Pacific FC will try to extend its spiralling season in a playoff game Wednesday night at Starlight Stadium against fifth-place York United.
PFC, which once harboured dreams of the Canadian Premier League regular-season championship, placed fourth after losing its final three games. The Tridents could have taken second place with a win Saturday in Calgary but fell 3-0 to Cavalry FC.
“We’re disappointed but we don’t have time to feel sorry for ourselves,” said PFC captain Josh Heard.
“It has been turbulent but we need a reaction and we’ve got to get back to work and prepare for Wednesday.”
The short turnaround has now become the story for PFC.
“There is no time to feel sorry for ourselves. We need to pick ourselves up. We need to move on quickly,” said PFC head coach James Merriman.
“We need to shift focus and mindset quickly to the playoffs.”
The winner of the PFC-York United playoff will advance to meet the third-place HFX Wanderers in Halifax next Saturday in a quarter-final of the Page playoff system. The winner between PFC-York and HFX will advance to the semifinal Oct. 21 against either regular-season champion Cavalry FC or second-place Forge FC.
Cavalry and Forge will meet in the 1-2 playoff next Saturday in Calgary with the winner going to the CPL final and the loser to host the semifinal on Oct. 28 against the survivor of the HFX, PFC, York United bracket.
York United (11-12-5 in wins-losses-draws), coached by 38-time sa国际传媒 capped former midfielder Martin Nash of Victoria, stepped from the brink to qualify as the fifth seed by winning its last two games. That left Atletico Ottawa, Vancouver FC and Valour FC as the teams to miss the playoffs.
PFC finished 11-10-7. Merriman discounted momentum — the Tridents’ three straight losses and York United’s two consecutive wins — as an issue for Wednesday, saying the playoffs have their own separate vibe.
Pacific FC had to watch Cavalry FC (16-5-7) lift the CPL Shield before a capacity crowd at Spruce Meadows following the game, for the regular-season championship, and 2024 CONCACAF Champions League berth that goes with it. Cavalry won for the fifth consecutive game.
“It’s the possibility of playing possibly the world’s greatest ever player [Lionel Messi of Inter-Miami],” said Cavalry FC head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr.
After watching the Cavalry FC celebrations, PFC captain Heard said: “We want that for ourselves and will use that as fuel.”
Even though they have made it much harder on themselves, the Tridents still have a chance, as the playoff champion will earn the second CPL berth into the 2024 CONCACAF Champions League. If Cavalry wins the playoff title as well, the runner-up team will get the second Champions League spot.
Six-time New Zealand-capped Myer Bevan scored one of the Cavalry FC goals Saturday to tie with Ollie Bassett of Atletico Ottawa for the CPL Golden Boot with 12 goals each.
