Pacific FC vs. Cavalry FC
September 9, 2021 at 7 pm PT/ 8 pm MT
Starlight Stadium, Langford, British Columbia
Watch Live: OneSoccer.ca // Tickets available here
Pacific FC and Cavalry FC square off in CPL action on Thursday night, the latest installment in a growing rivalry at the top of the table.
The two sides have already met three times in 2021, and there hasn’t been much to separate them. Each team has won once, and they drew the other match, setting up an exciting fourth tilt, with more matches between them still to come.
They first played on July 30, at Starlight Stadium for Pacific’s first home game of the season. The Tridents took that match 2-0, scoring right at the start and end of the match (3rd minute and 86th minute) in their first meeting of 2021. On August 11, this time at ATCO Field in Calgary, the two sides played out a 0-0 draw, but met again at Starlight Stadium just nine days later.
Their third battle of the season, Joe Mason scored twice in a 2-1 Cavalry victory, as the away side continued to pile the pressure on Pacific at the top of the table.
Not including Thursday’s match, they will meet each other at least three more times. First, a Canadian Championship quarterfinal on September 22, followed by CPL matches on October 21 and November 6. It looks almost certain that both will make the playoffs, so a meeting when it matters most is also possible in the playoffs.
This has been a fairly even tie over the first three years in the CPL, but Cavalry have a slight advantage in the all-time series. Their win on August 20 was their fourth over Pacific, while The Tridents have beaten Cavalry three times, and they’ve also drawn twice.
Pacific FC will be without captain Jamar Dixon and attacker Gianni Dos Santos, who both miss out through suspension, while Cavalry will be without star fullback Mo Farsi for the same reason.
The two sides are tied on points atop the table, so if either were to win, it would open up a three point gap at the top of a tight race for first.
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:
- Marco Bustos still “day-t0-day” with injury: Pacific FC’s star attacker Marco Bustos has missed his side’s last four matches with an injury, last playing on August 16th in a 2-0 win over his former side Valour FC. Before he got hurt, Bustos was one of the best players this year in the CPL, and his strong start to the season sees him still sit among the league-leaders in most offensive categories. His five goals still has him in the top five, and his four assists are tied for the league lead. He has missed the club’s last three league matches, as well as their impressive win over the Vancouver Whitecaps, but may be nearing a return. Head coach Pa-Modou Kah again described his status as “day-to-day” in his pre-match press conference on Wednesday, but didn’t rule him out of the match.
- Joe Mason can’t stop scoring: Cavalry striker Joe Mason has been in great form since joining Cavalry FC, already scoring a team-leading six goals in all competitions, despite only playing in nine of their 17 total matches. He scored the winning goal as Cavalry knocked FC Edmonton out of the Canadian Championship in the middle of August, and has scored five goals in his last four appearances (scoring in all of them), including a brace against Pacific FC last time these teams met. He moves brilliantly off the ball, and when his teammates find him in the box, he often puts it in the back of the net, or at least gives the goalkeeper something to think about.
- Versatile Pacific fullbacks stepping up: Pacific have used several different combinations at the two fullback positions this season, and every single one of them has been effective. Kadin Chung is usually on the right — Pa-Modou Kah believes he is the best right-back in the league — while on the left has often been Jordan Haynes. In their 2-1 win over FC Edmonton last time out, Chung was instead played at left-back, while Kunle Dada-Luke was brought in on the right. Both put in standout performances, and the versatility they showed is something that Kah believes is important. “We were keen on having depth, and our fullbacks are doing fantastic — we can play Dada-Luke, we can play Kadin, we can play Jordan Haynes. Kadin is versatile enough to play on both sides, he can come in on his right foot, he’s been great.”
ALL-TIME SERIES
Pacific FC wins: 3 || Cavalry FC wins: 4 || Draws: 2
Previous match:
August 20, 2021 — Pacific FC 1-2 Cavalry FC
KEY QUOTES
“It’s going to be like a chess match, so you’re just thinking of what move you can make after playing the same games. It’s become a chess match, there’s no more secrets when you play one another that much.” — Pacific FC head coach Pa-Modou Kah in his pre-match press conference on Wednesday
“We’ve got to get the ball to him (Joe Mason). Marco (Carducci) has gotten back-to-back Man of the Matches. If we’d scored a second or third, or had one of those penalties, we’re talking about a different game and maybe less stress on them breaking and countering. Those two are playing on cheat codes right now, and it’s fortuitous for us.” — Cavalry FC head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr after his side’s 1-0 win over Valour on Saturday
PREVIEW: Pacific FC vs Cavalry FC — Match #66 – Canadian Premier League - Canadian Premier League
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