Cape Breton men's soccer team downs Montreal to claim 2nd national championship

The Cape Breton men's soccer team secured its second-ever national title on Sunday, dispatching the Montreal Carabins 1-0 in the championship game on home field in Sydney, N.S.

Fans immediately rushed onto the pitch as soon as the final whistle blew at Ness Timmons Field to celebrate the Capers' first Sam Davidson Memorial Trophy since 2017.

A pair of first-year players proved to be the difference for Cape Breton as Jacob Spizzirri scored the game's lone goal just before half and goalkeeper Daniel Clarke clinched the win with a six-save shutout, his second of the eight-team tournament.

WATCH | Spizzirri delivers for Capers:

The Capers entered the 2023 U Sports Men's Soccer Championship with some added motivation this year, having its streak of six straight Atlantic University Sport (AUS) titles snapped by St. Francis Xavier University (StFX) in the AUS final in October, as well as being upset by 2022 U Sports champion Thompson Rivers in the national semifinals last year, spoiling an undefeated season.

The Carabins — which had won two of the past four national titles entering Sunday — sported an identical 12-1-3 record to the Capers going into the final, with its lone loss coming in the RSEQ final to UQTR.

The University of British Columbia exacted its revenge for a 1-0 loss to Mount Royal in the CW championship last Saturday by returning the favour with a 1-0 result in the bronze-medal game earlier on Sunday.

WATCH l Full replay of men's gold-medal match: