Cavalry FC put on a clinical display of counter-attacking football to hand Halifax Wanderers their first loss of the 2025 Canadian Premier League season, running out 3-0 winners at the Wanderers Grounds in Halifax, Nova Scotia Saturday.
A first-half penalty from Tobias Warschewski gave the defending champions the lead before a lethal Ali Musse brace in the second half sealed the deal.
It was a performance that blended defensive discipline with attacking ruthlessness, as Tommy Wheeldon Jr.’s side extended their winning run across all competitions to three matches.
Loading ...The result continues Cavalry’s historical dominance over Halifax, marking their 13th win in 23 meetings — more than any other CPL side has managed against the East Coast outfit.
“When you come to places like Halifax, who are a very good football team and were undefeated at home… we’ve got to be prepared to take away their passing length and see the gaps they leave. Ali Musse was electrical through those seams,” said Wheeldon Jr., praising his side’s ability to strike on the break.
Musse and Warschewski ignite in tight first half
The match opened with intensity from both sides. The Cavs, set up to soak up pressure and spring forward with pace, nearly opened the scoring inside ten minutes when right-back Fraser Aird’s low-driven shot forced a corner after a smart save by the Halifax goalkeeper.
At the other end, the Wanderers nearly punished Cavalry’s high line when striker Ryan Telfer volleyed a flicked header from left back Wesley Timoteo off the post — a moment that could have dramatically altered the game’s complexion.
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The breakthrough came just before halftime, and it was vintage Cavalry. Goalkeeper Marco Carducci launched a swift counter by finding Aird in stride on the right.
The fullback surged forward and delivered a pinpoint cross to Sergio Camargo, who headed it into the path of Ali Musse. The Somalian attacker was brought down in the box by the Halifax goalkeeper, Rayane Yesli, resulting in a penalty.
Warschewski stepped up and calmly dispatched the spot-kick to put the visitors 1-0 up in the 45th minute, a reward for their composure and precision on the counter.
Musse brace seals dominant second-half showing
Halifax came out after the break with renewed energy and nearly found an equaliser through Jason Bahamboula and later Giorgio Probo, whose rocket from 30 yards crashed against the bar in the 80th minute.
But as has often been the case in this fixture, Cavalry struck with devastating timing.
Two minutes later, Warschewski dazzled again — taking down a pass with a sublime first touch before flicking it to Musse with the outside of his boot. Musse, gliding through a stretched Wanderers backline, buried his shot past Yesli to double the Cavs’ lead.
Barely two minutes later, Cavalry killed off the contest.
A turnover in midfield allowed Shamit Shome to spring Musse once more, and the forward made no mistake, slotting home his second of the night and sixth goal in 14 appearances against Halifax — the most by any player in this fixture.
“Musse really enjoys playing against Halifax,” Wheeldon Jr. said. “He knows that part of his responsibility is to start adding more goals to his games, and I thought he did that very, very well today.”
Despite Halifax throwing numbers forward in the final minutes, Cavalry’s backline held firm. Anchored by strong performances from Levi Laing and Carducci, the visitors saw out the clean sheet — their 47th under Wheeldon Jr. — with remarkable composure.
The loss marks back-to-back defeats for Halifax in all competitions, including their midweek Canadian Championship exit at the hands of Forge FC. While Patrice Gheisar’s side has shown promising moments this season, the gulf in execution between the two sides on Saturday was clear.
“As you start to build momentum, all the teams are going to give you everything they’ve got,” said Gheisar. “We cannot perform the same and expect the results to continue — we’ve got to get better every game, and we will,” said Gheisar in the post-match conference.
The Cavs will now return to Alberta to host Pacific FC – who beat York United FC 2-1 – at ATCO Field next Saturday while Halifax Wanderers will head west to take on Vancouver FC.
