TORONTO — The Canadian Premier League player of the year will be one of Forge FC’s Alexander Achinioti-Jonsson, Pacific FC’s Manny Aparicio, Atletico Ottawa’s Ollie Bassett and Ballou Tabla and Valour FC’s Sean Rea.
The five finalists were nominated by members of the league office. The winner, to be decided by a media vote, will be announced during the league’s awards ceremony during the championship game weekend Oct. 29-30.
Brazilian forward Joao Morelli won the award last year after a 14-goal season with HFX Wanderers FC.
Achinioti-Jonsson, also a finalist for defender of the year, led a Forge backline that conceded a league-low 25 goals during the regular season.
The 26-year-old Swede, who moved to centre back from his normal defensive midfielder role to fill an injury void, led the league with 1,996 passes. His nine blocks, 29 interceptions, 49 clearances and 31 aerial duels won led Forge.
Aparicio was the driving force in the Pacific midfield. The 27-year-old, who has won one cap for Canada, was named to the league’s team of the week six times and Pacific struggled to a 2-5-4 record when he wasn’t in the lineup.
Bassett helped Ottawa go from worst to first this year after leaving Pacific in the off-season. The 24-year-old attacking midfielder from Northern Ireland led Ottawa with eight goals and was named to the CPL team of the week a league-high 11 times.
Tabla, 23, scored six goals in his first season with Ottawa. His last was likely his best, an overhead-kick shot from outside the penalty box against Cavalry FC.
Tabla who was chosen to the league’s team of the week six times, is a product of the then-Montreal Impact academy who spent time with Barcelona B in Spain. The 23-year-old winger, who has won two caps for Canada, joined Ottawa in February.
Rea finished the regular season with five goals and a league-leading nine assists for Valour. The 20-year-old forward from Montreal, on loan from CF Montreal, was selected to the team of the week six times.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 20, 2022
