Match #5
YORK UNITED FC (1-0-3) vs VALOUR FC (0-0-4)
When: Friday, May 10th, 6 p.m. CT
Where: York Lions Stadium, Toronto, ON.
How to watch: OneSoccer is broadcasting all Canadian Premier League games live https://onesoccer.ca/
Supporters group viewing party: Elephant & Castle, 350 St. Mary Ave.
MATCH PREVIEW:
No way to sugar-coat Valour’s start to the season with four losses in league play and the 7-nil defeat in the Canadian Championship Preliminary Round. Continuing their eight-match road trek to open the year while the new turf was installed at Princess Auto Stadium, Valour will next face the two teams closest to them in the CPL standings – York tonight and then HFX Wanderers in Nova Scotia on Victoria Day Monday.
Valour has only two goals this season and has given up 10 in league play and has been burned by defensive lapses and an inability to create enough chances – and bury those that they do. To make matters worse, veteran keeper Jonathan Viscosi was injured in last week’s loss to Atlético Ottawa, meaning Darlington Murasiranwa is expected to start tonight and with 16-year-old Adam Kour signed as a short-term replacement keeper.
THE OTHER GUYS:
3 Facts about York United FC:
-York is coming off a 2-nil loss to Pacific FC last weekend, and also lost in their Canadian Championship Preliminary Round match – a 3-1 setback to southern Ontario rivals Forge FC. Their lone victory was a solid 3-nil home decision over Vancouver FC that saw the club score all three goals after the 70th minute.
-Torontonian Brian Wright leads York with two goals with their other two markers coming from Dennis Salanovic and former Valour forward Austin Ricci. French keeper Thomas Vincensini has started all four CPL matches for York this season, as well as the Canadian Championship loss to Forge.
-York’s -3 goal differential is third-worst in the CPL, with only HFX Wanderers (-5) and Valour (-8) sporting an uglier total.
VALOUR FC SPOTLIGHT:
#13: Tass Mourdoukoutas, centre back: The Australian defender saw his first action of the season in last weekend’s loss in Ottawa, coming off the bench to play 13 minutes in the second half. He suffered a knock late in preseason that kept him out of action and Valour will be looking for his veteran influence to help settle the back line as he lines up against his old club – one for which he played in 38 matches over the 2022-23 seasons.
CRITICAL NUMBER
500
Friday’s match will be the 500th in the CPL’s history.
Here’s Valour GM and head coach Phillip Dos Santos on that milestone:
“It’s special. It’s something we don’t think about, but every time there’s a milestone and to be part of it is always gives you a sense of gratefulness that there’s a domestic league that is giving opportunities to Canadian players, Canadian coaches and more – administrators, general managers, front office people, media, broadcasters.
“When you reach milestones it’s just a reminder that time goes by fast, too, but that we were all able to get here and help this league grow. Many more to come.”
All-Time: Valour FC vs. York United FC
Overall: (win-draw-loss): 8-2-6
Last meeting: September 8th, 2023: York United 1 Valour FC 3, at York Lions Stadium.