Achinioti-Jönsson, Didić, Zator Nominated for Defender of the Year

Toronto, ON – – The Canadian Premier League announced on Tuesday the nominees for its inaugural Defender of the Year award, honouring the best defender during the 2022 regular season.

Forge FC’s Alexander Achinioti-Jönsson, Pacific FC’s Amer Didić and York United FC’s Dominick Zator were nominated for the award by members of the league office. The winner is voted on by select media members and will be revealed at an in-person ceremony during the league’s 2022 Final Weekend.

This is the first season the CPL will hand out a Defender of the Year award, which was announced in Sept. 2022.

Achinioti-Jönsson, 26, was key to the team conceding the fewest goals (25) of any CPL club during the regular season, his first as a full-time centre back. Achinioti-Jönsson seamlessly transitioned from defensive midfielder to the heart of the backline thanks to his distribution skills, passing accuracy and aerial presence. He celebrated making his 100th appearance for Forge this season and led the league with 1,996 passes. His nine blocks, 29 interceptions, 49 clearances and 31 aerial duels won were the most by any Forge player during the regular season.

Didić, 27, joined the Tridents as a free agent in February, after three seasons in defence for his local team FC Edmonton. Didić immediately became central to the Pacific squad, finishing the season third in minutes played. He led Pacific with 16 blocks and garnered a league-high 65 aerial duels won and 123 clearances, adding to his reputation as one of the most consistent defenders in the CPL. Didić also used his six-foot-four frame to his team’s benefit in the opposition’s penalty box, scoring two goals in 2022, against close competitors Forge FC and Atlético Ottawa.

Zator, 28, continued to be the backbone of York United’s defence in his second season with the Nine Stripes. He was the team’s most called-upon player, logging 2,506 minutes and appearing in every regular-season game for York, making his 100th CPL appearance in September. Zator’s 27 blocks and 94 clearances for York during the regular season both marked team highs, as did his 1,490 passes out of the back. Zator’s presence on the field and his leadership off it helped keep York United’s young squad in the conversation until late in the season.

Voting for all the CPL’s annual awards will this year be based on performances during the regular season, not including Canadian Championship,…