Match #3
CAVALRY FC (0-2-0) vs VALOUR FC (1-1-0)
When: Sunday, April 30th, 4 p.m. CDT
Where: ATCO Field, Calgary
How to watch: OneSoccer is broadcasting all Canadian Premier League games live https://onesoccer.ca/
MATCH PREVIEW:
Valour looks to stay unbeaten in CPL play by grabbing points in three straight matches. The club opened with a 2-nil win over York United FC in Toronto, and after a shocking result in a 3-1 loss to TSS Rovers in the Canadian Championship, followed that with a 1-1 draw against Atlético Ottawa in their home opener.
Valour has been battling some early-season injury concerns which have tested the team’s depth and garnering four of a possible six points in CPL action has been seen as a plus. They will face a Cavalry FC side which has opened with a pair of draws – 2-2 vs. Forge FC and 1-1 with Pacific FC – wrapped around a Canadian Championship loss to Pacific that went to penalties.
THE GAFFER SAYS:
GM and head coach Phillip Dos Santos on Cavalry FC:
“There’s a bit of a shift in identity with Cavalry, mainly in the midfield. A lot of the team structure is untouched, but they’ve changed many players in that area of the midfield. It’s a bit of a different image, but it’s a team that, as usual, is going to be up there fighting with the best in the league. They’ve added skill in the midfield, players that are very comfortable on the ball and have similar attacking threats with (Ali) Musse, with (Joseph) Mason, with (Mikael) Cantave – those are players that are dynamic and dangerous in the final third.
“We also can’t neglect the fact this is their home opener, and the team has been, in recent history, has made ATCO Field a difficult place to play.”
VALOUR FC SPOTLIGHT:
#18 Klaidi Cela, D: Valour’s newest addition https://valourfc.canpl.ca/article/hey-if-you-need-me-there-in-five-hours-or-whatever-it-is-to-play-a-game-im-there-in-five-hours-im-ready-to-go will be in the lineup immediately after arriving from League1 Ontario’s Vaughan Azzurri.
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CRITICAL NUMBER
26-6-6
Cavalry FC’s all-time home record since the CPL began in 2019. That’s best in the league’s short history.
Valour is 1-0-5 in six matches at ATCO Field, the lone victory a 4-2 decision on October 30, 2021, in which Willy Akio scored twice with the other goals coming from Moses Dyer and Keven Aleman.
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All-time Valour FC vs. Cavalry FC: (win-draw-loss): 2-3-9
Last meeting: October 2, 2022, ATCO Field: Cavalry FC 2 Valour FC 1