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CPL Matchweek 19 Recap – Razor’s Edge
By With the race for the fourth and final playoff position sitting precariously between several clubs, matchweek 19 delivered four straight matches won by the slim margin of a single goal.
But since we already used ‘slim margins’ as a title in week four, you get razor’s edge as today’s title. Them’s the breaks.
By the way, this recap is included in our new Friday newsletter – you can sign up for it below to catch up all things CPL before every weekend:
Incredibly, this week brought in Pacific’s first win of the season, and the club’s first taste of a three-pointer in 385 days. Outside of that, the battles were fierce, back and forth, and not without some late drama.
Without further ado, here’s how the latest Canadian Premier League matchweek went down:
FC Supra du Quebec 1 – 0 Forge FC
Having been bested by Forge just over a week ago, FC Supra secured revenge in La Belle Province by way of a Loic Kwemi penalty.
The hammers failed to ask many questions of Joakim Milli, falling behind in the first half after Antoine Batisse was found to have fouled Matisse Chetien in the box. Up stepped Loic Kwemi with a chance to enter double digits on the season and take the lead in the golden boot race, with the striker accomplishing the feat:
FC Supra did a good job of neutralizing a lot of the Forge buildup in the middle of the park, capping their foes opportunities and ultimately defending – incredibly – Milli’s first clean sheet of the season. That puts them within give points of a playoff position, while Forge suffer a rare patch of bad form with three losses in their last five games alone.
Atletico Ottawa 2 – 1 Inter Toronto
The golden boot race is getting contributions aplenty, but Atletico Ottawa striker Nicolas Fleuriau Chateau might be stealing the spotlight for league form alone after bagging his fifth goal in seven games.
Things started off in favour of the visitors, who – despite being without strikers Julian Alotbelli and Tomasz Skublak – struck first blood just five minutes in through Steffen Yeates, who bagged his second of the season through a tight header that went off the post and in:
Head coach Mauro Eustaquio thought his side had a good opportunity to go up two-nil just seven minutes later, challenging for a spot kick but seeing the referee decline to change his mind on the matter.
The half-time team talk must have been a good one for Ottleti, who came out pistols blazing in the second half. An Inter Toronto backline comprised of four centre-backs held firm until the 70th minute before a corner kick proved their underdoing. It came in incredible fashion, with Ballou Tabla showing some absolute acrobatics to flick the ball behind him for his ninth of the season:
The match looked destined for a draw until the reigning CPL champions decided they were having none of that. In the eighth minute of nine in added time, it all came together: Roni Mbomio recieved the ball and sent in a great ball for Nicolas Fleuriau Chateau, who headed home some absolute heartbreak for Inter Toronto:
Cavalry FC 1 – 0 Vancouver FC
Cavalry moved top of the table with a slim win over Vancouver FC, who – like Forge – are in a bit of a stumbling moment that has broken up sustained success. The hosts had a quieter-than-usual first half, though Irving was still tested as the likes of Warschewski and company tried to find first blood at ATCO Field.
That would come around the hour mark through one of Cavalry’s favourite things: a set piece opportunity. This time around it was a freekick floated in by big forward Tobias Warschewski, with Bradley Kamdem Fewo latching on to the end of it to head the ball home:
Martin Nash’s side had a few half-chances at goal, but what concluded was a relatively straightforward match for a now top-of-the-table Cavalry FC side.
Pacific FC 4 – 3 Halifax Wanderers FC
385 days – long days – since Pacific had last tasted victory. That’s one season ago, and one head coach ago – but at long last, the weekend’s coastal clash between Pacific and Halifax brought Trident territory a long-awaited three points.
Incredibly, Terry Dunfield’s first Canadian Premier League win (well, sort of – assist st Jesse Acteson filled in due to yellow card accumulation) came after Pacific fought their way back from behind no less than three times.
The fans at Starlight Stadium were barely in their seats when the Wanderers pulled in front just three minutes in, painting the picture that it was going to be another tough day for those in purple. Alphonse’s ball across the box was nodded back centrally by former Pacific man Adonijah Reid, and as Jason Bahamboula and Diego Konincks jostled for the battle, the Dutch defender inadvertently sent it into his own net.
The Tridents nearly baggled back an equalizer through Taras Gomulka, who rattled the crossbar. The hosts would find their equalizer eventually, though, with Pacific benefiting from some sustained pressure in Halifax’s defensive third. After a few half-chances, Gomulka sent in an absolute laser beyond Sinclair Astridge to level the score.
Half-time came and went with Pacific holding all the momentum, so it was particularly devastating for them when Halifax found the back of the net next. It came from midfield talisman Lorenzo Callegari, who certainly knows how to whip them in – and his long-distance effort left Melvin looking helpless as the Wanderers pulled in front once again:
Pacific showed grit to bounce back quickly, retaining their attacking flow and benefitting from it quickly. Aidan Daniels played the ball into the fast feet of Yann Toualy, with the Quebecois attacker sneaking it beyond Astridge for Kadin Chung to fire home.
The script for a Pacific win refused to come easily, however, and Vanni Sartini’s side found a third goal for just the third time this season. It came through Trinidad and Tobago international Ryan Telfer, who rifled in the shot after Pacific failed to clear from their box following a freekick and several blocked shots.
With just five minutes left to go and the clock counting down to another potential Pacific loss, the Tridents found their third equalizer of the match. A freekick from Lukas Browning struck the crossbar, with Dutch defender Diego Konincks making up for his earlier own-goal with a late equalizer for the hosts:
The Dutchman would become the absolute hero of the night as Pacific found their first win of the season in added time, rising to meet a nicely curled freekick and absolutely thundering it beyond Astridge. As the stands exploded in volume, the Pacific players gathered in frantic jubilation – at long last, a win.
The result sees Halifax remain in sixth place, seven points shy of the final playoff spot. Pacific is still rooted to the bottom, but none of that will matter on the night: a win is a win, and it has been on backorder for more than a year.
Two CPL clubs will find themselves with a midweek match by way of the Canadian Championship semi-finals, with FC Supra du Quebec facing…well, you guessed it, Forge FC…for the third time in four games. Deja vu!
Matchweek 20 takes place on the Labour Day Long weekend. Things open with a Saturday double-header as Atletico Ottawa welcomesa rejuvinated Pacific, and the 905 Derby returns to Hamilton as Forge takes on Inter Toronto. Sunday sees Vancouver FC and FC Supra du Quebec duke things out in a match with big playoff implications, while Monday’s lone match sees the Wanderers host Cavalry in Halifax.
Header Image Photo Credit: Phil Lariviere
