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“When he’s in a place where he’s happy and his head is in it and he’s committed and he’s healthy, Billy can be a very dangerous player.” | Valour FC 2, York United FC 0
August 7, 2022
Ed Tait
by
Ed Tait

Valour FC is officially in full hunt mode of a Canadian Premier League playoff spot and has a message for the four clubs ahead of them in the standings:

That object in your rear-view mirror – dressed in either all white or maroon and black – is now much closer than it appears.

Energized by their summer transfer-window additions and a healthy lineup, Valour blanked York United FC 2-0 in a Sunday matinee at IG Field for its second straight victory.

As a result, the club has improved to 7-5-6 on the season – seven wins, five draws and six defeats – and with 26 points has narrowed the gap to the fourth and final playoff spot.

With five wins and a draw against two losses in its last eight matches Valour is now just five points back of fourth place Cavalry FC – with a match in hand – and just six points out of second spot.

“We scored in moments that were important and never gave too much to the opposition,” said Valour GM and head coach Phillip Dos Santos. “We were solid defensively. The guys are committed to what the trademark of the team needs to be – a team that doesn’t give many chances and when we do give them, we were able to put bodies in front of shots and sacrifice a little bit more and today the guys did that.

“I think we were the best team out there. Offensively we were the team that created more, had the best chances and when it’s like that you put the chances to win the game on your side.”

Valour was stout defensively in limiting York United to four shots as goalkeeper Rayane Yesli – making his second straight start – earned his second consecutive clean sheet.

Yesli Rayane (99) - 10746

“It feels really good from a personal point of view,” said Yesli. “But the most important thing for us was to go and win some games that are very important to us in the pursuit of the playoff spot.

“… We’re at the point in the season where we’ve built a lot of connections defensively. The guys stick together, they fight hard, they play well and it looks like everybody really understands each other.”

Two of Valour’s recent additions played huge roles in Sunday’s win, with centre back Nassim Mekideche continuing to be a force in the middle of the back line, while winger Billy Forbes set up Sean Rea’s goal 30 seconds after the halftime break before scoring a spectacular effort – on a pass from Rea – in the 70th minute.

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Sean Rea’s fourth goal of the season:

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Billy Forbes first CPL goal

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“Rea we know, right? Rea is Rea,” said Dos Santos. “Rea is a player that in any given game could get a rabbit out of a hat and open things up for any team. He did that today. It’s almost a textbook play on us for how we wanted to use the spaces and the depth of the field to then be able to come around the opposition and not letting them set into that back five.

“And then the second goal by Billy… that’s just what Billy is. That’s Billy Forbes. I’ve coached against Billy in the old NASL and then the USL and that’s Billy. When he’s in a place where he’s happy and his head is in it and he’s committed and he’s healthy, Billy can be a very dangerous player.”

Valour now travels to Nova Scotia to face HFX Wanderers next Saturday before returning home for four straight matches at IG Field. Five of Valour’s next six will all be at home in what could be a season-defining stretch.

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‘V’ NOTES:

-Fullback Brett Levis picked up his fourth yellow and will be suspended for Valour’s next match next Saturday in Nova Scotia against HFX Wanderers.

-Barry Smith served as York United’s manager on Sunday with Martin Nash not making the trip due to COVID protocol.

-Rea’s goal was his fourth of the season, and third this year against York.

-Valour had a third goal, by Federico Pena, overturned by an offside call that replays showed was iffy.

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VALOUR FC 2 YORK UNITED FC 0

GOALS:

Valour FC

45:26’: Sean Rea; assist: Billy Forbes

69:40’: Billy Forbes; assist Billy Forbes

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CARD SUMMARY

Valour FC:

52:05’: Brett Levis (yellow, reckless offence)

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York United FC

None

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VALOUR STARTING XI

GK Rayane Yesli

D Stefan Cebara

D Nassim Mekideche

D Andrew Jean-Baptiste

D Brett Levis

MF Diego Gutiérrez

MF Kevin Rendon

MF Sean Rea

FW Matteo de Brienne

FW Billy Forbes

F Moses Dyer

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Valour substitutions:

62:26’: on Daryl Fordyce; off Kevin Rendón

65:30’: on Alex Riggi; off Matteo de Brienne

72:32’: on Rocco Romeo; off Sean Rea

72:36’: on Federico Pena; off Billy Forbes

84:42’: on Walter Poncé; off Moses Dyer