There is no mechanically produced noise to indicate the end of a game in soccer, only the ref鈥檚 whistle, so you can鈥檛 technically describe Pacific FC鈥檚 games in the Canadian Premier League tournament as buzzer beaters. But ripping a page from basketball鈥檚 book, that鈥檚 essentially what they were as two of its three games were decided on the last shot or header in injury extra-time added.
PFC鈥檚 other game was also decided by a late goal. Not that this has been unusual in the whiplash last stages of many of the CPL games in the Charlottetown, P.E.I. 鈥渂ubble.鈥� According to league statistics provided Monday, 12 goals have been scored among the eight teams after the 85th minute of play. That has happened in nine of the 13 games played so far. Six of those late tallies have been tying goals or game winners, including in all three PFC fixtures. That鈥檚 what you call cutting it close.
The whistle-beaters continued Sunday as FC Edmonton scored at 88 minutes and again in injury time to salvage 2-2 draw against Atletico Ottawa while Cavalry FC and HFX exchanged goals at 90 minutes and in injury time in a 2-1 Cavalry victory. Both those results were PFC-friendly in the standings.
But PFC鈥檚 own dramatic outcomes have been a mixed blessing for the club. The one against York9 accounted for a draw in injury time for the Island team and the other two in a late draw for HFX Wanderers and a soul-sucking 2-1 loss Saturday against defending CPL-champion Forge FC of Hamilton as 18-time sa国际传媒 capped Kyle Bekker buried the last-gasp winner in the 97th minute.
That makes tonight鈥檚 Pacific FC game against Valour FC of Winnipeg (1-1-1) at 5 p.m. PDT in Charlottetown especially crucial. PFC has four games remaining with the bottom-six teams tightly bunched as they try to join runaway leaders Forge FC and Calgary鈥檚 Cavalry FC in the hunt for the four berths into the playoff group stage. Saturday鈥檚 loss at the death against Forge is the kind that can rip the heart out of a team, especially in such an abbreviated season format.
鈥淥ur guys don鈥檛 want to be the team that loses two games straight,鈥� said PFC head coach Pa-Modou Kah, in his Zoom interview with reporters Monday.
鈥淵ou can see it in their faces. Our group is in a good state. We鈥檙e ready.鈥�
The game will be especially personal for PFC鈥檚 Marco Bustos, the sa国际传媒-capped striker who scored seven goals last season for Valour FC. Bustos has one of Pacific FC鈥檚 four goals this season. But any more motivation isn鈥檛 needed in this situation, indicated Kah.
鈥淭his is not Bustos versus Valour. It鈥檚 PFC versus Valour,鈥� said the Pacific bench boss.
A similar storyline, this one in reverse direction, is being written by another sa国际传媒-capped player who also has one of the quad of goals for PFC so far. Midfielder Jamar Dixon has returned to play for an Island team after two breakout seasons in the PDL early in his career with the Victoria Highlanders.
鈥淚t鈥檚 fantastic, like nothing has changed,鈥� he said, of his return to the Island, during the extended PFC training camp over the spring and summer amid the pandemic.
鈥淢y first stint [in Victoria with the Highlanders] gave me my start and that really meant something to me. It鈥檚 a special place. The people supported me there. It鈥檚 a great atmosphere for sports in Victoria.鈥�
On another Island on the other coast, Dixon contributed PFC鈥檚 goal Saturday against Forge F.C. The Tridents will need more of that production today 鈥� from Dixon, Bustos or anybody 鈥� as it looks to rattle a tight table.
