Versatile Pacific FC forward Josh Heard was all over the pitch Thursday, scoring and then forcing a York United own goal, in a 2-2 draw in the Canadian Premier League bubble at IG Stadium in Winnipeg.
鈥淚t was about putting the ball in the right places,鈥� said 颅Island-product Heard, who played in the Pac-12 for the 颅University of Washington 颅Huskies.
鈥淲e didn鈥檛 get the win but this will build to Sunday [against two-time CPL champion Forge FC of Hamilton].鈥�
PFC, which opened the 颅season with a 2-0 victory over HFX of Halifax last weekend, was 颅stymied in the first half as York went into the break 颅leading on a goal at 32 minutes by 颅Diyaeddine Abzi.
鈥淵ork did a good job and was very disciplined and physical and took us out of our game,鈥� said PFC head coach Pa-Modou Kah, about his club鈥檚 rough-edged opening half.
鈥淲e were a bit passive. But I鈥檓 proud of our resilience.鈥�
Which was spearheaded by Heard in the second half. The former MLS draft pick of the Vancouver Whitecaps scored at 51 minutes and later just missed by inches to the far side. Then Heard鈥檚 shot at goal at 67 minutes deflected off defender Chrisnovic N鈥檚a leg for a York United own goal to give PFC the 2-1 lead.
鈥淛osh Heard was incredible,鈥� said Kah. 鈥淗e is from the Island and this is his pro club. His energy is unmatched.鈥�
But York forward Jordan 颅Wilson, returning home to Toronto after five seasons with Nyk酶bing FC of the First 颅Division in Denmark, scored at 82 minutes as PFC botched a corner kick.
鈥淭hat was a bit of a lapse,鈥� said Heard. But credit to York. They brought physicality and didn鈥檛 give up, either.鈥�
Wilson of York concurred, after gaining the equalizer for this club: 鈥淲e felt it would have been a bit of a disservice if we came away from this game with no points.鈥�
Close calls by Ollie Bassett and Sean Young in the waning minutes just failed to find the net as PFC went looking for the late winner.
鈥淲e鈥檒l learn from this one,鈥� said Kah.
Next up for Pacific FC is a matchup with Hamilton鈥檚 Forge FC on Sunday afternoon.
