Cavalry FC left it late, argued their case twice, and ultimately found their breakthrough from the penalty spot as they defeated FC Supra du Quebec 1-0 in a chaotic and controversial Canadian Premier League (CPL) encounter at Stade Boreale in Laval Sunday.
For long stretches, this was a game that simmered rather than boiled.
But when it finally ignited in the closing minutes, it did so with the kind of theatre that leaves one side celebrating resilience and the other raging at what might have been.
Cavalry control the game without reward
The opening half followed a familiar pattern. Cavalry probed and pressed while the home side Supra absorbed and resisted.
The visitors’ first real sight of goal came in the 23rd minute when Tobias Warschewski found space from distance and drove an effort toward goal, only for Supra goalkeeper Joakim Milli to gather the ball comfortably.
It set the tone and showed that Cavalry were the more purposeful side. However, clear-cut chances were scarce throughout the first half.
The Cavs came closer just before the break when Goteh Ntignee’s direct running caused problems down the left and his cutback found Sergio Camargo in space. The Cavalry skipper struck cleanly but once again Milli stood firm.
Cavalry then nearly capitalized after some late first-half pressure. Ali Musse whipped in a dangerous corner, and after a brief scramble, right back Adam Pearlman had a sight of goal, only for Supra defenders to hack clear.
The second half brought more of the same.
Cavalry pushed, stretched, and recycled possession with intent. Ntignee remained central to everything, glancing a header wide from a Musse delivery before turning provider again in a sweeping move that ended with Milli tipping away another dangerous cross.
Supra, meanwhile, struggled to establish rhythm.
Their only meaningful moment in attack midway through the half was cut short by an offside flag, which was a brief flicker in an otherwise controlled Cavalry performance.
Late drama turns the tide for visitors
Then came the moment that changed everything.
In the 84th minute, Ntignee latched onto a long ball and surged into the penalty area before going to ground under pressure from Matisse Chretien. Initially waved away, Cavalry head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr. quickly called for a Football Video Support (FVS) review. After a tense delay, the referee pointed to the spot.
Warschewski stepped up with the game hanging in the balance and made no mistake, driving a low strike into the right corner.
“I was a little bit scared, honestly, it’s in the (88th) minute,” Warschewski told OneSoccer post-match. “But I kept calm and my team gave me the confidence to take it. I wanted to shoot it in the middle and last minute chose the right side and I’m happy I did it.”
If that was the decisive moment, the chaos that followed nearly undid it.
Deep into stoppage time, Supra were handed what appeared to be a lifeline when a penalty was awarded after Niko Myroniuk brought down Omar Elkalouli in the box. Once again, Wheeldon Jr. turned to FVS. And once again, the decision was overturned.
Cavalry FC’s Tobias Warschewski celebrates scoring against FC Supra du Québec in the Canadian Premier League Sunday, May 3, 2026. Photo: Canadian Premier League
The stadium erupted in frustration with the home fans booing the decision.
Supra pushed forward with urgency and desperation, throwing bodies into attack. In the 102nd minute, they thought they had their equalizer when Sean Rea fired from close range, only for Cavalry keeper Nathan Ingham to produce a stunning save to preserve the lead.
That proved to be the final act of resistance. Even a late red card to Alessandro Biello could not tilt the balance back in the home side’s favour.
When the whistle finally came after 14 minutes of added time, Cavalry had their win. It was hard-earned, hotly contested, and ultimately defined by composure under pressure.
“It was a tough game today and we’re happy we’ve won the game,” Warschewski said. “You feel here in Montreal and Québec like it is a soccer city, it was nice to play in this stadium with the crowd and everything and just a pleasure to be here today.”
For Cavalry, this extends an unbeaten start to the season and the Alberta outfit is now undefeated through five games in the CPL.
They will now shift their attention to the Canadian Championship, playing Pacific FC on May 9. Their next home game will be against Vancouver FC on May 17 at ATCO Field.
