Final Score: Pacific FC 1-2 Cavalry FC
Goalscorers: Ongaro 72′; Kobza 36′, Aird 44′
Game of the 2023 season: 53
CPL match: 420

Match in a minute or less

Cavalry FC won an explosive clash at Starlight Stadium on Saturday night, beating CPL table-toppers Pacific FC 2-1 to cut the Tridents’ lead in first place to four points.

The visitors got on the board twice in the first half, as young midfielder Eryk Kobza jumped on a deflected pass behind the Pacific backline and finished for his first professional goal. Soon after, Myer Bevan and Fraser Aird combined for a gorgeous goal, with Bevan’s backheel pass finding Aird who scored a delightful shot from just inside the box.

Pacific tried to claw their way back in, and Manny Aparicio missed a penalty kick early in the first half. Easton Ongaro would eventually get one back for them with about 20 minutes to go, but it wasn’t enough as their unbeaten run was halted at nine games.

Three Observations

Sharp, resilient Cavalry see out second straight away win

Until last weekend, Cavalry FC hadn’t won a game away from home all year. Now, they’ve done it twice in a row, in convincing fashion both times against two teams who rarely lose at home in Valour and, now, Pacific.

The story for much of this season in Calgary has been one of gradual progression; they’ve been ironing out kinks in their attack, they’ve improved at seeing off games and holding onto leads, and they’ve done all that with injuries at key positions in defence and midfield.

Pacific entered this game on a nine-game unbeaten run, having lost at home just once all year. Cavalry themselves had been to Starlight Stadium twice already this year and had to settle for a 1-1 draw both times (and a defeat on penalties after one of those, being in the Canadian Championship).

Cavalry, though, were too much for Pacific on this occasion.

“That felt like a playoff game, it felt like a top-of-the-table clash,” Cavalry manager Tommy Wheeldon Jr. said. “First half was some of our nicest movement of the ball, ball circulation, opportunities, and we felt disappointed it was only 2-0. … Pacific, they’ve had a terrific season; we expect them to throw everything at us near the end. We had to suffer a bit, and it’s something we did a little bit last week.

“When you come away from home, you’ve got to show another side to you. If you’re going to take three points away from home, you’ve got to be prepared to suffer. They’re the best attacking side in the league, so I think we showed both sides of our game which I’m delighted with.”

Indeed, this game had the intensity of a playoff match. Pacific and Cavalry have played each other more than any other two sides in the Canadian Premier League, including in the playoffs in 2021 and in three editions of the Canadian Championship, and this fixture has always produced entertaining football. However, the matchups haven’t necessarily had the bite or ferocity of, say, a Cavalry-Forge clash — perhaps until now.

With eight yellow cards handed out (which could’ve been far more, including possibly a few red), there was certainly some hot blood running through this game, with aggressive tackles flying in from both sides.

Cavalry are well-deserved winners of an outstanding battle with the league’s best team so far, and they’ll now feel like the top of the table — four points away as it stands — isn’t out of reach.

Second-half surge not enough for Pacific comeback

Frustration is not a common feeling in the Pacific locker room at Starlight Stadium this season, but it was the prevailing emotion on Saturday night.

Although the Tridents had 17 shots, 2.85 expected goals and a penalty kick, they scored just once and couldn’t keep their unbeaten streak alive. Certainly, it felt like they’d had enough chances to score several more — Thomas Meilleur-Giguère was kicking himself for a pair of misses, including with the final touch of the game, and Adonijah Reid likely would’ve scored if he hadn’t hesitated in the lead-up to Manny Aparicio’s penalty kick.

One thing that may be a rising concern for the league leaders, though, is that their first half performances haven’t exactly been convincing lately. It’s now five games in a row that Pacific haven’t scored a go-ahead goal in the first half — which is perhaps a testament to their second-half performances given they won three of those games, but an issue nonetheless.

