Cavalry FC's North Star Cup title defence begins on the same pitch where they hoisted the trophy just under a year ago, as they host York United on Sunday in the 2025 semifinal qualifier.
The Calgary club defeated Forge 2-1 back on Nov. 9, 2024 to win a first-ever CPL championship. After finishing third in the 2025 season, however, Sunday will be their only playoff home match of this year's playoffs, whether they win it or not -- and they will be desperate to make sure the ATCO Field crowd leaves happy one last time this season.
But they have to overcome a battle-tested opponent hungrier than ever to break another fanbase's hearts. York United come to town having survived an epic three-and-a-half-hour odyssey of a match with the Halifax Wanderers at the Wanderers Grounds, where they twice came from behind, first in regulation, and then extra time, before winning on penalties. They became the first fifth-seed to advance in league history.
The winner of Sunday's match in Calgary is off to either Hamilton or Ottawa next weekend to play the loser of the CPL Playoff championship semifinal, which will be contested earlier on Sunday. For the loser, it's the end of the road.
That road has already been a gruelling one for the visitors. Physically, York will be weary. Mentally, however, this is a side that has already stared playoff elimination in the face twice, and lived to tell the tale. That sort of never-say-die attitude is going to make them a tremendously challenging team to defeat, regardless of their unenviable travel situation.
"We're going to Calgary to win, and we won't find excuses," said York United head coach Mauro Eustáquio after Wednesday's victory. "I don't care if it's the flight, if it's the rain, if it's the field, the boys are ready. They showed they're ready. And we're past being hungry, I have a group of players that are starving now."
But after grinding out a result in one of the most away venues in the CPL, however, the Nine Stripes now travel some 3,767 kilometres to a historically even more difficult one just four days later. Cavalry haven't lost at ATCO Field since July 26, and have scored a combined 16 goals in their past five home matches.
"Hungry? Thirsty, I think they'd be. They're thirsty for more champagne," said Cavalry FC head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr. on his club's mentality heading into the match. "We talked about it last year, you've got to go through the pain to taste the champagne. We've had those challenges in different ways, whether the injuries or results or errors here and there, but they're the same group of lads that like to step up and enjoy these moments."
If Cavalry are to taste more champagne this year, however, they may have to do it without some of the players vital to their championship last season. Tobias Warschewski and Sergio Camargo, both of Cavalry's goalscorers in the 2025 Final, are doubtful for Sunday, according to Tommy Wheeldon Jr. Diego Gutiérrez is considered questionable, and Brad Kamdem is also being assessed.
Adding to the challenge, Cavalry's most recent home loss, one of only three this season, came against York. The feisty 1-0 match saw eight bookings shown between the two sides, and Ali Musse was sent off following the final whistle as both benches cleared and had to be separated following a fiery end to the match.
That passion and intensity is only going to increase as one of these clubs will see their season end on Sunday. In four meetings between the two clubs this season, 32 bookings have been shown. York, meanwhile, are coming off an intense affair in Halifax where they set a CPL playoff record for fouls with 23.
York United are coming off the first road playoff victory in club history. Cavalry, meanwhile, have experienced both the highest of highs and excruciating lows on their home pitch in the CPL Playoffs. While they won the 2024 final at ATCO Field, they also lost the second leg of the 2019 final. They have a 2-1-3 all-time playoff record in Calgary.
In the history of this fixture, the two clubs have managed to settle matters during the 90 minutes. Just three of the 25 all-time meetings have ended with the score tied. That was the case again in 2025, as both sides won two of the four matches they contested this season. However, if the score remains tied after regulation on Sunday, it is off to extra time and then, if that solves nothing, penalties.
Should the match reach spot kicks again, York have the recent and historical advantage. The Nine Stripes' victory over Halifax was their third on penalties in club history. They have lost just once on spotkicks in club history: last year's qualifying semifinal against Atlético Ottawa.
Cavalry are still searching for their first victory on penalties, as they are 0-3 all-time, including a loss to Vancouver FC in the CanChamp quarter-finals earlier this year.
