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Photo Credit: Sheldon Mack
CPL Matchweek 21 Recap – We’re In The End Game Now
By For the first time this season, a team has secured a playoff berth. With Cavalry flying high at the top of the table and Pacific now seemingly destined for elimination, we’re entering the end game stage of the 2026 Canadian Premier League season.
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The twenty-first round of the season saw five matches take place, starting with Pacific embarking on a six-goal thriller in Toronto, and ending with the Tridents falling to a slim defeat at home that ultimately led to Cavalry’s postseason clinch.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at the week that was:
Inter Toronto FC 3 – 3 Pacific FC
In what is easily the most chaotic match of the week, Inter Toronto came from behind to level the score three times against a resurgent Pacific FC side, with eight yellow cards being handed out in the final 15 minutes of play.
The first half was relatively tame compared to what the second half would bring, though it did provide the opening goal by way of former Inter Toronto man Ronan Kratt, Ronan Kratt, who unleashed an absolutely blistering shot (intentionally or not) after making contact with a fast-paced ball in from Toualy.
He did rock a solid Heisman pose celebration that was, unfortunately, missed by both OneSoccer’s cameras and the lens of this article’s author, too. Trust us, it was good.
Mauro Eustaquio, who is certainly under pressure following the arrival of assistant coach and former Liga MX champion Jose Guadalupe Cruz, brought life back into his side in the second half. The Nine Stripes (new nickname pending) levelled following a nice cross from Ariel Almagro, with Kembo Kibato finishing with a wonderfully-struck volley:
Yet, just over a minute later, Pacific would find a way to edge back in front after a quick turnaround saw the ball quickly pushed forward to Yann Toualy, who struck it low beyond Antonio Campos. Pumping down the pitch in celebration, Pacific once again had the lead.
…that lead wouldn’t hold for more than two minutes, however, as Inter Toronto immediately struck back with another nice ball in from the left flank. the floating ball was redirected into the unmarked run of Luca Accetolla, who absolutely laced his finish beyond Eleias Himaras, who once called York Lions Stadium home but felt very unwelcome on the night.
With ten minutes left to go, Steffen Yeates brought down Alejandro Diaz in the corner of the box, with the referee calling for a penalty. Mind games were in play as Eustaquio called for an FVS review, delaying the spot kick and building up pressure. When the appeal was rejected, however, the Mexican veteran stepped up and sent Antonio Campos the wrong way to hand the Tridents their third lead of the match:
In true ‘Weeknight Under The Lights’ fashion at York Lions Stadium, however, the late game was filled with jeers, crowd whistles, and late drama. Incredibly, Inter Toronto would level for a third time, with Luke Singh finding the leveller through a corner kick header.
For those who remember, Luke Singh was once loaned to Pacific by Toronto FC before his destination was changed to Atletico Ottawa, but for our money, we’ll still count this as a goal from a former PFC man.
The final whistle would sound with the rollercoaster of a match finishing three apiece, a result that neither side was ultimately happy with – perhaps evidenced from the incredible ten yellow cards handed out overall by referee Michael Venne, eight of which came in the final fifteen minutes.
FC Supra du Quebec 0 – 2 Halifax Wanderers
It was a big road win for Vanni Sartini’s Halifax Wanderers side as they moved themselves up to fifth, leapfrogging an FC Supra side that has been near-identical to their opposition in terms of seasonal stats.
FC Supra would concede first despite the inclusion of newcomer Zachary Brault-Guillard as a starter, but it was another first-time starter that stole the spotlight as 17-year-old Ilan Ahmed teed up the first goal during his first Wanderers start. The teen whipped a pacey ball into the box that absolutely thundered off Bahamboula to open the scoring:
The visitors would extend their lead through the most in-form Wanderers of the season, with Isaiah Johnston – who had started the move in the first goal – now contributing directly. Timing a run well to meet a diagonal ball in, Johnston burst in and fired a right-footed ball low into the corner beyond the reach of Joakim Milli for his ninth of the season:
Supra would come close to reducing the deficit, with another first-time starter in Noah Dos Santos coming the closest to beating Carducci. “The East Coast visitors would lock things down to secure what is only their third away win of the season, however, keeping them in the hunt as they seek to edge upwards and eventually nab the fourth and final playoff spot.
