Toronto FC to face HFX Wanderers in 2022 Canadian Championship quarter-finals

HFX Wanderers cruised into the 2022 Canadian Championship quarter-finals following a comfortable 2-0 victory over League 1 Ontario side, Guelph United.

Goals on either side of halftime ensured there was to be no ‘cupset’ on the night, with HFX now set to face Toronto FC in the last eight of the competition.

The Reds have yet to play at a CPL ground since the league’s inaugural campaign in 2019. Now, Bob Bradley’s men will get to experience a CPL atmosphere for the first time at the end of May.

As per Canada Soccer’s official website, the game will take place on Tuesday, May 24th.

Toronto FC received a bye to the quarter-finals after they reached the 2021 Canadian Championship final, where they suffered a 1-0 defeat at the hands of CF Montreal.

2022 could see Toronto lift the trophy twice, as the Reds will finally take on Forge FC in the overdue 2020 Canadian Championship final.

During last season’s edition of the tournament, Toronto faced two CPL sides en route to the final, beating York United and Pacific FC 4-0 and 2-1 respectively. Both matches were played at BMO Field, with current TFC starlets Lukas MacNaughton and Kadin Chung both featuring for Pacific in the semi-final clash.

HFX has played one MLS club in their history, losing 3-1 to Montreal in the quarter-finals of last year’s Canadian Championship.

One Toronto FC star who will be ecstatic with this matchup is Nova Scotia native, Jacob Shaffelburg. Born in Kentville, the quarter-final will be a happy homecoming for the 22-year-old, who has gone on to establish himself as a staple in the TFC first team.

A bit over a week after Toronto’s visit to Halifax, the Reds will head to Tim Hortons Field to play Forge in the 2020 Canadian Championship final.

With two visits to CPL grounds in the space of two weeks for Toronto FC, this is truly an exciting time for Canada’s primary national soccer league and Canadian soccer as a whole.