Hugo Ernesto Herrera (born March 1, 1979, in Buenos Aires, Argentina) is an Argentine former association football forward who had stints in South America, and most notably in the Canadian Soccer League with the Brampton Stallions and Toronto Croatia. During his tenure within the CSL he won three CSL Championships and two Croatian World Club Championship.

Hugo Ernesto Herrera
Personal information
Full name Hugo Ernesto Herrera
Date of birth (1979-03-01) 1 March 1979 (age 45)
Place of birth Buenos Aires, Argentina
Position(s) Forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000–2003 Defensa y Justicia 10 (2)
2003 Provincial Osorno
2003–2006 Brampton Hitmen/Stallions 35 (27)
2007–2012 Toronto Croatia 130 (28)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 26 August 2015

Playing career

edit

Herrera began his career in his native Argentina with Defensa y Justicia in the Primera B Nacional in 2000, where he would appear in a total of 10 matches and two goals recorded. In 2003, he went abroad to Chile to play with Provincial Osorno of the Primera B de Chile. In 2003, he signed a contract with Canadian side Brampton Hitmen of the Canadian Professional Soccer League. He made his debut match for the franchise on July 20, 2003, against Toronto Croatia, where he contributed with a goal which resulted in a 5–0 victory for Brampton.[1] He had a great debut season in the CPSL recording six goals in eight matches, and clinching a postseason berth for club by finishing second in the Western Conference.

In the postseason he featured in the quarterfinal match against Toronto Croatia, which resulted in a victory for Toronto, but was later overruled due to Toronto Croatia fielding an illegal player.[2][3] In the following playoff match he scored the lone goal for Brampton in a 1–1 draw with London City, the game went to penalties and Herrera successfully converted his penalty kick, and the Hitmen advanced to the finals in a 5–3 victory in penalties.[4] In the finals Brampton faced Vaughan Sun Devils, and the match concluded in a 1–0 victory for the club, marking the organizations first CPSL Championship.[5] After a four-year tenure with the Brampton franchise, Herrera signed with league giants Toronto Croatia for the 2007 season. He would record his first goal for Toronto on June 1, 2007, in a match against London City in a 1–1 draw.[6] That same season Toronto Croatia entered the Croatian World Club Championship, where Herrera contributed a goal in a 9–1 victory over Croatia Essen.[7] Croatia would end up winning the tournament in a 3–1 victory over Canberra FC.[8]

For the remainder of the season he helped Toronto achieve a 21-game undefeated streak, and reached the postseason by finishing second in the International Division. In the playoffs Toronto reached the finals where they faced arch rivals the Serbian White Eagles FC in a two-game final, where Croatia would end up claiming the CSL Championship in a 4–1 victory in goals on aggregate.[9] His next best season with Toronto was in 2011, where once more the team repeated their success on the international level claiming their second Croatian World Club Championship and dominated at the domestic level by defeating Capital City F.C. in the finals of the CSL Championship match by a score of 1–0.[10][11]

Honors

edit

Brampton Hitmen

Toronto Croatia

References

edit
  1. ^ Glover, Robin. "July 20, 2003 CPSL Brampton Hitmen vs Toronto Croatia". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  2. ^ Glover, Robin. "September 30, 2003 CPSL Playoffs Brampton Hitmen vs Toronto Croatia". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  3. ^ "October 1, 2003 CPSL Toronto Croatia vs Brampton (League decision)". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  4. ^ "October 3, 2003 CPSL Rogers Cup Wild Card game London vs Brampton from CPSL website". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  5. ^ Glover, Robin. "October 5th, 2003 CPSL Rogers Cup Playoffs Final Vaughan Sun Devils vs Brampton Hitmen". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  6. ^ "June 1, 2007 CSL details of Friday's games (from CSL media release)". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  7. ^ Ng Yuen, Tanya. "June 28, 2007 CSL Toronto Croatia European tour part 2 (from CSL media release)". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  8. ^ "July 3, 2007 CSL Toronto Croatia win world title (from CSL media release)". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  9. ^ Abel, Dave. "October 28, 2007 CSL Toronto Croatia vs Serbian White Eagles summary of both Championship Cup Final games (from Canada Press)". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  10. ^ Glover, Robin. "October 29, 2011 CSL--Toronto Croatia vs Capital City FC Final game (by Rocket Robin)". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved 27 August 2015.
  11. ^ "October 29, 2011 CSL--Toronto Croatia vs Capital City FC CSL Final (from CSL website)". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved 27 August 2015.
edit