Any soccer team in the Premier Development League that boasts a former Canadian national team player with 50 caps, and who played pro in Germany with the likes of Munich 1860, can't be taken lightly.
That would describe the Calgary Foothills with 33-year-old Nik Ledgerwood, who is a bit of an anomaly in an Under-23 summer development league mostly for players dreaming of the next level. But the PDL does allow for eight over-agers.
The Ledgerwood-fuelled Foothills showed why they are the 2016 divisional champions, 2017 runners-up and favoured for this year鈥檚 PDL Northwest Division title by opening the 2018 season with a 2-0 victory over the visiting Victoria Highlanders on Friday night.
The Highlanders held the dangerous Foothills attack at bay in the first half, but it would not last. Calgary got goals from Ali Musse on a penalty kick at 47 minutes and Nico Pasquotti at 91 minutes to begin defence of its divisional title and its hoped-for assault on a PDL championship.
It didn鈥檛 help the Highlanders鈥� comeback hopes to be down to 10 players at 79 minutes.
The Highlanders鈥� home opener is May 20 at Centennial Stadium against Portland Timbers U-23.
Meanwhile, it was announced this week that Calgary will be playing in the new pro Canadian Premier League next season in a new stadium at Spruce Meadows.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a fantastic idea and Calgary certainly has solid financial backing with Spruce Meadows,鈥� said Highlanders head coach Thomas Niendorf.
Rumours also abound about an eventual Victoria franchise in the new pro league, especially with Langford Mayor Stew Young proposing to expand Westhills Stadium to 8,000 seats.
鈥淚 would love to see it. It鈥檚 an unbeatable soccer environment in Victoria and I have the network that could get the players,鈥� said Niendorf, who played a key role in the signing of Calgary-born, English international Owen Hargreaves by famed German club Bayern Munich and Ledgerwood with 1860 Munich.
That, however, is all on the horizon for Victoria soccer. On Sunday, it鈥檚 still the PDL and a tough opening weekend rematch for the Highlanders against the Foothills.
