers Win First Match This Season

After 9 hard losses to start the season, FC Whitehorse finally has one in the win column in their CSL season as they defeated FC Winnipeg Royal Lions 5-3 in Winnipeg. Goals by Virgilio Rentería, Rókus Bencsik, Josemisco, and Leonard Nunez allowed the Freezers to get a 4-1 lead going into halftime. Kaidan Lemoine scored in the 54th minute and a late comeback by the Lions came up short. 

Manager Corwyn Westlake was pleased to come away with three points today. "It was a good effort from the team" said Westlake in the post-match press conference. "The attacking game looked really crisp, and we were moving the ball as we wanted to. We're going to continue to work to turn this victory into a trend going forward."

Captain Johan Nix echoed Westlake's optimism. "It was good to finally get 3 points" said Nix. "We have been knocking on the door lately, and it is good to see us finding some positive momentum. Now, the goal will be to keep it going for as long as we are able."

The victory comes after the Freezers scored an upset 3-1 victory at home against Toronto Treviso in Canada Cup action. The win gives them one win and one loss in the competition.

As for the CSL, Whitehorse returns home next week to play Quandale Dingle FC. QDFC lost 2-0 at home to the Manitoba Moos in league action today.

Freezers Narrowly Lose in Westlake's Managerial Debut

FC Whitehorse lost 2-1 in their match this week on the road against Toronto Treviso. The Freezers led 1-0 at halftime after a goal in the 44th minute by  Virgilio Rentería, but gave up a pair of goals in the second half to lose the match. Whitehorse had the same number of shots as Treviso, 17, and actually had more shots on goal than the home side.

It was the first match in charge for interim manager Corwyn Westlake, and despite only inheriting this job earlier this week, he made a pretty significant tactical change. The 5-3-2 formation that was a fixture of Oros Bala's managerial tenure has given way to a classic 4-4-2.

After the match, the new manager was encouraged by the result, but still a bit disappointed. "It was a tough match to be sure" said Westlake. "Being up at half does make it sting a bit, but it was a good outing overall by the players. We're going to keep working at it and see if we can't get a better result soon."

Whitehorse hosts Canadian National Football Club next week who, despite sitting in 5th place in the league, suffered a big 4-0 defeat at home against Swamp Dragons FC.

Oros Bala Fired

The FC Whitehorse Freezers called a press conference today to announce that the club's first manager Oros Bala was being let go by the team. Whitehorse had a record of 6-6-32 with Bala at the helm, and failing to capture a point in his first six games of his second season sealed his fate. His final match with the club was a 3-1 loss at home to Shanghai Sharks.

 President Jaheem Byam thanked Bala for his service as the manager and wished him well going forward. "I first want to thank Mr. Bala for his work as our manager and I wish him well in his future endeavours" said Byam. "We obviously never want to be in this position as a club, but unfortunately, we felt that a change was necessary. The executive is going to evaluate all of our options going forward, and will hope to have a new head man in place in due course. This isn't a decision we intend to rush."

Assistant manager Corywn Westlake has been retained as the interim manager while the team looks for a new permanent hire. Much of Bala's staff have been terminated as well, so the Freezers will be looking to fill the vacancies with remaining internal pieces. Manager Westlake's assistant, also on an interim basis, is Kemal Perrin. The 32 year old spent last year as a midfielder for the Freezers playing in 29 matches. He was hired on this season in a coaching role, and will now be stepping to the forefront. Goalkeeping coach Pardo has also been retained, and is expected to remain in that role even after the new manager is hired.

The 43 year old Westlake, who had no prior coaching experience before being hired on at Whitehorse last year, was also on hand to answer questions. "I greatly appreciate the opportunity that I have been given here" said Westlake. "The primary goal right now for us is to keep things running as smooth as possible. Our coaching staff is working hard on training and tactics, and we are going to be ready for our match this week. Beyond that, I intend to take things one week at a time. That's all that we can do." Asked about his former boss, Westlake was very positive. "Coach Bala is a very driven individual" said Westlake. "He was driven and hardworking as a player, and he has carried that forward into his coaching career. He gave me this chance to get into coaching, and I am forever grateful to him for that. I am sure that he will be able to find success at another club."

Westlake will have his first match as the Freezers' manager when his club goes on the road to play the formidable Toronto Treviso.

Freezers Narrowly Lose Season Opener

As the opening match of FC Whitehorse's second CSL season came to a close, the Freezers find themselves in the loser's column. The club suffered a narrow 3-2 loss on the road against Swamp Dragons FC.

