Calgary Foothills FC wrapped up a perfect three-game west coast road trip with a 4-1 victory over Victoria Highlanders FC on Vancouver Island Sunday afternoon.
The result rounds off a sequence of three matches in five days that also saw Foothills FC beat Sounders U23 FC 3-1 Wednesday and TSS FC Rovers 1-0 Friday. Sunday’s win pushes Foothills FC to 23 points for the season, currently 10 points above second place TSS FC Rovers in the PDL Northwest Division.
Last weekend, head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr. set his team a target of earning at least six points from these three away games. But Wheeldon was delighted to see his squad deliver all nine points on offer.
“That was a heroic effort from the team,” said Tommy Wheeldon Jr., after Sunday’s match. “Three games in five days is a tough ask but an important one if we have serious designs of reclaiming the division championship again. Every player stood up to be counted and that’s what it takes to win, hunt together.”
Foothills FC began the game brightly and Bruno Zebie provided a perfect start, with a cleanly struck side-foot finish from the edge of the box in the 4th minute. But the first half would finish 1-1 after Mackenzie Cole scored for Highlanders FC in the 36th minute.
Foothills FC eventually reclaimed the initiative after the break and were rewarded for their efforts when defender Jay Wheeldon scored for the visitors in 62nd minute in the second phase of a corner kick.
Second-half substitute Moses Danto then scored an eye-catching diving header in 76th minute. Midfielder Sergio Camargo wrapped things up for Foothills FC, scoring their fourth goal in the 88th minute, set up nicely by Nico Pasquotti.
“Delighted that we shared out the goals,” said Tommy Wheeldon Jr. “Which underlined the team work the lads are committing to with Zebie, (Jay) Wheeldon, Danto and Camargo all finding the net.”
Foothills FC defender, and Tommy Wheeldon Jr.’s brother, Jay Wheeldon was as pleased as his manager with Calgary Foothills FC victory.
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“First half it was a little too much back and forth for our liking,” said Jay Wheeldon. “We didn’t control the game like we would (have liked). Obviously it’s our third game in five days.
“Once we got the ball down and played a little bit more in the second half, showed a little more composure and when the chances arose, we were clinical in front of goal. We really put a nice bit of gloss on the performance with a 4-1 win. Taking nine points home.”
The Foothills FC centre back also admitted to being happy with his game-winning second half strike.
“The ball just fell to me,” said Jay Wheeldon. “I wanted Elijah (Adekugbe) to pop it back in and that he did. Nico (Pasquotti) decided to leave it. A little touch and I just saw the corner open up and bent it in the bottom corner. Thankfully it went in.”
Coach Wheeldon will now set himself, his staff and his squad to preparing to face second-place TSS Rovers next weekend.
“Now we rest for a day and prepare on returning home for the TSS game next Saturday,” said Tommy Wheeldon Jr.
Foothills FC’s next game is at home against TSS FC Rovers in Okotoks Saturday, June 23 at 2pm.
Single game and season tickets are available online at www.foothillsfc.ca/tickets/ or at the gate.
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