Forge FC 3 – 0 Atletico Ottawa
Read the full match recap here.
The first half of the match saw both sides spurn opportunities, though Forge came closest to the go-ahead goal after youngster Maxime Bourgeois forced an off-the-line clearance from Roni Mbomio. The deadlock would be firmly broken in the second half, however, with Forge captain Kyle Bekker bagging his first of the season with a delightfully placed header that got the better of his former teammate Christopher Kalongo:
The hammers would seal off the match with a late game flurry, with Maxime Bourgeois getting the ball over the line this atr the second time asking: the 24-year-old did well to control a ball in from an awkward height, taking two touches to get the job done after a nice run from Ismael Oketokoun.
The duo would link up in added time to absolutely sink the reigning champions, with Oketokoun going on a blistering run down the right flank and beating his defenders all the way into the box to tee up an easier finish for Bourgeois this time around.
Incredibly, Bourgeois went from never having scored in his rookie season to nearly bagging a hat-trick in one match, with Forge completing a commanding three-nil victory over Atletico Ottawa to keep within touching distance of top-of-the-table Cavalry FC.
Inter Toronto 3 – 1 Vancouver FC
Inter Toronto surged to life in a ‘six pointer’ that keeps the club in range of a potential playoff scoop, sending a trio of goals beyond Callum Irving on a sunny Sunday afternoon matchup.
The hosts got things started with an absolute rocket from Luca Accettola, whoselong range effort dipped perfectly into the top corner to open the scoring in some fashion:
In a second half devoid of ball boys – Thierno Bah had an altercation with one in the first half, so some ITO event staff were asked to replace them in the second half – things went from bad to worse for the visitors as Tomasz Skublak turned his defender after some strong buildup from the Nine Stripes:
With momentum firmly in their favour, Inter Toronto were putting all kinds of pressure on Vancouver FC. Just minutes after Skublak had his first, the defender forced another goal as his ball in deflected off of Paris Gee and beyond Irving to make the score 3-0:
While Martin Nash dipped into his bench to change things up, it was start Thierno Bah who bagged one bag for the visitors. After finding himself unmarked on the right flank, Bah unleashed the jets to cut inside and beat Campos with a direct low shot:
It was a much-needed win for Inter Toronto, particularly with Vancouver FC occupying the fourth and final playoff spot.
Pacific FC 0 – 1 Cavalry FC
For the first time this season, a game played out that had huge ramifications at both ends of the table: with Pacific’s narrow loss, the Tridents are on the cusp of playoff elimination, while Cavalry become first past the post for a postseason berth in 2026.
The visitors nearly took the lead through Tobias Warschewski at the start of the second half, with his low shot beating Sean Melvin before striking the post and going out wide.
While Pacific had some chances of their own, particularly through ‘Chef’ Yann Toualy, it would be Cavalry who got the job done at Starlight Stadium. Warschewski curled in a fantastic ball for big centre-back Daan Klomp to nod in, lifting Cavalry to three points and, more importantly, a guaranteed playoff spot for 2026:
The home loss for Pacific means the Tridents would need to win every single remaining match if they’re to have a chance at making playoffs, making it all but certain the Vancouver Island side will be eliminated in the near future.
With the twenty-first matchweek now done and dusted, the table gets more intriguing as one goes down it. Cavalry and Forge are the clear leaders of the pack, with Cavalry becoming the first to lock in a playoff berth. The third and fourth spots aren’t too far away from eachother, though, and Vancouver FC’s tumbling form will lend hope to the three teams that are seven or eight points behind.
For Pacific…well, Terry Dunfield has made improvements. There’s always next year.
Header Image Photo Credit: Sheldon Mack
1 Comment
Is someone checking Forge’s books? How do they have such a large squad full of players that you would think are on high (for CPL) salaries?
29 players on the roster, vets, players with pedigree all under CPL salaries?
Bertaud, Bekker, Borges, Wright, Babouli, Batisse, Payon, Nimick, Krutzen, Paton. There was still room in the budget for James and Cavallini?