York will be without Shola Jimoh for Sunday's match, who is off to join the Canadian men's U-17 national team as they prepare for the 2025 U-17 World Cup. Jimoh has been immense for the club in the playoffs, with an assist on Julian Altobelli's late equalizer against Halifax, and a goal and an assist against Atlético Ottawa last year. The club is still assessing the availability of Orlando Botello and Leonel López. Otherwise, everyone else who played on Wednesday has recovered well and is available.
Can the defending champions take care of business at home, or will the Nine Stripes continue their incredible Cinderella run?
3 THINGS TO WATCH
- How do Cavalry line up with questions over attacking availability: Cavalry come into the 2025 playoffs having scored the second-most goals in club history in a regular season, with 47. But as they begin the postseason, they may be missing two of their most vital weapons in that attacking mix. Wheeldon Jr. told media on Friday that Tobias Warschewski, who scored two of Cavalry's three playoff goals last year, and set up the other is doubtful for the match as recovers from a virus. The man who scored that other, Sergio Camargo, is also a question mark after suffering an injury against Vancouver FC on the final day of the 2025 season. Camargo was arguably Cavalry's best player this season, with eight goals and six assists this season. This is a team that has built itself with plenty of attacking weapons, and guys like Caniggia Elva can certainly step up in their absence. But missing that experience and quality will undoubtedly add plenty of discussion around Cavalry's lineup on Sunday.
- Cavalry looking to give one final gift to home fans: When Cavalry have been at their best this season, it is nothing short of electrifying. High-octane attacking football, in multiple waves with multiple goals. More often than not, that sort of performance has come at their home ground of ATCO Field this season, where they have averaged over two goals per game. In their final home match of 2025, regardless of the result, they are searching for a similar performance. "We've been exciting here all year, and the fans have been behind us," said Cavalry FC defender Daan Klomp. "So we want to give them a goodbye gift for the season, and thank them. We've had a great record at home so far, and we want to build on that". Since Klomp re-joined the team on August 14, Cavalry have not lost at ATCO Field, the central defender and former CPL Player of the Year will play a big role, as always, in making sure that streak continues.
- Can Altobelli-Hundal partnership make a difference again for York?: Ahead of the Nine Stripes' biggest match of the season, on Wednesday in Halifax, Eustáquio made a bold call, choosing to start his two leading goalscorers, Julian Altobelli and Shaan Hundal, next to one another for the first time this season. It is fair to say that bold call paid off. Altobelli equalized late in regulation to push the match to extra time, before Hundal scored deep into extra time to send it to penalties. Both played 120 minutes. Both scored their penalties. Now, on Sunday, will Eustáquio look to run it back and see if the strike partnership can again be an x-factor against Cavalry? "Me and Shaan have a great relationship off the field, as well as on the field, and we're going to build from that performance," said Altobelli.
PROJECTED STARTING XIs
Cavalry FC: Carducci; Gherasimencov, Montgomery, Klomp, Aird; Kobza, Myroniuk; Musse, Shome, Ntignee; Elva
York United: Urtiaga; Singh, Adekugbe, Sturing; Ferrari, Yeates, Kibato, Ferrazzo; Altobelli, Hundal, Ferrin
ALL-TIME SERIES
Cavalry FC wins: 16 | York United wins: 6 | Draws: 3
LAST METTING
Oct. 4, 2025 — Halifax Wanderers 1-1 York United
KEY QUOTES
"I think tiredness is a myth, and if we think that way, then we're giving them a free hit. I think they're going to come in all guns blazing, adrenaline pumping, play physical, play direct and make a very good game of it." - Cavalry FC head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr.
"We are the defending champions. We have to show that to everybody now and then, with that comes a certain mentality, and we have to be tough to break down. Can't give up goals easy. Our attacking front five has been very good this season. We've been outscoring a lot of teams and it's up to us to show that." - Cavalry FC defender Daan Klomp
"We created our tomorrow on Wednesday, and we're going to Calgary on Sunday to create tomorrow as well." - York United head coach Mauro Eustáquio
"We are hungry to continue to win, and we know we can. We've beaten them there before, and we've also beat them at home. So we're going into this game knowing that we're ready for it and we're up for it. We've all recovered well, and we're excited for the challenge." - York United striker Julian Altobelli
