Canadians in Europe: David leads Union SG to title triumph

A Promise David brace helped Union SG claim its first Belgian title in nearly 100 years. Plus, it was Scottish Cup heartbreak for Alistair Johnston and Tajon Buchanan likely said goodbye to Villarreal. Here's a look at Canadians in Europe this weekend.

Promise David, Union SG

The decades-long wait for Union Saint-Gilloise is over. Brampton, Ont.'s Promise David and Les Unionistes claimed their first Belgian Pro League title since 1935 on Sunday and did so in style. The team completed an undefeated playoff round, winning nine of their 10 matches, to finish three points clear of Club Brugge. Union had entered the round trailing Genk by seven points. Heading into Sunday's final match at home to Gent, the team was one point clear of Brugge and knew that only a win would guarantee the title. The hosts got off on the right foot with Franjo Ivanovic putting the team ahead in only the 11th minute. It was the 21-year-old Croatia forward's 16th goal of the season. But the nerves in the stadium would tighten just before halftime when Andri Gudjohnsen, the son of Chelsea legend Eidur Gudjohnsen, equalized for Gent. Unaware of what was happening in Club Brugge's match with Antwerp, the hosts pressed to regain the lead in the second half. As he had done so many times this season, manager Sebastian Pocognoli turned to David. The Canada forward was summoned from the bench and came in for Mohammed Fuseini in the 58th. Ten minutes later, Union was back in front. Taking advantage of some very sloppy defending from the Gent backline, Anouar Ait El Hadj forced a turnover and quickly fed David in the area. Collecting the ball with his left foot, David sent in a low effort with his right inside the far post and past a diving Tom Vandenberghe to make it 2-1 in the 68th. David was not done, though. In the 75th, Charles Vanhoutte sent a fine cross to the far post where David met it with a powerful header to complete his brace and wrap up the title for Union. The second goal was David's 19th league marker of the season, beating Jonathan David's Belgian record of 18 goals by a Canadian for Gent in 2019-2020. The ever-loquacious David was in fine form after the match. Told that he made the club champions, David disagreed. "We made ourselves champions," David told DAZN Belgium. "I don't play 90 minutes and I don't play every position. Somebody's gotta pass the ball to me before I put it in, so I think today I was just the cherry on top and everybody was ice cream."

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Alistair Johnston, Celtic

Vancouver's Alistair Johnston and Celtic's season can hardly be called a disappointment with a Scottish League Cup triumph and a fourth-straight Scottish Premiership title, their 14th in 15 seasons and 52nd overall, but it ended on a sour note on Saturday in the Scottish Cup Final. Taking on an Aberdeen side looking for its first Scottish Cup in 35 years, the Bhoys were left to rue missed chances and a squandered opportunity for a world-record ninth domestic treble. It was a second meeting in two weeks between the two teams with Celtic having thrashed 10-man Aberdeen, 5-1, in league play on May 14. Chances came at a premium to open the first half hour of the match at Parkhead with Celtic opening the scoring from a corner in the 39th. Arne Engels swung his effort to the far post where he hoped to meet the head of United States defender Cameron Carter-Vickers, but the ball ended up in the back of the net after hitting the shoulder of Aberdeen defender Alfie Dorrington. Knowing that they were lucky to be ahead, Celtic's goal celebrations were reserved. The match would stay on the 1-0 scoreline until the final 10 minutes of the match. Substitute Shayden Morris, who had come on for Dorrington in the 80th, hammered a low, bouncing drive on goal that somehow managed to sneak under Kasper Schmeichel's arm in the 83rd to tie the game at 1-1 and send the Dons fans into delerium. It was the first time that Schmeichel had been tested all game and he failed it. The goal was officially given as an own-goal for the Premier League-winning goalkeeper. In the stoppage time, the pace was frantic. Daizen Maeda managed to split the Aberdeen backline and come in alone on Dimitar Mitov, but the Bulgaria goalkeeper ran off his line to cut the angle and superbly deny the Japan forward a late winner. Minutes later, Aberdeen had their hearts in their throats again in extra time. In the 108th minute, the ball fell to Ghana defender Jeffrey Schlupp, on loan from Crystal Palace, who hammered the ball from distance right off of the cross bar. The extra half-hour solved nothing and the match went to penalties. Celtic captain Callum McGregor led things off. His attempted low drive inside the post was parried away by the diving Mitov. The Scotland midfielder was absolutely disconsolate after his miss, later calling it "the worst moment I've ever had in football." Aberdeen would go on to make their first four penalties, leaving Johnston to try to keep Celtic's hopes alive as the fifth penalty taker. The Canada right-back's effort was almost a carbon copy of McGregor's and it, too, was stopped by Mitov to deny Celtic's treble and hand Aberdeen a famous victory.

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Tajon Buchanan, Villarreal

It was a celebratory atmosphere at El Madrigal as Villarreal returned home for the final match of the season. A week earlier, Tajon Buchanan's 80th-minute goal against Barcelona at Camp Nou clinched a 3-2 win and a return to the Champions League for the Yellow Submarine. While Villarreal will be back in Europe's premier club competition next season, whether or not the Brampton, Ont. winger will be with them remains to be seen. The 26-year-old Buchanan arrived at Villarreal in January on loan from Inter where he was finding it difficult to break into the team. The loan expires with the end of the season, but there was a permanent buy option tacked onto the deal. Indications in Spain are that Villarreal isn't keen on activating the clause. Still, no formal decision has been made one way or the other. In what might have been his farewell match in front of Villarreal fans, Buchanan was handed his fourth start of the season. The home side got the scoring underway quickly. A deep, speculative cross from Alex Baena was knocked down by Kiké Salas, but it fell right into the path of Yeremi Pino who struck with a fine finish to beat Alvaro Fernandez and make it 1-0 in the fourth. It was 2-0 only four minutes later with Buchanan making an impact. Dancing down the right, Buchanan set a precise ball to the edge of the area for Pape Gueye to strike with its right foot to make it 2-0 in the eighth minute. It was Buchanan's second assist in 13 league appearances. Valencia would pull one back through Djibril Sow in the 29th before the hosts restored their two-goal advantage before halftime when Baena, who is expected to join Atletico in the summer transfer window, scored in the 39th. After the break, Gueye bagged a second in the 53rd before Buchanan made his exit in the 75th, replaced by Karl Etta. Should that be Buchanan's final match in a Yellow Submarine shirt, he finishes his tenure with a goal and three assists in 416 La Liga minutes. Ramon Martinez would score a late consolation goal for the visitors, but Villarreal held on for the 4-2 victory.