2023 CPL Regular Season — Match #85
Cavalry FC vs. Pacific FC
August 27, 2023 at 3 p.m. MT/5 p.m. ET
ATCO Field in Calgary, Alberta
Watch Live: OneSoccer.ca & TELUS Ch. 980 // Tickets available here

In addition to its website and app, OneSoccer is now available on TELUS channel 980 and on Fubo TV. Call your local cable provider to ask for OneSoccer today.

It’s a top-of-the-table clash that’ll close out matchweek 20 in the Canadian Premier League, as Cavalry FC welcome Pacific FC to ATCO Field for the first time this season.

The Cavs entered the weekend sitting on top of the league with a 9-6-5 record and 33 points — just one ahead of their foes on Sunday, Pacific. Tommy Wheeldon Jr.’s side reclaimed the top spot last Sunday by defeating York United 2-1, thanks to early goals in each half — first from Ali Musse, and then from William Akio.

Things have been a little up-and-down at times for Cavalry, who have won their previous two home games but lost 3-2 at Valour in between them; still, they’ve put together enough impressive results to lead the pack, and they’ve caught Pacific in goal differential (plus-10) after trailing by as much as 11 at one point in the season. With seven goals in their last three games, Cavalry’s attack seems to be coming alive at just the right time.

Meanwhile, Pacific head into a challenging away date desperate for a result. They were disappointed to lose 3-2 against B.C. rivals Vancouver FC last weekend, in a match where they led with fewer than 20 minutes to play. The week prior to that, the Tridents fell 1-0 at home to Atlético Ottawa as their attack fizzled against a strong defensive side.

Still, James Merriman’s side still finds itself very much in title contention, just one point behind Cavalry and entering the weekend in second place. This is the first time since the first few weeks of the season that Pacific aren’t leading the league in goals, with Cavalry having passed them recently, but nonetheless Pacific have had one of the most potent attacks in the CPL most of the year.

These two sides have met three times already this year — one of them being a Canadian Championship tie that Pacific won on penalties. In two league meetings, they’ve played to a 1-1 draw and a 2-1 win for Cavalry, both games being at Starlight Stadium on Vancouver Island. Last time Pacific went to Calgary was in October last season, when the Cavs won 1-0 thanks to a last-gasp Ben Fisk winner.

We can safely expect a full bill of starpower for this game, with both teams in a very good place at the moment with regard to squad fitness. For Cavalry, Goteh Ntignee is the only one unavailable due to a thigh strain, with the good news that Charlie Trafford and Sergio Camargo are in full training after leaving last weekend’s match early with injury. Pacific, meanwhile, have a clean bill of health according to Merriman.

All CPL matches are available to stream on OneSoccer, FuboTV, or on TELUS Optik TV Channel 980.

3 THINGS TO WATCH

• Cavalry have depth of scoring options with Akio: William Akio has played just five games for Cavalry, but already he seems like perhaps their most exciting attacking threat at the moment. Akio has scored four goals in his last three games since making his first start against Forge FC, and it was he who scored the winner against York, coming off the bench at halftime and scoring almost immediately. Akio’s arrival in Calgary seems to have ignited the attack as a whole though, as the Cavs now find themselves able to throw a variety of different attacking setups at opponents in search of an advantage. “We’ve never really had a given shape, I always feel that you have an idea of your principles in attack, an idea of your principles in defence,” Tommy Wheeldon Jr. said of his side’s recent tactical flexibility. “You put players in certain places to nullify theirs and expose their weaknesses; we’ve been fortunate in that way. Willy Akio has been a terrific addition, there’s nothing better than a homecoming and that’s really what it’s been for him. He’s enjoying his football again, he’s enjoying his life and being around his family again, and he’s enjoying scoring goals in front of our fans.”

• Pacific goalkeeping situation uncertain: With eight games left to play, Pacific don’t seem much closer to knowing which goalkeeper would start a playoff game for them. Emil Gazdov began the year with the starting job, but Kieran Baskett seemed to gain favour in the middle of the season with a run of 10 starts in 12 games. Gazdov, however, has returned to the net the past four matches in a row, indicating he might have the upper hand again — until last weekend, where a few major errors cost Pacific the derby against Vancouver FC. That might suggest Baskett could get another chance this weekend, although James Merriman could also opt to show confidence in Gazdov and allow him an opportunity to make up for the poor result. With both Gazdov and Baskett having an up-and-down year at Pacific, it’s been a tricky balancing act for Merriman to ensure his team is as competitive as possible while not doing damage to either young goalkeeper’s confidence or development. “This is the challenge with potential,” Merriman said of his goalkeeping situation. “This is also the process of development. We made these decisions going into the season to bring in two young goalkeepers, and it’s our job to support them and support them along their development, support them along their successes and when they’re being challenges. We still believe in both goalkeepers, Emil and Kieran. They both have big potential and they’re very, very early in their goalkeeping careers. We see them day-in, day-out, working with out goalkeeper coach, working with our staff; they’re the first ones that want to be there for us and for the team. We’re with them 100 per cent and we’ll continue to believe in them.”

• Possible playoff preview breeds intensity: If the playoffs started today, Cavalry would actually be hosting Pacific in first-versus-second playoff bout, with the winner going directly to the final. There’s quite a good chance these two sides meet in the postseason at some point, whether they finish one and two or elsewhere in the table. With things so close, though, both managers will likely be staring at this match as if it’s a knockout tie, knowing that whoever wins it will likely control their own destiny in the final weeks of the campaign (until they meet again in the last game of the regular season). Pacific haven’t won at ATCO Field since the 2021 CPL semifinal — shortly before they won the championship at Tim Hortons Field — but maybe this playoff-like intensity could kindle a similar away performance from the Tridents. Either way, expect this match to have some drama and physicality, but also perhaps some cagey opening stages if neither team wants to be the first to blink and cough up a goal.

PROJECTED STARTING XIs

Cavalry FC (4-2-3-1): Carducci; Aird, Klomp, Montgomery, Kamdem; Shome, Daley; Musse, Camargo, Akio; Bevan

Pacific FC (4-3-3): Baskett; Dada-Luke, Didić, Meilleur-Giguère, Mukumbilwa; Young, Toussaint, Aparicio; Reid, Daniels, Sellouf

ALL-TIME SERIES

Cavalry wins: 11 || Pacific wins: 8 || Draws: 4

Last meeting:

July 8, 2023 — Pacific 1-2 Cavalry

KEY QUOTES

“This is our house and it’s up to us to protect it. These are the games that matter and these are the games you look forward to. If we were playing for nothing, it wouldn’t be exciting. This is now exciting; we’re getting to the business end of the season and we can’t wait to face them on Sunday.” — Cavalry FC head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr.

“We need to be more focused, more clinical and ruthless in both boxes — defending our goal, protecting our goal and being more ruthless in attack and then taking our chances and finishing. That’s the part of the season that we’re in now, that’s what’s going to make the difference. We’re not changing anything in terms of the way that we’re playing, the way we’re approaching the game. If anything it’s just a little bit more focus and pressure for us to take care of the two boxes.” — Pacific FC head coach James Merriman