2024 CPL Regular Season — Match #66**
** Halifax Wanderers FC vs. Vancouver FC
** August 5, 2024 at 4 p.m. AT/12 p.m. PT
** Wanderers Grounds in Halifax, Nova Scotia
** Watch Live: OneSoccer.ca & TELUS Ch. 980** // Tickets available here
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Matchweek 17 in the Canadian Premier League concludes with the latest Natal Day classic in Halifax, as the Wanderers host Vancouver FC in a cross-Canada clash. After a good month of June, which included a 4-0 victory at Willoughby Community Park, Halifax had an up-and-down July. After beating Cavalry FC at Wanderers Grounds on Canada Day, they lost 2-1 to York United at York Lions Stadium. Back at home 12 days later they beat Valour FC 3-1 to get back into the win column, but couldn’t build any momentum from it, losing 3-0 to Forge FC last week at Tim Hortons Field. As they enter the second half of their season, with at least two games in hand over the rest of the field, the time is now for the Wanderers to make their move if they’re going to challenge for a playoff spot. It won’t be easy, though. Vancouver currently occupy the fifth and final playoff spot, while their next two matches are away to Cavalry and Forge, who are both surging up the table after a string of good results. To be the best team, you have to beat the best teams, and hosting Vancouver FC on Monday is a chance to start to close that gap.
Vancouver FC, meanwhile, are looking to stop a recent run of poor form to try and solidify their place in the playoff spots. After finishing seventh in their inaugural season in 2023, the Eagles started 2024 very well, going 4-1-2 in their first seven CPL matches to be among the league’s elite through a quarter of the season. In the nine matches since, however, they have picked up just one win, to go along with four draws and four losses. A couple of those losses have been blowouts as well, including a 4-0 loss at home to these very Wanderers, and a 3-0 defeat to Atlético Ottawa — also at Willoughby Community Park. If they’re contenders and not pretenders, Monday’s match against Halifax is a chance to prove it. No match is an easy one in the Canadian Premier League, but the best teams are still expected to beat those lower than them in the table. Could Monday’s game, on the holiday Monday stage on the east coast, be a chance to make a statement? That is their mission after making the long trip from one coast to the other.
Vancouver will be getting Vasco Fry back from suspension for this match, while they could also be getting James Cameron back from national team duty with the Canadian U20 national team. Also returning from the U20s could be Tavio Ciccarelli, who is yet to make his Wanderers debut but impressed over the past few weeks with Canada.
The Wanderers could also receive a boost on Monday in the form of Sean Rea, with the former Valour star signing a contract through the 2025 CPL season last week. The 22-year-old was previously one of the best players in the league, and if he can find that form again with the Wanderers, he’ll be a crucial part of whatever success they have down the stretch.
All CPL matches are available to stream on OneSoccer, FuboTV, or on TELUS Optik TV Channel 980.
3 THINGS TO WATCH
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Rea adds another attacking spark to Wanderers: When a player like Sean Rea becomes available, of course multiple CPL clubs are going to be interested. Only one could secure his services, though, and that team was the Halifax Wanderers, who announced that they had signed Rea through the 2025 season on Wednesday. Rea spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons on loan at Valour FC from CF Montreal, and in 2022 won the CPL’s Best U-21 Canadian Player of the Year award an was a nominee for Player of the Year. He will be adored by the fans in Halifax, and adds another sharp attacker to a team looking to make a push for the playoff spots this year, and into next season as well. He’s a magician when he’s at his best, and will be a difference-maker on a team that needs one, and could potentially play as soon as Monday against Vancouver.
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Eagles looking to get back on track on the road: Vancouver FC has won just one time since the start of June, so as August begins for the Eagles, the team is looking to turn things around. After a disappointing homestand where they picked up just one of a possible nine points, a chance to head out on the road could help the team reset a bit. “We’ve had a tough stretch at home, but we’ve had quite a few days now between games, which is always good, a little bit of time to refresh the mind and body,” said VFC defender Kadin Chung ahead of this match. “We’re confident going into into Halifax, it’s a long trip, but we’re excited for it.”
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Wanderers looking to close ground on Vancouver, the playoff spots: Entering Monday’s match, Vancouver FC sit in the fifth and final playoff spot on 20 points, while the Halifax Wanderers are bottom of the table on 13. The Wanderers have two matches in hand, though, so Monday’s game could go a long way toward closing that gap. Vancouver has struggled as of late, and the Wanderers are coming off a tough defeat to Forge, so expect both to come out firing on all cylinders in order to try and right the ship to get their respective seasons back on track.
PROJECTED STARTING XIs
Halifax Wanderers FC: Fillion; Fernandez, Nimick, Loughrey, Timoteo; Callegari, Rampersad; Probo, Daniels, Ferrin; Telfer
Vancouver FC: Irving; Chung, Romeo, Enyou, Gee; Rommens, Fry, Garcia; Bitar, Diaz, Cantave
ALL-TIME SERIES
Halifax Wanderers FC wins: 2 || Vancouver FC wins: 3 || Draws: 1
Last meeting:
June 24, 2024 — Vancouver FC 0-4 Halifax Wanderers FC
KEY QUOTES
“I’ve tried to figure out, why do our players have so much inconsistency in their performances, and how is it possible when we are so close to reaching our target, to get to the top of the table, that we let it slip away? It’s happened not once, not twice, it’s happened multiple times. We have to really challenge the players’ leadership within the team and in the locker room and demand from them to give a little bit extra in motivation and mentality, extra in work rate, extra in challenging each other to be at their best every day that they work.” — Vancouver FC head coach Afshin Ghotbi