2021 CPL regular season — Match #40
York United vs HFX Wanderers
August 7, 2021 at 3 pm AT/ 2 pm ET
Wanderers Grounds, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Watch Live: OneSoccer.ca // Tickets available here
York United make their first trip to the east coast of the season on Saturday afternoon, as they head to Halifax to take on HFX Wanderers.
The Nine Stripes are coming off a win midweek against back-to-back champions Forge FC, spoiling the first game in Hamilton since the 2019 CPL Finals for the hometown fans. Dominick Zator had a huge game at centre-back for York, denying multiple chances for Forge to score, and Nathan Ingham stopped a penalty against Tristan Borges. A brilliant strike from Alvaro Rivero won the match for York, but the Spaniard won’t be available for Saturday’s match as he was handed a second yellow card in the second half, and with it a one-match ban.
HFX Wanderers, meanwhile, last took the pitch on Monday. Celebrating their Wanderers Grounds homecoming, and Natal Day in the province, a brace from Joao Morelli lifted his side past Atlético Ottawa. Former York attacker Ryan Telfer scored his first for Ottawa, before Morelli replied instantly, and followed it with the winning goal about 12 minutes later. They’d take a 2-1 lead into halftime, and hold on in the second half, with that being the eventual final score as well.
The Wanderers are on a two-game winning streak, having beaten Valour FC in their final match in the Winnipeg bubble as well.
With a win, 7th-placed HFX Wanderers (11 points) could jump ahead of 5th-placed York United (12 points) in the standings, while York could go even on points — at least temporarily — with Forge FC with a win. Forge play on Sunday against Atlético Ottawa.
These sides haven’t met yet in 2021, last squaring off at the Island Games, where a 91st-minute equalizer from Omar Kreim cancelled out Manny Aparicio’s first-half strike.
The most memorable match between these sides, however, is the eight-goal thriller that took place at York Lions Stadium in July 2019. Tied for the CPL record for most goals in a match, Rodrigo Gattas scored the first hat trick in league history in that contest, with Ryan Telfer adding a pair for The Nine Stripes. Tomasz Skublak and a Roger Thompson own goal saw HFX bring it back to 5-2, but in the 85th minute Emilio Estevez added a sixth for the home team. It was an exciting match, only bested by Cavalry’s 8-0 demolishing of Valour FC a few months later.
While Saturday’s game is unlikely to produce eight goals — the two sides have combined for 14 through a combined 19 matches thus far — it should be an exciting one as both sides look to add to the win column and start challenging for the top four.
Make your match picks prior to kickoff at canpl.ca/predictor for a chance to win prizes, including the grand prize of a trip to the 2021 CPL Final!
3 THINGS TO WATCH:
- York get Abzi back from suspension, lose Rivero: The Nine Stripes were without star left back/ left winger Diyaeddine Abzi for their midweek game against Forge FC, causing head coach Jimmy Brennan to play Max Ferrari out of position at left back. Ferrari looked comfortable enough there, but he is not a natural left back. Abzi will be a welcome addition to the side, especially with the other left back Terique Mohammed also set to miss out through injury. York’s other left-sided player against Forge, attacker Alvaro Rivero, will be unavailable after picking up two yellow cards and being sent to the dressing room early. Brennan may opt to slot Abzi in at left back and just push Ferrari up into Rivero’s left wing role, or bring in one of the club’s other attacking options, but it would make sense to put Abzi at left back given his prowess at the position.
- HFX still dealing with absences, but Schaale could return: Last week Stephen Hart admitted that at times during The Kickoff the club were naming players on the bench just to make up the numbers, even if there was no chance they could take the field. While the injury status of some players isn’t that bad still, they still have several players sidelined with injuries. Jems Geffrard was with Haiti at the Gold Cup, and Hart said it’s still too early to expect him to play, although HFX could be set to welcome back another centre-back sooner rather than later. Peter Schaale has missed most of the season thus far after being injured in the second match of the season, but has been training fully and “looks ready to go” according to the Wanderers boss.
- Wanderers fans can be the difference: HFX Wanderers fans were welcomed back to Wanderers Grounds last week to see their club beat Atlético Ottawa 2-1. The fans were in full voice, pushing their team forward and reminding CPL fans why they were so good at home in 2019. York head coach Jimmy Brennan expects the fans to play a factor on Saturday and push the home team forward. “They’re at home, they have a great fanbase here. There’s going to be energy and we expect [HFX] to come at us,” Brennan said.
ALL-TIME SERIES
HFX Wanderers wins: 2 || York United wins: 1 || Draws: 3
Previous match:
August 29, 2020 – HFX Wanderers 1-1 York United
KEY QUOTES
“I think York are a very good team. They move the ball forward quickly, they press relentlessly, and they’re coming off a big result. We have to be in full concentration and at our best, especially when we have the ball.” – HFX Wanderers head coach Stephen Hart
“They had a good result the other day against Ottawa, so they’ll look to take that momentum into our game. We’ve just got to make sure we’re ready.” – York United head coach Jimmy Brennan
PREVIEW: HFX Wanderers vs York United — Match #40 – Canadian Premier League - Canadian Premier League
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