The Dragons opened the scoring in the 12th minute on a quick shot from striker Do Nascimenteca. The Freezers responded in the 15th minute as Kaidan Lemoine scored matching his goal total from last season in the first match. The clubs went into the locker rooms at halftime with that 1-1 score. In the second half, goals from Declan Rivera in the 72nd minute and Zétény Budai in the 75th gave the Dragons a 3-1 lead. Freezers' midfielder Dylon Lemaitre subbed on right after that 3rd goal, and immediately scored in the 77th minute to cut the deficit, but they were not able to complete the comeback.

Lemoine and defender Patrick Letour were both given yellow cards in the first half, as the game was a fairly physical one throughout. Zavala made a pair of saves in the match, as he was unfortunately beaten more often than he stopped shots.

Manager Oros Bala was a bit disappointed with the loss after the match. "It is tough to lose matches like that" said Bala. "I felt like we were close, but they did a better job of taking advantage of their opportunities. We will have to work on cutting off their openings, because they had a few too many great chances to score. More to be done for sure."

FC Whitehorse will host their match next week as Vandelay FC comes to the Ice Box. Vandelay were 2-0 winners today, beating Ontario Soccer Club at home.

Freezers Sign Rentería

As games are set to begin this week, FC Whitehorse made a surprising last minute addition, agreeing to a 1 year contract with Virgilio Rentería. The 29 year old attacker from Mexico played 5 matches for fellow CSL club Toronto Treviso last season, netting a goal. While he has spent the majority of his professional career as a forward, Rentería is expected to slot in as a midfielder in Whitehorse. The move brings the Freezers up to 24 players on their roster.

Asked about the lateness of the signing, manager Oros Bala noted that he didn't expect Rentería to be available this late, and decided to pounce on the opportunity. "Virgilio is a very talented player" said Bala. "It was looking likely that he would not get into top tier league play this season, so we are going to take a chance on him. I believe that he can fit in as a good addition to our club."

In other news, the club announced the completion of a new section at Service Stadium, which expands its capacity to 35,000.

FC Whitehorse Freezers - Season 101 Preview

FC Whitehorse enter their second Canadian Soccer League season as a very different club from when they entered their first. The Freezers now have a 30,000 seat stadium, a number of young players with a year of experience under their belt, and a roster filled with players with professional experience from around the globe.

Club President Jaheem Byam talked about the differences in expectations between Whitehorse's inaugural season and this one. "We are entering this year with our fans wanting to see progress from last year" said Byam. "Last season, we were minnows in a very competitive league. This season, we want to start to compete withe some of these bigger clubs. Our payroll has increased, and we went out and added the talent that we need to move up the table. Now, it comes down to execution. Fans seem excited about the new names as well as the returning ones. I for one cannot wait for kick off."

Manager Oros Bala returns for his second year at the helm, and is expected to stick with a 5-3-2 this season. With a number of veteran additions to the roster, Bala will have a lot of options for the lineup card each week."One of the things that hurt us last year was lack of rest" said Bala during a preseason press availability. "So the goal this year will be to rotate the team more. Give more rest to players that need it. Hopefully, we can find a winning balance for playing time this year. There is a lot of talent here, and I am looking forward to seeing these player work together on the pitch."

With this rotation in mind, Bala's starting XI for the first league matches is expected to look like this:

In goal, Zavala returns after a difficult first season. The young Brazilian showed flashes of potential, but struggled to keep the ball out of the net throughout the season, particularly during set pieces. With a new goalkeeping coach in Pardo and a veteran backup in Rubinho to mentor and spell the young keeper, the Freezers are hoping for improvement between the posts.

Leonard Nunez and Patrick Letour return to anchor the central defence, with Dejon Walker coming in as a new face to round out the trio of teenagers. Lakeith Sabido and Virgilio Rivas will play on the wings as the team hopes to do a better job of making their attacks from the wide positions. With this very young defensive corps (Sabido is the veteran of this group at age 22), expect Gabrio Rezusta and Winefield Morales to step in when needed to provide a veteran presence and support.

Team captain Johan Nix remains the anchor in the middle of the midfield and will likely take the bulk of the free kick opportunities. 19 year old Kaidan Lemoine returns to play on the left side. In place of the departing John Bryan, the talented and passionate Serginho will join the starters in the midfield, with the club hoping his scoring touch remains in tact in Whitehorse. Dylon Lemaitre and Hudson Delabere figure to be the key substitutes at this position.

Finally, the returning youthful duo of Josemisco and Rókus Bencsik will be asked to get the majority of the scoring in for the Freezers this season. The club also brought in Marthaldo and Tauro Serrato to provide additional firepower up front, and this group may collectively be the strongest position on the team.

