One mistake does not a season make, in the crease, or out.
Pacific FC head coach Pa-Modou Kah expressed unreserved confidence in goalkeeper Nolan Wirth of Comox heading into today鈥檚 Canadian Premier League soccer game against York9 in Charlottetown, P.E.I. (5 p.m. PDT on OneSoccer).
Kah has his choice of Wirth, the second-year PFC keeper who played in the NCAA Pac-12 for the Oregon State Beavers, or sa国际传媒-capped Callum Irving, dressed in reserve Saturday.
The PFC bench boss said Wirth鈥檚 early ball-dribbling error, which led to Wirth fouling former Victoria Highlanders forward Corey Bent of the HFX Wanderers in the box at 12 minutes Saturday, will not be held against him. That led to a penalty-kick goal for the Halifax club, through Brazilian and former Middlesbrough-signed Joao Neto Morelli, which changed the complexion over the first two thirds of the game in the eventual 2-2 tie.
鈥淢istakes are part of the game,鈥� said Ka h.
鈥淚t was a learning moment. Nolan did everything we asked of him. He showed resilience and commitment in coming back after that. We are 100 percent behind Nolan. There is no doubt about that. There was a reason he earned the role [as the season-opener starter].鈥�
Kah, meanwhile, expressed satisfaction about the new rule allowing five subs per game during the abbreviated pandemic season instead of the normal three. All coaches used their subs mostly to the max over the opening weekend.
鈥淭he games are thick and fast and there will be some roster rotation for sure [off the bench],鈥� said Kah.
鈥淎ll our [five] subs did great work and were impactful,鈥� said Kah.
That included Zach Verhoven, who scored the first goal of the season for PFC, to tie the game 1-1 against HFX.
鈥淚t shows the depth of our roster, and the fact our quality does not change when we go to our bench,鈥� said Kah.
鈥淲e have players who can switch positions, so our versatility [multiplies the bench鈥檚 potential].鈥�
Saturday鈥檚 opener was Kah鈥檚 first as a pro head coach.
鈥淚t is different from being an assistant coach to being a head coach,鈥� he said.
鈥淚 will never forget my first game in charge [as head coach]. It will be in my mind the rest of my life. I want to grow with these guys as human beings and players.鈥�
York9, from the Greater Toronto Area, opened its pandemic season account also with a 2-2 draw against Atletico Ottawa.
The opening-weekend flow was a bit rusty, as is to be expected following such a delay, but the games were also entertaining and e ventful.
鈥淭he last game for PFC was Oct. 19 last season against Valour FC,鈥� noted Kah.
鈥淭he boys are getting their legs back. I took a lot of positives out of the first game. I loved our resiliency in coming back to tie and then take the lead [before a late HFX penalty kick tied it 2-2]. There was some sloppiness and a lack of rhythm until the guys settled down and showed their quality. The guys showed they really care for one another. 鈥�
Sophomore Verhoven at 67 minutes and six-times sa国际传媒-capped Marco Bustos at 75 minutes scored for PFC in the opener.
鈥淚t was a great feeling to play an actual game,鈥� said Bustos, who scored seven goals last season for Valour FC of Winnipeg.
All games are being played on the University of Prince Edward Island鈥檚 FIFA-standard Alumni Field turf facility without fans amid the CPL鈥檚 鈥渂ubble.鈥�
after Charlottetown beat out Langford and Moncton, N.B., to host the CPL season tournament.
Each of the eight teams will play the other once in the round-robin portion of the made-for-TV tournament. Following today鈥檚 fixture against York9, PFC meets defending CPL-champion Forge FC of Hamilton in a CBC nationally-televised game Saturday at 1 p.m.. PFC then plays Valour FC on Aug. 25 at 11 a.m., Cavalry FC of Calgary on Aug. 30 at 9 a.m., Atletico Ottawa on Sept. 2 at 5 p.m. and FC Edmonton on Sept. 6 at noon. All times are PDT.
The top-four teams will advance to a playoff-round robin. The top team from that will go directly into the league championship game while the second- and third-place teams will meet in a semifinal with the winner advancing to the championship final.
All games are being broadcast live over the Web on OneSoccer while CBC is broadcasting doubleheaders nationally on Saturdays.
