Cavalry FC extended their unbeaten run in the Canadian Premier League (CPL) to six matches with a hard-fought 2-1 win over York United FC on Sunday afternoon, backed by a record-setting regular season crowd of 5,114 at ATCO Field.
Sergio Camargo was the difference-maker, scoring in the second minute of both halves to seal the points for the home side, while Massimo Ferrin netted York’s lone goal — his first for the club this season — to briefly spark hopes of a comeback.
The result pushes the Cavs into second place in the CPL table and adds another layer to their impressive run of form, which now spans eight matches across all competitions.
Loading ...It also exacts a measure of revenge against a York side who were the only CPL team to win a regular season match at Spruce Meadows last year.
“We’re in the results business, so our job was to win a football match today. Doesn’t matter how,” said Cavalry head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr. post-match. “What we showed today was adaptability… it doesn’t matter where players play or who we bring up from our depth.”
With several key players unavailable due to international duty — including Caniggia Elva, Shamit Shome, and Mihail Gherasimencov — Cavalry leaned on squad depth.
Eryk Kobza returned from injury to start in central defense, while young Canadian Mael Henry featured in an attacking midfield role.
Camargo strikes early as Cavalry set the tone
The match started in explosive fashion.
Barely two minutes in, Jay Herdman muscled his way down the left flank and squared the ball for Camargo, who took a touch before rifling a low shot into the bottom-right corner from outside the box. York keeper Ivan Pavela got a hand to it, but couldn’t keep it out.
“Today I was able to play from the eighth position so I was able to drive more than I usually do,” said Camargo. “You can obviously tell that in that first goal — I wouldn’t normally be in that position underneath the ball.”
The Nine Stripes responded with some attacking pressure of their own.
In the ninth minute, right winger Adonijah Reid took advantage of a midfield miscue and rounded Cavalry skipper and goalkeeper Marco Carducci, only to see his goal-bound effort cleared off the line flamboyantly by a sprinting Callum Montgomery.
It was the first of two crucial goal-line interventions for the home side, with Kobza replicating the stupendous feat in the 38th minute after another York chance.
Fraser Aird and Ali Musse were lively for Cavalry down the right, frequently threatening with crosses and set pieces. But as the half wore on, York began to wrestle back control.
By the break, the visitors had registered more shots on target and touches in the opposing box, but couldn’t find a way past a resolute Cavalry backline.
Cavalry survive scare in second-half exchange
Wheeldon Jr. made an early change at halftime, bringing on Michael Harms at left-back for Tom Field, and was quickly rewarded with a second goal.
In the 50th minute, Musse’s short free kick set off a well-worked sequence, with Camargo latching onto a loose ball in the box and slotting home from close range to double Cavalry’s lead. However, the glory was short-lived as the Nine Stripes responded instantly.
Just a minute later, Max Ferrari floated in a cross from the right, and Ferrin rose above Aird to head the ball past Carducci, halving the deficit and injecting life back into the match.
“We knew York was going to push to get something back from what we took from when we got into their house,” said Camargo.
“Fortunately, we got two goals ahead, so they had to climb a big mountain to get back.”
True to their recent form, York kept pushing hard for an equaliser.
Kembo Kibato fired over the bar from the edge of the area in the 59th minute, while the Cavs nearly struck on the counter a minute later when Musse chipped a ball over the defense to find Tobias Warschewski — only for the striker’s heavy touch to let him down.
Musse came close again in the 70th minute after intercepting a poor pass and breaking in alone on goal, but Pavela stood tall to deny him with a body save.
With York throwing numbers forward in the final stages, Cavalry were forced into a makeshift defensive setup. Herdman dropped to left-back, while substitute Niko Myroniuk shifted higher up the flank.
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“As coaches, we have to adapt to the game in front of us,” said Wheeldon Jr. of the tactical shuffle. “Because we were hitting them on the counter and didn’t kill them off, they kept coming at us… Their strength is in crosses. So what do you do? You stop the crosses. And that’s what Jay Herdman was willing to do for the team.”
Warschewski had a chance to seal the match in the fourth minute of stoppage time, but fired over after a sharp turn just outside the area. Ultimately, the defending CPL champions held firm through seven tense minutes of added time to see out a gritty victory.
“I thought we were the better team, to be honest,” said York United head coach Mauro Eustaquio. “We created a lot of opportunities in the first half that we weren’t able to bury. In the second half, fair play to them — they went into a defensive block and it was hard to break them down.”
York United now shift focus to the Canadian Championship, where they’ll face Atletico Ottawa in the first leg of their quarter-final tie on Wednesday, June 11. Their next league fixture comes on Saturday, June 14, away to Pacific FC.
Cavalry FC, meanwhile, hit the road to face Halifax Wanderers on June 14, as they look to keep climbing in the table with their growing momentum.
