| Final Score: Vancouver FC 3-1 Halifax Wanderers Goalscorers: Mbongue 35', 44', Ndiaye 90+2'; Meilleur-Giguère 90+4' Game of the 2025 season: 100 CPL Match: 695 |
|---|
Match in a minute or less
Vancouver FC dealt a big blow to the Halifax Wanderers' hopes of hosting a home playoff game with a 3-1 victory at Willoughby Community Park on Sunday night.
A first-half brace for Hugo Mbongue made the difference, before Pathé Ndiaye added a goal in second-half stoppage time, while Thomas Meilleur-Giguère spoiled the clean sheet late.
Vancouver FC are now three unbeaten in the league. Halifax, meanwhile, end the weekend in fifth place, one point behind York United.
Three Observations
Vancouver FC continues positive momentum heading into the Canadian Championship Final
If there was one goal above all for Vancouver FC heading into Sunday's match at Willoughby Community Park, it was to keep the good times rolling.
Already eliminated from the CPL playoffs, and with the TELUS Canadian Championship Final on Wednesday at BC Place, this match was all about keeping the standards and the vibes high heading into the biggest match in club history.
Back-to-back home victories, for the first time since April of last year and only the second time in the club's existence, unquestionably accomplished that goal.
Crucially, Vancouver FC were excellent on Sunday in all of the things that will be vital to their success against the Vancouver Whitecaps on Wednesday. Defensively, playing in a compact 4-1-4-1 formation, they offered Halifax little space to operate between the lines. They didn't allow a shot on target until the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time, when Meilleur-Giguère scored Halifax's lone goal.
They were outstanding, as well, defending in transition as even when Halifax were able to attack with speed, there were always several Vancouver FC defenders back between them and the goal. Essential to this was how deep Martin Nash deployed his full-backs, making sure they were always elert to the danger that Halifax's number 10s, Sean Rea and Vitor Dias, could present.
Then, they were incredibly clinical when they got their limited chances in the match, scoring on three of their six shot attempts.
While on the surface, it might seem like there is little motivation for this Vancouver FC to play out the rest of the CPL regular season, they are still clearly playing with pride and passion. Namely, they would love not to finish at the bottom of the table, and have now pulled themselves to within three points of rivals Pacific FC.
With remaining games against Forge FC, Atlético Ottawa and Cavalry FC, as well, they still have a chance to have their say in how this 2025 CPL season plays out.
Hugo Mbongue's brace continues fantastic run with the Eagles
When looking across the Canadian Premier League at the most impactful mid-season additions, it's fair to say Vancouver FC loanee striker Hugo Mbongue is near, if not at the top, of that list.
On Sunday night, he scored his fifth and sixth goals of the CPL campaign, to go with another he managed in the Canadian Championship.
The Vancouver striker only touched the ball 14 times during 62 minutes of action, but he did incredibly well to stay patient and get himself into the right positions at the right moments to create his brace.
From there, both of his goals were incredibly well taken. The first was a flicked header into the bottom corner that Yesli couldn't get a hand to. The second, he cleverly used his shoulder to guide the ball past Yesli.
"He's been scoring goals and I think that's down to his work rate," said Vancouver FC manager Martin Nash. "His volume that he can run is incredible. So I think he's been really good. Love working with him. He works really hard, he's got a great attitude, he's been great for this group."
When Mbongue was pressed by reporters when he joined the club for how many goals he would like to score over the back half of the season in his introductory press conference, he said 10. At the time, it seemed a touch bold for a player new to a league where goals are often at a premium. Well, he is now only three away, and given the form he has been in lately, you wouldn't bet against him to get it.
Halifax Wanderers' road form continues to be their undoing
Make that nine straight without a win on the road for the Halifax Wanderers.
Coming off a confident 3-0 home win over Pacific FC, the Wanderers travelled to Langley on Sunday and had a near inverse result in a 3-1 loss.
Playing against an opponent that clearly have bigger priorities at this stage in the season, Halifax almost looked as though they expected to be handed three points on the night. When they met resistance in the form of an organized and confident Vancouver FC side, they had no answers.
Their attack lacked rhythm and verticality, failing to find ways into the Vancouver box with any regularity or danger. They conceded a pair of goals in the first half that were nearly carbon copies of one another -- disappointing considering how excellent they usually are against aerial threats.
But perhaps most concerning was the lack of fight shown by the group in a match where a critical three points were on the line in their position in the table. They weren't quick enough, or direct enough in their press when they lost the ball, nor when they had the ball, which was most of the match with 57.9 per cent possession, did they attack with enough speed or desire.
The Wanderers, as well, are still without leading goalscorer Tiago Coimbra, who was on the bench on Sunday but is on limited minutes. Down a pair of goals, Gheisar said he elected not to risk him, knowing that there would be more important battles ahead.
What this result also does is put a significant amount of pressure on the Wanderers' next match, and York United at home on Saturday. That game will pretty much make or break their chances of hosting a home playoff match, as they have now dropped one point behind York United.
Regardless of whether they earn that home playoff match or not, however, they know they will have to win on the road to make any sort of run. The runway is getting much shorter to learn how to make that happen, and the pressure and significance are only increasing by the match.
What They Said
"Playing well, it's easier to go into a cup final that way, whereas if you're losing games, going into a cup final. So it's nice that we're in a good moment, everyone's working hard, everyone's taken on board what I've been talking about and coaching on the field. " — Vancouver FC head coach Martin Nash
"Extremely disappointing performance, lacklustre, lack of interest. I'm not sure if we thought just by showing up we're good enough to get points, and we've been generating a lot of chances. And today, the defending was average, the attack was average. A lot of things that we have to look at ourselves, at this point in the season, you just cannot have games like that." — Halifax Wanderers head coach Patrice Gheisar
CanPL.ca Player of the Match
Hugo Mbongue, Vancouver FC
The Vancouver striker's brace gave his side a lead that they would never relinquish, as he continues to be a difference maker in attack for the Eagles.
What’s next?
Vancouver FC take on the Vancouver Whitecaps in the TELUS Canadian Championship final on Wednesday, October 1 (7 p.m. PT). Their next CPL home match is on the road against Forge FC on Saturday, October 4 (1:30 p.m. PT).
The Wanderers, meanwhile, are back home next week for a huge match against York United on Saturday, October 4 (3 p.m. AT).
Watch all CPL and Canadian Championship matches live on OneSoccer. In addition to its website and app, OneSoccer is now available on TELUS channel 980 and on Fubo TV. Call your local cable provider to ask for OneSoccer today.
