1994 Canadian National Soccer League
Commissioner: Rocco LoFranco
Review of the season
On May 12, 1994 the Canadian National Soccer League announced that eight teams would take part in the 1994 CNSL season. The league called it its 72nd season
The CNSL had two new teams in Montreal, Montreal Croatia and Montreal Ramblers.
The league kicked off the season on May 28 at the Centre Claude-Robillard in Montreal in front of 100 or so fans. The Montreal Ramblers tied Toronto Croatia 2-2. Mustapha Sahrane and Benedict Yula scored for the Ramblers, while Mike Mazza scored two goals for the Toronto team.
After the season the league dropped the two Montreal franchises to reduce travelling costs. The Montreal Ramblers joined the U.S.I.S.L. for the 1995 season. However the Canadian Soccer Association did not accept this move and the Ramblers were forced to relocate the club to New Hampshire in the United States.
CNSL comissioner Rocco LoFranco, also owner of the Toronto Italia franchise, fell out with main rivals Toronto Croatia. Croatia departed to the newly-created CISL, a league sponsored by Puma, that consisted of ethnic teams playing at Lamport Stadium.
1994 CNSL Results & Match Reports
| Date | Home | Away |
| 15/05 | Toronto Croatia (H) | Montreal Croatia (A) |
| 21/05 | Montreal Croatia (H) | Toronto Croatia (H) |
| 22/05 | Toronto Croatia (H) 2 | Montreal Ramblers (A) 2 |
| 25/05 | St. Catharines Roma (H) 1 | Toronto Jets (A) 1 |
| 27/05 | London City (H) 0 | Scarborough Astros (A) 1 |
| 01/06 | Montreal Croatia (H) 3 | Montreal Ramblers (A) 1 |
| 01/06 | Toronto Croatia (H) 2 | Toronto Jets (A) 0 |
| 01/06 | St. Catharines Roma (H) 0 | Scarborough Astros (A) 0 |
| 04/06 | Montreal Croatia (H) 3 | Scarborough Astros (A) 3 |
| 05/06 | Montreal Ramblers 0 | St. Catharines Roma 5 |
| 06/06 | Toronto Jets | Toronto Italia |
| 12/06 | St. Catharines Roma 1 | Montreal Ramblers 0 |
| 13/06 | Toronto Jets (H) 1 | Scarborough Astros (A) 1 |
| 19/06 | Montreal Croatia (H) 5 | Toronto Jets (A) 4 |
| 19/06 | Scarborough Astros 1 | Toronto Italia 1 |
| 21/06 | Toronto Croatia 2 | London City 1 |
| 24/06 | London City (H) 3 | Montreal Ramblers (A) 2 |
| 26/06 | Scarborough Astros (H) | Montreal Croatia (A) |
| 27/06 | St. Catharines Roma (H) 2 | Toronto Jets (A) 1 |
| 29/06 | St. Catharines Roma (H) 0 | Toronto Italia (A) 1 |
| 01/07 | London City (H) 1 | Montreal Croatia (A) 3 |
| 03/07 | Montreal Ramblers (H) | Scarborough Astros (A) |
| 04/07 | Toronto Italia 1 | Toronto Croatia 1 |
| 09/07 | Toronto Croatia 3 | Montreal Croatia 2 |
| 09/07 | Montreal Ramblers (H) 0 | Toronto Italia (A) 1 |
| 10/07 | Scarborough Astros 0 | Toronto Jets 1 |
| 10/07 | St. Catharines Roma 4 | Montreal Croatia 1 |
| 13/07 | Toronto Croatia | St. Catharines Roma |
| 18/07 | Toronto Italia 2 | Toronto Jets 0 |
| 20/07 | Toronto Croatia 0 | Scarborough Astros 0 |
| 22/07 | London City | Toronto Italia |
| 24/07 | Montreal Ramlers (H) 0 | Toronto Jets (A) 1 |
| 24/07 | Scarborough Astros 0 | Montreal Croatia 2 |
| 25/07 | Toronto Italia 2 | St Catharines Roma 1 |
| 27/07 | Toronto Croatia (H) | St. Catharines Roma (H) |
| 29/07 | London City | Toronto Jets |
| 31/07 | Montreal Croatia (H) 2 | Toronto Croatia (A) 0 |
| 31/07 | Scarborough Astros 1 | Montreal Ramblers 1 |
| 06/08 | Toronto Italia | Montreal Ramblers |
| 07/08 | Montreal Croatia (H) 4 | London City (A) 2 |
| 07/08 | Scarborough Astros | St. Catharines Roma |
| 09/08 | Toronto Croatia | Toronto Italia |
| 13/08 | Montreal Ramblers (H) 1 | Toronto Croatia (A) 0 |
| 13/08 | Scarborough Astros 2 | London City 2 |
| 13/08 | Toronto Italia 0 | Montreal Croatia 0 |
| 14/08 | Toronto Jets (H) 1 | Montreal Croatia (A) 0 |
| 15/08 | Toronto Italia (H) 0 | Scarborough Astros (A) 1 |
| 17/08 | St Catharines Roma (H) | London City (A) |
| 21/08 | Toronto Jets | Montreal Ramblers |
| 21/08 | Montreal Croatia | St. Catharines Roma |
| 21/08 | Scarborough Astros | Toronto Croatia |
| 22/08 | Toronto Italia 2 | London City 1 |
| 24/08 | Scarborough Astros | St. Catharines Roma |
| 26/08 | London City 1 | St. Catharines Roma 0 |
| 29/08 | Toronto Jets 2 | Toronto Croatia 0 |
| 31/08 | Montreal Ramblers 3 | Montreal Croatia 0 |
