The atmosphere was joyous and boisterous on Pride Night with Pacific FC giving the 3,238 supporters plenty to cheer about Friday night at Starlight Stadium in a 3-0 Canadian Premier League soccer victory over arch-nemesis Cavalry FC.
It was a dominant Tridents performance in a testy affair as these clubs, intense rivals since the first CPL season in 2019, are clearly getting on each other’s nerves. At least they didn’t go down to 10 men each, as they did the last time they met at Starlight Stadium in a 3-3 draw. There were plenty of sparks, just the same as PFC (8-4-5 in wins-losses-draws) leapfrogged Cavalry FC (8-4-4) into first place by a point although the Calgary club retains a game in hand.
“Everyone worked their socks off and it was a true team performance,” said PFC midfielder Marco Bustos.
“We knew this was huge because we knew a win would put us back on top.”
Bustos took advantage of a mistake by German-import goalkeeper Julian Roloff out of FC Koln II, who slipped outside the box and was well out of position, when Bustos took advantage by launching an opportunistic long looping shot that found the net at 24 minutes for his first goal of the season.
“It was nice to get the doubt off my back [with the first goal],” said the six-time sa国际传媒-capped field magician.
The Tridents went up two on a Calgary own goal at 50 minutes. Alejandro Diaz scored from the spot for his league-leading 11th goal at 67 minutes after Josh Heard was brought down in the box.
With 13 goals in the past four games, the PFC offence has come alive with creativity and content.
“We went out with the intention to attack,” said Bustos.
“When we are dynamic in attack, we are at our best.”
Goalkeeper Callum Irving, who captained PFC on the night wearing a multi-hued armband, preserved his clean sheet with three outstanding saves.
It was the worst loss in Cavalry FC history.
“We leave here embarrassed, to be fair,” said Cavalry captain and three-time sa国际传媒-capped Charlie Trafford, who described the match as “scrappy and feisty.”
“This was not us. This was not the Cavalry team. Meanwhile, PFC was very direct.”
Cavalry FC head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr. added: “It’s the worst loss in our young club’s history and it doesn’t feel good.”
Pacific FC travels to Kingston to meet Waterhouse of the Jamaican Premier League on Tuesday in the opening leg of their CONCACAF League tie, the second leg of which is Aug. 2 at Starlight Stadium. PFC is in Winnipeg next Saturday to play Valour FC in a CPL fixture.
