Another week. Another four-goal masterclass at ATCO Field.
Cavalry FC continued their red-hot form with a dominant 4-0 victory over Valour FC on Sunday afternoon at Spruce Meadows, securing a fourth straight league win and second consecutive 4-goal triumph at home.
The reigning Canadian Premier League (CPL) champions now sit tied for third in the table, four points off the top, with a game in hand, and look every bit the side that lifted the North Star Shield last fall.
Four different scorers found the net for Tommy Wheeldon Jr.’s side in what was arguably one of their most complete performances of the season — and one that extended Valour’s winless run in Calgary dating back to 2021.
“We’re sharing the spoils,” Wheeldon Jr. said post-match. “Even when we weren’t at our best, the backline stood strong. That allows our frontline to have a go at them and exploit the gaps.”
Early onslaught sets stage for Cavalry rout
Cavalry signalled their intent early, with Sergio Camargo narrowly missing the target in the 11th minute after a lovely setup from Nicolas Wahling and the always tenacious Tobias Warschewski.
However, just three minutes later, the hosts opened the scoring in classic Cavalry fashion — through a set-piece routine.
Fraser Aird’s well-placed corner was flicked on by Callum Montgomery and met at the far post by Levi Laing, who guided a powerful header into the net for his first professional goal.
“It was a special moment,” said the 22-year-old central defender from England. “Credit to my teammates and the staff — I’m really happy to get the first goal.”
Valour had their moments in the first half, particularly when left winger Diogo Ressurreicao and striker Jevontae Layne threatened with efforts that tested goalkeeper Marco Carducci.
But Cavalry’s captain stood tall, notably denying Layne in a crucial one-on-one just before halftime to preserve the lead.
Cavs wreak havoc in second-half storm
The break did nothing to slow Cavalry’s momentum.
Just five minutes into the second half, Warschewski — who was a menace all afternoon — powered through a challenge to find Camargo inside the box. The Colombian made no mistake, finishing calmly past Valour goalkeeper Eleias Himaras to double the lead.
From there, the floodgates creaked open.
On the hour mark, Ali Musse intercepted a loose ball deep in Cavalry’s half, surged forward and found Warschewski in space. The German took one touch before unleashing a 30-yard rocket into the top corner — an early contender for goal of the season.
“He’s [Warschewski] enjoying his football,” said Wheeldon Jr. of last year’s CPL Golden Boot award winner. “I think we often complicate things as coaches — we can give them principles about how we want to play with and without the ball. At the end of the day, there’s still a kid inside that just wants to play football, and we’ve brought that player out in him.”
With a goal, an assist, and being a constant threat, the German forward was unplayable at times and continues to prove why he’s one of the league’s most valuable attackers.
Loading ...Moments later, Musse capped off the rout with a goal of his own. Once again, it started with his defensive awareness. The winger launched a rapid counter-attack with Camargo, who unselfishly teed him up for a composed finish to make it 4-0.
“I thought that second half performance is one of the best halves of football we’ve had here at Spruce Meadows,” Wheeldon Jr. reflected. “We started well and then they pipped us back for about half an hour. We were just trying to get through to halftime so we could readjust.”
Defensive steel, offensive swagger
While the attacking quartet of Camargo, Warschewski, Wahling, and Musse stole the headlines, Cavalry’s defense quietly went about securing a third clean sheet of the season.
Despite a few nervy moments — including a pair of errors from Montgomery — the backline held firm thanks to strong recoveries and Carducci’s stellar goalkeeping.
Valour, for their part, simply couldn’t match the pace or precision of the hosts, particularly in transition. Second half substitute Shaan Hundal and Ressurreicao both came close, but lacked the finishing touch to spoil Carducci’s afternoon.
With 13 points from their opening seven matches, Cavalry have found their groove just in time for a marquee clash with Forge FC on May 31 — a rematch of the season opener, where Forge claimed a narrow 1-0 victory.
Meanwhile, Valour FC will return home for their next match against Pacific FC on Sunday.
