For the fifth time in six meetings this year, Vancouver FC and Cavalry FC were unable to find a victory in their matchup, as they split the points in a 2-2 draw at Willoughby Community Park on Saturday.
Thanks to that result and the scores around the league, that means that Cavalry will finish third in the CPL table, skipping ahead to the semifinal qualifier of the playoffs, where they'll play either the Halifax Wanderers or York United next weekend - those two teams, meanwhile, will face off in midweek.
As for Vancouver, though, their season is now officially over - although they'll return to action earlier than usual in 2026 to compete in the Concacaf Champions Cup, which they officially qualified for this week.
Cavalry came close to taking the lead in the 11th minute, as the ball fell to wide-open Eryk Kobza inside the box after a curled set-piece delivery, but Kobza's low shot would be nicely saved by Vancouver's Callum Irving. Then, moments later, Caniggia Elva found Sergio Camargo with a lofted cross, but Camargo was unable to keep his header below the crossbar.
Meanwhile, after a bit of a lull in the game, Vancouver had their first good chance in the 38th minute. There, the ball fell to Paris Gee at the edge of the box, and he did well to let the ball settle for a dangerous left-footed half-volley, sending his shot just wide of the goal.
From there, though, the game would reach half time without any further chances, bringing a quiet 45-minute sequence to an end.
After half time, though, Vancouver came out strongly, and had a decent look at goal in the 46th minute, as Vasco Fry stung the palms of Marco Carducci with a strong, curled effort.
Unfortunately for Vancouver, however, they'd end up halting that momentum in the 60th minute, as Tyler Crawford was sent off after taking down Goteh Ntignee in transition, as he was deemed to have denied a clear goalscoring opportunity with his tackle.
As a result, Cavalry came close to scoring in the 67th minute, as Kobza nearly turned home a nice cutback inside the box, but his low shot was kept out by a strong block from Vancouver's Paris Gee. Then, immediately after, Ntignee had a fantastic chance inside the box, but he sent his shot well over from close range.
Continuing a strong sequence, Niko Myroniuk had a good chance for Cavalry, as he cut inside on his right foot and caught all of a low shot, forcing a good stop out of Irving.
Shortly after, though, Myroniuk wouldn't miss the next chance that came to him. After a scramble in the box, the ball fell to the Cavalry youngster, and he slotted home from close range to put his team up 1-0.
Yet, that lead would be short-lived, as Vancouver did well to respond despite being down a player. Having just come onto the pitch, Pathé Ndiaye did well to strip the ball off an unsuspecting Callum Montgomery inside the Cavalry box, before slotting home into the bottom corner to make it 1-1.
Frustrated by having conceded that goal, Cavalry quickly regained the lead, however, as they did well to respond to that mistake. After a nice ball into the box from Nicholas Wähling, he found Elva at the edge of the box, and Elva slotted home to put his team up 2-1.
Surprisingly, though, that lead wouldn't last long, as Vancouver responded yet again. After Daan Klomp was ruled to have fouled Thierno Bah inside the box, David Norman Jr. stepped up to take the penalty, slamming it into the back of the net with power to tie the game at 2-2 - and that's how the game would finish, leaving both teams to split the points in a draw.
BOX SCORE
Lineups
Vancouver FC: Irving; Gee (O'Connor 74'), Campagna, Enyou, Crawford; Ouattara (Dada-Luke 64'), Fry (Cavalcante 74'); Powell (Fotsing 64'), Mezquida (Norman Jr. 74'), Bah; Mbongue (Ndiaye 81')
Cavalry FC: Carducci; Laing (Aird 74'), Klomp, Montgomery, Kamdem (Gherasimencov 46'); Shome (Sellouf 74'), Kobza (Baldisimo 88'); Musse (Wähling 88'), Camargo (Myroniuk 22'), Ntignee; Elva
Goals
78' — Niko Myroniuk (Cavalry FC)
82' — Pathé Ndiaye (Vancouver FC)
90+1' — Caninnigia Elva (Cavalry FC)
90+6' — David Norman Jr. (Vancouver FC) (Penalty)
Discipline
26' — Yellow: Ali Musse (Cavalry FC)
48' — Yellow: Paris Gee (Vancouver FC)
54' — Yellow: Abdoulaye Ouattara (Vancouver FC)
60' — Red: Tyler Crawford (Vancouver FC)
81' — Yellow: Eryk Kobza (Cavalry FC)
