There’s no magic potion for Valour FC to chug down in its quest to find more goals and, most importantly, more points in the Canadian Premier League standings.
And so, the solution for Winnipeg’s professional soccer side is quite simple as it heads into Sunday’s home match vs. York United FC (6 p.m. start): keep grinding and keep putting in the sweat equity until the dam bursts and the attack gets unlocked.
“Everyone is putting the work in during training. We do seem to be lacking that finish at times, but I’m confident it will come,” winger Kian Williams told valourfootball.club earlier this week. “As long as the supporters stay behind us, I’m sure we’ll get some goals. We’re excited for the York game and a chance to put things right.”
York and Atlético Ottawa are currently tied for the fifth and final playoff spot in the CPL – five ahead of Valour. Valour’s scoring woes of late have been an issue, with the club having scored just twice in the last five matches – one of them coming from Diego Gutiérrez on a penalty in a 1-nil win over Vancouver FC.
Still, the possession numbers and chances created have been decent and the rally in earning a tie in Hamilton last weekend against Forge FC – Klaidi Cela scored in the 85th minute on a perfect corner feed from Williams – could be critical on Sunday and ahead.
“Forge is a very tough place to go,” said Williams. “They’ve dominated the league over the last few years. They gave us a tough game, but the gameplan was to sit back and look to counter. They had a large spell of possession, but we got a chance and took it. Obviously, it would have been good if we had created more, but that’s an important road point. If we were on the back foot all game for every game, then we’d be worried. We know we’re good players and have a lot more to give. It’s that last finishing touch.
“I look at a team like Ottawa,” Williams added. “They started off slowly but have now picked it up and are getting points. Me, personally, I’ve got the belief we can do the same thing. It’s getting those finishing touches in games and I’m sure we’ll get more points on the board.
“Apart from the first game of the season (a 2-nil win over York in Toronto), we’ve not really had a high-scoring game. Maybe it will be this weekend. But that’s the main focus now – not thinking about the last game but looking ahead and staying positive.”
Valour GM and head coach Phillip Dos Santos said Thursday the club is still examining opportunities to add more talent before the CPL’s summer transfer window closes in early August, including possibly some help up front. That could be especially important with Matteo de Brienne, Juan Pablo Sanchez, and Gutiérrez all questionable for Sunday.
“The energy is good,” said Dos Santos. “We have 13 games left and we’re five points behind York with a game in hand. Those five points can be cancelled very fast. We know what it means to get wins back-to-back. We know what it means to get wins at home and we have four of our next five at home.
“Everything is in play and that’s the mentality the guys need to have. It was important to get that point in Hamilton, especially coming out of two games we had lost and being able to secure a point in a very difficult place before we play these two home games was a good boost for us. They’ve been training well. They know it’s up to us.
“I was proud of how the guys battled and rallied against Forge after going a goal down. That’s the guys. That’s what this team has been about. That goal that secured us a point could be valuable – every point is – and the guys know that.
“Now we just keep working.”