Achinioti-JÖnsson Nominated for Player of the Year

October 20, 2022 – Canadian Premier League (CPL) – Forge FC News Release

Alexander Achinioti-Jönsson of Forge FC
(Forge FC)

The Canadian Premier League (CPL) announced Thursday that Alexander Achinioti-Jönsson has been nominated for this year’s Player of the Year award honouring the best player during the 2022 CPL regular season. Achinioti-Jönsson is one of five nominees alongside Pacific FC’s Manny Aparicio, Atlético Ottawa’s Ollie Basset and Ballou Tabla and Valour FC’s Sean Rea.

Achinioti-Jönsson, 26, was key to Forge conceding the fewest goals (25) of any CPL club during the regular season, while chipping in offensively with one goal on the season. His nine blocks, 29 interceptions, 49 clearances and 31 aerial duels won were the most by any Forge player during the regular season. The Swedish defender played in 27 of 28 regular season matches for Forge without being subbed off, totaling 2,430 minutes played. Achinioti-Jönsson led the league with 1,996 passes, was included in the CPL’s Gatorade Team of the Week five times in 2022 and has been nominated for the 2022 Defender of the Year.

The award will be voted on by select media members, with the winner revealed at an in-person ceremony during the league’s 2022 Finals Weekend.This year, voting for all of the CPL’s annual awards will be based on performances during the regular season, not including Canadian Championship, Concacaf or playoff action.

The winner of the Player of the Year award will receive a unique piece of Inuit soapstone art, carved by artist Pitseolak Qimirpik. The Nikisuittuq statue is a type of inukshuk, a stone landmark built to lead a traveller home. Its top stone points toward the North Star, making it an important landmark in navigation.

The in-person CPL awards ceremony will be held ahead of the league’s playoff championship match, to be played either Saturday, Oct. 29 or Sunday, Oct. 30 depending on the host city. The highest-seeded team remaining in the playoffs will earn the right to host the CPL Final.

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