Valour FC picked up their first win of the 2024 Canadian Premier League season on Monday afternoon, beating Halifax Wanderers FC 2-1 at Wanderers Grounds for their first-ever win on the east coast.
It was the hosts who had what appeared to be the first big opportunity of the match in the 16th minute, after winning a free kick at the edge of the penalty area. Massimo Ferrin’s shot struck the wall that Valour goalkeeper Darlington Murasiranwa set up as the first line of defence, before Ryan Telfer sent the rebound wide of the target as he failed to make clean contact on his shot.
Ferrin came close to opening the scoring again a few minutes later, dribbling through Valour defenders before firing a shot off the top of the crossbar. The packed crowd in Halifax was ignited by the movement from Ferrin, providing the home side with a boost of energy that helped them continue to gain momentum and pile the pressure on Valour.
Both Zachary Fernandez and Ferrin had shots blocked in quick succession in the 24th minute as the Wanderers continued to look for the opening goal, while Valour were hanging on and keeping the game scoreless.
The visitors turned things around at the end of the first half and started to get more of the ball, but were only able to take one shot in the opening half — a fifth-minute effort from Juan Pablo Sanchez that missed the target. Halifax didn’t have a shot on target either in the first 45 minutes, and the two sides entered the break tied nil-nil.
The visitors took the lead early in the second half, on an outstanding finish from Diogo Ressureição. The Portuguese midfielder received a pass just outside the penalty area after a nifty passing play between him and Abdul Binate, before curling a shot off the right post and into the back of the net.
Ressureição’s froze Wanderers goalkeeper Yann Fillion, who didn’t attempt to save the ball as it went past him to open the scoring.
Murasiranwa was able to stop the next shot that came his way, diving to his right to deny a shot from Wesley Timoteo, who replaced Ryan Telfer moments earlier.
Valour went back in front in the 75th minute, on a thumping effort from Jordan Swibel. The Australian forward scored his second of the season, putting his foot through the ball and hammering it into the top left corner when the Wanderers defenders failed to close him down quickly enough.
Swibel tested Yann Fillion again moments after restoring his team’s lead, this time from a direct free kick at the edge of the box. This time, however, the Wanderers goalkeeper was able to dive to his right and redirect the ball away from danger.
The Wanderers pushed hard for a late equalizer, desperate to not lose at home again this season, but Valour held on for six gruelling minutes of stoppage time to pick up their first three points of the season.
It is the first-ever win and goals for Valour on the east coast in Canadian Premier League action, and sees the Winnipeggers climb off the bottom of the table, leapfrogging Halifax into seventh. Halifax is now the only team yet to win a game this season, currently sitting in eighth place with one point from five games.
BOX SCORE
Lineups
Halifax Wanderers: Fillion; Nimick, Dunn, Loughrey (Ferrazzo 80′); Fernandez, Gagnon-Laparé, Rampersad, Telfer (Timoteo 70′); Daniels (Probo 70′), Coimbra (Volesky 70′), Ferrin
Valour FC: Murasiranwa, Campbell, Chantzopoulos, Mourdoukoutas, Antonoglou (Facchineri 87′); Sanchez, Verhoeven (Alarcón 68′); Binate (Haynes 89′), Ressureição, Faria (Hundal 68′); Swibel
Goals
49′ — Diogo Ressureição (Valour FC)
67′ — Dan Nimick (Halifax Wanderers FC) — penalty
75′ — Jordan Swibel (Valour FC)
Discipline
15′ — Yellow: Darlington Murasiranwa (Valour FC)
43′ — Yellow: Noah Verhoeven (Valour FC)
57′ — Yellow: Juan Pablo Sanchez (Valour FC)
59′ — Yellow: Jordan Faria (Valour FC)
73′ — Yellow: Daniel Nimick (Halifax Wanderers FC)
74′ — Yellow: Themi Antonoglou (Valour FC)
86′ — Yellow: Zachary Fernandez (Halifax Wanderers FC)