The Victoria Highlanders woke up to no lack of inspiration Sunday morning with surprise results galore in the World Cup.
But there would be no underdog heroics on the Centennial Stadium pitch later that afternoon. Form held stubbornly in a 4-1 victory by the Northwest Division-leading Calgary Foothills in United Soccer League Premier Development League action.
Tommy Wheeldon Jr., who next season steps up to the pro level to become the first head coach and GM of Calgary鈥檚 Calvary FC of the new Canadian Premier League, has the annual powerhouse Foothills to their accustomed position atop the divisional table at 7-1-2.
Opponents have been left wondering if pro soccer hasn鈥檛 arrived early to Calgary. The 2016 Northwest Division champion and 2017 runners-up Foothills have been led this season by 33-year-old former Bundesliga pro Nik Ledgerwood, who has 50 caps for sa国际传媒, and former Vancouver Whitecaps MLS-signed sa国际传媒 U-20 and U-23 goalkeeper Marco Carducci.
It says a lot about Calgary鈥檚 depth that they won by three goals Sunday without either Ledgerwood or Carducci in the lineup.
鈥淲e played a very experienced team, and for the most part, did well,鈥� said Highlanders head coach Thomas Niendorf.
Calgary didn鈥檛 take long to strike at five minutes before Mackenzie Cole lifted the home side with an equalizer before halftime as the Highlanders began to come on.
鈥淸Wheeldon] told me he felt he needed to make subs,鈥� said Niendorf, of his post-game chat with his good friend and Calgary counterpart.
Wheeldon鈥檚 bench wheeling worked. A trey of second-half goals by Jay Wheeldon, Moses Danto and Sergio Camargo sealed the deal for Foothills, who swept the three-game set against Victoria for the full nine points that have greatly buoyed Calgary鈥檚 season.
Highlanders鈥� goalkeeper Nolan Wirth, the former Pac-12 player with the Oregon State Beavers who shared the Canadian crease with Carducci at the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup, could do little to quell the onslaught.
鈥淲e had some good opportunities to get the go-ahead goal ourselves early in the second half,鈥� said Niendorf.
鈥淪o to concede that second goal was very disappointing and took the spirit out of our group, because we knew how difficult it would be to come back.鈥�
Calgary鈥檚 depth was in evidence in the second half.
鈥淸Foothills] made four quality subs and we couldn鈥檛 counter,鈥� said Niendorf.
鈥淲e are competing well but we still need to learn and need to be better.鈥�
Victoria fell to 2-6 in starting the second half of the season.
The Highlanders now hit the Oregon Trail for games Friday in Eugene against Lane United and Sunday in Portland against Timbers U-23.
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