Cavalry FC were knocked out of the 2023 Canadian Championship 5-3 on penalties by Pacific FC at the first hurdle in Victoria Thursday night.
Penalty kicks were required to determine the winner after the first round knockout match ended 1-1.
Bevan gives Cavalry lead, but Ongaro responds
Myer Bevan gave the visiting Cavs the lead in the 28th minute, latching on to a long ball and firing low past Pacific’s keeper Emil Gazdov.
But Easton Ongaro equalized for the hosts on the 38th minute – the tall striker rising high to score a text book header past Cavs keeper Marco Carducci.
But neither side managed to take the lead after that, forcing both teams to the spot after 90 minutes to determine a winner.
And it was Pacific’s 19-year-old keeper Gazdov who proved the hero, saving defender Daan Klomp’s penalty to allow Georges Mukumbilwa to score the winning kick and send the hosts through to face fellow BC club TSS Rovers in the quarterfinals in May.
New season, same issues for Cavalry FC?
Cavalry FC has built a reputation as one of the Canadian Premier League’s strongest and toughest clubs – often looking in control of games while relying on composed and at times dominant defensive performances.
But in recent years Tommy Wheeldon Jr.’s club has sometimes lacked a consistent cutting edge in attack. There are a variety of reason for this including: injuries, transfers of their best young talents and simply lacking that hard-to-find creative attacking midfielder.
And while it’s too early in the new season to suggest this is a continuing trend, even the Cavalry FC manager admitted his side just couldn’t get it right up front on Vancouver Island Thursday.
“The manner in which we built out…we played some really terrific football,” said Cavs manager Wheeldon Jr. after the game. “But that final pass, that final little half step and dribble – had it been different we could have won it in regular time.”
And the injury 33rd minute injury, forcing an early substitution, to first-eleven forward Joe Mason won’t help settle any concerns related to attack.
Cavalry FC and Pacific FC to meet again
Cavalry FC won’t need to wait very long for an opportunity to get revenge over Pacific FC for Thursday’s defeat.
The two clubs meet again Sunday on Vancouver Island in Canadian Premier League action.
