PACIFIC FC 2
HFX WANDERERS 0
Marco Bustos of Pacific FC showed why he is flashily featured in the Volkswagen/Canadian Premier League ads running on TV during the Euro championship.
Bustos, one of three finalists for 2020 CPL MVP, took a deft back heel through pass from Alejandro Diaz and buried the ball for the winning goal at 17 minutes in the 2-0 victory on Saturday for Island-based PFC over HFX Wanderers of Halifax to open the 2021 pro soccer CPL season in the Winnipeg bubble at IG Stadium.
鈥淸Bustos] strives every single game to be one of the best players in the league and he keeps getting better and taking the next steps 鈥� as he showed by getting an invite to John Herdman鈥檚 sa国际传媒 national team camp in January [for a try-out ahead of 2022 World Cup qualifying play],鈥� said PFC head coach Pa Modou-Kah.
After scoring, Bustos held up PFC veteran Victor Blasco鈥檚 No. 7 jersey to honour his teammate, who has flown to Spain following the death of his father, Marcos Blasco.
鈥淚t was a fantastic gesture on Bustos鈥� part. This club is a family that cares about each other,鈥� Kah said about the closeness of his group. 鈥淚n 20 years of playing and coaching, this is one of the top five teams I鈥檝e been around in the game,鈥� added the Pacific FC bench boss, a widely-travelled pro as a player, who was capped 10 times for Norway.
The insurance goal, a howitzer from distance to the bottom corner of the net, came at 37 minutes from PFC newcomer and former Northern Ireland U-19 international Ollie Bassett.
鈥淚t was great to get the touch at the edge of the box and I thought, why not?鈥� said the brash attacking midfielder. 鈥淭hankfully, it went in. The standard was good and very competitive. This is a new league headed in the right direction.鈥�
But with a particular Canadian twist as Bassett, 23, got his first taste of Prairie summer weather as the game was delayed in the first half as a precaution due to lightning and thunder rolling over Winnipeg.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 completely out of our control, so it was about staying focused,鈥� said Bassett.
PFC goalkeeper Callum Irving made a terrific reaction save in the second half, diving parallel to the ground to get his left hand to the ball, to preserve his clean sheet.
Another happening on an eventful day was the departure from the game of HFX head coach Stephen Hart to an apparent medical issue. He is doing fine, said the league.
鈥淪tephen Hart was not feeling well during the match and [left] as a precautionary measure and tests were done,鈥� a league spokesman said.
Hart, the former Canadian national team head coach from 2009 to the crushing 8-1 loss to Honduras in 2014 World Cup qualifying, guided HFX from last place in 2019 to the league final last year in the Charlottetown bubble.
鈥淚 hope Stephen Hart is well,鈥� said Kah. 鈥淗e is very important for the league.鈥�
Atletico Ottawa blanked FC Edmonton 1-0 in Saturday鈥檚 other opening-day game in Winnipeg. In today鈥檚 games, bubble host Valour FC plays two-time CPL-champion Forge FC of Hamilton while Cavalry FC of Calgary meets York United of Toronto.
PFC next plays against York United on Thursday at 2 p.m. PT.
Each CPL team will play eight games in the Winnipeg bubble, with no fans, before the planned breakout to close the 28-game season in their home stadiums with fans in attendance later in the summer and through the fall.
CORNER KICKS: All the CPL players on opening weekend are wearing orange T-shirts featuring the message: 鈥淓very Child Matters鈥� for warm ups and on the sidelines in support of Canadian Indigenous communities. 鈥淐redit to the CPL for the orange shirts,鈥� said Kah.鈥淟et鈥檚 keep educating.鈥�
