Cavalry FC picked up their first win of the Canadian Premier League season with a 2-1 victory over York United at York Lions Stadium Friday night.
Reigning Golden Boot winner Tobias Warschewski opened the scoring for Cavalry in the 42nd minute. Current league-leading goalscorer Julian Altobelli equalized for York a minute into first half stoppage time. But substitute Fraser Aird scored the winner in the 69th minute, securing Cavalry’s first three points of the season.
“We knew coming here, it’s always a battle,” said Cavalry FC head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr post-game. “Tactically, the boys were spot on and allowed us to change formation into a 4-4-2 block, giving us good density in the middle. We have to look to ourselves and keep trusting the process.
“Today, they showed a different side to them that we haven’t seen this season. The bit of grit, it can take you over the line.”
It was an unchanged lineup from last weekend for York United. For Cavalry, tonight’s match was their third in six days, so they made some changes from their last league match. Nicolas Wähling came in for Fraser Aird, while Levi Laing replaced the suspended Bradley Kamdem.
Defensive battle in the opening stages
The first half started with early fouls and physical play from both teams. Neither side was able to find an edge through the opening half hour as both sides were compact defensively.
York played out wide and won a few set-pieces, but were not able to break through the Cavalry midfield and play into the box. Cavalry had some opportunities driving at the York defence, but the defensive line did not let anything through.
Cavalry was forced to make an early substitution in the 16th minute, as they brought in Max Piepgrass for an injured Michael Baldisimo.
Loading ...Chances started to come for both sides just after the quarter-minute mark. A giveaway by Calvary goalkeeper Marco Carducci sent Kibato in on goal, but his touch let him down. Off a Calvary miscue, a deflected pass ended up in the path of Altobelli. In alone, his shot was blocked quickly by Callum Montgomery.
Cavalry’s attackers linked up well with a nice passing sequence from Mael Henry and
Tobias Warschewski led to a shot just wide by Henry. Nicolas Wähling was lively up and down the right flank, playing defensively as a wingback and right wing in attack.
Goals from either side at the end of the first half
Cavalry would break through the York defense in the 42nd minute. Down the right flank, Wähling sent in a cross that Nyal Higgins deflected into the feet of Warschewski. Warschewski made no mistake, smashing the shot into the back of the net to put Cavalry in front 1-0.
In the first minute of added time, York answered back with an equalizer. A corner taken by Shola Jimoh found Altobelli alone in the box, whose header skimmed off Montgomery’s head and ended up over Carducci. Altobelli continues his hot start to the season, scoring his fifth goal of the campaign to equalize for York.
Cavalry had a final chance a minute later as Musse broke through York’s defensive line, but his shot was denied down low by York goalkeeper Diego Urtiaga.
After a frenetic end to the first half, the second half was a reset for both teams with a referee substitution. York had the early attacking pressure as Jimoh was lively down the left side, and Bitar and Altobelli had half-chances go wide.
Depth key to Cavalry FC’s first victory
Looking for fresh legs and a change of energy, Cavalry brought on Caniggia Elva and Aird, while Massimo Ferrin came in for York around the 60th minute mark.
Cavalry pressed higher up the pitch, and they created opportunities after the substitution. Piepgrass had a shot just wide in the 57th minute, and minutes later, Musse got the better of Oswaldo León down the byline, and sent in a dangerous low cross, but no one was at the end of it.
In the 69th minute, Cavalry took back the lead. Off a throw-in, Elva cleverly flicked a ball into the path of Sergio Camargo, who sent in a ball across the box. The ball skipped past Riley Ferrazzo and Musse and fell into the feet of Aird, who shot it across the goal, through the body of Urtiaga, to make it 2-1 for Cavalry.
Cavalry kept pressing and had opportunities off set-pieces. In the 82nd minute, Musse’s Olimpico attempt forced a key save from Urtiaga. A minute later, Piepgrass’s free-kick was redirected in tight by Elva, and Urtiaga had to come up with another big save.
York had some late chances in stoppage time to find an equalizer. In the final minute, Adonijah Reid hit the left post with a right-footed shot from outside the box. He had another chance with a scramble in front of the Cavalry net, but his shot was blocked in the box.
Cavalry found defensive success transitioning into a mid-block, denying York’s ability through the midfield. Shamit Shome was key in tracking the York midfield pair of Steffen Yeates and Kembo Kibato. Max Piepgrass was also influential, building out from the midfield and dropping back to help the defensive line.
Asked about the depth of his squad, Wheeldon Jr. said, “Elva’s a special talent, and Fraser, he scored a similar goal when we were here last time. I knew he had the quality, and his enthusiasm would give us that. I thought Piepgrass was outstanding, given he was thrown in after fifteen minutes. We’ve challenged him and he answered that this week. He made a huge block at the end, and he’s shown he can play.”
On his team’s recent performances, York United head coach Mauro Eustáquio said post-game, “I think we have to change something. We’ve got to continue to work. I think we’re in a phase where it’s been enough of the moral victories; at the end of the day, we need points. I think now we have to look at what we’re doing and look at each other.”
This was echoed by Jimoh.
“I think we got into the right spots, we just didn’t finish our chances,” he said. “With Cavalry, it’s always a physical game.” On York’s lone goal, he added, “I’m happy I was able to assist [Altobelli], and happy that he’s scoring the goals.”
Aird was quick to praise his team when asked about his match-winner.
“It was nice to get a goal, but most importantly, it’s a team game, and getting our first win is massive,” said Aird. “Hopefully, the win today gives us more confidence, and we can build from this.”
After their first win of the season, York are now winless in their last four games. They will look to build momentum off of new competition in the Canadian Championship next week. Cavalry earned their first win of the season and will look to continue building off their depth and confidence heading into the month of May.
York United FC’s next match will be in the Canadian Championship, where they will host FC Laval on Tuesday, May 6. Both teams’ next matches in the CPL will be on Saturday, May 10, when York United FC will travel to Victoria to face Pacific FC, while Cavalry FC will continue east to face Halifax Wanderers FC.
