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CPL In Review: Matchweek 5 – Peaks And Valleys
By The fifth Canadian Premier League matchweek brought eleven goals and two red cards, with the league table now showing a few early frontrunners and a lot of chaos further back of the class. Vancouver FC’s new signings in Aidan O’Connor and Pathe Ndiaye enjoyed a good introduction to league play, as did Englishman Levi Laing in his first start for Cavalry.
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If you didn’t have the time to soak up 360 minutes of action from Canada’s top flight, we’ve got your back with a quick recap of each game (including goal highlights) and where things stand for each club at the bottom of the article. Without further ado, let’s get into it:
York United 1 – 2 Cavalry FC
Matches between York United and Cavalry often become heated, and this Friday night affair was no different: Cavalry’s hunt for their first league win of ’25 saw the visitors go in front just before half-time, with right-back Nicholas Wahling floating in a cross that wound its way to Tobias Warschewski, who’s clinical nature completing the chance. Before the half-time whistle came, however, a YUFC corner kick saw the ball soar to Julian Altobelli, with the striker’s powerful header firing into the net for his fifth goal in just as many games.
The second half saw both sides collect chances as they probed for a winner, but it was Cavalry’s bench depth that made the difference: Caniggia Elva started a move that saw fellow substitute Fraser Aird get possession, with the former Rangers man firing the shot beyond the outstretched armed of Diego Urtiaga to make the score 2-1.
The dying minutes of the game saw York United in a frenetic search for an equalizer, with a long shot from Adonijah Reid striking the post just before the final whistle. It was the reigning champions who finished with the spoils at the final whistle, however.
Atletico Ottawa 3 – 1 Pacific FC
The nation’s capital isn’t just busy from election season: it’s where Atletico Ottawa’s fourth win of the season kept the club top of the table. They showed plenty of character to come from behind following a horrid first half that saw Ronan Kratt dispossess Tyr Walker, putting the hosts behind after uninspiring efforts up top in their own final third.
Credit to Diego Mejia’s half-time talk, however, because Ottleti stormed out of the gate like a squad anew in the final 45: Kevin Dos Santos produced an auspicious volley just minutes into the second half, with the ball soaring over Anchor and just under the crossbar to level things up. This year, it seems, Atletico Ottawa is getting a look at the vintage KDS that YUFC valued aplenty.
The hosts took the lead less than ten minutes later, with Gabriel Antinoro finishing off dangerous cross that skipped beyond several defenders. The icing on the cake came just a few minutes later, with David Rodriguez producing perhaps the best solo dribbing goal the league has seen since Kadell Thomas in 2019.
Halifax Wanderers 0 – 0 Forge FC
It’s a bit of Murphy’s Law: the only league match not to have been a wild affair was a scoreless draw on TSN. Outside of Atletico Ottawa, Halifax and Forge are the only other clubs not to have collected a loss – and both proved keen to keep it that way.
There were a handful of changes from either side that required some doing from opposition goalkeepers, but in the end both sides would share a point apiece in a match that will not be one for the memories in terms of excitement, barring a few odd chances here and there.
Valour FC 1 – 3 Vancouver FC
Oh dear: the team from Winnipeg is becoming synonymous with the bottom of the table, and this woeful home performance will do little to prompt faith that this path can be redirected. To be fair, Vancouver FC’s first two goals would be tough for any side to deal with: the first came from a vicious Vasco Fry volley in the box, and the second came from a picture-perfect run at defense from Alejandro Diaz, who looped the ball over the head of Viscosi with ruthless efficiency.
The rest was an unraveling: Kris Twardek was already on a yellow when he lunged it late to a challenge, putting his side a man down as the move earned him a second yellow. Despite grabbing one back from a low-XG shot from Xavier Venancio, Valour would go down another man after Joventae Layne doubled up on his yellow card count, too.
The last ten minutes with just nine men on the pitch proved painful for Valour, with new VFC signing Pathe Ndiaye hitting a finely struck shot that ruffled the back of the net, making it a comfortable night in Winnipeg for the visitors, with Valour still the only club in the league yet to taste victory.
It’s no surprise that the three undefeated clubs are starting to break from the pack, but everything else is chaos: Vancouver and Cavalry are both jumping up, York United and Pacific are floundering, and Valour is rooted to the bottom as they sort out how to score. The majority of the teams have negative goal differences.
Next weekend will see Forge and Vancouver FC get a bye, so Saturday will contain all the action through a triple-header. The afternoon will start with a top-versus-bottom clash between Atletico Ottawa and Valour, after which the Halifax Wanderers will host a resurgent Cavalry in an intriguing affair. Pacific FC will host York United to cap things off in the evening, with both sides entering with a chip on their shoulder following recent results.
