| Final Score: Cavalry FC 3-1 Halifax Wanderers FC Goalscorers: Kobza 33', Musse 46', Camargo 53'; Pearlman 57' Game of the 2025 season: 90 CPL Match: 685 |
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Match in a minute or less
Cavalry FC came out on top in a crucial match between the third and fourth-place teams in the Canadian Premier League table on Saturday afternoon, moving four points clear of the Halifax Wanderers with a 3-1 victory.
The first half was evenly contested for the most part, with the two sides taking five shots each, but Cavalry's Eryk Kobza headed home the lone attempt on target in the 33rd minute to give his side the advantage going into the break. Within eight minutes of play resuming, Cavalry found themselves up 3-0, with Ali Musse and Sergio Camargo on the end of tap-ins thanks to great passes from Goteh Ntignee and Tobias Warschewski, respectively.
Adam Pearlman, who battled with Ntignee all afternoon before being forced out of the match with what appeared to be a leg injury, pulled one back for the Wanderers in the 57th minute, but the visitors were not able to add any more in a losing effort.
Three Observations
Musse magic continues, with red-hot Cavs attacker adding another goal and assist
Ali Musse has been in scorching hot form for Cavalry FC lately, and that continued on Saturday. Short on rest after playing with the Somalia national team and travelling throughout the week, Musse almost didn't start according to head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr after the match, but the Cavs boss opted to give his star winger the nod, knowing how much of a difference-maker he can be -- and has been lately.
In his last four CPL matches, Musse has seven goal contributions. He had two assists against Vancouver on August 17, two goals against Atletico Ottawa on August 22, a goal against Forge on August 30, and one of each against Halifax on Saturday. Cavalry won three of those four matches, with a 2-2 draw against Ottawa the exception, before losing last weekend while Musse was away.
On the opening goal, Musse received the ball on the left side of the penalty area from Goteh Ntignee and floated a cross to the far post. Wanderers goalkeeper Rayane Yesli was not able to stretch enough to get a hand on the well-weighted ball, allowing Eryk Kobza to head it home from close range to make it 1-0.
He swapped roles from provider to goalscorer on the second goal, sprinting up the pitch and volleying home the cutback pass from Ntignee from six yards out for what ended up being the game-winning goal. Musse's goal came just 40 seconds into the half as part of an eight-minute spell from the Cavs that also resulted in a goal from Sergio Camargo to make it 3-0.
He created three chances in totla for his teammates, tied with Wanderers duo Andre Rampersad and Sean Rea for most by a single player in the match.
Wanderers lacking clinical finish attack with multiple striker options injured
Tiago Coimbra, the Halifax Wanderers leading scorer, was nearing a return to the pitch for this match after leaving their Labour Day win over York United early and missing last weekend's game through injury. Ultimately, the decision was made not to risk it or even have him on the bench, with an eye to a possible return next weekend at home against Pacific FC.
It was a surprise, though, when his expected replacement Jason Bahamboula was not listed on the team sheet either. Bahamboula suffered an injury in the leadup to Saturday's match and was left at home as well, and head coach Patrice Gheisar said there is currently no timetable for his return as they continue to assess him -- as is the case for defender Adam Pearlman, who left the match in the 68th minute with an undisclosed injury, and will be assessed to judge the severity as well.
Ryan Telfer was given the nod to start up top for the Wanderers, thrust back in after playing for Trinidad and Tobago this week in World Cup Qualifying. Telfer started at striker for ten of the first 13 matches of the season for Halifax, captaining them for much of the campaign so far as well, but has been moved to the wing or an attacking midfield position more often since with Tiago Coimbra's elevation from a solid young striker to one of the very best in the Canadian Premier League.
Telfer, who has scored three times this season but not since July 25, led all Wanderers players with three attempted shots, but was not able to test Marco Carducci with any of them, coming closest with an effort from the corner of the six yard box in the second half that he struck hard, but high over the crossbar.
That was the story of the night for the Wanderers, who hit the target just once in 11 shot attempts -- the goal from Pearlman in the 57th minute to cut the Cavalry lead to the eventual final score of 3-1.
Cavalry jump out to four-point lead over Wanderers in third place
Coming into this weekend with a one-point advantage over the Wanderers in the battle for third place, Cavalry needed to make a statement in this game that that spot in the table is theirs to keep. With York United, who are tied on points with the Wanderers, playing on Sunday at home against Atletico Ottawa, Cavalry could have ended this weekend in fifth place, but now -- at worst -- they will be four points up on Halifax and one up on York should the Nine Stripes beat their provincial rival, or four up on both.
Third place is especially coveted by CPL clubs outside the top two because it allows that team to skip the Knockout Match, held midweek a few days after the final day of the regular season between the fourth and fifth-place finishers. They would host the winner of that game in the Semifinal Qualifier on the weekend instead, getting a few extra days of rest, and potentially avoiding a couple more flights in and out of their city -- which can be hugely beneficial ahead of the biggest games of the season.
A guaranteed home game is always a boost as well, especially for Cavalry and Halifax, who have both been strong in front of their own fans again this season.
Three goals and three points is the result Cavalry needed after losing on the road in Toronto last weekend and squandering that opportunity to pull ahead, and now all the pressure is on York to win on Sunday and keep pace with the reigning North Star Cup champions.
Two of Cavalry's five remaining regular season matches are at home, starting with next week's tilt against a Valour FC side that has struggled at times this season, but is coming off back-to-back wins -- including an upset on Thursday night against Forge FC. Winning that one too would go a long way before the Cavs travel to play Ottawa and Pacific, return home for a date with Forge, then end the season on the road against Vancouver.
What They Said
"We did a lot of video, we did a lot of reminding the lads of who we are at our best. We've won back-to-back games here with multi goals. These fans who are coming out to watch us, it's part of the entertainment industry, so let's keep entertaining, and I think what we saw today was some entertaining goals. That's a tough team to play against when we're playing like that." — Cavalry FC head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr
"You come to half-time, you start to say, "Let's regroup and go', and they score two quick ones. Before we could think about the second they score the third. Credit to the group that we came back, made it 3-1, but I think we just ran out of juice to get more." — Halifax Wanderers FC head coach Patrice Gheisar
CanPL.ca Player of the Match
Ali Musse, Cavalry FC
With an assist on the opening goal and the finish on the game-winner, Ali Musse was involved all afternoon in Calgary and the best player on the pitch in his return from international duty.
What’s next?
Both sides are back in action at home next Saturday. Halifax hosts Pacific FC for a coastal clash at Wanderers Grounds (4 p.m. AT/12 p.m. PT), before Cavalry welcome Valour FC to ATCO Field (4 p.m. MT/5 p.m. CT).
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