| 01/09 | Toronto Italia (H) | Toronto Croatia (A) |
| 08/09 | Toronto Jets 1 | London City 1 |
Standings as of September 9, 1994
| GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | Pts | |
| Toronto Italia | 14 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 22 | 12 | 20 |
| Montreal Croatia | 14 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 30 | 24 | 16 |
| St. Catharines Roma | 14 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 19 | 11 | 16 |
| Toronto Croatia | 14 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 13 | 16 | 13 |
| Scarborough Astros | 14 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 11 | 15 | 12 |
| London City | 13 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 18 | 19 | 12 |
| Toronto Jets | 13 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 11 | 21 | 11 |
| Montreal Ramblers | 14 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 17 | 23 | 10 |
On September 10 Toronto Croatia was disqualified by the league and their results removed from the final league standings.
Final standings (as of September 10, 1994)
| GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | Pts | |
| Toronto Italia | 12 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 20 | 9 | 18 |
| St. Catharines Roma | 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 17 | 10 | 14 |
| Montreal Croatia | 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 26 | 21 | 14 |
| London City | 12 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 17 | 18 | 11 |
| Scarborough Astros | 12 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 15 | 10 |
| Toronto Jets | 12 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 10 | 20 | 10 |
| Montreal Ramblers | 12 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 14 | 21 | 7 |
Leading goalscorer:
1. Ryan Gamble (Toronto Italia)
Goalkeeper of the Year:
Paulo Silva
Coach of the Year:
Peter Pinozzotto (Toronto Italia)
Rookie of the Year:
Ryan Gamble (Toronto Italia)
Canadian National Soccer League Play-offs
Quarter-finals
September 11, 1994
Montreal Croatia 3
Toronto Jets 5
September 17, 1994 Herbert Parc, Montreal
Toronto Jets 5
Montreal Croatia 6
Toronto Jets won series 11-8
September 11, 1994
London City 1
Scarborough Astros 1
September 16, 1994
Scarborough Astros 0
London City 1
London City won series 2-1
Semi-finals
September 30, 1994 Etobicoke Centennial Stadium
Toronto Jets 0
Toronto Italia 1
October 9, 1994 Esther Shriner Stadium, London
Toronto Italia 0
Toronto Jets 0
Toronto Italia won series
September 30, 1994 Cove Road Field, London
St. Catharines Roma 1
London City 0
October 2, 1994
St. Catharines Roma 3
London City 1
St. Catharines Roma won series
Canadian National Soccer League Finals
October 12, 1994 St. Catharines
St. Catharines Roma 0
Toronto Italia 1
October 15, 1994 Centennial Park, Toronto
Toronto Italia 3
St. Catharines Roma 1
Toronto Italia won CNSL Playoff finals
Canadian National Soccer League Cup
Final cup standings (September 10, 1994)
| Group A | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | Pts |
| St. Catharines Roma | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 8 |
| Montreal Ramblers | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 7 |
| Toronto Jets | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 1 |
Toronto Croatia disqualified
St. Catharines Roma qualified for CNSL League Cup finals
| Group B | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | Pts |
| Toronto Italia | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 10 |
| Montreal Croatia | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 7 |
| London City | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 4 |
| Scarborough Astros | 6 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 1 |
Toronto Italia qualified for CNSL League Cup finals
Canadian National Soccer League Cup Finals
September 14, 1994 Etobicoke Centennial Stadium
Toronto Italia 1
St. Catharines 0
September 21, 1994
St. Catharines Roma 3
Toronto Italia 0
St. Catharines Roma won the CNSL Cup with a 3-1 total goals score.
Sources:
newspapers.com
Toronto Star archives
CNSL programs
http://www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com/
National Soccer League 