Match #22
PACIFIC FC (9-5-7) vs. VALOUR FC (4-8-9)When: Saturday, September 2, 3 p.m. CDTWhere: Starlight Stadium, Victoria, B.C.How to watch: OneSoccer is broadcasting all Canadian Premier League games live https://onesoccer.ca/MATCH PREVIEW:It’s the same storyline for Valour FC as it has been for the last few weeks – they are running out of highway and time for a playoff push with just seven matches remaining and a ton of ground to make up on the teams in front of them.Stuck in seventh place, Valour enters the weekend nine points back of sixth place York United FC and 12 out of a playoff spot with Pacific, Atlético Ottawa, HFX Wanderers and Forge FC all tied with 32 points and four back of first place Cavalry FC.Valour fell 3-0 to the Wanderers last weekend on the East Coast and now travels across country to the West Coast for a match with Pacific, one of the CPL’s perennial powers. The club’s inability to convert chances has become THE story of the 2023 season, with just 17 goals in 21 matches the lowest total in the league. Even worse is the team has been blanked nine times this season.Since a 1-nil win over Vancouver FC on June 25th, Valour has just one win and one draw against six losses.THE OTHER GUYS:3 Facts about Pacific FC:-Pacific has dropped three straight and, in the process, have fallen out of first place in the CPL table. They are four points back of first place Cavalry, but also in that four-team logjam tied for second and just three points out of sixth.-Valour will be placing a Pacific squad missing some regulars on Saturday, with dominant centre back Amer Didić, midfielder Georges Mukumbilwa and forward Djenairo Daniels all sitting this one out due to suspension. -Pacific forward Ayman Sellout is tied with Kyle Bekker of Forge FC for the CPL assist lead with seven. Sellouf also leads the team with five goals while Didic, Josh Heard and Easton Ongaro – a thorn in Valour’s side dating back to his days with FC Edmonton – all with four goals.
VALOUR FC SPOTLIGHT:#8 Diego Gutierrez, MF: Valour is in desperate need of leadership and goals at this critical stage of the season and Gutierrez could provide a bit of both as the team captain and a player who is tied with Kian Williams for the team lead with three goals.CRITICAL NUMBER9Valour won its first contest of the year with a 2-0 road victory over York United FC in Ontario, but has since gone nine matches without a road ‘W.’ Since then the club has four draws and five losses away from IG Field.All-Time: Valour FC vs. Pacific FCOverall: (win-draw-loss): 2-3-13Last meeting: June 21, 2023 at Starlight Stadium: Pacific FC 1 Valour FC 0