Familiarity is not breeding contempt as Pacific FC kicks off against York United for the fourth time this season (4:30 p.m. PT). But there’s certainly something in this rivalry.
“They have been difficult matches,” said PFC head coach James Merriman.
PFC and York United have played to two scoreless league draws and a 2-2 Canadian Championship quarter-final regulation-time scoreline won on penalty kicks by York United at Starlight Stadium. The latter result still stings as it denied the Tridents a semifinal match-up against the Vancouver Whitecaps of Major League Soccer. York United went on to lose 2-1 to the Whitecaps at sa国际传媒 Place Stadium.
“Losing in the Canadian Championship was in a competition that we really looked forward to,” said Merriman.
With their league portion even at two draws, today’s match in the Greater Toronto area represents the season rubber match between the Tridents and York.
“The guys want to play this game and play this team again. Our group is motivated and I expect a big performance,” said Merriman.
The Tridents go into today following a 3-2 road win over last-place FC Edmonton last week and a 3-3 draw against league-leading Cavalry FC of Calgary the week before at Starlight Stadium. The five goals allowed over those two games, however, stand out glaringly.
“That is something we are not happy about as a team and addressed as a team [in training],” said Merriman.
“The guys are working hard to improve it [defence]. We defend as a team and attack as a team. We need to be better as a group and can’t concede those cheap goals.”
But the six goals scored in the last two matches has been encouraging for the PFC offence, which had stalled before that in a run of three games without scoring.
“Our [attackers] are playing with more joy and freedom now,” said Merriman.
“We have good, creative and different attacking players. They are looking dangerous and want to attack. We are finding that consistency in our form and performance. We are going to attack. Our group is in a good place and motivated.”
PFC is 6-4-5 in wins-losses-draws in league.
York United is mentored by Victoria-raised Martin Nash, the former Whitecaps pro and CONCACAF Gold Cup champion capped 38 times for sa国际传媒. Nash has York United at 2-7-5 in league in his first tenure as a CPL head coach after a successful three-season stint as assistant coach and technical director with Cavalry FC.
