Valour FC is slowly inching toward the finish line of the 2023 Canadian Premier League season but may have found some hope down the stretch.

Englishman Kian Williams has been an inspiration up top in the #9 role over the last two matches, moving from the wing position to provide some offensive punch for an attack that has been sorely lacking in that department all year.

Williams had a goal in Sunday’s 3-2 loss to Forge FC – his second start as a forward – and added an assist in his debut up top, a 3-1 victory over York United FC 11 days ago. There have been other chances, too, with Valour having scored five times in its last two after being blanked nine times previously this year and held to just one goal in nine other matches.

The recent goal surge has moved Valour out of last place in the CPL in goals with 23 in 24 matches – one more ahead of Wednesday’s opponent, Vancouver FC (7 p.m. start).

“I feel like I’m a player that can adapt to any of the attacking positions. As long as I’m able to play and help the team and work hard and help the guys around me, that’s what I try to do,” said Williams. “I enjoy being up top; I’m closer to goal rather than sometimes on the wing you have to create your chances. (Up top) you can sometimes just make little movements… I feel like I’m quite smart in that way, with my movements, to try and get separation.

“I could have also added some more goals (against Forge). I’m critical of myself in that sense.”

Williams has worked well in a tandem with Matteo de Brienne, who has moved up to an attacking position with the return to health of left back Jordan Haynes. De Brienne also scored in the weekend loss to Forge – adding an assist on the Williams goal – while being very dangerous in the win over York United.

“Matteo is one of my closest friends on the team,” said Williams. “We speak a lot about certain movements… when he’s got the ball certain movements I’ll make and certain movements he’ll make. I feel like we have a good bond on the pitch. He’s a top player and always willing to learn. When he’s left wing, it definitely helps me up front. He’ got a bright future ahead of him.”

The play of that duo in the last two matches, and particularly Williams at the forward position, could be a silver lining as the club still chases its outside shot at a playoff spot this year while also keeping an eye on 2024.

“Kian has an ability to stretch the opposition but he’s also an intelligent player and he knows when to get into the pockets and link up and play closer to midfielders,” said Valour GM and head coach Phillip Dos Santos. “That’s a dimension we’ve been lacking. We saw indicators he could fit into the role well and we could maximize his qualities in the role of a #9 (striker).

“We tried it in the first game against York and he responded well. He helped the team in the possession moments, he was able to stretch the opposition and put himself in good positions and we saw that in the assist he had in Dante’s (Campbell) goal. He reads the game well, he anticipates situations well and we saw it with the way he got on his goal (Sunday). Some guys just have a knack for being in the right place at the right time. He’s lively, he never stops moving his feet and he helps us in the moments of pressure because he’s an intelligent player with qualities.

“There’s football and then there’s understanding football and some understand more than others and that’s why there’s guys playing at higher levels than others. I think Kian is one of those. He’s giving us a bit of a spark in that #9 role and it’s something we were lacking, that we haven’t had this season. We felt with Jordan being able into the lineup and having the chance to have Matteo on a higher line it would help us defensively and the truth is in the last two games we’ve scored five goals when this team was fighting very hard in every game to find a goal. That’s the bright side of things.”