Continuing on the trend of giving match time to more of the younger talent, the majority of the FC Whitehorse starters are teenagers for a second straight season. Despite being one of the few veterans in the XI, captain Johan Nix was emphatic that the youth need to be on the pitch to get better. "The best way for the younger players on this team to improve is to play" said Nix. "And the team is going to continue to put them into matches so that they can grow into the quality players we know they can be. My role in this is to guide them as best I can, to leverage my experience, and to play at my top level to make their lives easier. I know that we are hungry for victories here, and we will see how the team looks against some of those top clubs this year."

Perhaps no story out of camp has been more entertaining than that of Serginho. The newly acquired veteran midfielder has had a lot to say since he arrived in Whitehorse, mostly about himself. "Serginho is impressed by this team" said Serginho, referring to himself in the third person as he often does. "Serginho knows what he adds on the field and off, and the young players have much they can learn from Serginho. Serginho is excited to get season started."

The regular season begins with FC Whitehorse on the road to face the Swamp Dragons. The club's home opener comes a week later as Vandelay FC makes their way north to play in the Ice Box.

Lianez Sold as Freezers Finalize Roster

FC Whitehorse are in their second week of training camp today ahead of their second CSL season. Absent today's training session, however, was recent addition forward free agent signing Edgar Lianez. The club announced today that Lianez had been sold to fellow CSL club Toronto Treviso for a transfer fee of $125,000.

Manager Oros Bala said that while he was a fan of Lianez, the forward depth on the team in camp has been very impressive. "Edgar obviously made a strong impression" said Bala. "If he hadn't, he would not have been given any outside interest. But the men up front really showed up to camp this season, and it meant that we weren't going to be able to play everyone. We wish Edgar all of the best in Toronto."

In other news, the Freezers defeated the Manitoba Moos at home 4-1 in an friendly match. Team captain Johan Nix scored a hat trick in the first half to give Whitehorse an insurmountable lead. FC Winnipeg Royal Lions head to the Ice Box next week in another friendly.

Multiple Free Agency Signings for Freezers

FC Whitehorse have continued to add new pieces in free agency, making these players the newest members of the team:

• Tauro Serrato, F, MEX, 32 y/o
• Dylon Lemaitre, M, CAN, 27 y/o
• Dejon Walker, D, USA, 18 y/o 
• Edgar Lianez, F, USA, 27 y/o
• Winefield Morales, D, CAN, 30 y/o
  
• Ceapmann Moss, M, USA, 23 y/o
  

Veteran striker Tauro Serrato joins the Freezers after scoring 15 goals in 29 matches for Mexican club Tijuaneros last season. While he has played most of his career in his native Mexico, the 32 year old spent one season at Canadian National Football Club two years ago, netting 13 goals in 15 contests. Serrato will be under contract at Whitehorse for the next three seasons.

Dylon Lemaitre has been a stalwart in midfield for FC Saskatchewan for the past 4 years. He had 2 goals in 37 matches for the club last season, and 211 total CSL matches in 6 seasons for Saskatchewan and AS Montis. Lemaitre signed a two year deal with the Freezers.

The solid 6'1 defender Dejon Walker has impressive size and strength for an 18 year old. Walker, who signed a 5 year deal with Whitehorse, turned down a scholarship at Kansas State University near his home in Clay County, Kansas to turn pro in Canada.

A star scorer at California FC, American striker Edgar Lianez joins the Freezers on a 2 year deal. Lianez tallied 31 goals in 26 games last year, his best season in his 4 years of top tier football. A graduate at USC where he was an elite college scorer, Lianez will be expected to primarily provide a scoring spark as a substitute in Whitehorse.

Defender Winefield Morales joins Whitehorse on a one year deal with seven years of CSL experience. Last year, he played in 36 matches for Ontario Soccer Club, scoring a goal and providing stout defence from his centre back position.

Signing a 5 year deal, American midfielder Ceapmann Moss finds some stability after a bit of a journeyman career thus far. The 23 year old had 4 goals in 36 matches with California FC last year.

The Freezers did announce a sale today as well, as Fitz Patrick Scott was purchased by the Manitoba Moos. The 19 year old Scott played 34 matches for Whitehorse last year, managing a goal. To complete the transaction, Whitehorse purchased 23 year old defender Bernard Quellier, who is expected to fill a reserve role.

Bryan Out, Serginho In for Freezers

As free agency signing period begins for the Whitehorse Freezers ahead of their second CSL season, the club already has a few big changes.

The most surprising move was the selling of midfielder John Bryan to new CSL club, the Manitoba Moos. The 24 year old Bryan scored 2 goals in 31 matches for the Freezers last season, and was expected to feature in the starting lineup again this year. The Moos payed $100,000 as a transfer fee for their new midfielder. 

18 year old midfielder Devin Pope was acquired by FC Whitehorse from the Moos to complete the Bryan transaction. He is expected to have a depth role with his new team.

Likely taking Bryan's place for the Freezers is new transfer acquisition Serginho. The 31 year old Brazilian midfielder was acquired from Hungarian club Lokamotiv Buda for a transfer fee of $200,000. As a part of the deal, Serginho signed a new 4 year deal with his new club. Considered by many to be a flashy player, Serginho has shown a scoring touch, netting 20 goals in 54 matches over two seasons with Buda. He has previous stops for various clubs in Hungary and his native Brazil, and will make his CSL debut for Whitehorse this year.

In addition to the transfers, the Freezers have signed 2 players in free agency thus far. The new acquisitions are:

• Marthaldo, F, BRA, 24 y/o
• Virgilio Rivas, M, MEX, 18 y/o
• Rubinho, GK, BRA, 28 y/o 
• Hudson Delabere, M, USA, 28 y/o
• Gabrio Rezusta, D, MEX, 25 y/o
  

Brazilian striker Marthaldo returns to the CSL after beginning his career as a reserve for Presbyterian Express. Despite this, the 24 year old will make his CSL debut in his first match with Whitehorse. Last season, Marthaldo scored 18 goals in 38 matches for Brazilian club Club de Regatas Vasco da Gama United. His move to Whitehorse comes with a new 5 year contract.

Virgilio Rivas proved a valuable versatile player for the Mexican U18 national team last season. Though he is usually a midfielder, the Freezers are expected to play the fleet footed Rivas as a wing defender this year. Rivas's new contract will be for 5 years.

Veteran Brazilian goalkeeper Rubinho was brought in on a 5 year deal to serve in a backup and mentorship role for fellow Brazilian netminder Zavala. The 28 year old spent last year away from football after he and his wife welcomed their first child. Rubinho served as a starter for multiple top tier clubs in Brazil, most recently two seasons ago with Sao Paulo Picanha.

Hudson Delabere joins the Freezers on a 1 year deal, and is expected to be used as a substitute. The 28 year old midfielder had a breakout season last year for San Diego FC scoring 10 goals in 38 matches.

Mexican defender Gabrio Rezusta has played all over the world over in his short career. Most recently, he played for Fighting Fish Tacos Football Club in his native Mexico scoring twice in 36 matches last year. The 25 year old defender signed a 4 year deal to play in Whitehorse.

Manager Oros Bala spoke highly about this group of signings. "The players we have added thus far should do well to help us raise the floor next season" said Bala. "We had some excellent play last year, but we want to be more consistent week after week. And with these signings, I think we should be able to have more success through the grind of league play." When asked if there were more signings to come, Bala was characteristically stoic. "We shall see" said Bala. "Stay tuned."

Canada Post Named Shirt Sponsor for Freezers

The kits for this season were displayed for the first time at a press event today, and they revealed the new sponsor for FC Whitehorse: Canada Post. Both the green and black home jersey and the white and blue away jersey had at their centre a black and white version of the logo for the Canadian Crown corporation.

Club President Jaheem Byam applauded their new sponsors and the new kit designs. "We are very pleased to have Canada Post signing on as our sponsor" said Byam. "Having a sponsor that really spoke to the community was very important to us, and I could not be happier with them as partners. The kits really look fantastic too. Adidas approached us with a few options for the coming season, and these designs really spoke to us."

Captain Johan Nix was on hand to wear the new home jersey, and spoke to the media during the event as well. "The offseason is always an interesting time" said Nix. "Events like this actually get me energized for the coming year. Seeing the new kits and the buzz with the fans is a nice reminder that football will be returning soon. I am excited to get back together with the squad and build towards our ambitions for the coming season."

With only 12 players currently on the roster, there will likely be a flurry of signings and moves coming in the near future.

Freezers Make New Additions Including Goalkeeping Coach

As the offseason begins for the FC Whitehorse Freezers, the team made a few moves to address some vacancies. The most notable of these was to bring in former star goalkeeper Pardo as the team's new goalkeeping coach. The Brazilian is expected to work closely with budding Brazilian star Zavala in hopes of helping him grow into an elite netminder.

Over a 22 year professional career, Pardo played for professional clubs all over the world, including 2 multi-year stints in the CSL with now defunct clubs Three Lions and the Kelowna Kickers. The 45 year old has since transitioned to coaching, spending the last three years as the goalkeeping coach for Futebol Clube Alagoas in his native Brazil.

Manager Oros Bala spoke about his new coaching hire in a recent press availability. "Pardo has shown himself to be an excellent coach" said Bala. "He was always hard working and driven as a player, so I am not surprised to see him succeed. We are hoping he can come to Whitehorse and help our keepers thrive."

The Freezers also announced two incoming transfers, as goalkeeper Byford Maoulida and defender Reave Ludsthorp were purchased from the Manitoba Moos and FC Winnipeg Royal Lions respectively. Both players are expected to serve depth roles for their new club.