Amer Didic pointed that out postmatch:

“It’s been a bit of a situation or a raising topic that’s been over the past couple of games where we’re finding ourselves in situations where we’re down early, or our first half we come out slow,” Didic said. “We come out not how we want to come out, and it takes something for us — today, it’s two goals. We come out second half, it’s a better second half for us but it’s kind of a recurring theme for us these past couple games where it takes something negative toward us. … It’s just a matter of coming out from minute one and playing that way.”

Pacific were much better in the second half, with 12 of their 17 shots and 2.35 of their 2.85 expected goals coming in the latter 45. Mark part of that improvement down to the scoreline, and some of it to an interesting halftime substitution: James Merriman took striker Djenairo Daniels off and replaced him with central midfielder Sean Young.

Pacific started the game in a 4-2-3-1 formation — more of a 4-4-2 off the ball — which was a little unusual for them and may have left some gaps in midfield. Bringing Young in gave Pacific an extra body in the middle and allowed them to revert to their more common 4-3-3. Merriman did reveal that Daniels had picked up a minor injury as well, but the choice to add Young instead of a more like-for-like change proved a good one.

“Overall I didn’t think we had the energy in the first half,” James Merriman said. “We wanted to change and go back to the true 4-3-3 which we’re most comfortable with. I think it allowed us to start to take control of the game.”

Still, it wasn’t enough for Pacific, who were left ruing missed opportunities and now head immediately out on the road for a Tuesday night game in Halifax.

Kobza, Daley shine in dominant Cavalry midfield

Entering this game without the suspended Charlie Trafford, Tommy Wheeldon Jr. was not at all concerned in his team’s ability to cope with the absence in midfield.

Eryk Kobza had started in a double pivot role with Jesse Daley three times already this year, and the two were outstanding together once again on Saturday. They’ve developed a good chemistry already, with an understanding of when one of them needs to sit back while the other presses or steps forward.

The 21-year-old Kobza, who came to Cavalry from the University of Calgary via this past winter’s CPL-U SPORTS Draft, already looks extremely composed in a professional midfield. He won the ball an astounding 15 times, with so many of his passes being intelligent short balls, either to Daley or further up the field to ensure Cavalry retained the possession he’d won.

Daley, likewise, was excellent, seemingly popping up all over the pitch to win the ball or cut off a Pacific attack.

The job in midfield was an ever-changing one in this game as well, and the fact Pacific made two substitutions and tactical adjustments in the middle indicated how difficult a time they were having. In the first half Kobza and Daley were matched up mostly one-for-one with Cédric Toussaint and Manny Aparicio in Pacific’s midfield, which was a matchup they dominated. At halftime, though, Sean Young came in to play as a no. 8 in a 4-3-3 and gave the Tridents a little more control.

Later, Steffen Yeates also came in to replace Toussaint as a slightly more attack-minded midfielder. Again, though, Kobza and Daley were up to the task — with the help of their backline and, for the final 15 minutes, Shamit Shome, who made his return to the pitch for the first time since mid-April.

“Me and Jesse had to adjust,” Kobza said of the midfield battle. “Sean Young came in second half, gave us a different picture to look at, but we stuck together, stayed compact as a unit. Shamit [Shome] came in after a long time away, it’s good to have him back. But this group, everything we do is together. We battle for each other and I think that’s the most important part.”

CanPL.ca Player of the Match

Eryk Kobza, Cavalry FC

A team-high 79 touches and 54 accurate passes meant Kobza was directing traffic through the middle for the Cavs. He won 10 duels and won possession 15 times, also making three tackles. Oh, and he scored his first CPL goal. Not a bad day for the young midfielder.

What’s next?

Pacific have a quick turnaround for a road trip now, as they head across the country to take on Halifax Wanderers on Tuesday, July 11 (7 p.m. AT/3 p.m. PT). Cavalry also play midweek, but their trip will be shorter as they head home to host Atlético Ottawa on Wednesday (6:30 p.m. MT/8:30 p.m. ET).

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