There weren鈥檛 many friendly faces for Pacific FC among the 4,000 fans Wednesday on ATCO Field at Spruce Meadows in 颅Calgary.
PFC managed a scoreless draw in its first Canadian Premier League game in nearly two years in an opponent鈥檚 stadium.
鈥淵ou always play to win. But if you come into a hostile environment, and you can get a point, you will take it,鈥� said PFC head coach Pa-Modou Kah.
鈥淭he chances were even. We kept possession in the first half and Calgary in the second half. It was an even-keeled match.鈥�
Kah鈥檚 club held off a host side that seemed to be carried along by the noise of the crowd.
鈥淭he crowd was amazing today and held us through in the second half,鈥� said Cavalry FC defender Daan Klomp, a native of the Netherlands, who would know a thing or two about passionate soccer fans.
鈥淭hese are the best fans in the league from what I鈥檝e seen so far. They gave us loads of energy. It鈥檚 amazing.鈥�
He got no argument from the Cavalry FC head coach.
鈥淧eople know how hard it is to come here. It鈥檚 a psychological advantage,鈥� said Tommy 颅Wheeldon Jr.
鈥淵ou can see the world healing 鈥� the singing and the flares 鈥� and our fans almost trying to suck the ball into the net for us. The fans here are our 12th man. You can feel the energy and the energy is infectious. And it鈥檚 growing.鈥�
Pacific FC remained atop the CPL table at 6-2-4 as it extended its unbeaten streak to five games. Second-place Cavalry FC (6-3-3) remained one point behind the Island club. Cavalry came into the contest after winning its last two games and four of its last five. The only blemishes for Cavalry FC over the last six games have been a 2-0 loss to PFC at Starlight Stadium and Wednesday鈥檚 draw against the Islanders in Calgary.
鈥淧FC is the best attacking team in the league. We had them on the ropes. We just missed that final punch,鈥� said Wheeldon Jr.
There was more than road fans to get used to for PFC.
鈥淚t was my first game on a grass field in more than two years and that was a learning curve,鈥� said PFC defender 颅Jordan Haynes, a former sa国际传媒 U-17 and U-20 player.
鈥淎nd it was our first away game with fans in quite a while and the noise of the fans was a bit of a deterrent [for us]. We鈥檒l take the point. We came on the road battling for first place and the point prevented us from 颅losing first place.鈥�
PFC goalkeeper Callum Irving recorded his CPL co-leading sixth clean sheet of the season.
Cavalry leads the all-time series 5-2-2.
鈥淚t was a tale of two halves,鈥� said Haynes.
Pacific FC is in Winnipeg to play Valour FC on 颅Monday before returning home to meet Cavalry FC on Aug. 20 at 颅Starlight Stadium.
